Reservoir Dogs (1992)

There's something comforting/inspiring about revisiting the first film of a favorite director. The distance of time grants a whole new perspective on things. You get to see and appreciate what will eventually become recurring images and themes back when they were in their raw and rough infancy. You also get to notice all of the amateurish stuff. You notice when a technique they appropriated from another filmmaker doesn't quite land. You can also tell when something is deliberately put in there as a "shout out" to a friend and can chuckle at some of the naive attempts at being deep.

Famously, Stanley Kubrick was so embarrassed by the amateurishness of his first film that he successfully suppressed it from exhibition for the rest of his life. As if the mere existence of Fear and Desire would somehow cause people to suddenly write off his later masterpieces. So what if your first film isn't Citizen Kane? A flawed early film allows viewers, critics and film students to see that even great artists started out small. Let's not forget that at its root, the word "amateur" means "lover of". Here's to the amateurs!

Thief (1981)

poster by Midnight Marauder

Man oh (Michael) Mann is this an angry picture! It's kind of hard to believe that this was his first feature. The fury and venom that is spewed in this film's final fifteen minutes is so intense you'd think this the work of someone who had been kicked around the system for decades. Absolutely no mercy. I guess in the end this was a reaction against his time in the television trenches. I'm sure the speed of a TV shooting schedule in the 70's wasn't very conducive to Mann's perfectionist tendencies. This film is Michael Mann showing what he could do when given free reign. This was him putting it all on the table just in case this was his only shot at feature filmmaking. This was his statement of intent, and boy has his career delivered on that promise.

The Sting (1973)

This is THE con movie. Paul Newman and Robert Redford play Henry Gondorff and Johnny Hooker, two grifters on the biggest con of their lives. The mark? Doyle Lonnegan (Robert Shaw), a heartless mob boss who had their fellow grifter killed on account of some cash they conned out of one of Lonnegan's money runners. With their team of accomplices, Gondorff and Hooker set out to exact revenge the best way they know how.

This is one of those films that you wish you could have that "first time" viewing experience every time. Redford and Newman are great together (of course!) and Lonnegan is such an amazing villain. That stare could kill you on the spot! The thing that's so enjoyable about this film (aside from the great acting performances and ragtime soundtrack) is just watching the art of the con. They're always one step ahead, and it's amazing to watch the con unfold.

Oh and two words: poker game. The poker scene is probably my favorite scene in any movie ever. I don't want to spoil it so I'll just leave it at that. Please go see this movie if you haven't! Go have that "first time" viewing experience that makes the film so special.

(Nerd confession: for years I used "Kid Twist" as an Internet alias, taken from Harold Gould's character in this movie!)

Happy viewing, and don't forget to place it on Lucky Dan! ;)

The Ocean's Trilogy (2001-2007)

Danny Ocean (George Clooney) and his friends pull off all sorts of fantastical cons in Las Vegas and Europe, all while looking FABULOUS.

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How do I love these films? Let me count the ways: The actors are charismatic as all-get-out, the dialogue is snappy and the soundtrack is a beautiful groove. Oh and did I mention the visuals? Freeze frames, smash-cuts, slow-mo, etc. I'm pretty sure not a single shot was ever repeated throughout all three films. It might not be high art, but so what? They're fun and they're well made. Are you in?

Jackie Brown (1997)

Middle-aged flight attendant Jackie Brown (Pam Grier) finds herself caught between ATF agents (Michael Keaton & Michael Bowen) and the gunrunner they wish to bust (Samuel L. Jackson). Maybe with the help of an understanding bail-bondsman (Robert Forster) she will be able to come out ahead?

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Though on the surface Jackie Brown might seem to share a lot with it's predecessor Pulp Fiction (fast-talking, guns, drugs, feet), it's actually a horse of a different color. Under the surface, Jackie Brown is really about being middle-aged. About feeling that your "best" days are behind you. Is it too late to make a change? Is it too late to find love? That Tarantino was only 34 when he crafted this little gem (based on a novel by Elmore Leonard) makes it all the more impressive. This isn't the Tarantino film you put on at a party. This is the one you put on at night, alone, after a nice shower and perhaps with a smooooooooth drink.

Stream it on Netflix.