Film Clubs

Okay, so I have this friend who is a part of a film club. (For the record, yes - film clubs are everything you think they are. Some people were even chauffeured to the door. Frightening.) Well, my friend gave me her tickets for tonight's screening because she couldn't go. (Oh, I am SO there!) The club always shows a pre-released film and then does a discussion afterward. They usually have a special guest come in who is, in some way, related to the making of the film. (Before Capote came out, they did a screening of it and even had the director Bennett Miller come to give a talk at the end. Nice, ehh?)

Tonight's film was Find Me Guilty, directed by Sidney Lumet. Lumet is known for Serpico, Twelve Angry Men, and The Verdict. Find Me Guilty has a cast of some strong actors. Peter Dinklage (Station Agent - such a good movie!!!) and Ron Silver (Bruno from West Wing!!!) are both in this, as well as Hesh from the Sopranos. And, if you haven't heard anything about this flick, let me just tell you - it stars Vin Diesel. Surprised? Yup. So was I. But, you know, he really has come a long way from being a "blue-collar action star" (as Alex Rocco so thoughtfully put it). Diesel was funny and even sensitive in this film (and not in a Pacifier way, either...).

The movie is based on the true story of the Lucchesi Family and the longest criminal/mafia trial in American history. (Let's think about timing here... Is someone trying to market off of Soprano buzz?!? Heh. I getcha.) Vin Diesel plays Giacomo "Jackie Dee" DiNorscio. The movie is humorous and entertaining. All in all though, kinda rentable. But congrats to Diesel who has clearly demonstrated in this film that he has earned the right to do big boy movies now. Seriously, I was pleasantly surprised.

After the flick, our surprise guest was the villain of the film and thankfully not this guy... BARF-O-RAMA. (Yeah, cause he has always pretty much sucked.) We had guest Alex Rocco, whose starring role was Moe Green, the guy who got shot in the eye, in the Godfather. He also kinda sucks as an actor. (But what he really sucks at is answering questions!) At one point, he said something like he wouldn't pay five dollars to see Leonard Nimoy in a film. I was thinking, "Shoot, I like Spock a whole lot better than your sorry street acting!" Well, whatever. The movie was still good in spite of this little fella.