COLORS (1988)

"Fucking vato psycho loco, homes."

Los Angeles, California. A newer cop (Sean Penn) is teamed up with a veteran cop (Robert Duvall).  Together they protect the citizens of Los Angeles by breaking all kinds of laws and doing pretty much anything they want.  Including spray painting a teenager in the face and watching an unarmed (naked) man get shot in the back.  By time the film was over I wasn't sure if they had actually done anything productive or were just another participant in the gang war.  Maybe that was the point of the story.

As far as older police/street gang movies go, COLORS is extremely dated...but honestly, it was dated the day it came out.  I don't think Damon Wayans A capella rapping "checkin' out slobs / that is our job...G ridin in the van / with my main man" could've ever be taken seriously.  Dated or not, COLORS is still an entertaining watch for fans of 1980's crime films.

Medium pace, uneven direction (by Dennis Hopper of all people), tons of familiar faces, lots of cool Los Angeles locations (including the rebel hideout from V: THE FINAL BATTLE and a bad ass movie theater showing AMERICAN NINJA 2: THE CONFRONTATION, DIRTY WAR and STREET SMART!), zero big awesome action scenes, vintage cars, vintage clothes, solid acting, interesting variety of music (including Los Lobos, War, Ice-T, Eric B & Rakim, Big Daddy Kane and others), a few quick drive-bys, Damon Wayans air humping a large stuffed rabbit doll, unsatisfying ending, multiple continuity errors, quick nudity, a brief Candyman sighting and some truly thought-provoking dialogue.  Including this memorable exchange...

Gang member: "Well, fuck you man.  I don't wanna stop nothing!"
Cop: "Hey, fuck you.  You little stupid fucking asshole."
Gang member: "Well, fuck you back man!"

That's a fucking Hallmark moment right there.  Or maybe I should quote the guy from I'M GONNA GIT YOU SUCKA: "The man's a Shakespeare!" Anyway, COLORS. Good movie and kind of original for its time, but it doesn't hold up to some of the street gang classics that would come just a few years later.

[Update 08/31/2021: Watching 1973's ROBIN HOOD on Disney+ as I edit older reviews and the Sheriff of Nottingham just sang the line "They call me a slob, but I do my job."  That's very similar to the line Damon Wayans rapped in this film.  Guess it's a small world after all.]

BULLITT (1968)

San Francisco police lieutenant Steve McQueen is brought in to protect (for 40 hours) a key witness for a upcoming Senate Subcommittee hearing on organized crime.  The witness is holed up in a cheap hotel, so McQueen goes over there and does some of the worst witness protecting in movie history.  The witness is killed and then McQueen decides to get serious.  Any by "serious" I mean: doing average movie detective investigative work, buying a lot of disgusting looking TV dinners, stealing a newspaper, causing a shoot-out in a crowded airport terminal and going on a highly dangerous car chase without using any sirens/lights or calling for back-up.

I'm sure back in 1968 BULLITT was fresh and exciting (it was the 5th highest box office draw that year), but I'm also sure that in 1968, 1968 porno was exciting.  But ain't nobody watching that shit nowadays!  That said, BULLITT is not a bad film.  I enjoyed it alright and can see how it was influential on countless other police movies, but it's just too slow for me.  Also, the entire story was moved forward by McQueen's bad decisions.  Nice editing, great-looking San Francisco scenery, laid-back acting, a hip jazz score, ancient technology (including some bizarre and extremely unsafe looking coffee heating device), cool old muscle cars, very minor roles by Jacqueline Bisset and Robert Duvall.

Worth watching for the historical importance, but if you're looking for an exciting action movie that'll knock your socks off, this ain't it.