Reviews

This series of novels written by the late Stieg Larsson were originally written in Swedish and translated into English. They follow two main characters: Mikael Blomkvist, a journalist who investigates various corporate scandals; and Lisbeth Salandar, a troubled young genius. The books are masterfully written and the translation is completely seamless. They are an easy read and you'll have a hard time putting the book down.

The first book is, in my opinion, the best and most captivating and since it doesn't end on a cliffhanger, you could finish reading there if it didn't grab your interest. The second and third books shouldn't really be considered separate books at all as there is no real transition between them any more significant than a chapter transition. The following books are equally good reads, but the story is a little more drawn out and Larsson takes a little while longer to get to the point.

All-in-all, the Millenium trilogy is one of the best series that I have read in years (especially in the crime thriller genre) and I strongly recommend it to anyone looking for their next book.

It was interesting watching Red Dragon so soon after having seen Manhunter as both are based on the same book. Both were good movies and each one was better in some areas. I liked William Petersen as Agt. Will Graham and Brian Cox as Hannibal in Manhunter better than Edward Norton and Anthony Hopkins in Red Dragon, but Ralph Fiennes was a great Dolarhyde. Also, Red Dragon was truer to the book and did a very good job of it. All in all, both are great movies, mostly because they're well done adaptations of a great book.

Snatch is a great british crime thriller and quintessential Guy Ritchie. With great acting and an engaging story-line, this one is definitely worth seeing.

Adapted from the book "Red Dragon" by Thomas Harris, the first in the Hannibal Lecter series, this movie was made before Anthony Hopkins became everyone's image of Hannibal. Petersen plays the lead investigator and the man who initally caught Lecter and it's obvious that his character on CSI was heavily derived from his in this movie. This movie's plot is gripping as you follow the evidence trail trying to track down a murderer inspired by Lecter. A classic crime thriller and a very well done one at that, the movie is fairly true to the book and it'll be interesting to see how it compares to the more recent remake.

Scarface is the story of a lowly Cuban refugee who makes a name for himself in the Miami crime underworld. He fights his way up the ladder then murders his way to the top. This movie is well-directed and well-acted, but it's very hard figuring out whether you're ever supposed to be rooting for Pacino's character. He's the lead, but is he ever the hero? Not really. While this is a classic that you should see, there are other films that tell the same basic story but do a better job of presenting the characters (Blow with Johnny Depp as a 70's cocaine dealer is one).

David Lynch is the James Joyce of movie makers and Mulholland Drive is no exception to that rule. Famous for Blue Velvet and Twin Peaks Lynch introduces to you a young aspiring actress and a mysterious woman she comes in contact with. He messes with your mind as he leads you through the development of their relationship and ultimate moment of realization of what's real and what is fantasy. Mind-blowing. Confusing. Thought-provoking.

Sexy Beast is the story of a retired thief who is asked to do one more job. Kingsley plays the abusive, psychotic associate who is sent to Spain to convince Winstone's character to return to London for the job. An acting tour de force by both Winstone and Kingsley, this movie is definitely worth seeing.

The Usual Suspects is a hard movie to describe. It's about a bunch of criminals and a job that they try to pull off together. The viewer attempts to follow the police investigation through a twisted web of fairy tales and crossed paths to wind up at an intricate conclusion that will keep you guessing the whole way. Masterful acting by Spacey earned him an Oscar for his role. Maybe you should just take my word for it and see this movie if you haven't already.