Rating: 
Summary: Good... but not that good.
Review: Perhaps I am being too critical, but I found this flick to be a bit predictable. How often does Kevin Spacey play a weak, stupid little pawn in someone else's game? He's too loved, too big of a name, and I quickly figured out that he must have some plan up his sleeve. Wise-cracking, clever Spacey would never be cast in the kind of roll that this movie would have its viewers believe. Not a bad watch for a bit of unchallenging entertainment, though. But it wasn't entertaining enough to make me want to watch it again or even to recommend it to my friends. No hard feelings, all right?
Rating: 
Summary: it will leave you wondering till the next time u watch it
Review: Every now and again a film comes along that is described as a gem. This is because the film just like a gem is a surprising pleasure to find esecially amongst the mass expanse and typical rubble of moviedom. The Usual Suspects...
is just such a gem! The film is described as a classic by all who have seen it even though it was released as recently as 1995. The title of the film itself is said to be borrowed from the much earlier classic, Casablanca. When the film was released, it contained a host of 'unknowns'. However, do not associate the word 'unknowns' with 'untalented'; as is proved by the star of the film, Kevin Spacey, who picked up an Oscar for his mesmerising performance as Verbal Kint. I confess that I will not try and give you a detailed synopsis of the film as I do not want to spoil your viewing (or perhaps more appropriately I would not know where to start my synopsis!) Quick Synopsis:
Five Criminals Are Brought Together In A Police Line-Up... If you are going to see the film for the first time, you will notice that when you ask for the film at your local video store, a smile will mould itself onto the owner's face. Why?
Because he knows just as everyone else who has seen the film that you are letting yourself in for something special. And, I guarantee you that the next time you go into your local video store and catch a glimpse of the now 'oh-so-famous' cover of the film out of the corner of your eye you will notice that whereas before the film camouflaged itself against all the other films, it now seems to shine just like a self-assured individual stands out from a crowd. If you are going to see the film for the second/third/whatever time. I hope you enjoy the film again and have fun trying to answer the immortal question:
WHO IS KEYSER SOZE?
Rating:
Summary: This movie is Orca Fat (pretty darn good)
Review: This is the unique story of 5 criminals and an anonymous crime lord. This movie is a masterpiece with an amazing ironic climax. A few may say the movie is wierd or complicated, but they just didn't understand the thing. The Usual Suspects is not your usual film, and will probably need a second viewing in order to fill in the gaps in your mind as well as the questions that hit you time after time. This story is great because the plot does nothing but puzzle you for the entire duration of the movie, then in the last 2 minutes most of your questions are answered and you can lean back in your seat holding your head thinking "what a great movie that was, but I think I have to watch it again because there was something I didn't quite understand". No matter how many times you watch it, you always seem to pickup something you didn't quite understand or catch the last time. The scenes don't get boring, the action doesn't just jump in at the opening scene, the films is filled with those catchy film dialogues that are nothing but great, and the climatic twist will leave most of you banging your heads with frustration because you had no idea what was coming to you. The well-chosen cast sinks into the plot and is so well constructed and believable that you're going to hope its all fiction. This movie is ironic, suspenseful, mysterious, classic and most importantly, cool. This film is a classic that we can compare all other movies to.
Rating: 
Summary: Another on my list of greats..
Review: Though this movie isn't as good as such films as Pulp Fiction or Goodfellas, it definately sits on the top of my shelf of DVD's. It drags on a little to long, but other than that Kevin Spacey and Benicio Del Toro make the movie great. I don't want to give away the surprise ending, although probably 90% of the country has seen it, so i'll stop there. Definatley will recommend it.
Rating: 
Summary: Amateurish. A waste of talent.
Review: Begins as a stylish crime drama, and stops dead in its tracks right there. For it also tries to con the audience, a la THE STING; HOUSE OF GAMES; THE SIXTH SENSE. And here it fails to measure up. When properly done, the movie con can be a wonderful brain teaser for the audience: its mis-direction performing a magic show of the mind. And when all is eventually revealed, the upper consciousness is delightfully surprised and stimulated. One can go back and watch (and re-watch), the aforementioned films and take notice of the subtle clues, the intricate scenes patterned purposely throughout, to mask the cons; and he/she marvels at the inventive devices used. All this works as long as a basic tenet is observed: the clues and scenes MUST be true. Honesty between the filmmaker and his audience is paramount. No excuses allowed. In this film though, to 'sting' the audience, the method used is to simply LIE. That's all this film does. A critical scene is premised at the beginning of the movie, it's repeated several times through the course of the movie, and then at the end the filmmakers say, "Oh, we were just kidding, this is what 'really' happened. Fooled you!" Have they no faith in the intelligence of the audience? Probably do. But the truth appears to be much simpler: they just didn't know how to craft the con. Ultimately it was abject laziness on the part of the writers and director. They didn't take the extra effort. They didn't know how to formulate an inovative 'sting', so they took a cheesy way out and LIED to us. And not an ingenious lie mind you, but a CHEAP, CLUMSY lie. Instead of a sophisticated movie, we get the GONG SHOW. Unforgiveable. Without spoiling anything; there are numerous clues as to the identity of Keyser Sozer. But these are unintentional and sloppy clues that any keen moviegoer can figure out shortly after first grasping the convoluted theme, (even the film's premise itself is somewhat muddled due to the awkward script). Given the plot, the characterizations, who was who (and after accepting you've been lied to) -- I mean: who else 'can' it be? A good movie, that could have been great, but a disappointment instead.
