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Now I thought The Numbers Station was a really good low key tense spy thriller. Low key in the way that about, what... 90%(?), was mostly set in one location.
Seriously though, yeah I can see that if it doesn't click, it really doesn't click with Snyder's movies. My thesis is that there's no 'grey', only black or white. You either love the man or you hate him. He's no Spielberg or Kubrick. He can't rely on "some stuff works but other stuff doesn't". I know people who go ballistic on Snyder even if they haven't seen his latest picture yet, simply because they haven't gotten over a previous disappointment yet. ;-)
Right there with you on that, I went in braced for the worst, as I consider the source material to be great literature, but actually think the film improves on the ending, and the opening reel is virtuoso stuff. 300 and MAN OF STEEL did not impress, and I never saw SUCKER PUNCH, but I've seen WATCHMEN at least a dozen times already.
As for most recent: CHILD 44. Now I really like the HBO film that covered this story, like it a lot, but CHILD for the most part is even more engaging. The actually solving-the-crime part in act 3 plays out very movie-pat, but other than that I was really hurting for the principals almost all the way through. Between LOCK and THE DROP and this one, I think Tom Hardy is going to wind up with the nicest bunch of movies nobody ever saw of any actor this decade.
Shot on film, and you can tell, with the nice black shadow areas and no feathery wussiness on the highlight side.
Am really excited to have picked up all 6 of the Charles & Ray Eames DVDs (no cases, just disks) second hand for less than $6, have seen slivers of the stuff on youtube and have a couple books about their design work. Saving them for after i finish current batch of articles (THE WALK, SCOUTS GUIDE TO THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE and Hardy's LEGEND, oddly enough.)
@trevanian - Interesting... I've heard mostly negative things about Child 44 so far - not that it would stop me from seeing it. I will see The Drop and Child 44 as soon as I can, and everything else Hardy does for that matter. (I even watched This Means War, after all, from beginning to end, as painfully bad as it was, so..) And I loved Locke. Really looking forward to Legend.
I'm curious about The Walk... I've seen Man On Wire, and liked it a lot, plus I'd like to see Charlotte Le Bon in something before The Promise.
Escape From Alcatraz
This may be my favourite prison escape movie. Very tense, very exciting. Great performances by all.
What others are there? ;)
It's brilliant. I don't know how many times I've seen it, but it's enjoyable every time.
Uh..... no! John Drake as the warden. Which is an ironic casting, considering what other character Patrick McGoohan played way back when.
Wow, even my wife (huge Hardy fan) and I haven't seen THIS MEANS WAR, you must be brave. I'm sure CHILD 44 is not for all audiences, but man, it had me SO engaged that I actually jumped off the sofa and exclaimed during a surprise gunshot in the film, and I'm not the type to do that in most movies. I did watch the movie with subtitles on because I had a hard time with the accents, but I do that with most British TV shows too.
Nothing is for all audiences. ;)
Yes, I'm brave and determined. :D Hardy has quickly become one of my fave actors (pretty firmly on the number 2 level... an interesting character himself, too, and he makes me laugh), so watching everything he's in is a no-brainer for me. I don't shy away from movies I don't even expect to like when it comes to my fave actors, I just need to see what they've done. That always means watching some crap movies, too, whoever the actor is. This Means War was far worse than I expected, which is saying something. Easily one of the most embarrassingly bad movies I've had the displeasure of sitting through - if it wasn't for Hardy I wouldn't have lasted beyond the first few minutes. I felt it was my duty to bother to watch since he had gone through the misery of making it. :P
I was very slow to warm up to Hardy, but hist stuff is nearly must-see for me now, the way Jack Lemmon was around the time of MISSING and THE CHINA SYNDROME, when I thought the guy redefined subtlety in acting (MISSING for me is really something, as since I assume it was shot out of sequence, it seems incredible that he could finesse the nuances of performance to build to when he kind of freaks while in a taxi late in the film.)
The little pic Hardy did with Cumberbatch was solid as well, I just don't recall the title.
as a Trekkie I view Nemesis as a nice da capo or thank you for the fans. The movie has many really good moments with the crew. The main story however is almost unimportant and the Romulans, as much as I like to see them are not movie material.
First off: The Con Artists (2014), a South Korean crime film about 3 guys who are going to make a big robbery and con alot of people, as the title suggests. A bit like their own ‘Ocean’s 11’, but here 2 of the guys are quite young. The leader of the group, in his late 20’s, is brilliant. He looks very slick in all the suits he wears, and he is an ice-cool tactician. The hacker is the youngest, at age 24. Very cool and badass guy, he’s a bit like Don Cheadle in the ‘Ocean’s’ film in terms of badassery and humour. The 3rd guy is the only ‘adult’ in the gang, but he’s mostly there for comic relief?,
The film can be funny at times, but there are a lot of serious moments. Lots of twist and turns, so be sure to pay close attention. All in all, a great companion piece if you want to stay in the same style as the ‘Ocean’s’ films.
Next: Secretly, Greatly, a 2013 action comedy/drama about 3 young North Korean spies sent deep undercover in South Korea. One is supposed to play the village idiot, the other a wannabe rock-star, and the 3rd one poses as a high school student.
