2 more reviews

1. ›The Little Things - Film Review [ESP/ENG]@nameless161934d

   

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   ESPAÑOL

   Tres ganadores del Oscars protagonizan el thriller en donde no la inteligencia y el instinto sera lo fundamental para atrapar a un asesino..."The Little Things"

   
   

   En los 90' después del estreno del film "Silence of the Lambs" muchos directores y escritores vieron la oportunidad para desarrollar historias protagonizadas por personajes perturbados e inteligentes que suplantaron las persecuciones de autos a gran velocidad, disparos y explosiones con persecuciones en dónde es puesta a prueba la inteligencia del perseguidor y el que es perseguido; este tipo de películas me gusta mucho y creo que era la época de los 90' fue perfecta para explotar este tipo de historias en donde podemos sentir una gran influencia de lo hecho por Alfred Hitchcock en PSYCHO; esto llevo a que un gran número de película de este género fueran estrenados, lanzaron (y relanzaron) carreras de actores, directores, pero este tipo de peliculas ya se ven muy poco en los cines y solo podemos verlas en formato de series de tv, pero al final sea de cualquier forma es siempre grato ver este tipo de proyectos cuando son bien hechos.

   ENGLISH

   Three Oscar winners star in the thriller where intelligence and instinct will be the key to catching a killer... "The Little Things".

   
   

   In the 90's after the release of the film "Silence of the Lambs" many directors and writers saw the opportunity to develop stories starring disturbed and intelligent characters that supplanted high speed car chases, shootings and explosions with chases where the intelligence of the pursuer and the one being pursued is put to the test; I like this kind of movies a lot and I think that the 90's was the perfect time to exploit this kind of stories where we can feel a great influence of what Alfred Hitchcock did in PSYCHO; this led to a large number of films of this genre were released, launched (and relaunched) careers of actors, directors, but this type of films are now rarely seen in theaters and we can only see them in TV series format, but in the end either way is always nice to see this kind of projects when they are well done.

   
   

   

   
   

   The Little Things - Official Trailer

   
   

   

   
   

   El film "The Little Things" nos relata la historia de un sheriff adjunto Joe "Deke" Deacon de una pequeña localidad fuera de la ciudad de Los Angeles, él se verá involucrado en una serie de desapariciones y asesinatos a diferentes mujeres en Los Angeles, es en ese momento cuando "Deke" sentirá que es el momento de cerrar el caso que lo alejó de su antigua vida y decidirá ayudar al joven detective Jim Baxter que está dispuesto a todo para hacer justicia.

   "The Little Things" tells the story of a deputy sheriff Joe "Deke" Deacon of a small town outside the city of Los Angeles, he will be involved in a series of disappearances and murders of different women in that city, it is at that moment when "Deke" will feel that it is time to close the case that took him away from his old life and decide to help the young detective Jim Baxter who is willing to do anything to get justice.

   
   

   

   
   

   

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   Al terminar de ver este film quedé con esa sensación de que está historia pudo ser mejor si se fuera hecho en un formato de serie, por ejemplo "True Detective" de HBO, pienso que fuera quedado perfecta, esto es gracias a su historia de base del protagonista principal que para mí está bien escrita, un detective que tuvo un caso imposible de resolver y que eso le afecto completamente su vida personal hasta llevarlo a ser degradado de su puesto u que por asuntos de su trabajo debe volver a reencontrarse con todo lo que había dejado atrás reviviendo demonios del pasado, esto es perfecto y sirve para que seamos espectadores de una historia de redención, ahora el desarrollo hecho por John Lee Hancock quien es director y guionista de este film tuvo un bien desempeño en una parte y en otra no, su esfuerzo para contar una historia en dónde una persona está estancada con lo sucedido en el pasado y que puede llevar a un mundo peligroso a quien se le acerque es lo mejor, pero en su desempeño como director no lo fue tanto.
   Existen buenas escenas, principalmente la escena que da comienzo al film, esta me gustó mucho porque nos da la sensación de peligro, de como un viaje divertido pasa a ser uno lleno de miedo, la tensión que hay es buena y es un gran trabajo, lo otro que me gustó fue las tomas de la ciudad de Los Angeles que para mí debe ser una de las ciudades más fotogénicas que existen, siempre disfruto de películas que muestran la vida nocturna de esa gran ciudad porque a pesar de su belleza también se presta mucho para recrear el peligro que puede existir en una ciudad importante, ahora hay otros tipos de escenas que pudieron mejorar, las escenas de los crímenes pasan de forma desapercibida y creo que para una historia de detectives se debió hacer importante estás escenas y lamentablemente no fue así.

