11.20am - Smokin' Aces

Smokin' Aces (2006)
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Ray Liotta, Jeremy Piven, Ben Affleck

Random observations:
- Quite the ensemble cast. Within the first few minutes I count Reynolds, Liotta, Piven, Affleck, Andy Garcia, Kiwi Martin Henderson, Alicia Keys, Peter Berg and Wayne Newton.
- My suspicions that this will turn out to be an American attempt at a Guy Ritchie movie are well founded so far.
- Hooker fight!
- Nazi redneck ventriloquist act! Ben Affleck's greatest acting performance ever (If you've seen the movie you'll know what I'm talking about).
- Alicia Keys in fuck-me boots. Daaaaaamn!
- Chainsaw up the ass. Ouch.

Overall comments: I was right about this being an American attempt on a Guy Ritchie movie. Like Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, you have a bunch of subplots all twisting and turning until they lead to one helluva shootout. But unlike LSaTSB, Smokin Aces doesn't have quite as much humour, and ramps up the blood and gore. Everything revolves around a hit put out on mob informant Buddy "Aces" Israel, and the various groups of hitmen (and women) wanting to cash in the $1m bounty. The would-be assassins include ex-cops, crazy rednecks, a sexy black woman and a master of disguises. Director Joe Carnahan (who's helming a sequel - Smokin' Aces: Blowback, due for release this year) throws in a surprise twist for good measure, and then caps things off with an attempt at a heartfelt ending. Smokin' Aces is at its best though when the bullets are flying.

Up next: Lunch, then a real change of pace... Harold and Kumar visit Guantanamo Bay.