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Reviews
Six Shooter (2004)
Superb Debut Film, From The Master Of Dark Comedy
Martin McDonagh is a very unorthodox director, his very Irish dark sense of humor comes across strongly throughout his films. This has often lead to them having mixed reviews on account of the fact that people judge them to be exploiting violence. Indeed McDonaghs works often contain controversial themes and content. This particularly comes across in his litary works (for example the pillow man). McDonagues theatrical influence comes across strongly in Six Shooter.It manages to successfully make use of a very simple dark plot with not a hint of cliché or Hollywood improbability.The film manages to coherently string together a strong and conclusive story through its short running time without noticeably rushing character development or background. Six shooter generally maintains a somber mood which is occasional punctuated with spectacularly funny sequences. This creates a sense on contrast that pervades the work. And leads the audience to develop a sense of uncertainty throughout the film. Brendon Gleeson and Ruhadari Conroy both perform to perfection and feel completely at home it the films potentially claustrophobic setting. In conclusion this is a superb and bizarre film which will both amuse and shock you in a way that very few modern shorts can.
The Sopranos (1999)
The greatest mob drama.Ever.
The Sopranos is a show that was, and is the most profound addition to the crime genre since Martin Scorsese's timeless mob classic Goodfellas. No other show in history has captivated my attention in the same way that The Sopranos has. Many will be put of by it's premise of Mobster meets shrink; possibly recalling the blubbering antics of De Niro in Analyse-this and Analyse-that.
But I believe that this show has breathed new life into the tired premise of psycho analysis of the psychopath. The Truth is that Tony Soprano is no madman despite his seemingly insane mob lifestyle. There are elements of his life we can all identify with, from his dissatisfaction with society to his relationship with his mother, everyone has a bit of Tony in them. As a result they find themselves identifying with a man who commits abhorrent acts of violence on a daily basis. In effect we are led to 'Cheer for the bad guy' to a degree that very few series have embraced. The Sopranos has a much more realistic feel than many other series (this is also the case with other superb H.B.O. series such as The Wire and Six Feet Under). The Sopranos presents the world as it is:nothing is fair,no one is safe,and good does not always triumph over evil.
The ending of the Sopranos is one that will be either the best or worst ending that you will ever see. Any more than that I cannot say.