   When I finished watching this film I was left with the feeling that this story could have been better if it was made in a series format, for example "True Detective" by HBO, I think it would have been perfect, this is due to its base story of the main protagonist that for me is well written, a detective who had an impossible case to solve and that completely affected his personal life to the point of being demoted from his position and that because of his job he must return to meet again with everything he had left behind, reliving demons of the past, This is perfect and serves for us to be spectators of a story of redemption, now the development made by John Lee Hancock who is director and screenwriter of this film had a good performance in one part and not in another, his effort to tell a story where a person is stuck with what happened in the past and that can lead to a dangerous world to whoever approaches him is the best, but in his performance as a director was not so much.

   
   There are good scenes, mainly the scene that starts the film, I really liked this one because it gives us the feeling of danger, how a fun trip becomes one full of fear, the tension is good and it's a great job, the other thing I liked was the shots of the city of Los Angeles which for me must be one of the most photogenic cities that exist, I always enjoy movies that show the night life of that great city because despite its beauty it also lends itself well to recreate the danger that can exist in a major city, now there are other types of scenes that could have been improved, the crime scenes go unnoticed and I think that for a detective story these scenes should have been important and unfortunately it was not.

   
   

   

   
   

   

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   A primer momento me llamó la atención de este film era que está protagonizado por Denzel Washington, Rami Malek y Jared Leto, se puede ser fan o no de uno o todos estos actores, pero es imposible que no te llame la atención ver su trabajo; me gustaría decir que la actuación en conjunto de estos tres actores es la mejor, pero eso no es así, solamente Leto cumplió con mis expectativas y esto no lo digo porque espere menos de su actuación sino esperaba que todos por igual estuvieran un buen desempeño, Washington se puede notar que su actuación va de mayor a menor, me gustó tal como hace de un hombre que debe regresar a lo que era y revivir momentos que le hicieron perder absolutamente todo en su vida, pero cuando debe hacer lo necesario para redimir lo que hizo se pierde lo que puede hacer interesante a este personaje porque no muestra nada nuevo, su actuación es repetitiva a lo visto en películas como "The Equalizer" y "Man on Fire", la arrogancia que va acompañada de este estilo de personajes no me gustó cómo fue usada por el actor, para mí no es su mejor trabajo; de Jared Leto, su actuación fue lo que más me gustó del film, su personaje es perfecto, es grotesco, es imposible no relacionarlo a algo bueno, pero su físico hace que muestre vulnerabilidad, pero eso no evita de que sea un personaje inteligente, calculador y vil, cuando ví que estaba nominado a los Golden Globes de este año pensé que debería ver su trabajo y me pareció bueno y lo mejor del film, ahora con Malek solo puedo decir que su actuación es la peor, no transmite nada, no le creo absolutamente nada, si me quejo de que Denzel Washington es repetitivo en su actuación, puedo decir que Malek no dejo atrás su interpretación del cantante Freddie Mercury en "Rapsodia Bohemia", pero no es solo eso sino que hace todo mal, no tiene la actitud de policía, ni de padre de familia ni de un hombre que está perdiendo todo por no atrapar a un asesino, como dije antes su actuación es parte de lo malo en este film.

   The first thing that caught my attention about this film was that it stars Denzel Washington, Rami Malek and Jared Leto, you can be a fan or not of one or all of these actors, but it's impossible not to be interested in seeing their work; I would like to say that the performance as a whole of these three actors is the best, but that's not so, only Leto met my expectations and I'm not saying this because I expected less from his performance but I expected everyone to be equally good, for example we can notice that the performance of Washington goes from high to low, I liked him as he plays a man who must return to what he was and relive moments that made him lose absolutely everything in his life, but when he must do what is necessary to redeem what he did he loses what can make this character interesting because he doesn't show anything new, his performance is repetitive to what was seen in movies like "The Equalizer" and "Man on Fire", the arrogance that goes along with this style of characters I didn't like how it was used by the actor, for me it's not his best work; concerning Leto, his performance was what I liked the most of the film, his character is perfect, he is grotesque, it is impossible not to relate him to something good, but his physique makes him show vulnerability, but that does not prevent him from being an intelligent, calculating and vile character, when I saw that he was nominated for the Golden Globes this year I thought I should see his work and I thought it was good and the best of the film, now with Malek I can only say that his performance is the worst, he doesn't transmit anything, I don't believe him absolutely nothing, if I complain that Denzel Washington is repetitive in his acting, I can say that Malek didn't leave behind his interpretation of the singer Freddie Mercury in "Bohemian Rhapsody", but it's not only that but he does everything wrong, he doesn't have the attitude of a cop, or a family man or a man who is losing everything for not catching a murderer, as I said before his acting is part of the bad thing in this film.

