Snake Eyes (1999)

One of my all time favorites.

In this film, Brian DePalma revisits some of the "experimental" aspects of his film-making that had been somewhat dormant of late (on that note, check out "The Phantom of the Paradise" if you're in the mood for a real trip-fest).

As far as direction and composition, I love what DePalma does with this film. The opening shot is 20 minutes long. Now if you've never examined a typical Hollywood film, this might not mean much to you, but normally a shot that is 1 minute is pretty long by today's standards. This first scene is filmed as an observer watching the main character react to the crucial event. The rest of the movie revisits this event from the perspective of other characters through first-person shots and split screens. It's beautifully done and I don't think the movie got the credit it deserved for this.

Secondly, I appreciate the realization that the main character has when he realizes how he is defined by the world around him. He realizes the persona that is him and decides he wants to change it. As Christians, we can relate as we had to make a similar change in definition of self when we became children of God. I also appreciate that the end of the film shows that such decisions are not filled with ease and happy endings.

It's a great movie and one of the few I never tire of watching.