Classic Clive – Only the C’s. The other day, I published a list of movies that came straight out of the gambling underworld. Sort of a cheesy list of movies if you ask me. But whatever. Regardless, after the fact, I realized (with CY’s fantastic help… you do know CY don’t you? She’s the editor here… IE, the one who is constantly reminding me to keep my p’s and q’s? The one who fixes my comma splices and unlocks me from my paren imposed purgatory by closing that left open paren. Anyway, I digress.) that I was missing a really fantastic gambling movie. Leaped over it entirely.
The movie Croupier – set in the London gambling world of sleaze and sex starring Clive Owen in one of his earliest films. Directed by Mike Hodges (Get Carter), the film is “coolly hypnotic, tautly directed, cunningly written, riveting! A reminder that movies don’t have to wave their arms and scream to hold your attention.” (David Ansen, Newsweek). Pretty much describes a classic Taylor Holmes indie film that punches above its weight. Can be found on Criterion Channel.
Heck, while we are here, we might as well follow that film up with another Clive Classic – Closer – a ravishing cocktail regarding relationships. Mike Nichols put together a heavy-weight crew – Julia Roberts, Jude Law, Natalie Portman and Clive Owen – with an award-wining script that allows each actor to stretch their range. Are they going for the heart or just the jugular? Available on Prime.
Two is just such a bad number – we obviously need to close our Clive regatta with my own personal favorite Clive movie of all time… Children of Men. It tells the story of a world where the women of the world have all fallen barren. No babies, like at all. And out of that barren wasteland, comes a woman who has a child. Can you imagine? A baby? Out of nowhere? Is she a god? Is the baby the second coming? What does it mean? And what does it portend? It’s a fantastic film, that I can’t recommend it enough. Intrigued? You can watch it right here on Prime as well.
See? The Clive C-Trio. Croupier, Closer, and Children of Men. Brilliant. Thanks CY for keeping me, and all of us on track, as always!
Edited by: CY