i've been meaning to post about the rocketeer for a while (crazy week at work, sorry).
this movie is one of my all-time childhood favorites. i remember being amazed at the graphics (which were admittedly lacking given today's perspective, but still awesome). most of all though, this movie made me wish i could fly planes.
oh well, a girl can keep dreaming for now.
in the first 8 minutes of this movie, there was a car chase, gun fight, and explosion. if that doesn't make it an action movie, i don't know what does.
additionally, this movie mixes some good (clean) humor with fun action and an actually interesting plot.
madgyver and i are mystified as to why billy campbell isn't a bigger star today.
i have now officially decided that i will watch almost any movie in which timothy dalton (formerly the worst james bond) plays a bad guy.
4/21/08
Get Ready for it...
This week we officially begin our Indiana Jones marathon of AMT's all leading up to the premiere (and first official AMT field trip) of the new Indy movie!
4/10/08
"this is for matilda"
i thought this movie was absolutely astounding. i agree with samamual that it is probably one of the best we've ever had for amt (and looking back over our list, i can say i'm about 99% sure of it). i found myself crossing my fingers and trying very hard to influence the actions of the characters with my mind powers.
jean reno though not entirely convincing as an italian, did an incredible job balancing kindness and strength in his character. he shifted easily between terrifying wearing his boxy coat, bizarre little hat and round sunglasses, to being a gentle father figure in pants that were too short, suspenders, and a pig oven mit. his death was impressively tragic as well as cathartic, which is a trait rarely found in our typical amt choices.
natalie portman was a bit frightening, but in the perfect way. afterall, what 12 year old would be so calm after her family (or rather her little brother) gets killed? or would choose revenge as their next step? it absolutely broke my heart when she confessed her love to leon and described it as a warm feeling in her stomach. being 12 was tough.
danny aiello (or as i have always known him, johnny cammareri) i appreciated the fact that he was in the film and especially that he did not do something so unbelievable and irresponsible as give 12 year old natalie a job as a cleaner.
gary oldman i have now officially decided that i will see pretty much any movie with him in it (including this). he was one of the scariest characters i have ever seen, specifically when he took one of his "i'm going to kill everyone" pills. i appreciated the complex, gray-area character traits he possessed through the film. additionally, i felt vindicated the moment he opened his hand to see the grenade pin.
this movie was a high quality action flick for reasons beyond the gunfights, explosions, and drug conflict. quite a contrast when thinking about our previous choices (cough, point break, road house, surf ninjas, big hit, cough).
jean reno though not entirely convincing as an italian, did an incredible job balancing kindness and strength in his character. he shifted easily between terrifying wearing his boxy coat, bizarre little hat and round sunglasses, to being a gentle father figure in pants that were too short, suspenders, and a pig oven mit. his death was impressively tragic as well as cathartic, which is a trait rarely found in our typical amt choices.
natalie portman was a bit frightening, but in the perfect way. afterall, what 12 year old would be so calm after her family (or rather her little brother) gets killed? or would choose revenge as their next step? it absolutely broke my heart when she confessed her love to leon and described it as a warm feeling in her stomach. being 12 was tough.
danny aiello (or as i have always known him, johnny cammareri) i appreciated the fact that he was in the film and especially that he did not do something so unbelievable and irresponsible as give 12 year old natalie a job as a cleaner.
gary oldman i have now officially decided that i will see pretty much any movie with him in it (including this). he was one of the scariest characters i have ever seen, specifically when he took one of his "i'm going to kill everyone" pills. i appreciated the complex, gray-area character traits he possessed through the film. additionally, i felt vindicated the moment he opened his hand to see the grenade pin.
this movie was a high quality action flick for reasons beyond the gunfights, explosions, and drug conflict. quite a contrast when thinking about our previous choices (cough, point break, road house, surf ninjas, big hit, cough).
Got Milk?
Upon completing this post, I will be drafting a letter to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Why? I will be insisting that Luc Besson be awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award for his consistant casting of Gary Oldman in the role of 'psychotic bad guy'. Gary Oldman rocks in this movie. He is freaky, disturbing, and (unlike Heath Ledger) can handle mixing his drugs. (I know; I know. Sorry.)
