The Insider (1999), Sunset Blvd. (1950)

The Insider. A gripping tension view behind the world of journalism where sometimes, the integrity of its players to hand the public the truth and only the truth were sometimes influenced - or marred, if you will - by the power that be. After all, it is said, that he who ruled the news, ruled the world.

Russell Crowe, a VP for B&W tobacco company has lost his job. He is a scientist and long has problems with his company about the addictive substance that has been used in his company's product for he believed that it was dangerous to the consumer's health. However, he can't go public with his findings as a clause in his termination with the company said so. Al Pacino, a dedicated producer for a famous talk-show 60 Minutes, and a true journalist by heart, saw an opportunity of a hard-truth when he saw Russell for the first time to ask for his expertise upon a document. Al tries to convince Russell to go public, finding a way to wound around Russell's termination clause. But as Russell did an interview, the power that be, the company whose name would be scarred should the interview goes on TV, terrorrized Russell and his family, and finally threatened to bought CBS, the network where 60 Minutes aired. Not an empty threat even though that it would set back B&W for a few billion dollars. With 'b'.

The film clearly divides in two parts. Part one deals exclusively with Russell Crowe. This part far superior to part two where the film deals exclusively with Al Pacino. This is to say that i was more interested to what happened to Russell's character than Al's. He was threatened by the power that be for not only he has his life to think about, but also the life of his family. Moreover, his haggard persona that made him look weary and older than his age helped with the sympathy part. Al Pacino is simply procedural act, a memento that he was once a great actor - probably still does if he chooses wisely which films he should appeared on. And he wasn't even really trying to had all the attention in this film. That was made him once a great actor.

Although the film ran long (almost three hours easily), features almost no gun-shootings, car-chases, i was genuinely surprised that i actually could feel a thrilling sensation every so often. Even when the film merely shows an act where Russell Crowe waited in a lobby to meet with his former company's 'evil' exec, i had goosebumps all over. Probably because of the superb sound and hand-held camera shots. Anyway, love Michael Mann's film? This won't disappoint albeit i would put this film no further than a third spot after Heat and Collateral as my personal favorite of Michael Mann's.

My rating: *** / **** - Beware of its long running-time. Some people might had no patience to an almost three-hours film of talkie-talkie.

Sunset Blvd. A grim, if not pessimistic view behind the entertainment industry where today's big name won't be big enough for long and sometimes for those whose names has been big, the quickened pace in which the industry put out the fire, would hurt them mentally.

The film begins with a man floating in a pool. He was dead, shot twice in the back and once at front. The film then narrated by this very man. He bought us back six month prior where he was a B-film writer, struggling for a deal. While escaping his debt collector, he stumbled upon a seemingly abandoned mansion in Sunset Boulevard. This mansion belongs to Norma Desmond, a once famous star of silent-film era. And just like many of film stars from the era, the advent of sound and color renders them obsolete. Norma lives in a fantasy of her former stardom. Albeit money was never really a problem for her, she longs to back in front of the camera. Thus, she was prepping for a script of her own which she would use as her comeback film. The arrival of the writer rekindled her hope. He knew though that the script was disaster. But the lure for an easy money turns the man into a gold-digger and he stays with Norma for a while. Although, here, for a while, almost means for an eternity.

Despite its black-and-white color, the film was a daunting experience. I was harrowed by Norma Desmond's portrayal of a fading stardom. I was pitying her, angered by those around her that showing her disregard, it's just like when you had this cute shirt as your favorite, you wear it again and again until you simply don't want to look at it anymore you want to look at your own ass, angered by her for being so fool and blind for not seeing it, and as the film ends with her descending the stair, ready for her final shoot, a last look at the camera, the only feeling i had was pity and more pity if it is at all even possible.

The grim look behind Hollywood industry as portrayed in this film probably rings more truth. I mean, just like in every business, and probably more so in the entertainment business, competition is always a battlefield, a bloody one. But strangely, even if this knowledge has been known to us - at least, to me - seeing it in effect albeit only in film, was actually scary as if it was me who had to deal with the feeling of an abandonment, a stardom that had gone too quickly. Well i guess that nobody wanted to be forgotten. I guess that in a way, this film reminds us of that little fact, one that keep us anchored to the puny world we're living in.

My rating: ***1/2 / **** - The fact that this is probably one of the very few - in fact, the only one - film that boldly shown us what it's like behind the entertainment business, and the fact that it was made some fifty years ago, i considered this to be ... for lack of better word, "classic".