Good day, folks, El Cosmico here, I wanted to put this up before this weekend's movie-going is set for you all...a quick review of a truly wonderful film, one that I think you should run out and see right now if you can. Brought into existence by the ever-excellent Jim Jarmusch, who wrote and directed it, and starring the absolutely perfect and amazing Forest Whitaker, the film is GHOST DOG: THE WAY OF THE SAMURAI, and it fits that most important of criteria for going to see a flick, it rocks the house.
Jim's already brought a few wonderful works to the world, and his latest is just so solid, it's unbreakable. There are so many lovable elements, every character is an enjoyable, welcome presence on the screen, and the world created by Jarmusch is so cool, interesting, and well-drawn, that I never wanted to leave. I really didn't want this film to end.
In an urban setting, Forest Whitaker's character of Ghost Dog is at first
glance a fellow living in a shack on the top of a tenament building, reading
and living by Hagakure, Tsunetomo Yamamoto's classic guide to the way of the
samurai. Ghost Dog, it turns out, considers himself to be the retainer, or
servant samurai, of a member of a local Mafioso who once saved his life. As
such, he regularly performs hits, and is paid for his duty once a year, on the
first day of autumn. Due to rather unfortunate circumstances, he gets into a heap
of trouble, and has to dig his way out of it without sacrificing his principles as
a self-styled samurai warrior.
Filled with tons of sharp humor, beautifully shot and directed, this is the sort of flick that you'll remember for a good long while. It's original and inventive, and it's absolutely BEGGING for a sequel with Camille Winbush, who turns in an EXCELLENT performance as Pearline, a girl who befriends Ghost Dog. Isaach De Bankole, too, turns in a great performance as Ghost Dog's best friend, and he illustrates in fine fashion, in a way that few actors could, the real meaning of communication between friends.
I hate to single out any actors in this film as being excellent, though, because they were all just so marvelous. ALL of the Mob-men were dead-on, and couldn't have been more entertaining or right for their roles. Anyway, you probably don't want to hear me ramble on and on about how wonderful this flick is...I think you've got the point by now. This is a damn fine film, and you'd be a real fool to miss it. Stuff like this doesn't come to town very often.
So get on out and see it!
-El Cosmico
mail me at: elcosmico@austin.rr.com