I still remember seeing this movie when it came out and developing a massive crush on Natalie Portman. (Don't worry, for those who've never met me, I'm the same age as Natalie Portman). However, seeing it again, I was a little disturbed by how trampy she was. I mean, I like to look for lines in movies that are grossly inappropriate when taken out of context. However, 90% of what she said was grossly inappropriate IN context. Yet, the movie does a brilliant job of creating context for her inappropriateness; thus, the audience has sympathy for her.
In the end, this still remains one of my all-time favorite movies. Oh, and I concur with Samamuel, assassins are awesome.
I still remember seeing this movie when it came out and developing a massive crush on Natalie Portman. (Don't worry, for those who've never met me, I'm the same age as Natalie Portman). However, seeing it again, I was a little disturbed by how trampy she was. I mean, I like to look for lines in movies that are grossly inappropriate when taken out of context. However, 90% of what she said was grossly inappropriate IN context. Yet, the movie does a brilliant job of creating context for her inappropriateness; thus, the audience has sympathy for her.
In the end, this still remains one of my all-time favorite movies. Oh, and I concur with Samamuel, assassins are awesome.
The Professional
That was actually a really good movie. Probably one of the best ones we have watched thus far. I could try and analyze the cinematography, use of lighting, and probably get a good thesis paper out of it. But this isn't a thesis paper. It's the ACTION MOVIE TUESDAY BLOG!
So.
First of all, assassins are cool. I'm sorry Lincoln, I'm sorry JFK, I'm sorry other world and cultural leaders that were vastly and historically important, but assassins are cool. (On a side note, please watch this trailer.) Also, I like French people and round sunglasses. So basically, Leon was the perfect character. And he was actually kind of funny. Especially with that pig.
Natalie Portman, also a very good character. But pretty much how freaky was it to see her as a twelve year old? Rather freaky, if you ask me. She was so different and yet the same!
Gary Oldman - crazy as shit. Always has been, always will be. What were his death pills? Did he like getting high before killing people? I don't know. Crazy as shit.
So yeah. Really good movie.
So.
First of all, assassins are cool. I'm sorry Lincoln, I'm sorry JFK, I'm sorry other world and cultural leaders that were vastly and historically important, but assassins are cool. (On a side note, please watch this trailer.) Also, I like French people and round sunglasses. So basically, Leon was the perfect character. And he was actually kind of funny. Especially with that pig.
Natalie Portman, also a very good character. But pretty much how freaky was it to see her as a twelve year old? Rather freaky, if you ask me. She was so different and yet the same!
Gary Oldman - crazy as shit. Always has been, always will be. What were his death pills? Did he like getting high before killing people? I don't know. Crazy as shit.
So yeah. Really good movie.
4/4/08
Sneakers
Am I weird for using the title of the movie as the title of my blog posts? I mean, you guys get all creative, but I need this to help keep track. If I'm wrong, just tell me. It's okay, guys, you can tell me. It won't hurt my feelings.
Anyhoo.
This movie was so great. I don't even care that it wasn't QUITE an action movie, it was worth it. It was hilarious in big and little ways. I loved the faces that Robert Redford would make. In fact, I already want to see this movie again.
Also, for those of you who don't know this about me, I like blind people. So, Whistler was a really cool character for me. I mean, HE DROVE! And, more importantly, he was pretty much the smartest person on the team. He was just like "NO GUYS, LISTEN! I CAN HEAR SHIT THAT YOU CAN'T EVEN SEE!" And braille computer interface? Pretty sweet.
But the best part of the movie? Surprise James Earl Jones appearance. Always golden. Except more like liquid velvet.
Anyhoo.
This movie was so great. I don't even care that it wasn't QUITE an action movie, it was worth it. It was hilarious in big and little ways. I loved the faces that Robert Redford would make. In fact, I already want to see this movie again.
Also, for those of you who don't know this about me, I like blind people. So, Whistler was a really cool character for me. I mean, HE DROVE! And, more importantly, he was pretty much the smartest person on the team. He was just like "NO GUYS, LISTEN! I CAN HEAR SHIT THAT YOU CAN'T EVEN SEE!" And braille computer interface? Pretty sweet.
But the best part of the movie? Surprise James Earl Jones appearance. Always golden. Except more like liquid velvet.
4/3/08
Redford, Poitier, Marx?
