GHOST DOG: THE WAY OF THE SAMURAI (2000) (****)
This film has been out for awhile and I've seen it three times already, but after re-watching it again I wanted to make sure that everyone knows how much I love this film. Films this good and original don't come along that often. The term cult film best suits this unusual genre tale of rap and the way of the samurai. Oh, and don't forget the Italian mob.
The film follows Ghost Dog (Forest Whitaker, THE CRYING GAME), a hit man, who lives by the ancient code of the samurai. As a teen, the gangster Louie (John Tormey, GAME 6) saved Ghost Dog from some thugs and the African American man has vowed his life to the Italian American mobster. Ghost Dog's best friend, Raymond (Isaach DeBankole, CASINO ROYALE) is an ice cream man, who only speaks French and Ghost Dog only speaks English. The kind-eyed assassin develops a sweet friendship with a young girl named Pearline (Camille Winbush, TV's THE BERNIE MAC SHOW). Ghost Dog is cool, calculated and ingenious when he's doing his work. But he believes in his code of honor to the end, whether it will lead to his death or not.