COLLATERAL ... Michael Mann does it again.

[George Bellefontaine]

I have yet to be disappointed by anything Michael Mann has attempted, but what I really like about Mann is his choice of musical soundtracks. Like Heat and Last Of The Mohicans, COLLATERAL has a killer track.

As everyone probably knows by now, the movie stars Tom Cruise, Jamie Foxx and Jada Pinkett, who all do above average performances. Cruise is a hitman and Foxx the unfortunate cabdriver who becomes Cruise's reluctant assistant. The action aside ( and there is plenty of that) this is a character driven story where we get to see what makes Foxx ( a cabbie who aspires to better things in life) and Cruise, a coldblooded killer ( who at times shows a more human, philosophical side) really tick. Pinkett isn't in the film all that much, but her character plays a significant role that makes for an interesting climax. I won't tell you any more than that, JUST SEE THIS FILM .

Top notch PQ . Audio, at times is soft, and at other times it's like a punch in the gut.
:45:

[SpOoNmAn]

Thanks George, Ill pick it up this week for sure :T

[David Meek]

Collateral was probably my favorite film of the year. Cruise is excellent as the sociopathic killer - he really does do a "good" bad-guy - and Jamie Foxx is right there with him. The story is taut, the acting is first-rate, the soundtrack is a killer (too) and the visuals are pure Michael Mann. What more could you ask for? :T

[Azeke]

My wife and I really enjoyed this film also, the synergy between Jami Foxx and Tom Cruise was beautiful. The ending was slightly disappointing, but overall a good film.

I had friends over one night, and around 11:30 p.m., they wanted to watch a movie. I recommended Collateral, they agreed, and stated they will watch at least half of the movie, but stayed for the whole thing and remained awake, to my surprise.

Regards,

Azeke

[Sithlord]

I too loved this movie and I simply love Michael Manns direction very unique. PQ was a bit grainy but it suited the movie and as George said the SQ was a bit soft but was dynamic when needed.

Azeke I agree with you about the ending but I don't know how else it could have finished. Not sure if this time the bad guy should have got away. To be shot by an inexperienced person and being a professional hitman himself was a little too far fetched IMO. But I guess in the real world that can happen very easily if you have a person just shooting everywhere randomly. Overall and excellent movie and one I just picked up and will watch many times just like Heat. Looking forward to the Special Edition also of Heat. Hope everyone has a great Christmas and a Happy New Year.

[George Bellefontaine]

Other Michael Mann films worth seeing(or owning) :
THIEF
THE KEEP
MANHUNTER ( William Pedersen is great in this )
LAST OF THE MOHICANS
HEAT
THE INSIDER
ALI

Also looks like he will be directing the film version of his hit TV series MIAMI VICE, scheduled for release in late 2005/ early 2006.

[gostan]

I understand that the Michael Mann Miami Vice series is being released on DVD sometime in January.

[David Meek]

Actually Miami Vice: Season 1 comes out on February 8th. Yeah, baby! :banana:

[Nick M]

I thought it was good, but certainly not the best movie of the year. Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx both played their parts excellent. A great story with some stunning scenes, but sometimes I felt like I was watching SPEED, and some scenes were a little too drawn out (like the ending). The DVD is a keeper.

Good flick. Heat is my favorite film by Mann.
:3: out of :5:

[hidefdvd]

Thought the movie was really well done, though you are right in the ending was a little long winded. But it did tie in with the comment that Tom Cruises actor said about the man who died on the subway and no one noticed all day.

hidefdvd

[Razvan]

The only decent movies Mann has made are Manhunter and The Insider. Collateral is moronic and predictable. The last 20 minutes or so are especially atrocious.

R

[Danbry39]

Well, I very much enjoyed it, although it did become formulaic (is that spelled correctly?) toward the end. Believe it or not, the parts I found most interesting were the opening ones, where he'd pick up fares and we'd kind of get into their lives. Jamie Foxx also stars in Ray, right? If so, he's becoming one of our better actors right before our eyes, the kind that can communicate a lot without saying a word.

[JOY DIVISION]

If you live in Los Angeles you would kind of freak out since the areas they shot were alot of different areas,if I was Jamie Foxx, I would've just drop the meter instead of taking the deal from Tom he could've made more $$$$. the first kill was done just north of Downtown more like close to Echo Park and Silverlake area, then goes to LAX :rofl: again for the second kill was done in a club close to LAX( La Tijera Bl. cor. of La Cienega) didn't they shoot the first scene when Jada Pinkett was at LAX, :roll: cause you could see they took the 105 freeway eastbound connecting to the 110 North going DT, got off and Tom showed up, the time since Jamie Foxx threw it over the 101 freeway somewhere they made the first kill.:} and they needed to get the info on the victims were done in Wilmington in a Hispanic club and later rode off to Koreatown in a short time, is that possible??? :E :E then the scene with the cab flipping over was on Figueroa St. and Washington Bl in Front of Figueroa Hotel and Jamie Foxx running around Standard hotel grabbing the phone from a guy was about 3 city blocks just in time to make a call in a building somewhere around 1st and Hope not really a federal building but if I'm right it's an Edison building and the time they boarded the subway was down on Pico Bl. not from the building and the whole movie ends down in Long Beach. I wish they should've at least made the area routing alittle more cohesive and believable to people living in LA, than going here to there.You could've made a round trip(by car) from LA to Vegas by the time he was finished doing all the killings. Anyways it was a good movie

