RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
Jet Li's FEARLESS
A beautifully made film that has weight through good story and furious action scenes. Li won't make me ever forget about my idol Bruce Lee anytime soon but he certainly makes for formidible filler... B-)
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
A beautifully made film that has weight through good story and furious action scenes. Li won't make me ever forget about my idol Bruce Lee anytime soon but he certainly makes for formidible filler... B-)
Interesting that you say that. I too love Li (although not as much as the legendary Lee of course) but I didn't love Fearless. It's a very good film, but the last truly wonderful Li film that I saw was Unleashed.
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
A beautifully made film that has weight through good story and furious action scenes. Li won't make me ever forget about my idol Bruce Lee anytime soon but he certainly makes for formidible filler... B-)
Interesting that you say that. I too love Li (although not as much as the legendary Lee of course) but I didn't love Fearless. It's a very good film, but the last truly wonderful Li film that I saw was Unleashed.
I don't know, Dan...I loved Unleashed too but more when Bob Hoskins is onscreen with the Cockney gangster slang and NOT the fighting scenes per se.
The action scenes in UNLEASHED were good but not convincing as they were in Fearless. Kind of synthetic...
What I mean to say is that every encounter looked too comic-bookish and unrealistic where the latter had a more traditional, less wires to pull off fantastical kicks feel...
That's not saying that wires weren't used in some instances.
For that reason alone may be why I don't care for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon much. Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan pretty much did/do their own stunts and that I can appreciate.
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
What I mean to say is that every encounter looked too comic-bookish and unrealistic where the latter had a more traditional, less wires to pull off fantastical kicks feel...
It's a valid argument but I don't know if I agree. I mean, I loved the fighting in both films, however I peferred the fighting in Unleashed. Was it less real? I didn't get the impression that Li wasn't doing his own stunts and IMO it certainly didn't look less real. I think that the major difference between the two films was not whether the fighting was more or less real but the actual fighting style itself. I preferred the fighting style in Unleashed. I also enjoyed the performances and plot more in Unleashed however Fearless certainly has alot of things going for it, with the fighting in it indeed being very good.
For that reason alone may be why I don't care for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon much. Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan pretty much did/do their own stunts and that I can appreciate.
I adored CTHD however I have never approached it as a serious Martial Arts film, unlike say Bruce Lee films. As for Jackie Chan; he's very talented and great to watch but I find him too comical.
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
I adored CTHD however I have never approached it as a serious Martial Arts film, unlike say Bruce Lee films. As for Jackie Chan; he's very talented and great to watch but I find him too comical.
Comical Chan may be but he's still an old school guy who DOES HIS OWN STUNTS. Besides, I wouldn't want to brush him the wrong way; he certainly wouldn't be too comedic then. .
Unleashed might've appealed to you for the "Street" manner of the fighting as opposed to Fearless' more traditional, 70s flick feel.
CTHD was so overrated IMO...like The English Patient was. 8-) Media feeds you something enough, subliminally you start to believe it...
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Comical Chan may be but he's still an old school guy who DOES HIS OWN STUNTS. Besides, I wouldn't want to brush him the wrong way; he certainly wouldn't be too comedic then. .
I wouldn't want to cross him either. ) No, I think he's a great Martial Artist, however his decision to take a comic approach is IMO the wrong one.
CTHD was so overrated IMO...like The English Patient was. 8-) Media feeds you something enough, subliminally you start to believe it...
We aren't agreeing much today on this thread are we? I loved both films, especially CTHD. (It should have won Best Picture IMO.)
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
It's showing at the Curzon Soho this week, coincidentally.
Comic sequel in which Andre hooks up with a panto troupe after his circus is wiped out by foot and mouth, but the animal liquidation squad catch up with him sooner than later during a performance of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves in which Andre and six other fugitive infected seals (hence the title) and... oh please yourselves.
For a moment I thought you were referring to the Bergman film. )
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
My second favorite Mob movie after The Godfather and Scorsese's best film.
