It's time for Hamlette's "We Love Detective Week" over at Hamlette's Soliloquy. We're kicking off the posts with some answers to her tag questions.
What's your favorite mystery with...
1. ...a historical setting?
Enola Holmes (2020). Enola Holmes surprised me by
being super fun but also having heart. I didn't expect to like Enola herself so much, but she
is awesome, and I'd watch a sequel in a heartbeat. Her story involves
running away from home and her famous brothers to locate her missing mother in
London. Along the way, she solves the mystery of who is trying to kill a
young nobleman. If they ever decide to release this one on blu-ray
instead of just leaving it on Netflix, I'd snap it up. The costumes and scenery are lovely.
2. ...a modern setting?
Black Rain (1989) - Michael Douglas and Andy Garcia play NY detectives tasked with escorting a prisoner they caught back to Japan, only to lose him before they even exit the plane. They team up with Japanese detective Ken Takakura to track down the prisoner and figure out what's going really going on. Ridley Scott directs and it is a well-done, action-packed movie that mixes the mystery with the culture clash of America/Japan police procedures.
3. ...a lone detective?
Murder, My Sweet (1944) - this was kind of a hard one, as almost all the movies I could think of have more than one detective, or partners, or a detective backed up by the police or his department, etc. Finding one with just one was harder than I expected. So, going with this one, which I love. Dick Powell is the lone detective in over his head.
4. ...a pair of sleuths?
The Nice Guys (2016) - Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling investigate a murder which leads into a conspiracy/cover up. This film is written and directed by Shane Black, so that means it's full of witty dialogue, moments of unexpected violence, plot twists, and that it definitely earns its R rating. Like Black's Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang (which would be my second choice for this question), it is also highly amusing and makes me laugh a lot, but then, I'm also a fan of Shane Black's writing.
5. ...a professional/police detective?
L.A. Confidential (1997) - There are so many films that could have fit this category, but I'm going with one of my favorites. This movie is so well done. Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce, Kevin Spacey knock it out of the park. I have a thing for stories where characters come at the same problem from different directions, which is what happens here. And when enemies ultimately join forces to take down the bad guys... I find that super satisfying. Throw in a Jerry Goldsmith score and I'm in.
6. ...an amateur detective?
Five Card Stud (1968) - A Western mystery, with Dean Martin turning detective to uncover who is murdering the participants of a poker game that turned fatal. I quite enjoy this movie. The cast is great - Dean Martin, Robert Mitchum, Yaphet Kotto, Roddy McDowell - and it is neat to have a murder mystery unfold in a Western setting.
7. ...a young sleuth?
The Adventures of TinTin (2011) - Tin-Tin is technically a journalist, but, as the entire movie is about solving a mystery and he does a better job at detective work than most, it's my answer for this question. After Tin-Tin purchases a model of a ship called the Unicorn, he gets more than he bargained for, and he rapidly finds his life threatened as he begins digging into the mystery of the the ship's history and everything that goes with it. Fast-paced, witty, and super-fun. It may be computer-animated, but the visuals are first-rate, as are the cast of Jamie Bell, Andy Serkis, and Daniel Craig.
8. ...an aging detective?
Falling Down (1993) - Robert Duvall is the aging police sergeant about to retire who investigates a series of crimes, tying them all together and tracking down Michael Douglas's rampaging character. Robert Duvall never turns in a bad performance, and he's perfect here. I love his scenes with his wife, and how he perseveres and figures out what's going on. Michal Douglas is fun as the unlikely antagonist who takes the frustration of a Los Angeles traffic jam and turns it into a full-on rampage against the system, thinking he's the the good guy for righting the clear wrongs he sees around him.
9. ...a cozy feel?
I'm not sure what this one means, so I'm going with a movie that makes me feel cozy. And that is Topper Returns (1941). Rolland Young reprises his role as Topper, but this time Joan Blondell is the ghost trying to solve the mystery of her own murder and save her friend in a rather creepy mansion. Topper with Cary Grant and Constance Bennett may be more famous, but Topper Returns was my family's favorite. We used to watch this movie over and over when I was young. I haven't seen it in years now, but we still quote it. "May I suggest, sir, that you break the glass?"
10. ...a shocking reveal?
Kiss Me Deadly (1955) - A favorite very dark noir film of mine, and I absolutely love the reveal of what Ralph Meeker's detective character has been pursuing without knowing it the entire time. And that ending!! *cackles in glee* - so much unexpected stuff, so freaky, so cool, so unexpected the first time you see the movie. Love it, in fact I'm way overdue for a re-watch of this one.
So, there you have it. Pop over to Hamlette's page to find links to the other entries in this blogathon. I'll be posting an entry about my favorite police detectives later this week.
5 comments:
Yes, Tintin!! I love the Tintin stories! My parents learned about him when they were over in France (because the books were originally written in French and are still super popular over there), so they introduced us to him.
I didn't see any of these movies but I did see Falling Down and enjoyed that. I thought that actors did a good job. Douglas is very believeable in the role.
Have a lovely day.
Ahhhhhh!!!!! I LOVE Enola Holmes to the moon and back. Everything about it is so perfect for me.
Whoops! I knew TinTin was a professional of some kind, but I was thinking he was a detective not a journalist. My answer is a little bit off then...
I know I've seen part of Topper, but based on your description of Topper Returns I think I've seen part of that, too...
I read the first Enola Holmes book and liked it pretty well. I'd like to see the movie version at some point.
I still need to see The Nice Guys. With you, because that's what would make it the most fun :-D
I have been kind of building up the need to rewatch LA Confidential again. Ooof, so good.
I feel like Five Card Stud is one of those movies I realllllly disliked as a teen, which means I should rewatch it. I think it was one of those where I was mad that someone I liked was playing a villain?
Why did I not know that that is what Falling Down is about? Now I want to see it.
I STILL haven't seen Kiss Me Deadly...
Katie - Yes! TinTin is great. I tried reading one of the books in French, but it has been waaaaaaaaaaay too long since French class and I've forgotten all my vocabulary. Sigh.
Lissa - Falling Down is really well done. I haven't seen it in years and years but it all stuck with me.
Chloe - Enola Holmes is so good!!! I had to give up Netflix last year, but if I rejoin, it will the first thing I rewatch!! I seem to recall there is another Topper movie too, but I really only ever remember the original and this one, even though I'm sure I've seen the other one. Hm. Will have to look them up again!
Hamlette - yes, save The Nice Guys for when we're together! It will definitely be way more fun that way. :-D I, also, have been building to an LA Confidential rewatch. It's been far too long. For Five Card Stud... hm. There's really only one bad guy, and that actor has played his share of them, so...? Could just be one of those movies that just doesn't work for you. :-D And I would say, don't be in a hurry to see Kiss Me Deadly... and it should be one we watch together some day, I think!!
Thanks all, for commenting, and thanks, Hamlette, for hosting!!
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