I have to admit, this movie deeply offended me. Having watched this film, I fear the terrorists have won. How did this film upset me? Well, let me count the ways.
The film begins by glorifying Redford's and Kingsley's blatant stealing of the hard earned tax dollars of good Americans and transferring them to the terrorist organization known as the Black Panther Party. It's a well known fact that the Black Panther Party had close links to Al-Qaida. Also, in 1971, a British intelligence report came out linking the BPP to the purchase of yellow cake from Niger.
The next scene introduces us to Redford's team of unAmerican miscreants. A simple glance at the members of this "team" (read 'sleeper cell') reveals just how untrustworthy they are. Redford? Communist. Aykroyd? Canadian. Poitier? French. Phoenix? Mythical Creature. Strathairn? I'm not sure where he's from, but with that many consonants, it's surely a rogue nation. And then there's poor Mary McDonnell. While she is an American, she's also a woman. This means she lacks the ability to think for herself. Without a strong, patriotic, American man (i.e. Rambo) in her life to guide her in the right direction, she has been duped into taking a bite of the apple by our resident snake, Redford.
The coup de grâce (see, just watching Sneakers has me speaking French), is the very end of the movie. After it is revealed that the code breaking box was commissioned by the NSA so that they could access and tinker with every bit of information about everybody on Earth, Redford and company give our fine, American security agents a defective box. The rationale for not allowing the government to have access to such technology is the usual Commie/Terrorist/Democrat mantra of 'privacy rights'. Look, the only people on planet earth with a reason to fear the American government having access to every bit of information about them are those with something to hide. Redford's preventing the NSA from having such technology is tantamount to treason and makes the world safer for those who are a threat to our national security.
In conclusion, I think it is very irresponsible of AMT to promote such a threatening film, and I hope that we right this wrong by viewing a more appropriate film in the near future. A film with far less commie espionage and far more killing of nameless brown people from countries who's dietary choices leave my digestive system unhappy. I, personally, vote for Delta Force.
Thank you.
The film begins by glorifying Redford's and Kingsley's blatant stealing of the hard earned tax dollars of good Americans and transferring them to the terrorist organization known as the Black Panther Party. It's a well known fact that the Black Panther Party had close links to Al-Qaida. Also, in 1971, a British intelligence report came out linking the BPP to the purchase of yellow cake from Niger.
The next scene introduces us to Redford's team of unAmerican miscreants. A simple glance at the members of this "team" (read 'sleeper cell') reveals just how untrustworthy they are. Redford? Communist. Aykroyd? Canadian. Poitier? French. Phoenix? Mythical Creature. Strathairn? I'm not sure where he's from, but with that many consonants, it's surely a rogue nation. And then there's poor Mary McDonnell. While she is an American, she's also a woman. This means she lacks the ability to think for herself. Without a strong, patriotic, American man (i.e. Rambo) in her life to guide her in the right direction, she has been duped into taking a bite of the apple by our resident snake, Redford.
The coup de grâce (see, just watching Sneakers has me speaking French), is the very end of the movie. After it is revealed that the code breaking box was commissioned by the NSA so that they could access and tinker with every bit of information about everybody on Earth, Redford and company give our fine, American security agents a defective box. The rationale for not allowing the government to have access to such technology is the usual Commie/Terrorist/Democrat mantra of 'privacy rights'. Look, the only people on planet earth with a reason to fear the American government having access to every bit of information about them are those with something to hide. Redford's preventing the NSA from having such technology is tantamount to treason and makes the world safer for those who are a threat to our national security.
In conclusion, I think it is very irresponsible of AMT to promote such a threatening film, and I hope that we right this wrong by viewing a more appropriate film in the near future. A film with far less commie espionage and far more killing of nameless brown people from countries who's dietary choices leave my digestive system unhappy. I, personally, vote for Delta Force.
Thank you.