"A blunt instrument wielded by a Government department. Hard, ruthless, sardonic, fatalistic. He likes gambling, golf, fast motor cars. All his movements are relaxed and economical". Ian Fleming
I never got to see this one in the theater so the DVD was my first exposure to the film. Plot is a little thin but there's nothing wrong with that in this kind of a movie. Visually speaking, it is one of the most striking films I've seen in a long time and the use of color (and lack thereof in many instances) really gives the scenes a comic-book panel like effect. I also enjoyed the slo-mo action scenes, much more effective and watchable than the "so close and so fast I can't make anything out" variety of action that most films employ. I picked up the BluRay hi-definition DVD and the added detail is pretty amazing. Gerard Butler makes for a very formidable yet sympathetic Leonidas and Lena Headey lights up every scene she is in. Overall, definitely a big thumbs up in my book; it's an interesting evolution of the sword and sandal epics which I've always enjoyed so much.
Just saw this film for the first time last night and I loved it!! The premise is kinda twisted but its so ridiculous that its enjoyable. Willem Dafoe gives a spell-binding performance (the gay thing through me off a little bit, but it brought some great dimension to the character.) Sean Patrick Flannery and David Della Rocco gave noteworthy performance as well. If you like excessively violent mob movies, then you'll probably love Boondock Saints as much as I did.
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
"The Third Man"
Carol Reed's classic noir, with Joseph Cotten, Trevor Howard, an extremely villainous Orson Welles...
...and Bond's very own Charles ("M") Gray, looking quite young...
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
I thought the first part was perfect. A cinematic masterpiece. Part 2 kind of disappointed me though. The flashbacks of Vito's life were boring IMO. I fell asleep at those parts. But the rest of the film was really good but not as great as the first. I give Part 1 a 10/10. Part 2: 6/10.
I was 80s trash slasher flick 'They're Plaing With Fire'. Bad acting, bad writing, bad directing... and that's the good bits!!! The title track 'You're Playing With Fire' sounds like a View to a Kill-esque Bond theme and has to be heard to be believed!!!!
It has Sybill Danning in the nude in it though, so that's a plus!
Outstanding film from David Fincher focusing on the effects the hunt for the Zodiac killer has on those trying to solve the case. Excellent performances from Jake (my sister's hot) Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo and Robert Downey Junior, plus great support from underrated performers like Anthony Edwards, Elias Koteas and James LeGros. And I don't think I'll ever hear that Donovan track, 'Hurdy Gurdy Man,' without shivering.
I've never seen the Marlene Dietrich classic so I can't compare this to it's original counterpart. But I have always defended Curt Jurgen's potrayal of Stromberg. Well, it pales mightily to his absolutely outstanding performance here.
Jurgens plays Professor Immannuel Rath, a distinguished school teacher who sacrifices everything in his financially secure and highly regarded social status to marry Lola Lola, a luscious sex pot from a burlesque troupe. (played by German actress May Britt, who was also Maximillian Schell's wife in The Young Lions)
The unravelling plight of this straight-forward and humble man will wrap you around it's little finger and never let go. In large part due to Jurgens, who is, simply put, awesome. Laugh with him, cry with him, feel pity for him, and even be fearful of him. The old war horse gives a brilliant performance.
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
edited August 2007
THE PUNISHER (1989)
I found this DVD for five bucks in the Wal-Mart bin yesterday and for me it was a no-brainer to purchase. I really like this movie despite the 80s cheesy feel it's aged into; it looks very generic in certain scenes.
I know Dolph Lundgren gets a bad rap for his acting in this and the movie on a whole gets ripped to shreds by so-called critics but I really, really love it. B-)
Unlike the 2004 incarnation that I love, which is more of a PUNISHER BEGINS, Frank Castle is really doing what he does best in this one... punishing the guilty from beginning to end. The story is good enough and the action is very cool for it's time.
