Rating: 
Summary: CLASSIC
Review: Gee I'm glad I bought this on DVD, the s material that came along with it make the movie so much better. The cast was great it reaped what it sowed.
Rating: 
Summary: G I A N T S!
Review: The most impressing thing about this movie is that it contains a big number of GIANT actors: Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe, Kim Basinger, Danny Devito and Guy Pearce.The film takes place in the 1940s about the power of individuals in the police, politics and press that was corrupted by scandals, betrayals, and sex! The violance and action are good. And the ending was a SMASH HIT! But the movie was put together in a complicated way that it is full of fast events with many characters that sometime you find hard to catch up with! After you watch the movie, you know it was good but you might need to watch it again to get a better picture and understand it more!
Rating:
Summary: This is how to revist a genre
Review: Curtis Hanson is a man well versed in the art of film noir. This film touches on all the criteria that makes film noir. From the seedy world surrounding the characters to the femme fatale. In his interviews on the DVD you learn of the specific look, through art direction and cinematography, that he was going for and accomplished. Everyone in this film plays their characters beautifully. If you're a fan of the old crime dramas check this one out cause you won't be dissappointed.
Rating: 
Summary: An Extraordinary movie
Review: Plot twists that initiate suspicions and later refute them, characters who epitomize classic stereotypes, and a carefully woven façade, which blankets the true story and is slowly peeled back by the classic tough guy, who looks into the past to uncover the truth: Curtis Hanson's L.A. Confidential is a perfect example of what is now described as "neo-noir," which exemplifies the genre's adaptation and appeal as the decades roll by. Beginning with a monologue by journalist Sid Hudgeons (Danny DeVito), L.A. Confidential details the crime world of a 1950's Los Angeles California as the "City of Angels" just begins to blossom into the place it is today. As the story progresses, the audience is introduced to a police Sergeant enamored with the silver screen and seemingly addicted to the high life, which he maintains through his work with the Hollywood tabloid writer, DeVito, and a Dragnet type television program. Then there is Officer Bud White (Russell Crowe), a known tough-guy, who goes head to head with Sgt. Ed Exley (Guy Pearce) - the son of a legend within the police department after he "rats" on fellow officers to further his political standing and sleeps with Crowe's girl, a look-alike prostitute, Lynn Bracken (Kim Basinger). However, the three of these officers individually piece together parts of a conspiracy reaching into the upper tiers of the police station and after Pearce and Crowe become cognizant of the gravity of the situation, they join forces and bring down a large portion of the police force, including the Chief of Detectives (James Cromwell). Although Film Noir has already progressed past the point of the production of Film Noir parodies, this film and its success showed the enduring popularity of the genre. L.A. Confidential is, beyond any reasonable doubt, Film Noir. The male protagonist sifts through the past to uncover a departmental conspiracy, but falls in love with the "femme," who manipulates men to get what she wants and nearly gets her man killed. The story takes place in a developing Los Angeles racked with murders and organized crime and undercurrents of evil beneath the façade of glamour. Meticulously thought out shots filled with mirrors, shadows, closed frames, and other cinematic elements make all the underlying meanings jump out at the audience. Take, for example, the shot in which Exley stands behind the one-way mirror with the chief on the other side. In this shot, Exley is a faint reflection in the glass while the chief is clear and defined on the other side - perhaps implying that Exley's aspirations to become police chief and surpass his father's status through subterfuge haven't produced the desired effect. However, a few items do not fit the normal Film Noir mold. In the film there is more nudity and violence than any older noir film I have ever seen. This is probably a result of our society's desensitization to them and our need to be continually entertained. Also, the circular pattern present in films like Chinatown is not present in L.A. Confidential. In fact, the ending is actually happy - Crowe gets his girl, the corruption in the department is ended, Exley gets a medal, and everyone seems content. Though some aspects of the classic Film Noir film were omitted, the film still works within the genre and still construes similar values to the Noir Films of the 50's, 60's, and 70's. The convoluted relationship between love and money, the path to wealth, which also leads to death, and the dichotomy of reality and appearance are all still presented in the mysterious, slightly paranoid delivery of Hanson's masterfully fashioned movie. Although these items appealed to the post World War II world, they still draw modern audiences with these enduring themes. People still end up very unhappy, unloved, and sometimes dead because of their pursuit of money. With all the "Real Life" shows like "Survivor" and "Big Brother" and the booming sales of tabloids it's clear that people still wish to see what really happens as opposed to the sugar coated shell they are used to being shown. As our society has changed with the times, so have the movies from which we draw entertainment, but Film Noir has subsisted through adaptation and the themes, which pertain to every society. Like the literary classics, which are still read after centuries, these films give us a window into what our society was like - what appealed to the people of previous years, while bringing across values and themes which still pertain to and fascinate people of the future, the past and everything in between.
Rating:
Summary: One of the Greatest Films of all Time!
