BAD LIEUTENANT: PORT OF CALL NEW ORLEANS (A+++++)

This is my comment in DK FILMHOUSE's blog:
http://dkfilmhouse.blogspot.com/2009/09/bad-lieutenant-port-of-call-new-orleans.html

--I think BAD LIEUTENANT: PORT OF CALL NEW ORLEANS (2009, Werner Herzog, A+++++) is one of the loveliest films I have ever seen. I think the iguana scene is very classic. I also like the performance of Denzel Whitaker (Daryl) very much, especially the scene in which he sits in Terence's car. The little expression in his face and his eyes can effectively convey his thinking, "I'm in deep shit right now." I also like the moment in which he pretends to be asleep while Terence snorts some cocaine.

I think I possibly may have seen more than a hundred Hollywood police films, but this film still can make me feel as if I have never seen something like this before. I think I much prefer this film to some films made by Martin Scorsese, Michael Mann or James Gray.


--I haven't seen POLICE, but I'm sure it's a good film. The film with Nathalie Baye is called LE PETIT LIEUTENANT (2005, Xavier Beauvois, A+). I think it's a great film dealing with good cops.

As for films about bad cops, I like RULE # 1 (2008, Kelving Tong, A+++++) very much. It is about a good handsome cop who tries to do things in an appropriate way at first—meaning he doesn't do extrajudicial killings. But being a good person results in his being shot and wounded by an evil guy. After that, his new boss tries to convince him to do some extrajudicial killings, telling him it is an appropriate way to deal with evil people (metaphorically portrayed here as people who are possessed by evil ghosts). But extrajudicial killing is also not an appropriate way to stop evil people. I like the relentlessly feel-bad feelings in this film very much. I like it that the film portrays "damned if you do, damned if you don't" situation. If you don't shoot evil people first, you will be killed. If you shoot evil people first, you will become as evil as them.