   
   

   

   
   

   

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   Disfrute de muchas cosas de este film, pero hubo muchas cosas que no, principalmente de la actuación de dos de sus protagonistas, también pienso que contar con otro director pudo ayudar a dar otra visión a esta historia, desde el momento que la vi pensaba en series y Thriller de los 90' y cuando leí que recibió críticas por si parecido a Seven (1995) sentí que estaba viendo algún tipo de remake, copia o homenaje por parte del director a esa película en especifico, pero la verdad es que John Lee Hancock escribió el guion de "The Little Things" en 1993 y no sé qué fuera sucedido si lo fuera estrenado en esa época; creo que podemos discutir que film es mejor y creo que la visión, desarrollo de historia y actuación de la película protagonizada por Morgan Freeman y Brad Pitt y dirigida por Fincher es mucho mejor que "The Little Things", pero eso tampoco quiere decir que sea la peor porque tiene cosas que sirven por ejemplo la historia de una hombre marcado por pasado afectando a quien encuentre a su lado, tam bien habla de personas que tratan de hacer el bien sino importar a que costo, pero más que nada se trata de dejar ir algo que podrá afectar nuestras vidas, de pasar pagina, pero algunas cosas no sele puede dar un cierre y eso significa que debemos aprender a vivir con eso, para mi este es el mensaje de esta historia que pudo ser mejor desarrolado y que lamentablemente un solo de sus protagonistas hizo un gran trabajo y siempre quedará la pregunta ¿Que fuera ocurrido si los dos estrellas de cine fueran estado a su verdadero nivel?

   I enjoyed many things about this film, but there were many things I didn't, mostly the acting of two of its main characters, I also think that having another director could have helped to give another vision to this story, from the moment I saw it I was thinking in series and Thriller of the 90's and when I read that it received criticism for being similar to Seven (1995) I felt that I was watching some kind of remake, copy or homage by its creator to this genre, but the truth is that John Lee Hancock wrote this script in 1993, I know what would happen if it was released in 1993, but the truth is that John Lee Hancock wrote this screenplay in 1993, copy or homage by the director to that specific movie, but the truth is that John Lee Hancock wrote the script for "The Little Things" in 1993 and I don't know what would have happened if it was released at that time; I think we can discuss which film is better and I think the vision, story development and acting of the film starring Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt and directed by Fincher is much better than "The Little Things", but that does not mean it is the worst because it has things that serve for example the story of a man marked by past affecting whoever is next to him, but it also talks about people trying to do good no matter what the cost, but more than anything it is about letting go of something that may affect our lives, to turn the page, but some things can not be given closure and that means that we must learn to live with that, for me this is the message of this story that could be better developed and that unfortunately only one of its protagonists did a great job and there will always be the question what would happen if the two movie stars were at their true level?

   
   

   

   
   
   

   

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2. ›The Little Things / FILM REVIEW@jcrodriguez1963d

   A neo-noir by John Lee Hancock, where two cops must capture a serial killer in Los Angeles in the 90s. Starring Denzel Washington, Rami Malek and Jared Leto.

   

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   John Lee Hancock is an American filmmaker who became known in 2002, when he directed the drama The Rookie, based on the autobiography of baseball player Jim Morris. I think he is a good director, who has in his filmography some excellent movies. In 2004 he directed The Alamo, with an outstanding cast headed by Billy Bob Thornton, Dennis Quaid and Patrick Wilson. In 2009 he obtained a resounding critical and public success with the emotional film based on true events The Blind Side, starring Sandra Bullock, who won the Oscar for her performance.

   In 2016 he released what for me, is his best film, The Founder, where he tells the story of Ray Croc, the salesman who discovered the potential of McDonalds and turned it into the brand and empire it is today. Starring a huge Michael Keaton, I am fascinated by this movie. Later in 2019 comes The Highwaymen, with Kevin Costner and Woody Harrelson playing two Texas Rangers on the trail of the legendary outlaw couple, Bonny and Clyde.

   Hanckock is also a screenwriter and two of his most important screenplays have been directed by the master Clint Eastwood: A Perfect World and Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Both films are powerful dramas, so his predilection for these stories, with characters full of conflict and ambiguity, is evident. Such are the characters in his new film, The Little Things, for which he is the screenwriter.

