Recommended: Welterweights, Tier 3
Submitted by jim on Thu, 05/24/2001 - 12:13
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- Deep Blue Sea (1999) ... I was shocked, SHOCKED, at how much I enjoyed this. I hadn't even heard of it, and picked it up on a lark at the video store. Tense, action-packed, and with some great surprises that will keep you guessing as to who (if anybody) will get out alive.
- Desperado (1995) ... I have to see this again.
- Die Another Day (2002) ... I was prepared for this to reek of the failure that was The World is not Enough, but it was quite a bit better than that. I'd say it's roughly a middle-of-the-pack Bond movie, even if it does have some crippling flaws: it's too long, the sexual innuendo and double-ententres are too thick (even for Bond, or maybe I'm just getting old), and there's this one action sequence that features a painfully bad, lengthy CG effect involving a huge wave. Mary Poppins did a better job forty years ago integrating live action with hand-animation than these hacks did dropping Bond onto that abysmal water effect. I'm sure they were trying to pay tribute to all those great ski chases of old, but it didn't work (I'm not talking about the opening surfing scene, which was great). But enough of what's bad. The Q scene was good, Halle Berry holds her own and then some, the action sequences (except where noted) are quite good, and the villains are a step up from Jonathan Pryce's one-handed speed-typist, or Robert Carlyle's goon, who was only formidable because he once allowed himself to be shot in the head, and as a result now feels no pain. Oh yeah, great, give the world's greatest secret agent a nemesis who's already blundered his way into getting shot in the head before the movie even starts.
- Equilibrium (2002) ... After World War III mankind decides humanity's emotions were to blame, and rigorously stamps out human emotion via drugs and art-burning bonfires. "Sense Offenders" are hunted down and executed. The "Clerics" are the most skilled enforcers, practicing a form of Gun-fu that puts the practitioner where there aren't likely to be bullets, statistically. There's so much wrong with this movie, starting with it's shameless appropriation of every dystopian theme and image I know and ending with the fact that it manages to look expensive without quite having that A-movie polish. The ending is too neat, and I never quite felt enough compassion for any of our characters. But wait, isn't this supposed to be a positive review? Yes, in spite of all that I liked the movie, I never looked at my watch, and it seems to fit in better with the movies here than on my Guilty Pleasures list. Some of the action scenes are too choppy, but others are quite good, and I liked the conceit of a martial art that explains the preposterous survival of our hero amidst a hail of bullets. On the other hand, this movie may have the lowest Tomatometer rating of any movie in my "Recommended" series, so enter at your own risk.
- The Five Deadly Venoms (1978) ... A favorite kung-fu movie from my youth, but it's probably been 20 years since my last viewing.
- The Italian Job (2003) ... I was genuinely concerned for this movie in the opening scenes. The dialog felt stiff and poorly delivered, and the script was audibly grunting with effort as it strained to hurriedly establish a father/son relationship between Donald Sutherland and Mark Wahlberg. Thankfully the opening heist is adequately gripping, and the cast loosens up and develops a fairly enjoyable rapport as the movie progresses. Several surprises for me in the performances: I generally like Wahlberg, but thought he was weak here. I unconsciously wrote Charlize Theron off quite awhile ago for no particular reason, but I thought she hit just the right notes as the tough-but-slightly-vulnerable heroine (and she's supposed to be great in Monster). I'll have to keep an eye on her. Seth Green was a hoot, and provided several laugh-out-loud moments that were partially script, but mostly delivery. And it was a coup casting "Handsome Rob" as "sexy ugly" (to steal a phrase from recently-watched Kissing Jessica Stein) Jason Statham rather than some conventional pretty boy. Definitely a role that was improved by playing for charisma rather than looks. Finally, I enjoyed the heists and the shell game twists at the end, despite their predicability and occasional bumbling cliche. My expectations for heist movies have lowered dramatically over time, but this one met them, and at times surpassed 'em.
- The Kid With the Golden Arm (1979) ... A favorite kung-fu movie from my youth, but it's probably been 20 years since my last viewing.