[Andrew Pratt]

What did everyone think of the video quality? I thought it was pretty grainy and distracting though an enjoyable movie otherwise.

[Foxman]

I agree with Andrew that the movie was a bit grainy but I assumed that was an attempt to give the movie a "feel". I enjoyed the movie about as much as anything new I have watched of late.

[George Bellefontaine]

Mann's films tend to be grainy.

[David Meek]

Where'd my post go????? Weird. I replied about 10 minutes after you posted Andrew and nothing is showing...

Yes grain is a noticable part of this movie, but it varies from almost intrusive to not really noticable based on the scene. Now as to why the grain varies? Mood setting? Probably, but YMMV.

[will1066]

I had a hard time with Cruise and Foxx's dialogue at times. They both whisper and mutter at times and with the overall sound level being soft, it was really hard to pick up on what they said. I had to do a lot of rewinding. I also had to bump it above my usual reference. But during the scene that everyone is alluding to -- and I don't want to give it away -- it was very dynamic and, in terms of SPL, rivals Mann's bank shootout in Heat.

It's not nearly as good as Heat. The characters aren't as convincing. Far-fetched at times. Nice to see Cruise being a stone-cold bad guy.

[Nick M]

Heat is definetly my favorite Mann film by far.

In fact I think I'm going to go watch it right now for my evening film... :T

[aud19]

Heat = :T :T

We watched this last night and quite enjoyed it. As has been mentioned the ending is a bit of a stretch/formulaic but overall the story/characters/acting is quite good.

I thought the PQ was quite good if a little grainy (sake of the films "mood") with nicely saturated highlights in the overall dark movie. Definitely a good test of black levels and I can see how you folks with digital PJ's might have been less impressed with the PQ.

The dialogue was a tiniest scooch soft in parts but we just turned up the volume a couple notches! Other than that I agree, great soundtrack and effects :T

Best movie of the year? Probably not, but pretty darn good and at least worth a watch :T

[Shane Martin]

What did everyone think of the video quality? I thought it was pretty grainy and distracting though an enjoyable movie otherwise

Near reference quality here. I didn't notice the grain much if at all. It is a test of black levels. Those with LCD's were probably annoyed by the PQ on this title I would imagine as well.

Decent movie but predictable. This is a couple of notches down from Heat. Worth a rent.

[aud19]

Near reference quality here. I didn't notice the grain much if at all. It is a test of black levels. Those with LCD's were probably annoyed by the PQ on this title I would imagine as well.

What do you know! Shane and I agree on something! :lol: :

[Shane Martin]

One part that didn't make sense was how easy Cruise was outgunned by the cab driver while on the subway. Someone mentioned that to me and now I'm thinking about it and going "well duh that was hokey".

Definitely not comparable to Heat.

[David Meek]

The one thing about Heat that didn't work for me was just how over-the-top Pacino was in his role. Just a little less bellowing and his character would have been a lot more believable to me. Still it's an awesome movie. :T

[aud19]

Isn't that Pacino in every roll...? :lol:

[Shane Martin]

Yep. You for whatever reason never see his character rather you see just Pacino. They just should name his character Al Pacino instead of whatever name it is for each movie.

[George Bellefontaine]

Except for the first two Godfathers. I didn't feel he was playing over the top in those, but in Godfather 3 he definitely was.

[Lex]

I finally got around to watching Collateral. I had no expectations going in, so I couldn't be disappointed by preconceived notions even. I had not read this thread before watching it. Anyway, I felt it was a good flick with enough twists and turns to keep things interesting, even if a few things seemed to make little sense at the time or were predictable. Like wasting the jazz trumpet player. That seemed to make little sense to me. Later, we either assume he just gave the wrong answer, or maybe he was on the list. Agreed the woman's role although small, was a key part.

[David Meek]

Lex, the jazz guy was on the list. :yesnod:

[David Meek]

Pulled this one out of the vault for a watch. My feelings on it are still the same. A tough, gritty, beautifully done film that showcases two leading actors and a director at the top of their game. There really isn't a weak aspect to this film AFAIC. If you haven't seen this movie yet, do give it a spin - you won't be disappointed.

[technodanvan]

Damn, I didn't realize this movie was already that old, time flies!