   The film has divided the specialized critics, some consider it a too conventional police thriller, others have given it a good rating, it is not Hancock's best, but for fans of police dramas, with serial killers, it is a good option to see a story with small details that make it an interesting film.

   I liked it, but I feel it lacked something, or rather, there is something that makes the narrative and story crack and fails to make an impact, not even those final twists and turns and the resolution of the conflict is totally satisfactory. Perhaps I expected something more from the director, but I'm not going to bash the film or say it's bad. It's interesting and I'm fascinated by movies about serial killers.

   Despite some bad reviews, the film has been a success for Warner, which as it did with Wonder Woman and will continue to do with all its upcoming releases, was released in some theaters in the United States and at the same time on the streaming platform HBO Max. A decision that has generated much controversy among distributors and movie theaters.

   According to data collected over the weekend, the film grossed approximately 4.5 million dollars, a figure that in times of covid, with most movie theaters closed, is considered a commercial success. These are the new times. We don't know when those astronomical box office figures will return. Warner has stated that it has been a success , plus it drives subscriptions to their streaming platform, where they seem to be focused on their business model.

   

   What is the plot of The Little Things?

   Joe "Deke" Deacon is a sheriff of Kern County and is ordered to go to Los Angeles to look for some evidence they need for a trial. There he will meet his old colleagues, years ago he was one of the best homicide detectives, but he retired because of an unsolved case that still haunts him. That day he will meet Jimmy Baxter, a young and excellent detective in charge of solving the deaths executed by a serial killer that keeps the city on alert. Deacon will see similarities with his old case and will establish a good relationship with Jimmy, both will investigate the murders before the FBI takes over the case and find a missing girl who seems to be in possession of the killer. Everything points to a suspect, Albert Sparma, who seems to be taunting the investigators. Is Sparma really the killer? Or is he just a pervert who has committed other crimes, but in this case is innocent? What is haunting Deacon? What happened in the past? What will be the price Jimmy Baxter must pay? Has he got the wrong man? Some of these questions may remain unanswered. The hunt for the killer has begun, just pay attention to the small details.

   

   

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   The story is not very original, we could even say that it is quite predictable. A serial killer who is pursued by a group of detectives, who at first clash because of their different ways of being, but end up becoming friends and together, skirting the rules, they try to capture the villain of the film.

   The director and screenwriter focuses much of the film on creating these bonds between the sheriff and the detective. Showing the personal drama of each of them. And how the story splits again, when Baxter makes a terrible mistake, which will sink him and condemn him to carry that burden for the rest of his life.

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   Joe Deacon is a lonely man, who retired from the Los Angeles homicide force, after suffering a heart attack, divorcing his wife and becoming obsessed with a case he could never solve, that is what apparently happened according to what his former colleagues tell us. Once a legend among detectives, it seems that now some don't like him. Is there something we don't know?

   The cop has his own demons, the discovery years ago of the bodies of three young girls seems to have scarred him for the rest of his life. What happened in that investigation that destroyed his life? Now, with this new wave of crimes, committed by a serial killer, with little things similar to his old case, he will have the chance to get the redemption he craves. The killer could be the same one who killed the girls in the case that changed his life. Deacon has to solve it, to get his own pardon.

   Jimmi Baxter is the young up-and-comer of the Los Angeles Police Department, the new generation of detectives who began taking over investigations in the 1990s. Married, with two beautiful young daughters, he is an educated, conservative and religious man. But the case is beyond him, there are four dead bodies and the clues lead nowhere. With Deacon's appearance, the young cop sees an opportunity to help him solve the murders that are terrorizing the city. But what will be the price to pay?

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   All his colleagues tell him to stay away from Deacon, even his superior warns him that Deacon is a bad influence, a broken man obsessed with an old unsolved case. But Baxter will not listen, he will establish a companionate relationship with Deacon, he knows he is a great detective, who notices the small details and together they will be able to solve the deaths and catch the killer, before the FBI arrives with agents and takes control of the investigation.

   The scene where both protagonists have dinner at the home of one of them. You notice the relationship between a veteran cop, far removed from the grime of crime, working as a sheriff in a county, and the young detective, idealistic, ambitious, with a beautiful wife and family, was like a warning to me, that one of the characters would end up sunk and forced to do something against his principles. Deacon's obsession will influence Jimmy, who will end up carrying his own demons for the rest of his life.

   The villain of the story we will know quickly, the alleged serial killer does not hide during the film, on the contrary, Deacon quickly discovers his main suspect. Albert Sparma, a white, working class man with the ability to switch jobs, has two vehicles with the ability to move bodies. He is a white trash who seems to avoid the crimes being committed.

