THE LONG HOT SUMMER

Rent these movies — you'll thank me, I swear. Unless, of course, you hate them — in which case, you're just weird.
My slacker bros. will be adding their two cents directly.

From 1972 to 1975, Al Pacino had one of film’s greatest runs ever — The Godfather, Scarecrow, Serpico, The Godfather II and Dog Day Afternoon. I beg your pardon but Jesus H. Christ on a Popsicle stick!
Four flat-out classics and a mysteriously neglected gem (Scarecrow) in just under four years. If you know it’s rival, feel free to fill me in.
After Dog Day Afternoon in ‘75, Pacino did one movie in the next four years — the underwhelming Bobby Deerfield in 1977. Why he slowed down is ... well ... I’m sure that information is available somewhere but, frankly, I don’t care enough to look it up. The point here is that he came roaring back in ‘79 with ... And Justice For All — his last great performance until ‘92 and Glengarry Glen Ross.
Pacino plays Arthur Kirkland, an idealistic Baltimore lawyer who tries to navigate the insanities of the legal system. The movie is an immensely entertaining mishmash of drama, romantic comedy and soap opera held together by great acting. Pacino is at his fire-breathing yet endearing best alongside a cavalcade of first-rate scene stealers — Jeffrey Tambor, Larry Bryggman (you don’t know him but you know him), the late great Jack Warden, Dominic Chianese (Uncle Junior to most of us), Craig T. Nelson and Christine Lahti. Even Pacino’s acting guru Lee Strasberg shows up as his star pupil’s grandfather.
If that’s not enough, it has one of the greatest, most shamelessly theatrical endings ever. It’s one of those movies that, no matter when I come across it, I watch it through to the end. What higher praise can you give?

Remember when Mickey Rourke and Eric Robertswere the future of Hollywood?
No?
Okay. But they were. In the early 80’s they were two of the coolest, most captivating actors going. In 1984, The Pope of Greenwich Village caught them together at the top of their game. A slice-of-life/heist dramedy set in ... well, for God’s sake already ... it tells the story of two hard-luck, less-than genius, small-time hoods — Charley (Rourke) and his albatross of a cousin Paulie(Roberts).
For the NYC atmosphere and soundtrack alone this movie is great. Add to that a spectacular lesson in screen cool from Rourke, an indelible nutbird performance by Roberts and the iconic “thumb” scene and, man, the popcorn’ll be gone before you know it. Daryl Hannah is very good as well — I swear.
And you get to watch an Oscar-nominated performance by the incomparable Geraldine Page.
I can’t tell you how many lines from this movie have woven themselves into regular conversation with my two brothers and my friends. Now I’m gonna go bang around the village for a few hours , I need a dose of sanity in my life.


With apologies to Neil Jordan, Jim Sheridan has brought the Irish experience to film better than any other filmmaker. The short list includes My Left Foot, In The Name of the Father and The Field.
However, he had to bring the Irish to America to make his greatest film yet. Sheridan’s semi-autobiographical In America illuminates the Irish immigrant experience with vibrant humor, crushing tragedy and haunting inspiration.
When aspiring Irish actor Johnny (Paddy Considine) and his wife Sarah (Oscar-nominated Samantha Morton) bring their two daughters to New York, they land in Hell’s Kitchen in the middle of a brutal heat wave. They struggle, they fight, they meet the mysterious Mateo (Oscar-nominated Djimon Hounsou) who’s known as “the man who screams.”
Mateo lives in the same broken-down tenement and becomes an integral part of the family’s experience. To say anything more would screw the pooch for you.
This film will move you. It’ll stick. For days.


Alec Baldwin is a hair-trigger bully who ain’t being nominated for any Father of the Year awards any time soon.
And he’s in this movie.
And he’s great — as a hair-trigger bully who ain’t being nominated for any Father of the Year awards any time soon.
This quietly hilarious and ultimately heartfelt effort comes from the otherwise turd-joke-filled mind of Peter Farrelly (and I love turd jokes ... and the Farrelly Bros.)
Shawn Hatosy is perfect as Timothy Dunphy, the pothead fuck-up son to Baldwin’s working-class, ass-kicking dad (think Ralph Kramden on a bender and living in New England). My opinion of Hatosy’s performance has nothing whatsoever to do with the fact that he invited my wife and I to his July 4th party one year or that he is currently reading one of our screenplays. I think we all know I’m above that sort of pandering.
P.S. Shawn — My daughter wants to go to private school. And I love you.
P.S.S. — Most critics hated this movie — which is probably the best reason to rent it. So rent it.

Michael Mann has directed alot of great movies. This is his first feature film ever --- and it’s my favorite. Thief is another movie that has infiltrated my mode of communication. It’s rare that I go more than a week or so without blurting out a quote or two.
James Caan plays Frank, a master thief with a checkered past, trust issues and the time-honored desire to get out of this lousy racket. So he goes into business with Leo (Robert Prosky as avuncular Pure Walking Evil.)
Every subplot feels just right and every detail and piece of dialogue makes an impression. Even Tangerine Dream’s music is good! That’s how goddamn good this movie is — it makes Tangerine Dream sound good!
This is James Caan’s greatest moment on the big screen. Is it his best performance? How the hell do I know? Is it his coolest? Fuckin’ A, Wally.
Jim Belushi hit his highwater mark here — in 1981.
It’s Dennis Farina’s first movie.
Willy friggin’ Nelson is in it, too. And he is aces.
Plus there’s the adoption agency scene with Caan and Tuesday Weld (who was smokin’ dude, and is on the cover of Matthew Sweet’s Girlfriend album, for those of you looking to make a few quick dollars in a bar one night). And the diner scene. And the construction company scene. And the ...
Siddown.