Rating: 
Summary: THE BEST-PERFORMED PACINO MOVIE THAT I'VE EVER SEEN
Review: In the first sight, this was boring. It seemed to have no flashing, no surprising but an adventurous investigation on a small uncovered trade of politicians and gangsters by a chick deputy mayor(John Cusack),a Boy of the Mayor(Pacino) with a legal co-cousel(Fonda) belonged to detective endowment association who is to protect a cop's widow from the power's Influence to cover corruption that was made by the same politicians and gangsters that I've mentioned earlier . But as I saw it over N over, I found out that it has a complexed-systematic plot that is Enough to attract my eyes, and above all I think the casting is wonderful,which Expresses the characters that is friendly and lovely but very grave and realistic in the right place. For the lack of words, Pacino's perfom was really at his best. This film is not a show but a part of our life that's well cut.So a little boring and not surprising just like action movies do but as calm as a river flows.However as you see it over, it is going to become interesting and some day remain as a touching human drama in your heart.
Rating: 
Summary: "Goldsmith reaches into the depths of your soul on this one"
Review: Jerry Goldsmith is no stranger composing music for the city and all that is involved in everyday life. Capturing the moments of life is the secret of a great composer, and that my friend is Jerry Goldsmith.Varese Sarabande presents music composed, conducted and produced by Jerry Goldsmith - "CITY HALL", orchestrations by Arthur Morton is a work of art. A few stand outs - "THE KING MAKER" low-key, then building and back again to the main theme - "OLD FRIENDS" dramatic, with a pulse-sating rhythm, very effective - "THE REPORT" a lonely trumpet, joined by a clarinet, then strings - "COUNT ON IT" is the last track with all themes interwoven with a Bernstein, Gershwin and Richard Rodgers touch of the city and all that it offers. Not since the scores of "CHINATOWN" (1974)(VSD-5677) and "L.A. CONFIDENTIAL" (1997)(VSD-5885)(all available on Varese Sarabande) has a soundtrack entered the depths of your soul like this has. Don't pass this one up - "CITY HALL" - has winner written all of it! Total Time: 30:16 on 12 Tracks/ Varese Sarabande - VSD 5699 (1996)
Rating:
Summary: A GOLDSMITH CLASSIC
Review: Jerry Goldsmith's combines essences of George Gershwin and Leonard Bernstein in this inspired soundtrack. The sites and sounds of New York seem to waft over the senses as the flowing strings and French horns play. Piano and percussion highlight gang conflict. Classic stuff! Grab a bagel, sit back, relax and enjoy this one.
Rating: 
Summary: City Hall
Review: Not even Pacino can save this bad attempt at political drama. "Boring" is the only word to describe it -- from beginning to end. Actually, I can't attest to the ending. I saw this film when it came out and I walked out of the theatre about an hour into the movie because it was so dreadful.
Rating: 
Summary: THE OLD GRAY MAYOR
Review: One can't deny that Al Pacino is an electrifying actor and he can make almost any movie better than it should have been. In CITY HALL, he suffers from the curse of too many writers spoiling the broth. The script is disjointed, at times contradictory, and the ending is a letdown in the lack of its intensity. Pacino is matched by a fine young actor, John Cusack, who plays the gungho idol worshipping deputy mayor. Bridget Fonda is lovely to look at, but her role is so underdeveloped, she could have been a male character and we wouldn't have noticed the difference. Danny Aiello is brilliant in his usual "mafia" role, but his talent enables him to instill a small sense of humaneness in his doomed role. Notice the great opera singer Roberta Peters in the small role of his wife. Anthony Franciosa, rarely seen in movies these days, plays the crime boss with a reserved intensity that makes him even more vitriolic. David Paymer is good, but his role isn't fleshed out enough to know his character. Martin Landau's judge is also almost a cameo, but Landau delivers. Much mention is made of the late great Jerry Goldsmith's score, which is so eclectic, it doesn't have much impact. The music at the end credits almost sounds like a western or war movie accompaniment.
CITY HALL is interesting, but ultimately its tale of political corruption is so derivative and predictable, it doesn't elevate the movie to the potential greatness it could have achieved.