- The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996) ... Lotsa fun, in a trashy La Femme Nikita kind of way. Our heroine is nicely summed up in this quote from Samuel L. Jackson's character: "You know, back when we first met, you were all like "Oh phooey, I burned the darn muffins." Now, you go into a bar and ten minutes later sailors come runnin' up. What up with that?"
- The Magnificent Butcher (1979) ... All the kung-fu movies I've been watching lately have made extensive use of wires, so this one was refreshing where wires, if they were used at all, don't require huge suspension of disbelief. My ear is deaf to Chinese comedy, so movies with many comedic elements lose points with me, but the fight scenes in this one are excellent, and the plot is nice and clean. This is another Huang Fei Hong movie, but it focusses on "Butcher Wing", one of his students. Actually, of the Huang Fei Hong movies I've seen, this one is probably my favorite.
- The Master of the Flying Guillotine (1975) ... All these 70s kung-fu movies are varying degrees of outlandish, and once you reach a certain degree of outlandishness I don't enjoy them quite so much. This one is right on the edge. The flying guillotine is a ridiculous weapon and the beheadings are corny. The Indian yoga master has a ludicrous super-power. And yet the entire movie was an enjoyable hoot, and Jimmy Wang Yu comes off as a pensive Charles Bronson (the comparison is not an original one, but I think it's apt). Lots of solid fight scenes, with the final three duels being particularly enjoyable.
- The Matrix Revolutions (2003) ... Sigh. Three days ago I failed to appreciate Children of Paradise, two days ago I fast-forwarded The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, and yesterday I enjoyed The Matrix Revolutions. I feel like I've hit the trifecta of questionable cinematic taste. Ah well, no sense crying over spilt milk. On to the review: the huge squid battle in Zion did indeed go on forever, but for me this wasn't a bad thing. It was very impressively done, and I particularly liked the effect of the whirling, undulating "schools" of squids. Also, despite the cumulative effect of three movies of cheesy dialog, I maintained some emotional investment in the characters, but I couldn't help noting how much greater that investment would have been had the original Tank and Oracle actors been available. Tank's character, in particularly, would have provided a much-needed emotional bridge for the goings-on in Zion, and the Oracle/Smith scene would have been so much more involving if Gloria Foster were still alive. Speaking of Smith, the kung fu battles definitely lost something as they increased in scope from intimate one-on-ones to epic Superman struggles over the course of the trilogy, but they each worked in their own ways, and all that time and money that went into getting the rain just right for the final showdown here was well spent. I'll admit to some frustration at not having the larger questions resolved for me, but at the same time I'm impressed that the Wachowskis have created a framework that allows rampant, and at times even logical, theorizing. Here's my current favorite.
- Mimic (1997) ...
- Mission Impossible 2 (2000) ... A sequel that tops the original. If you like John Woo and all his hyperkinetic action, good-guy/bad-guy faces-of-the-same-coin overtones, and doves, you'll like this too.
- Musa (2001) ... Informally titled "The Warrior", I'm pretty sure this was Korea's most expensive movie at the time. Since it's also my first Korean movie, it's all downhill from here for me. Just kidding. The historical backdrop and plot of this movie is quite interesting: Korean diplomatic envoys on a mission to the Ming dynasty in war-torn China are rebuffed and sent into exile. They rescue a Ming princess (Zhang Ziyi, doing her beautiful petulant thing) from a Yuan/Mongol (the term seemed to be used interchangably in the mediocre subtitles) army division, and spend the rest of the movie trying to protect her and her unfortunate followers and find a way to either complete their diplomatic mission or return to Korea. At times cliched and melodramatic, at times frustrating at all its unexplored angles, at times way too reminiscent of Braveheart or Gladiator, the movie nonetheless managed to keep me lapping at its poor man's Kurosawa/Homer/Ford gumbo-filled trough. The action was just on the wrong side of too choppy for my tastes, but it's impressive occassionally nonetheless, and some of the gore is startling. I'm convinced some unfortunate extra took an actual arrow in the neck for this movie. And if nothing else this film reinforces the lesson that you should NEVER talk affectionately about your wife and/or kids back home if you're doing anything remotely dangerous. Apparently that's a cross-cultural cinematic rule.