I also noticed that the theme music for the first one is MUCH COOLER than the more solemn version of the other which isn't to say that it's bad, just cooler.
If I had one complaint about the movie, no skull on Castle's shirt...it sort of deludes the dynamic that it's...well... The Punisher.
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
I know Dolph Lundgren gets a bad rap for his acting in this and the movie on a whole gets ripped to shreds by so-called critics but I really, really love it. B-)
Me too. I liked the new version, but this is a lot more fun. Dolph has some neat one-liners. Jeroen Krabbe is a far more effective villain here than in TLD, and the action is great. But they should have used the skull t-shirt. As for the critics, Timoeut praised it for being, 'Destructive, reprehensible, and marvellous fun.' Couldn't agree more.
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
I know Dolph Lundgren gets a bad rap for his acting in this and the movie on a whole gets ripped to shreds by so-called critics but I really, really love it. B-)
Me too. I liked the new version, but this is a lot more fun. Dolph has some neat one-liners. Jeroen Krabbe is a far more effective villain here than in TLD, and the action is great. But they should have used the skull t-shirt. As for the critics, Timoeut praised it for being, 'Destructive, reprehensible, and marvellous fun.' Couldn't agree more.
Glad I'm not alone on this, J.D. It is a very fun movie. {[]
For me at least, this has to be one of my favorite Marvel movies along with the first Spider-Man. Funny thing is, it probably took just a meager fraction of Spidey's budget to make it. )
I guess in a roundabout way big bucks doesn't always mean big quality.
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
I recently saw Dog Bite Dog an action film from Hong Kong that is a mixture of a cop film and one about streetfighting (the film has a backstory that is similar to the vastly superior Unleashed) and is one that I would not recommend. It's a very uninteresting, quite ugly yet also very weird film which, whilst it's not the worst film I ever saw, it's certainly the worst film I saw all year. No matter what your interest in Asian Cinema is, it's just not worth it.
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
I am surprised to say I liked this. I couldn't stand the earlier films, mostly due to Johnny Depp's Captain Jack being a prancing, poncing git. However this was entertaining and Depp seemed to have reined in his performance. This time I only wanted to slap him, whereas before I wanted to fire a cannonball at his head.
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
TOTAL RECALL
Arguably one of the best sci-fi movies ever made. I hadn't seen it in years but I still love this pic. Great cast, story and action. Personally, I don't think that it gets enough credit and Verhoeven's penchant for over the top violence is so extreme that some of the scenes are comical but forgivable.
Anyone else notice all of the Matrix & Vanilla Sky associations during this movie?
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
A good companian piece to Octopussy. Great stuff, with Steven Siegal a revelation as the censored East German writer. A few far-fetched moments towards the end, but otherwise the best new film I've seen all year.
Arguably one of the best sci-fi movies ever made. I hadn't seen it in years but I still love this pic. Great cast, story and action. Personally, I don't think that it gets enough credit and Verhoeven's penchant for over the top violence is so extreme that some of the scenes are comical but forgivable.
Anyone else notice all of the Matrix & Vanilla Sky associations during this movie?
I adore this film. IMO this is, along with RoboCop one of Verhoeven's two masterpieces and one of Arnie's three best films (along with the first two Terminator films.) I very much agree with you that it's one of the greatest sci-fi films of all time, as well as IMO one of the greatest action films ever made (the action scenes are truly magnificent). I think it's absolutely extraordinary, and is IMO a film that people who are interested in great cinema should most certainly see.
A good companian piece to Octopussy. Great stuff, with Steven Siegal a revelation as the censored East German writer. A few far-fetched moments towards the end, but otherwise the best new film I've seen all year.
Great film, but I didn't know that Segal was interested in German cinema. )
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
Poor horror sequel to Miike Takashi's One Missed Call.