Review: Based on the creative, ingenious, and sometimes confusing novel by James Ellroy, "L.A. Confidential" tells a story about three detectives during 1953 who get caught up in the sleeze of Hollywood and Los Angeles during its golden age. Directed by Curtis Hanson (Wonder Boys) and written for the screen by Brian Helgeland & Curtis Hanson, "L.A. Confidential" is not just one of the best films of the 90's, it's one of the best films of all time, if not the greatest. The reasoning: Hollywood does not make movies like this anymore. The movie was concentrated around DIALOGUE and not action. Characters expressed themselves fully and viewers never wondered what they were thinking. Hanson and casting director Mali Finn do a fantastic job with their choice of actors. Russell Crowe (The Insider, Romper Stomper, Gladiator) plays Bud White, a cop who has loyalty to his department and to his partner and will commit violent acts to any wife beater. He seems to have more of a fight in him then brains, but that is all changed when he meets Lynn Bracken, played by Kim Basinger (his Academy Award winning role.) She finds the truth in every character she meets, and inspires Bud to relook at the Night Owl Case, a case where the facts just do not seem right. He knows something's up, his partner was shot there, but he does not know what. Guy Pearce plays Ed Exley, a man who would do anything for advancement, like rat out his fellow officers which he does. He becomes Lieutenant Detective after his trial on "Bloody Christmas" which was when the officers beat up Mexicans. Exley has Jack Vincennes, Kevin Spacey, also get to testify. Vincennes is a crooked cop, he works with Sid Hudgens, Danny DeVito, who is a journalist for "Hush, Hush," a magazine that exposes the dirty truth about Hollywood. Hudgens finds some stars that are doing illegal things, like pot, and sends Vincennes to go out and arrest them. Hudgens takes his picture, and Vincennes gets a nice payoff. All three of the main characters, (White, Exley, Vincennes,) have totally different personalities and ways of keeping the street clean, and all three of these characters are connected with the Nite Owl Massacre. Each one goes about it differently, even when they are partnered up, to find the truth, the lies, the deceit, and to find out the kind of person they truly are. The climax is one of the most exciting and riveting endings film has had in a long time. This film is definitely the greatest modern movie (my personal favourite.) Russell Crowe plays one of the most memorable and greatest characters. (If you are a fan, or even if you are not, you will HAVE to see this.) The whole cast is tremendously great at their parts. You will not be disappointed if you see this. The music is great, the bright film-noir-ish kind of filming is beautiful, the story is wonderful AND PERFECT, and the dialogue is key. "Remember dear readers, you heard it here first, off the record, on the QT, and very HUSH HUSH!"
Rating:
Summary: One of the best films of the 90's....maybe of all time
Review: L.A. Confidential is an excellent movie from start to finish. The cast is amazing with Kevin Spacey, Danny Devito, Russell Crowe, Kim Bassenger and my favorite actor on the film, Guy Pierce who played rookie cop Ed Exley. One of my personal favorite films, easily in my top 5 of all time. If you dont got it...what you waitin' for?
Rating:
Summary: Best movie of the last five years
Review: If you like police noir set in the 40s, this is a teriffic movie. The characters are played by the cream of the crop of the new Hollywood, including Russell Crowe and Guy Pearce. You can really believe in these guys, a great mix of the good and the bad in their characters. No white knights here. The length of the movie is perfect, and the latest VHS have a discussion afterward of the movie by James Elroy and the director and some of the stars, which is really great. A good movie to own. Should have won ALL the Oscars. Much better than Titanic, which was a real snooze.
Rating:
Summary: Tightly woven script and masterful performances
Review: This is just an amazing piece of filmmaking. It starts with the writing. The plot is gripping and surprising, and just when it feels like things might be winding down, the story really shifts into gear. The dialogue is sharp, each character has a distinct voice, and the actors do a great job expressing those voices. Russell Crowe's intensity is great, and Kevin Spacey does an outstanding job of developing his character. Everyone working on this movie was firing on cylinders, from the score to the cinematography to everything in between. Heck, I'd be willing to bet the catering was top notch, but that's not really important. What is important is that you really should see this movie.
Rating:
Summary: muy bien
Review: The plot of L.A. Confidential is fairly involved, and if you don't pay attention it's easy to get lost. The first time I watched it I admittedly didn't pay much notice, which kind of ruined the whole "experience". When I watched it for a second time I found it considerably more enjoyable, because I understood the whole story better. I liked the characters as well, although I was drawn to believe that Kevin Spacey was going to have a more prominent part. The Ed Exley and Bud White characters seemed to be a bigger focus than Spacey's "Jack Vincennes". Also, the behind-the-scenes special feature thing was interesting to see, especially the thought process that went behind casting. It would have been better if they had more commentary from the actors, although Kim Basinger showed up numerous times. All in all, definately a good buy!
Rating:
Summary: L.A. Rocks
Review: L.A. Confidential is one ten best movies that was released in the 1990's. The picture is a film noir that takes place in Los Angeles in the 1950's. The plot revolves around prostitutes who are made to look like movie stars and corruption in the LAPD. The plot is full of twists and turns it keeps you guessing until the very end. The excellent script allows the actors the chance to bit into some juicy roles. Kevin Spacey is his usual great self as a LAPD detective as is James Cromwell as the shady the department head. Danny DeVito harkens back to his slimy Louie DePalma role as a writer for a National Inquirer type paper. At the time, New Zealander Russell Crowe was a virtual unknown and his strong turn as a no-nonsense, rough cop brought him major attention. Another actor from Down Under, Guy Pearce is also fine as a squirrelly, green detective. Even the normally abysmal Kim Basinger is great in the movie. In fact she was so good as a Veronica Lake looking call girl, that she won the 1997 Best Supporting Actress Academy Award. L.A. Confidential brought back the film noir genre that hadn't been explored this well since 1974's Chinatown.
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