- Once Upon a Time in China (1991) ... For the first 45 minutes of this movie I was concerned that I wasn't going to "get it." Lots of humor that simply didn't translate for me, a bunch of little set pieces that didn't seem to go anywhere, and the introduction of characters and plot threads that seemed superfluous (indeed, some of them just never reappear). But eventually a graspable plot emerges from the main themes, and the film gets going. Nicely shot, with some terrific action scenes that show off Jet Li's athleticism and expertise. If you watch this on DVD, Ric Meyers' commentary track is fabulous. It will raise your level of appreciation.
- Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003) ... Hot dog, Johnny Depp is on fire, twice in a row now elevating a movie to greater heights than it could hope to aspire to without him. While my memory of Desperado is hazy, I still think this is the most garish, bloody, outlandish, and convoluted of Rodriguez's tortilla westerns. I think I could have gotten into the meandering plot, goofy dialog, and cartoonish characters a bit more if the action scenes (with one exception) weren't handled so choppily, devolving into a series of quick shots between a gunman spraying a hail of bullets followed immediately by a cut to guys flying backwards. Sometimes I didn't even feel like the shooter and target were being filmed on the same day! But it's all done with flair and exuberance, and it's hard not to be won over by it.
- Panic Room (2002) ... Tense, engaging, and well-acted by all. I'd be tempted to bump this one higher if not for a big ol' physics gaffe and Dwight Yokam's "why didn't we think of that" line. Why indeed? I also have to say that Fincher's camera tricks, used to such good effect in Fight Club, often felt like gratuitous slight-of-hand here. None of those stopped me from getting sucked in, but they did keep jerking me out of the moment.
- Payback (1999) ... I can see why this movie was welcomed by decidedly mixed reviews, but I think it's underrated. It's dark and at times ugly, but it works because of Mel Gibson. I couldn't point to any concrete thing he did to suggest he's not playing the material straight, but somehow there's a glimmer of humor about his character that makes it all more enjoyable than it has a right to be. With Gibson at the center, the funhouse-mirror supporting characters just add to the unique atmosphere of the movie.
- Project A (1983) ... This is widely regarded as Jackie Chan's best movie, and it may be although I've enjoyed others more. The stunts are amazing and vicariously painful, and some of the action sequences are thoroughly exciting and entertaining. The plot is thin, but at least the comedy doesn't detract here as it often does for me in other martial arts movies. Unfortunately I saw this on the butchered US-release of the DVD. The picture quality is great, but the dub is awful, and I read that key scenes were chopped and the score was completely replaced. And, moronically, they cut the outtakes! I hope whatever bonehead made that decision was flogged and then fired.
- Rapid Fire (1992) ... Brandon Lee as Jackie Chan. He had real potential, and showed it off well here, in this otherwise mediocre movie. Very sad, the Lee family story.
- Robocop 2 (1990) ... It's been awhile, but I recall this as a worthy sequel with lighter comedy and action (which isn't necessarily a criticism if you are repelled by Verhoeven's splatterfest approach).
- Rush Hour (1998) ... If you like Jackie Chan and are at least not annoyed by Chris Tucker, you'll enjoy this plenty.
- Shaolin Master Killer (1978) ... Based on his youthful innocent appearance Gordon Liu should be called The Baby-Faced Shaolin Master Killer, but that's part of what works here, as most of the fun in this movie is watching him progress from clumsy neophyte to kung fu master. Indeed the entire middle half of this movie is training scenes, so if you dig all the crazy training that kung fu heros usually have to endure after initially getting whupped, this is the movie for you. Actually, it's mostly the fun of those scenes that leads me to recommend this one, since the DVD I watched crapped out not only in the fight scenes where Liu gathers his disciples, but in the final one percent the climactic fight as well. .