Azumi 2
The female samurai continues her mission to kill anybody who gets in her way. The crazy schoolgirl from Kill Bill turns up as a memorable opponent. This girl is so menacing she must struggle to get a date in Japan.
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
Comments
A beautifully made film that has weight through good story and furious action scenes. Li won't make me ever forget about my idol Bruce Lee anytime soon but he certainly makes for formidible filler... B-)
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
I don't know, Dan...I loved Unleashed too but more when Bob Hoskins is onscreen with the Cockney gangster slang and NOT the fighting scenes per se.
The action scenes in UNLEASHED were good but not convincing as they were in Fearless. Kind of synthetic...
What I mean to say is that every encounter looked too comic-bookish and unrealistic where the latter had a more traditional, less wires to pull off fantastical kicks feel...
That's not saying that wires weren't used in some instances.
For that reason alone may be why I don't care for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon much. Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan pretty much did/do their own stunts and that I can appreciate.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
I adored CTHD however I have never approached it as a serious Martial Arts film, unlike say Bruce Lee films. As for Jackie Chan; he's very talented and great to watch but I find him too comical.
Comical Chan may be but he's still an old school guy who DOES HIS OWN STUNTS. Besides, I wouldn't want to brush him the wrong way; he certainly wouldn't be too comedic then.
Unleashed might've appealed to you for the "Street" manner of the fighting as opposed to Fearless' more traditional, 70s flick feel.
CTHD was so overrated IMO...like The English Patient was. 8-) Media feeds you something enough, subliminally you start to believe it...
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Perhaps. However I think the reason is that IMO the fighting in Unleashed is a fuller and more accurate representation of Li's talents than Fearless.
When it comes to The English Patient, I'm like Seinfeld's Elaine Benes when it comes on...
"I hate it!"
CTHD, had beautiful cinematography but not my type of film. Too ballet-ic if that's a word.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
It's showing at the Curzon Soho this week, coincidentally.
Comic sequel in which Andre hooks up with a panto troupe after his circus is wiped out by foot and mouth, but the animal liquidation squad catch up with him sooner than later during a performance of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves in which Andre and six other fugitive infected seals (hence the title) and... oh please yourselves.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
I love that show. Seinfeld is the best sitcom ever IMO.
My second favorite Mob movie after The Godfather and Scorsese's best film.
I never got to see this one in the theater so the DVD was my first exposure to the film. Plot is a little thin but there's nothing wrong with that in this kind of a movie. Visually speaking, it is one of the most striking films I've seen in a long time and the use of color (and lack thereof in many instances) really gives the scenes a comic-book panel like effect. I also enjoyed the slo-mo action scenes, much more effective and watchable than the "so close and so fast I can't make anything out" variety of action that most films employ. I picked up the BluRay hi-definition DVD and the added detail is pretty amazing. Gerard Butler makes for a very formidable yet sympathetic Leonidas and Lena Headey lights up every scene she is in. Overall, definitely a big thumbs up in my book; it's an interesting evolution of the sword and sandal epics which I've always enjoyed so much.
Just saw this film for the first time last night and I loved it!! The premise is kinda twisted but its so ridiculous that its enjoyable. Willem Dafoe gives a spell-binding performance (the gay thing through me off a little bit, but it brought some great dimension to the character.) Sean Patrick Flannery and David Della Rocco gave noteworthy performance as well. If you like excessively violent mob movies, then you'll probably love Boondock Saints as much as I did.
Carol Reed's classic noir, with Joseph Cotten, Trevor Howard, an extremely villainous Orson Welles...
...and Bond's very own Charles ("M") Gray, looking quite young...
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
I thought the first part was perfect. A cinematic masterpiece. Part 2 kind of disappointed me though. The flashbacks of Vito's life were boring IMO. I fell asleep at those parts. But the rest of the film was really good but not as great as the first. I give Part 1 a 10/10. Part 2: 6/10.
I looking forward to watching Part 3 next. {[]
It has Sybill Danning in the nude in it though, so that's a plus!
