Like many of the good movies that I've seen recently, "Chinatown" seemed to have me a tad perplexed upon completion. I know that I had seen something quite unique but I wasn't sure exactly how to place it. More on that in a minute.

In case you've never heard of this movie, Chinatown is one of the few movies on Rottentomatoes.com to receive a perfect score (100% critical approval). The star is Jack Nicholson, who plays the head of a detective agency that seems to specialize in infedility. Nicholson plays a variation of the bad boy that he plays in so many movies. However, this time there is a twist - it seems that Jack's character has a bit of hero in him. This is a little odd to see because in so many of his movies Jack is on the other side of the law.

Anyway, as I said a minute ago my initial reaction to this movie was somewhat mixed. After some contemplation I believe that the reason for this was the pacing of the movie. We've become so used to there not being a break or a pause in movies, television, music, etc that I believe our minds have become trained to a dizzying pace of media. While Chinatown was a lot of fun to watch, the plot did take some time to develop and not everything was spelled out for the viewer.

One other trait that makes this movie a great one is that the viewer never really knows how deep the movie goes until it gets there. For example, in a movie about a bank heist you know that the whole movie is leading up to the big event. Chinatown starts with Nicholson accepting a case from a woman who fears that her husband is a cheat. As the movie progresses the viewer can't help but think that they've arrived at the heart of the movie only to be mistaken. It isn't until the last scene that everything makes sense, and that scene is rewarding because it isn't the typical Hollywood ending.

The only thing that was slightly unrewarding is the resolution to the movie. "Chinatown" is alluded to a few times in the movie but by no means was it a major theme. I thought it made the ending slightly awkward, as if maybe the director had pieced it together at the last minute.

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Chinatown is directed by Roman Polanski and written by Robert Towne. It stars Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway, John Huston, Perry Lopez and John Hillerman. Music is by Jerry Goldsmith and cinematography by John A. Alonzo.

Private investigator J.J. Gittes (Nicholson) is working on an adultery case but quickly finds himself embroiled in murder and corruption.

The gathering of Polanski, Towne, Nicholson and Robert Evans (producer) put their respective skills together to craft one of the most lauded neo-noir films of all time. It's a searing picture awash with the staples of the film noir and gumshoe detective movies that graced cinema in the 40s and 50s. From the characterisations (suspicious femmes - mouthy coppers - sleazy kingpin - tough protagonist in a whirlpool of unravelling layers), to the hard boiled script, violence, sex and brutal revelations, it's a noir essential that only lacks chiaroscuro and expressionistic swirls to seal the complete deal.

Allegoraries unbound, iconography assured and dialogue now in the lexicon of legends, Chinatown is not to be missed, not just by fans of noir, but fans of cinema, period. 9.5/10

I think this might be my favourite role from Faye Dunaway. She is "Evelyn", a woman who suspects that her husband "Hollis" (Darrell Zwerling) is playing away from home. She engages the services of the cynical PI "Gittes" (Jack Nicholson) and pretty soon people are dead and he is embroiled in an internecine story of adultery, corruption and manipulation that proves pretty perilous for a detective who is working with one women he suspects is being a bit frugal with the truth and another whose identity he is desperately struggling to discover. Nicholson is also on super form, his performance is natural and engaging with a solid chemistry between his and Dunaway adding a richness to this rather quirky plot. Roman Polanski has assembled a strong supporting cast - notably John Huston who features sparingly but effectively as her wealthy, untrustworthy, father "Noah" and the photography does a great deal to help generate a sense of accumulating intrigue as we gradually make some headway through this complicated and interesting character study. The production looks great - the 1930s costume and motor cars alongside a smattering of the simmering attitudes that prevailed at the time are encapsulated well too. It's a shade over two hours, but it hits the ground running and never really stops until the ending that though not entirely unexpected, still has enough elements of surprise to keep it compelling.

**Great.**

I can't say much about Roman Polanski because I feel I've seen too little of his work to make a more global analysis: I have only seen _The Ninth Gate_, _The Pianist_ and, now, this film. It's not much… but the truth is that they are three films that I really liked, and about which I have a very good opinion. This film is very good, fitting into a style that we can call “neo-noir”, insofar as its visual aesthetic is heavily inspired by noir, with the caveats that are due, as it is a color film and not black and white. Polanski is an attentive and meticulous director, who provides the audience with quality work, in which every detail has been thought of.

With a story set in San Francisco during the 1930s, the film is very similar to the gangster movies that came out in the 40's and 50's. The story revolves around a private detective, an ex-cop, who is hired to watch a man in what appears to be just another case of adultery. Everything changes when he discovers that the woman who hired him is not a jealous wife. The search for answers will lead him to a web of intrigue and crimes that involves an important Californian company and a public works contract that can be decisive for the city's water storage. It's an excellent story, capable of holding us in the first few minutes and that harmoniously combines tension, romance and suspense, in the right measures.

In addition to an excellent story, with a very well written script, the film presents us with a high quality cast headed by Jack Nicholson, at a time when he was still young and elegant enough to play heartthrob roles. The actor is very good and leaves in this film one of the most interesting works of his career. Faye Dunaway is not far behind and is simply wonderful, dignified and elegantly seductive, as a “femme fatale” should be. John Huston (Nicholson's father-in-law in real life, at this time) also appears in the film and makes a very positive and interesting participation.

In addition to these qualities, the film also has superb production values: impeccably shot, with great angles and sharpness, it has very good cinematography, beautiful colors and light and shadow effects, in addition to excellent sepia tones that are called reinforcing the dominant "vintage" ambience. The film was a very detailed production, in which special attention was given to the creation of the sets and the choice of filming locations, so that everything fit well into the historical period. The choice of cars (which are important in the course of the plot) and the design of the costumes and props was also very careful. Last but not least, a note of praise for the excellent soundtrack, which was conceived by Jerry Goldsmith.

Ida Sessions: "Are you alone?"

J.J. Gittes: "Isn't everybody?"

Some people may not know, but I got a lot of things to do and those things are reviewing 8 Movies, three TV shows, and two video games, so basically that's why I'm a bit behind of the new releases. Then and now I have to take a little break or a day off from doing this because well I can be a bit tried of doing this, but I still have fun reviewing and I'm extremely proud to be talking about the great classics and new releases. Speaking of cult classics, 'Chinatown' was on top of my list to watch next, because I heard nothing but amazing things about this movie and after watching it I can agree that this movie was outstanding.
Jack Nicholson is now known as the single best actor of all time. He's up there with Daniel Day-Lewis, Robert De Niro, Marlon Brando, and Al Pacino, and in this movie he was magnificent. He played his character so well that I actually didn't fully hate him, because in the movie his character is kind of a A-hole but I didn't hate him, if a different director took the director chair and directed the movie differently then maybe I would have dislike him. Jack Nicholson did probably his 4th best performance that I've seen from him.

The movie is filled with lines that have stuck with me long after the movie was over and I got to give the writers credit for that. The music in this movie has that smooth jazzy beat to it and how it totally fitted the tone of the movie so well. The cinematography was beautiful and just perfection with it's open and normal shots.

For problems: I don't really have any problems to be honest. I didn't find a single thing that I dislike or bothered me. No wonder it's classic.