- Starship Troopers (1997) ... A humorous and gory satire of a fascist human regime at war with a bunch of bugs from outer space. If that sounds like fun to you, you'll dig this. If not, stay away.
- XXX (2002) ... Utterly preposterous, and right on the cusp of being listed guiltily. But what the heck, I don't know if the good will I extend Vin Diesel for The Iron Giant will ever run out. So when it seems like the entire screen is engulfed in flame except for the little pocket he occupies, or when he stays 5 feet in front of an avalanche for minutes on end, or when he hits the water at 50 miles an hour and just gets wet but not dead, and so on and so on, sure I roll my eyes, but I smile at the same time. As an added bonus, Diesel seems equally at ease jumping out of an airplane or dining at a posh restaurant which lends a nice James-Bond's-disowned-American-convict-cousin-thrice-removed feel to the movie (which incidentally is much more fun than the next-to-last Bond outing, The World Is Not Enough (I haven't seen Die Another Day yet)). Or perhaps I'm just happy because so many action movies these days arrive DOA, but this one has some life in it.
Author Comments:
If you're going to use these lists for recommendations, you really should read how they're organized.
I believe your reaction to Panic Room is very similar to mine, down to several specific gripes. Always good to know that if I've fallen off the deep end, I'm at least not alone.
I'll be very curious to read your reactions to Minority Report when it arrives on DVD.
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
I have to confess that I probably only caught the physics gaffe because I knew about it in advance. Sure is jarring, even when you know it's coming!
I just re-read your review, and I agree that Jared Leto was very good, as usual. But y'know, I would never recognize that guy in any movie where he's not bleached blonde if he weren't mentioned in the opening credits.
I can't wait for Minority Report! Hey, when are you going to get around to seeing A.I.?
C'mon boys, spill. What was the physics gaffe?
Propane is HEAVIER than air and does not float at the top of a room but at the bottom. That's all I'll say for the sake of those who have yet to see it.
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
I know what part you are talking about and, yes, they should've caught that.
"I just re-read your review, and I agree that Jared Leto was very good, as usual. But y'know, I would never recognize that guy in any movie where he's not bleached blonde if he weren't mentioned in the opening credits."
Same here.
I haven't had the chance to watch hardly any films lately, but I will try to catch A.I. soon.
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
Now I have to know; did you come up with the fantastic term, 'tortilla western'?
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
:-) I thought I did, but I'm guessing I picked it up somewhere else. After I wrote it I found myself wondering if it could be construed as offensive (although I've never been offended by "spaghetti western"), so I googled to see if anybody else had coined the phrase, and they have. Ah well. Not as clever as I thought I was.
Jim I just thought I would add this little info on my own movie watching habits lately. For the last two weeks there hasn't been any. I have not watched a movie for two weeks straight. I think this might be the first time I can say that in a long, long time.
The joys of fatherhood and a very busy work schedule.
Wow, I've never even heard of So Close.
Perhaps I should sit this one out? Or might I enjoy?
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
I understand that Woo-ish Hong Kong actioners are a dying breed (that's what They say anyway), so it's probably just one of the better movies on the downhill side of the peak. I enjoyed it, and you might too, but I'm inclined to think you should give it a miss (for all that bad CGI glass if nothing else :-). There are a bunch of movies on this list I should put an asterisk by, since they are recommended for somebody like me, but not necessarily a sure-fire hit for anybody else.
I probably should have written "passe" rather than "a dying breed." At least that's what some of the articles I've read suggest. Also, I should mention that if you do happen to stick out the long and at-times mediocre setup, the finale is pretty spectacular, and quite well done. The sword fight that I mention in my Favorite Action Scenes list (a list that is slowly becoming by personal favorite of the ones I maintain) occurs during the finale and features Vicki Zhao and Karen Mok against the fabulous Yasuaki Kurata, who I last saw give Jet Li a run for his money in Fist of Legend (another badly, badly dubbed feature). Man, he moves great for a guy pushing 60 (or for a much younger man, for that matter), and has good screen presence.