Before Sunrise (1995)

Genre

Drama | Romance

Director

Richard Linklater

Country

Austria | Switzerland | United States

Cast

Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy, Andrea Eckert, Hanno Pöschl, Karl Bruckschwaiger, Tex Rubinowitz, Erni Mangold, Dominik Castell, Haymon Maria Buttinger, Bilge Jeschim, Adam Goldberg

Plot

American tourist Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and French student Celine (Julie Delpy) meet by chance on the train from Budapest to Vienna.
Sensing that they are developing a connection, Jesse asks Celine to spend the day with him in Vienna, and she agrees. Unfortunately, both know that this will probably be their only night together.

Opinion

Before Sunrise is pure cinematic gold, yet one of the most underrated films ever made. Richard Linklater delights us with a honest look at relationship. The absolute beauty of this film is the dialogues, because, although they are ordinary conversation between two people who just met, they really fascinated me. This film teaches us love is never absurd, and after watching it, you will realize falling in love with someone in just one night doesn't sound that stupid after all.
Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy bring to life two unforgettable characters, and they are the pillars of the film, contributing in making of it one of the best romance films of all the times.

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Quotes

Jesse: I always think that I'm still this thirteen-year-old boy, you know, who just doesn't really know how to be an adult, pretending live my life, taking notes for when, you know, I'll really have to do it.

Street Poet: Daydream delusion, limousine eyelash / Oh baby with your pretty face / Drop a tear in my wineglass / Look at those big eyes / See what you mean to me / Sweet-cakes and milkshakes / I'm a delusion angel / I'm a fantasy parade / I want you to know what I think / Don't want you to guess anymore / You have no idea where I came from / We have no idea where we're going / Lodged in life / Like branches in a river/ Flowing downstream / Caught in the current / I carry you / You'll carry me / That's how it could be / Don't you know me? / Don't you know me by now?

Jesse: I kind of see this all love as this, escape for two people who don't know how to be alone. People always talk about how love is this totally unselfish, giving thing, but if you think about it, there's nothing more selfish.

Celine: I used to think that if none of your family or friends knew you were dead, it was like not really being dead. People can invent the best and the worst for you.

Rating

9.0/10

The Usual Suspects (1995)

Genre

Crime | Drama| Thriller

Director

Bryan Singer

Country

United States

Cast

Kevin Spacey, Gabriel Byrne, Chazz Palminteri, Kevin Pollak, Pete Postlethwaite, Stephen Baldwin, Benicio del Toro, Peter Greene, Suzy Amis, Clark Gregg, Dan Hedaya, Giancarlo Esposito, Michelle Clunie, Paul Bartel

Plot

A deadly firefight and a fire aboard a ship docked in the San Pedro Bay leaves two survivors: a Hungarian criminal named Arkos Kovaz (Morgan Hunter) hospitalized from severe burns, and Roger "Verbal" Kint (Kevin Spacey) with cerebral palsy.

Separately, FBI agent Baer (Giancarlo Esposito) and Customs agent Kujan (Chazz Palminteri) arrive in San Pedro, lured by reports that the Turkish criminal Keyser Söze was involved with the incident. As Verbal later explains, Söze has a near mythical and vengeful reputation, having killed his own family when they were held hostage by a Hungarian gang to show his resolve, and then killing off all but one of the gang members before disappearing underground, keeping his true identity secret by insulating himself from his agents that may not even know who they are working for.

Opinion

The Usual Suspects is one of the best thrillers of 90's, along with Seven (David Fincher) and The Silence of the Lambs (Jonathan Demme). The script is excellent, the story does keep the viewer in suspense until the last minute. The final twist is simply unforgettable. The outstanding Kevin Spacey overshadows the other actors. The two Academy Awards won, for Best Supporting Actor (Kevin Spacey) and Best Original Script (Christopher McQuarrie), are totally deserved.

Quotes

Roger "Verbal" Kint: A man can convince anyone he's somebody else, but never himself.

Rating

9.5/10

Seven (1995)

Genre

Neo-noir | Thriller

Director

David Fincher

Country

United States

Cast
Morgan Freeman, Brad Pitt, Kevin Spacey, Gwyneth Paltrow, R. Lee Ermey, John C. McGinley, Richard Roundtree, Richard Schiff, Martin Serene, Michael Massee, Richard Portnow, Leland Orser, Pamala Tyson, Richmond Arquette, Tudor Sherrard

Plot
Soon-to-be-retiring Detective William Somerset (Morgan Freeman) is partnered with short-tempered-but-idealistic Detective David Mills (Brad Pitt), who recently transferred to the department.

They discover an obese man who was forced to feed himself to death, and the next day investigate a fatal bloodletting of a rich attorney. The detectives find clues that lead them to believe they are chasing a serial killer relating to the seven deadly sins. Two day later the fingerprints found on the second crime scene lead them to an apartment where they find an emaciated man strapped to a bed. Using library records, Somerset and Mills track down a man named John Doe (Kevin Spacey), who opens fire on the detectives when he finds them approaching his apartment. On Sunday they investigate the death of a young model whose face had been mutilated. After that, at the police station, John Doe offers himself for arrest, with the blood of the model and of an unidentified victim on his hands. Through his lawyer, Doe claims he will lead the two detectives to the last two bodies and confess to the crimes, or otherwise will plead insanity. Despite Somerset's concern, Mills agrees to the demand. Doe directs the two detectives to a remote desert area and...

Opinion
A masterpiece! The film is poetic and spectacular. The direction of David Fincher is not far behind: it's amazing. Good credits to Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt. Kevin Spacey is brilliant (as usual); his performance is comparable to Anthony Hopkins in The Silent of the Lambs and so the film. I'm surprised that this film did not win any Academy Award.

Quotes
People don't want a hero, they want to eat cheeseburgers, play the lotto and watch television.

Nothing wrong with a man taking pleasure in his work. I won't deny my own personal desire to turn each sin against the sinner.

Wanting people to listen, you can't just tap them on the shoulder anymore. You have to hit them with a sledgehammer, and then you'll notice you've got their strict attention.

Rating
9.5/10