242. Anatomy of a Murder

• Year of release: 1959
• Director: Otto Preminger
• Genre: Crime, Drama
• IMDB Page

A courthouse drama. I love the Phoenix Wright series, but do I love this movie?

A man, Lt. Manion, kills the man who raped his wife. Paul Biegler, a defense attorney, takes on the case and tries to get the lieutenant out of the charges. It is obvious Manion killed the man, not even Manion himself denies that, but Biegler tries to get him out based on "irresistible impulse".

That's the story without too much details. In fact, this movie's plot isn't too thick nor is there a plot twist in every scene. This movie is very interaction driven. The prosecution versus the defense. Mr. Biegler versus his successor in the DA's office. This movie is filled with witty remarks and comebacks that will make you chuckle.

The characters are or have some morally gray touches and that's what makes them come to live all the more. It doesn't take too long to get to know and to understand Mr. Biegler. In fact after his first scene, you'll know what kind of a man he is. But that doesn't mean he's a hollow character, no sir.

The movie also has the raped wife act in a manner that you'll wonder if she actually has been raped or not. This is a good thing as the rape issue is a very big and key element to the trial and the mystery makes it that much more entertaining to follow.

Despite the movie's long length (2 hours and 40 minutes) I find it entertaining and amusing and I have only a few remarks.

Even the judge finds it to be a bit lengthy

The ending is a bit off. It ends suddenly and unannounced: the entire trial's conclusion is explained (barely), acted out and over with in less than five minutes.

The beginning is slow. It takes the movie a bit too long to pick up the pace and it does so when the trail begins. Unfortunately the trail starts somewhat before the halfway mark and after you spent an hour just watching a lawyer prepare his case.

In conclusion, an entertaining watch. Just make sure you got the time to watch it:

Buy It

248. Mou Gaan Dou

• Year of release: 2002
• Director: Wai-keung Lau & Alan Mak
  
• Genre: Crime, Drama
• Translated title: Infernal Affairs
• IMDB Page

The first non-English movie on my list proves to be a rather interesting one. Certainly a movie that deserves more credit.

The story, made simple: Two cadets aspire to be cops, but one of them gets expelled and has to leave the force. The expelled cadet, Yan, isn't really expelled. He is recruited as an undercover cop due to his brilliance and talents. Years later, Yan infiltrated the triads and passed on information about an upcoming drug deal. During this deal so many things went wrong that it became clear that there is an undercover cop in the triads, but it also became clear there was a mole in the police department. This is obviously, at least to the viewer, the other cadet, Lau. Throughout the movie Lau and Yan play a cat and mouse game until a climactic ending. I'm not going to spoil this one for you.

It's obvious that this story needs suspense, it needs a certain atmosphere of suspicion. And it delivers. Big time. Almost from the start until the ending this movie will have you interested, hooked and rooting for the characters. Up until the ending, which is awesome. I'm not going to give away too much, but the climax is super.

"Being a cop sure is hard work"
-"You're just holding the mouse"

The actors are also very good, portraying their characters as good as possible and it's a job well done if you ask me, which you are doing.

If I had to nitpick and find a negative aspect it would have to be the love interests of both of the main characters. They're unneeded and the movie could have done without the girlfriends, but it's not an as disruptive factor as it was in Blood Diamond. Then again, it leaves open to fill in the plotholes, or to put it better oddities, left in this movie. I've seen that there are sequels, so I've yet to learn if these oddities are going to be answered or not.

In conclusion: good movie, go see it!

Buy the Collector's Edition