Rating:
Summary: Distictive crime thriller
Review: "The Usual Suspects" is anything but. The whole movie is told by 'Verbal' Kint (Kevin Spacy), the only living witness to a cargo ship explosion that killed several people. Verbal tells a U.S. Customs Agent (Chez Palminteri). It starts a few weeks before, as 'the usual suspects' are rounded up for a bogus robbery charge. It turns out they all unknowingly owe Kieser Soczey, a mysterious, near mythical, underworld crime boss. He makes all the crooks do little jobs for him to eliminate their debt. All the actors give a good performance. Gabriel Byrne is wonderful as the leader, always slimy and smooth at the same time. Stephen Baldwin gives the only good performance of his career. Benrico Del Toro is alright, but this was before he got famous. Kevin Pollak dose well as the only serios bad guy. The plot is smart, and director Bryan Singer makes all the right moves with colors (both New York and Los Angeles have distictive looks), camera angles, and coxes good performances from everyone. This is film noir at it's best.
Rating:
Summary: Kaiser Sozé, meet David Mamet!
Review: Despite it's 1995 release, I only recently learned of this simply brilliant caper / mystery / thriller film masterpiece. It is extremely demanding of its audience.
I rank it with the best classic mysteries, such as Hitchcock's "Rebecca", Welles' "The Third Man" and "The Lady from Shanghai", and similar films, "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre", "The Big Sleep", "Farewell, My Lovely", and "Laura". It compares very favorably to the more recent mystery standouts "Chinatown", "The Two Jakes", and "L.A. Confidential", in both storyline and production quality. Sets are excellent. Every actor is superb. However, the film it rivals most closely, in my opinion, is David Mamet's utterly absorbing, and demanding, and brilliant 1987 masterpiece, starring Lindsay Crouse and Joe Mantegna, "House of Games". It's surely no accident that con and scam artists play a major part in each! These are, after all, psychological thrillers, or chessmatches! I dare anyone to watch both films, back to back, in either order, and not be emotionally and intellectually exhausted.
And tremendously rewarded -- if not changed forever! 3/05/2004 JEM END
Rating:
Summary: see it
Review: great movie. if u like a good mystery movie this is the one for u it has enough twists and turns to keep u interested to the finale 5 minutes. this is a great mystery movie that is not to be missed
Rating:
Summary: "...round up the usual suspects..."
Review: The Usual Suspects Every now and again a film comes along that is described as a gem. This is because the film just like a gem is a surprising pleasure to find esecially amongst the mass expanse and typical rubble of moviedom. The Usual Suspects...
is just such a gem! The film is described as a classic by all who have seen it even though it was released as recently as 1995. The title of the film itself is said to be borrowed from the much earlier classic, Casablanca. When the film was released, it contained a host of 'unknowns'. However, do not associate the word 'unknowns' with 'untalented'; as is proved by the star of the film, Kevin Spacey, who picked up an Oscar for his mesmerising performance as Verbal Kint. I confess that I will not try and give you a detailed synopsis of the film as I do not want to spoil your viewing (or perhaps more appropriately I would not know where to start my synopsis!) Quick Synopsis:
Five Criminals Are Brought Together In A Police Line-Up... If you are going to see the film for the first time, you will notice that when you ask for the film at your local video store, a smile will mould itself onto the owner's face. Why?
Because he knows just as everyone else who has seen the film that you are letting yourself in for something special. And, I guarantee you that the next time you go into your local video store and catch a glimpse of the now 'oh-so-famous' cover of the film out of the corner of your eye you will notice that whereas before the film camouflaged itself against all the other films, it now seems to shine just like a self-assured individual stands out from a crowd. If you are going to see the film for the second/third/whatever time. I hope you enjoy the film again and have fun trying to answer the immortal question:
WHO IS KEYSER SOZE? Hope you found this review helpful.
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining, violent crime caper
Review: You have a chance to see many of your fave actors, obviously having a good time with this romp. The movie is tongue in cheek and asks that you suspend disbelief. Do si, and enjoy the suspense instead!
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