The Rat Pack

Rating:
Summary: Best HBO since the channel was founded
Review: This thrilling story of Sinatra makes you wish you were a member of the well-known Rat Pack. These "bad boys" ventured into politics in this controversial film about the election of John F. Kennedy(not shown here in a sympathetic light) using Sinatra's key position as king of Hollywood and close friend of mob boss Sam Giancanna to bring the 1960 election to a heady stew. Also featured is FAS' brotherly relationship with Sammy Davis Jr. whose enormous talent and love of blonde, Swedish May Britt almost ended Sinatra's relationship with the Democratic campaign. All in all, a stirring musical, imaginative film, beautifully photographed and stirringly performed by Liotta, Mantagna, Cheadle and MacFayden. It has received two Golden Globe nominations and deserved more. Don't miss this one!

Rating:
Summary: An onscreen tabloid is brought to life with STYLE!!
Review: When I heard Ray Liotta was going to play Frank Sinatra I almost died laughing. After watching the film though, I thought, who could play Sinatra? I ended up forgeting about it anyway. This is quite an amazing film. Usually these made for cable movies do little to impress me. The whole Rat Pack history is way too long for a 2 hour film which leaves lots of details missing. It examines the Rat Pack as if it were a tabloid where all the mob ties, bad tempers, political influence, and sexual encounters of the Pack were explored. It also seems to end really abruptly out of nowhere. Liotta barely passes as Sinatra but Joe Mantenga and Don Cheadle are great as Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. The television screen is lit up with lights and style during some of the performance sequeces and the music also captures a wonderful essence of the Rat Pack even though it is not the original music. When I saw that it came out on video the other day I could not stop from buying it. It is worth the money to purchase this video or the time to rent it because it is a highly enjoyable film that examines the lives of the coolest entertainers of the millenium. Check it out.