4/2/08
"i want peace on earth and goodwill toward men." "we are the united states government! we don't do that sort of thing."
first, some business items:
you were all such diligent voters this week that we have our AMT choices through june 10th! this is in part because of your voting, and also in part because we have a series of indy movies in may in preparation for our amt field trip to see the 4th indy movie. there will also be an amt field trip to see iron man in there as well. check out the calendar on the right side of the blog to see the choices. thanks for voting!
now, the fun stuff (in the form of loosely connected thoughts):
i do love dan ackroyd's conspiracy theories throughout the movie. and i love that sidney poitier definitely said "motherfuckers mess with me, i'll split your head!" and then there's my undying love for river phoenix, but that's all i need to say about him.
also, you know how i love taglines, and sneakers had a good one - "we could tell you what it's about. but then, of course, we'd have to kill you."
i also love the 90's, and this movie had plenty of good very "90's" moments, specifically in the appearance of computers, answering machines, and turtlenecks.
truthfully, i really enjoyed this movie. there was enough intrigue in it to keep me interested, even though it was 9:00pm and nearing my bedtime. ben kingsley was a great bad guy because he was hard to completely hate. the make up of robert redford's team was well done and allowed for some believability (in terms of skills) as well as pretty decent character development in spite of the fact that there were so many characters to focus on.
the most painful part of the film was when robert redford could only move 2 inches per second. there has been some argument among our amt group about whether or not sneakers is actually an action movie. i will argue that it is because it contains the following action movie traits (as have been identified during amt and in some previous posts): good one liners, speeding cars (though admittedly, there was no car chase), double-crossing, a one-dimensional female character, shots being fired, battles (in a loose sense of the word) with foreign governments, and pistol-whipping.
you were all such diligent voters this week that we have our AMT choices through june 10th! this is in part because of your voting, and also in part because we have a series of indy movies in may in preparation for our amt field trip to see the 4th indy movie. there will also be an amt field trip to see iron man in there as well. check out the calendar on the right side of the blog to see the choices. thanks for voting!
now, the fun stuff (in the form of loosely connected thoughts):
i do love dan ackroyd's conspiracy theories throughout the movie. and i love that sidney poitier definitely said "motherfuckers mess with me, i'll split your head!" and then there's my undying love for river phoenix, but that's all i need to say about him.
also, you know how i love taglines, and sneakers had a good one - "we could tell you what it's about. but then, of course, we'd have to kill you."
i also love the 90's, and this movie had plenty of good very "90's" moments, specifically in the appearance of computers, answering machines, and turtlenecks.
truthfully, i really enjoyed this movie. there was enough intrigue in it to keep me interested, even though it was 9:00pm and nearing my bedtime. ben kingsley was a great bad guy because he was hard to completely hate. the make up of robert redford's team was well done and allowed for some believability (in terms of skills) as well as pretty decent character development in spite of the fact that there were so many characters to focus on.
the most painful part of the film was when robert redford could only move 2 inches per second. there has been some argument among our amt group about whether or not sneakers is actually an action movie. i will argue that it is because it contains the following action movie traits (as have been identified during amt and in some previous posts): good one liners, speeding cars (though admittedly, there was no car chase), double-crossing, a one-dimensional female character, shots being fired, battles (in a loose sense of the word) with foreign governments, and pistol-whipping.
Future AMT's
here is the list for future movies we have come up with between several brainstorms:
- Shooter
- Sum of All Fears
- 3:10 to Yuma
- All the Bourne movies
- American gangster
- Kung Fu Hustle
- Blade 1 or 3
- River Wild
- Serenity
- Assassination of Jesse James
- No Country for Old Men
- Spy Games
- Running Man
- Paycheck
- The One
- Fist of Legend
- The Matrix movies
- Rush Hour
- Casino Royale
- Lucky Number Sleven
- Smokin' Aces
- Shoot'em Up
- Killing Zoe
- Original 3 Star Wars movies
- A Bronx Tale
- Air Force One
- Bad Boys
- The Boondock Saints
- Bullitt
- Cop Land
- All the Die Hard movies
- Terminator (all 3? they're making a 4th apparently too...unsure about how i feel about it)
- Kill Bill: Volumes I & II
- Man On Fire
- Once Upon A Time In Mexico
- The Patriot
- Pulp Fiction
- Ronin
- The Siege
- Speed
- Stargate
- Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
- Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
- Star Trek: First Contact
- Training Day
- Under Siege 1 & 2
- The Warriors
- X-Men 1 & 2 (but not 3)
i'll be pulling choices for future polls from this list and any other suggestions you have. keep them coming! any other suggestions please email erininaction@gmail.com
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