omg omg omg jessica alba omg omg omg

A little bit behind the times here but finally saw Sin City. Excellent fun!

The stars are out in full force here. Mickey Rourke leads a powerful opening as a larger-than life brute. Elijah wood is suitably creepy as a straight-cut bible thumping fluorescent cannibal. Benicio del Toro masters the macabre and the humorous at the same time as Jackie Boy despite beind dead in half of his scenes. Clive Owen is actually good as the self-righteous hero, though being called Lancelot in Sin City must be slightly ironic after being King Arthur in the, well, shitty King Arthur. The girls are masterful as well. Alexis Bedel may be a bit type cast (the innocent helpless one here) because of her looks but it's no crime. Alba doesn't get much screen time and doesn't exactly steal the scenes but she's gorgeous. Bruce Willis acts a bit too much like he always acts but it works though I question Alba's infatuation with him. I guess it's a movie. I forgive her. Even Michael Madsen of Reservoir Dogs fame pops up, along with plenty of other stars in minor roles: Michael Clarke Duncan, Josh Hartnett, Nick Stahl (OK, Terminator 3, but still), Devon Aoki (she of polyethnic but Japanese looks, landing the role of the much lusted-after video game character Kasumi from the upcoming Dead or Alive movie adaptation).

It's gory and violent, no doubt about that, but here's a movie where violence is not the end but a means. Sin City is a horrific city and it would not be congruent to tell such stories as exists within it without violence but that's exactly it: violence is the backdrop. It forms part of the fabric of the story just as much as the mostly black and white stylized visuals of the movie. It's not bashful, apologetic, or reserved. It's carelessly enthusiastic, wears its heart on its bloody sleeve, and is almost obliviously confident of its own story to tell. Even though Tarantino was a guest director, his influence and geeky zealousness is tangible and much appreciated. As an adaptation of a "comic book", Sin City far surpasses anything the standard Marvel/D.C. fare has to offer. But even better, as a movie, it is just plain good. Haven't had this much fun in the theaters for a while.

And yes, if you're a straight guy, you probably will have to shift every time Jessica Alba comes on to the screen. Bruce Willis is one fucking lucky bastard is all I can say.