Layer Cake (2004) The story of mid-level gangster XXXX (Daniel Craig) is a twisted, cautionary tale about the difficult life of a modern criminal. It’s a grittier Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) or Snatch (2000). This makes perfect sense when you learn director Mathew Vaughn produced the earlier films. Life often refuses to… Continue reading I like my cake in layers
Tag: Michael Gambon
Dumbledore sings!
The Singing Detective (1986) When mystery writer Philip Marlow (Michael Gambon) is hospitalized with debilitating psoriatic arthritis, a fever sends him into a delirium inspired by his novel The Singing Detective. As his condition deteriorates, he loses the ability to distinguish between his delirium, his memories, and his current life. Characters from his fictional mystery interact with characters… Continue reading Dumbledore sings!
The drunken fox is afraid
Drunken Master II (1994) Won Fei-Hung (Jackie Chan) hides ginseng in the suitcase of an employee of the British consulate to avoid paying taxes. This innocent act backfires and Hung is inexplicably involved in a crazy conspiracy to steal a valuable Chinese antique. Chan’s genius was a merger of eastern and western entertainment traditions, combining Chinese… Continue reading The drunken fox is afraid