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   Deacon's behavior, his background and small details, point in his direction. He is clearly the prime suspect. For Deacon there is no doubt, he is the serial killer, although in reality he has no solid element to confirm it, all the evidence is circumstantial. Sparma knows he is being watched and enjoys this game of cat and mouse, he knows details of the crimes that only the killer and the police know.

   Deacon will convince Baxter that they are on the right track. They are both absolutely certain that he is the criminal they are looking for, and they want to find the missing woman, which he must have somewhere, and there is a possibility that she is alive. For us, the viewers, the evidence also tells us that he must be the killer. But is he really? Is Sparma the serial killer, or not? That ambiguity, which is accentuated in the final part of the film, is what I liked the most. Because there is the possibility that the detectives are wrong. In the last sequence we will get a great answer.

   

   

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   I liked that the setting of the story is in the early nineties, giving entity to that noir atmosphere, carrying the investigation as it was done in the past, with a lot of paperwork and bureaucracy that makes the procedures take longer. With the computer department that began to use rudimentary computers to evaluate fingerprints and where DNA was taking its first steps in the investigations.

   The cinematography is by the renowned John Schwartzman, a professional who has been nominated for an Oscar award and among his great works is the photography of the films Pearl Harbor, Armageddon Jurassic World, The Amazing Spider-Man, The Rock and Seabiscuit. Schwartzman is a friend of Hancock's and has worked with him on his previous films: Saving Mr. Banks, The Founder and The Highwaymen. Thanks to his talent, we are transported to that haunting atmosphere, with some apt scenes that take place at night. In addition, the period has been very well represented, using a large number of vehicles of the time.

   The music is by the important composer Thomas Newman, son of the renowned composer Alfred Newman and also married to another music professional working in Hollywood. He has been nominated for an Oscar and his brilliant work includes the soundtrack for American Beauty, Road to Perdition and The Shawshank Redemption, among many other major Hollywood productions. The sympathies that The Little Things arouses are reminiscent of the police thrillers of the 1990s.

   

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   There is a reason to see the film in its entirety: Denzel Washington. This phenomenal actor is capable of filling the screen with his charisma. For me, it is a real pleasure to enjoy every performance of this actor. Denzel is already a Hollywood legend. In this film you can tell that he is already quite old, but every gesture, smile and look, captivates us, with any character he plays. His son is already a superstar in the Mecca of cinema, but for the moment he doesn't come close to his father.

   Denzel plays Deacon, the cop tormented by a terrible mistake, who desperately seeks redemption by solving the case that made his life fall apart. Even if you don't like serial killer movies, Denzel is the best thing about the film and worth watching.

   

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   Rami Malek , my beloved actor who was fantastic in the Mister Robot series, plays Jimmy Baxter, the idealistic cop who hopes to solve the crimes and catch the serial killer, not knowing that soon his life will take a radical turn, having to carry a fatal burden on his conscience, something that will have to remain a secret forever. Malek has convinced me the least, I've seen him doing the same tips of other characters, putting the duck beak and I don't see a big change of register in his performance. I hope he does better as a villain in the James Bond movie.

   

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   Jared Leto , the fantastic actor, who I only reproach for having made a mediocre Joker in Suicide Squad, is in charge of playing Albert Sparma, the number one suspect of being the killer. He gives a good performance, his character is unpleasant, has an obnoxious physical appearance and has disturbing moments. He is a restrained character, he is well directed and the result is a believable criminal that will make us ask many questions, especially in the last act of the film. I'm glad Leto is back on the right track, because what was his Joker character and the one in the Blade Runner sequel, were not to my liking.

   

   According to some statements by the director, the first script for the film was ready in 1993, and was offered to Steven Spielberg, who refused to direct it because he considered the plot too dark. After trying to get other prestigious directors to make it, the project was shelved, and it took twenty-five years for the film to be picked up again and made through Gran Vía Producciones and distributed by Warner.

   The script was not updated, keeping the story in the nineties, so I notice many references to the style of police thrillers of the time, where there was a boom in this genre.

   

   If you like police thrillers, with cops investigating and hunting a serial killer, this movie has enough to be interesting. Plus the performance of Denzel, who is perfect in everything he does. The plot has some cracks in its last act, yes, it's true, but the ending has a twist that may surprise and a last scene that will make us ask ourselves a big question.

   I liked it, give it a chance, I hope you like it.

   

   My Ranking: 3.2/5

   

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