Hey folks, Harry here... Well we've been hearing really great things about TRAINING DAY, and specifically how wonderful Denzel Washington is as a cop that... well isn't exactly a good guy. Well, it seems that THAT may very well be why we won't be seeing this film soon. I just got word that Warner Brothers may be pulling TRAINING DAY from release because of how it portrays a Law Enforcement officer.... and how that might not be palpable or appropriate today... sigh... here's a review of the flick that came in from the Boston Film Festival....

Hey Harry,

Great work, keep it up. I really enjoy your site.

I guess I am the first to report from the Boston Film Festival which is going on now through the weekend. I know it isn't as big as Toronto but we do have Brian Cox, Armande Assanti, Steve Martin, Kevin Kline, Sissy Spacek, Antoine Fuqua (more on him in a minute), and David Mamet (just to name a few) showing up at some of their screenings. Unfortunately I will not be able to see many of the films this year because I am too damn busy. However, I was able to slip out this afternoon and see Training Day (taking advantage of the stock market being closed).

I went in with some very mixed expectations. On the plus side, I had seen an excellent trailer (which actually doesn't mean squat) and I am a big fan of Ethan Hawke and Denzel. However, on the questionable side, I knew the movie was directed by Fuqua who is best known for rap videos, Snoop and Dre were in the film and I figured it was about time for Denzel and Hawke to collect a big paycheck (as Affleck says in Jay and Silent Bob, you do an artsy film, then you do a payday film).

Anyway, awesome film. I am sure you have reviewed the film already with a synopsis, so I won't go through all that. Fuqua does a great job, the pacing is perfect and with the music and camera angles he puts the audience in the film. It makes me want to go and rent Bait. Performances are right on, Denzel and Hawke are tremendous. Snoop and Dre do just fine in their roles. Tom Beringer and Raymond Barry are in it long enough to tell an interesting story about another use of peanut butter. Denzel's Alonzo is a real bastard, however I could not help but relate his preachings about his line of work to the situation America faces now. If you have seen the film you will know what I mean. America needs to be the wolf.

Thanks Harry,

Purple Haze