Yes.  Saadi Yacef is basically playing himself here.  Nonprofessional actors can give you an appearance that you just won't get anywhere else (the Algerian in the opening scene, totally broken by the French—it's all in the face).  An interesting comment from Steven Soderbergh:  he said the one big problem…

The Greatness of The Shield, part three: ownage

“Blowback” sees The Shield’s style nearly fully developed.  If you put Clark Johnson’s first three episodes together (the first, third, and fifth episodes), you can see how the camerawork becomes more fluid and less dependent on the traditional wide-master-shot/multiple-closeup model of filming.  (The scene in the…

I've shown this to my college history classes and they have pretty much the same reaction. (Same with Paths of Glory.)

It is indeed the standard. It is also exciting as fuck and has one of my favorite opening shots. (EDIT: and add Jean Martin to the list of Great Performances of a Professional.)

Even there, though, the original shows the proper way of dealing with someone trying to fuck you over. Hint: it doesn't involve shredding them with a 140 dB artillery weapon.

Rififi, too.

Oh my fuck yes. The common element in all of Mann's films is that everyone in them is an absolute pro at what they do, and in a sequence like that, you get to see them all work together. He shoots it fast, like a heist. ("I want everyone moving on this ten minutes ago.") It wouldn't surprise me if everyone in that…

"Meticulous" is the word to describe this film. Just two guys with jobs to do and we watch them do it, and it's totally engaging. We really need more films like this one.

Original: the small, elegantly designed gun you see in the picture that can be smuggled in a crutch. Assassin tests gun by firing silenced rounds at a watermelon in an isolated clearing.

CONQUERED, if you will…

Also "careful! They're ruffled!" And "FREEDOM! HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE FREEDOM!"

My favorite episode. In addition to Kent Brockman, James Taylor's monologue ("…and you're gonna float there and like it"), some form of "but in another, and more accurate way, Barney is the winner" gets used by me at least twice a week. (Most recently it was reading that Paul Ryan just said about taxes "a lot of…

With all due respect, Mr. Malick, this might not be the most appropriate time for your unique blend of natural philosophy and reflective drama.

@avclub-cb0e59b8f769a8698b9f7154dd8809b5:disqus gets it.  Part of what made The Shield great was that Vic just shows up as a corrupt cop, and the show follows him to the end, with no explanation for how he became that way.  In fact, there's no assumption that he became that way at all, no assumption that everyone is…

Every time Brittany got to say DARia! with the slightest eye-widening was comedy gold, I tells ya.

Finding those little moments in the supporting players is what made this so damn brilliant.  Joss Whedon was furiously scribbling notes, I'm sure.

Seconding Genevieve.

Thanks @avclub-07083a9024530b20bdd9ef8b38fc6e79:disqus , @avclub-4b97b5ad9d466de90e5d901c0557b21a:disqus , @john_wayne_newton:disqus , and others.  I've been wanting to do this for a while because The Shield is easily the most underrated of shows in this New Golden Age of Television.  I…

"Fruit cuuuuup….or fruit plaaaaaaate?" was my favorite. And the animation on Sandy's eyes was always hilarious; Daria did so much with a minimal style.