Film Illiterate, wherein the proprietor records movies seen, and sporadic progress through assorted lists of the "best". Originally started after regretfully renting something forgettable for the third time. I've forgotten what, but never again! A tedious endeavour since 2005. Hello. 🙂
With all the buzz about the final season of The Wire airing in the US, I've been despairing that not even the third is out on DVD over here. I went to Clockers in search of some relief: the plot -- about low-level flunkies in the Brooklyn drug trade -- is near enough, and its screenwriter would later write for The Wire itself.
It's an excellent script, too, adapted by Richard Price from his own novel. Detective Rocco Klein (Harvey Keitel) is investigating the murder of the night manager at Ahab's; the prime suspect is Ronny "Strike" (Mekhi Phifer), who runs a crew for gang boss Rodney Little (Delroy Lindo). There are others -- Rodney's psychotic partner Errol, local cop André, Ronny's brother, his young protégé Tyrone, Tyrone's mother. The plot is an excuse to observe this community.
Spike Lee occasionally sabotages himself with excessive style; the interrogation room scenes, for example, have more light-bloom than actors. His actors are good at their jobs, at least, though I wish John Turturro had been able to keep the Rocco role: Keitel is just too much the grizzled stereotype; Turturro would have been more human.
Flawed, but worth a look.