Rating: 
Summary: CITY HALL
Review: THE MOVIE WAS SOME WHAT BORING IN THE BEGINNING. IT PICKS UP IN THE MIDDLE. GOOD ACTING DONE BY PACINO AND CUSACH. THE ENDING WAS NOT GOOD AT ALL. IT WAS A BIG LET DOWN. I FELT SHORT CHANGED.
Rating:
Summary: A film that sticks out in my mind
Review: This film is ver underated. I realise that people have complained about its apparent lack of real direction in terms of a plot development but it is a realistic look into the heart of a corrupt judiciary. Corruption in real life does not always involve a white house assistant / boy scout who uncovers a scandal that directly implicates the president as a murderer. Is film shows us the two faces of the story and aside from that the actors are superb. Watch out for Al Pacino's speech at the funeral.
Rating:
Summary: Another Fine Pacino Vehicle
Review: This film was made and was in theaters after "HEAT", but before "Devil's Advocate" and I must say that I actually liked it more than "Donnie Brasco". Pacino's John Pappas, actually made me wish that there were such a politician in the big apple after the passionate and vigorous speech given at the funeral in Harlem. The fact that at the end we find out that he was not as "kosher" as we were led to believe in the beginning, along with Danny Aiello's corrupt Anselmo, makes a person lose their faith in the movie's public officials as we do in real life after we've put so much faith and trust in them and we have the good script to thank for that. As for the rest of the cast, John Cusack has never been better as Kevin, the rightous deputy mayor along with Aiello and Fonda (too bad only a hint of affection between her and Cusack). Overall, the underrated "City Hall" is entertaining and suspenseful and a great "Pacino movie". Favorite line: Kevin: "The only thing new in this world is the history that you don't know."
Rating:
Summary: Another Fine Pacino Vehicle
Review: This film was made and was in theaters after "HEAT", but before "Devil's Advocate" and I must say that I actually liked it more than "Donnie Brasco". Pacino's John Pappas, actually made me wish that there were such a politician in the big apple after the passionate and vigorous speech given at the funeral in Harlem. The fact that at the end we find out that he was not as "kosher" as we were led to believe in the beginning, along with Danny Aiello's corrupt Anselmo, makes a person lose their faith in the movie's public officials as we do in real life after we've put so much faith and trust in them and we have the good script to thank for that. As for the rest of the cast, John Cusack has never been better as Kevin, the rightous deputy mayor along with Aiello and Fonda (too bad only a hint of affection between her and Cusack). Overall, the underrated "City Hall" is entertaining and suspenseful and a great "Pacino movie". Favorite line: Kevin: "The only thing new in this world is the history that you don't know."
Rating:
Summary: Al Pacino, John Cusack, and Danny Aiello are great!
Review: This is one of the best crime-drama movies during the late 1990s. It was filled with a great cast, a huge storyline, and many of the players involved gave great performances. Pacino was great; he should have been nominated for something. John Cusack was good too, as long as the viewer doesn't mind his Louuu-siana accent. He may come off as annoying if you can't stand this dialect. The way that Pacino's character interacted with Cusack's character was believable, dramatic, and slightly comical at times. Danny Aiello was superb as always. David Paymer was great in a supporting role. Bridget Fonda was good but not memorable.
There were times when this picture mentioned so many characters, probably too many. It may take a second viewing to remember, "which Zapatti was which?" After so many cross-references, one has to stop and think just to recap.
The ending didn't have a lot of sting. It was built up for so long in a good way and then was a little bit of a letdown. This was one of the few letdowns in the film
I think that since the movie wasn't billed as a huge, blockbuster big screen hit, it made some forget that this movie even existed. Pacino was great but the film's lack of "splash" in the theaters may have accounted for no nominations. It was semi-successful in the home market, and viewers are still learing that this title is out there. Made in 1996, it still stands up seven years later and should still be popular for many years from now. So, make yourself some lemon pudding (you'll see) and rent this movie! Overall, a great picture.
4 ½ out of 5!!!
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