Outstanding film from David Fincher focusing on the effects the hunt for the Zodiac killer has on those trying to solve the case. Excellent performances from Jake (my sister's hot) Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo and Robert Downey Junior, plus great support from underrated performers like Anthony Edwards, Elias Koteas and James LeGros. And I don't think I'll ever hear that Donovan track, 'Hurdy Gurdy Man,' without shivering.
I've never seen the Marlene Dietrich classic so I can't compare this to it's original counterpart. But I have always defended Curt Jurgen's potrayal of Stromberg. Well, it pales mightily to his absolutely outstanding performance here.
Jurgens plays Professor Immannuel Rath, a distinguished school teacher who sacrifices everything in his financially secure and highly regarded social status to marry Lola Lola, a luscious sex pot from a burlesque troupe. (played by German actress May Britt, who was also Maximillian Schell's wife in The Young Lions)
The unravelling plight of this straight-forward and humble man will wrap you around it's little finger and never let go. In large part due to Jurgens, who is, simply put, awesome. Laugh with him, cry with him, feel pity for him, and even be fearful of him. The old war horse gives a brilliant performance.
I found this DVD for five bucks in the Wal-Mart bin yesterday and for me it was a no-brainer to purchase. I really like this movie despite the 80s cheesy feel it's aged into; it looks very generic in certain scenes.
I know Dolph Lundgren gets a bad rap for his acting in this and the movie on a whole gets ripped to shreds by so-called critics but I really, really love it. B-)
Unlike the 2004 incarnation that I love, which is more of a PUNISHER BEGINS, Frank Castle is really doing what he does best in this one... punishing the guilty from beginning to end. The story is good enough and the action is very cool for it's time.
I also noticed that the theme music for the first one is MUCH COOLER than the more solemn version of the other which isn't to say that it's bad, just cooler.
If I had one complaint about the movie, no skull on Castle's shirt...it sort of deludes the dynamic that it's...well... The Punisher.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Me too. I liked the new version, but this is a lot more fun. Dolph has some neat one-liners. Jeroen Krabbe is a far more effective villain here than in TLD, and the action is great. But they should have used the skull t-shirt. As for the critics, Timoeut praised it for being, 'Destructive, reprehensible, and marvellous fun.' Couldn't agree more.
Glad I'm not alone on this, J.D. It is a very fun movie. {[]
For me at least, this has to be one of my favorite Marvel movies along with the first Spider-Man. Funny thing is, it probably took just a meager fraction of Spidey's budget to make it.
I guess in a roundabout way big bucks doesn't always mean big quality.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
I am surprised to say I liked this. I couldn't stand the earlier films, mostly due to Johnny Depp's Captain Jack being a prancing, poncing git. However this was entertaining and Depp seemed to have reined in his performance. This time I only wanted to slap him, whereas before I wanted to fire a cannonball at his head.
Arguably one of the best sci-fi movies ever made. I hadn't seen it in years but I still love this pic. Great cast, story and action. Personally, I don't think that it gets enough credit and Verhoeven's penchant for over the top violence is so extreme that some of the scenes are comical but forgivable.
Anyone else notice all of the Matrix & Vanilla Sky associations during this movie?
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
A good companian piece to Octopussy.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Great film, but I didn't know that Segal was interested in German cinema.
One Missed Call 2
Poor horror sequel to Miike Takashi's One Missed Call.
Azumi 2
The female samurai continues her mission to kill anybody who gets in her way. The crazy schoolgirl from Kill Bill turns up as a memorable opponent. This girl is so menacing she must struggle to get a date in Japan.
J.D.,we have similiar tastes it appears. I LOVE One Missed Call and the Silent Hill feel it has. That scene in the abandoned hospital was so cool.
Thanks for the forewarning on the sequel...I was planning on picking that up.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
It's not Miike Takashi directing this time and it's very formuliac. I think there's a US remake of the first one coming soon.