The main actor, playing the village idiot, delivers a stellar performance. He can switch easily from hilarious moments to being a ruthless spy a few seconds later. The younger one is played by the same actor who plays the hacker in ‘Con Artists’. Both these actors have great chemistry in this film, you can really feel the younger spy really looks up to his more experienced collegue. The first half of the film is quite comical, but the 2nd half is much more dramatic, and features some epic fight sequences, including a fantastic one in the rain.
If you liked ‘Commitment’ (the first film of my marathon), this one is quite like it, with the young spies, but in this one there’s more comedy. In conclusion: South Koreans really know how to make young guys look as badass as most Hollywoodian action stars.
Let’s follow with Hwayi: A Monster Boy, a 2013 South Korean crime film. In this one, the main character is a 16 years old kid raised by 5 criminal fathers to become a top hitman just like them. At first, the kid seems very fragile, shy, as if he couldn’t hurt a fly. Half way through the film, the whole thing just flips on its head, and this kid becomes absolutely brutal. There is a fantastic car chase where he showcases immense driving skills, and then he goes full rambo mode, and you seriously fear for everyone who crosses his path.
This film is absolutely incredible, and the young kid is worth the ticket price by himself. He is a proper, 200% certified badass, I hope to see more of this actor in similar films in the coming years.
Continuing with Monster (2014), a South Korean thriller film. The story is about a serial killer who is occasionally hired by his older brother, a mobster, to kill whoever threatens his organisation. The mission in the film is for him to track down and kill a young girl.
This killer is played by the same actor who played the main character in ‘For The Emperor’. And he deliverers another A-Class performance here, as a very handsome, ice-cool, slick/badass guy, yet a brutal, sadistic and extremely violent serial killer. The last 30 minutes are some of the most brutal, bloody, violent, gut-wretching sequences I’ve ever seen. I’ll be sure to follow this actor closely as his career continues. In this film and in ‘For The Emperor’, he is just brilliant.
Next stop: Juvenile Offender, a 2012 South Korean crime drama, about a young teenager with no family, and keeps getting into trouble, and being part of many crimes, like getting into fights and robberies. He gets sent into a detention center, until one day his long-lost mother, who had abandonned him, comes back into his life.
The film is very dramatic, as both the kid and the mother are very poor, she struggles to find a job and has to cope with her delinquant son. They both face some terrible difficulties. So, do not expect a happy ending for this film.
Again, the star of the film is the young actor, who showcases a powerhouse performance, which garnered him some big awards in his country. In conclusion: well worth the watch for a powerful plot and great acting.
Let’s continue with Tazza: The High Rollers, a 2006 South Korean crime film about the underworld card gambling business. There are a lot of characters, so again, please pay close attention to the plot. The film is fantastic, never a dull moment in the 2.5 hours duration. Stellar acting, lots of action (card games and fist fights), and some really funny moments too.
The film really goes at a very fast pace,with a big bunch of colourful and diverse characters. In conlusion; if you don’t know what to watch, this film is a very good suggestion if you enjoy the casino sequences in the 007 films.
I then continued with Tazza: The Hidden Card, the 2014 sequel to the previous film. Set many years later, the main character is now the grown-up nephew of the hero of the 1st film. He is played by the same actor as the young spy in ‘Commitment’. He has quickly become one of my favorite actor. Here, he is very cool, funny, and terribly slick and badass in this film as the young hustler eager to climb the ladder in business.
This film is longer than the original film, yet feels shorter, as the plot goes even faster. Once the film starts, it does not let you take a single breath until the end credits. In conclusion: another fantastic South Korean crime film, a must-see (as is the original Tazza film).
Continuing with Rough Cut (2008), yet another crime/gangster film from South Korea. This time, the story is about a hot-tempered movie star who dreams to be a gangster, and a gangster with the dream of being a movie star. So, obviously, they will do a movie together! The film is hilarious, yet terribly epic, as they film numerous fight sequences, and they actually punch and kick each other, much to the delight of the film director.
So, as you can figure out, the film has a lot of fight scenes, each more epic than the next, climaxing in a fantastic final fight in the mud. This film is a much-watch if you enjoy asian crime films.
Finally: Nightfall, a 2012 thriller film from Hong Kong. The 2 main characters are played by very well known actors from Hong Kong: Nick Cheung (who appeared in ‘The White Storm’) and Simon Yam ( who is like the local Samuel L Jackson, as more often not he will appear in a HK film, no matter how small the part is).
The story here is very interesting, full of twists and turns, so be sure to pay close note of what is going on. But, it is not the usual HK film, so expect more investigation than fist fights and shoot outs (but there are still a few thrilling action sequences). In conclusion: not the best film from Hong-Kong, but it’s a very interesting film and a good way to spend 2 hours.
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy? Very good, yes.
I haven't seen Nemesis, or anything else Star Trek.
All actors sometimes get sabotaged by scripts and/or directors (I'd be surprised if Nemesis was worse than This Means War, though I suppose it's possible). I've seen a pic or two... haven't seen Hellraiser, though.
Haven't seen Missing, either, I'm afraid.
I LOVE TTSS, every frame of it, but no, I meant another one, a TV movie called STUART.
First off, Cold War (2012), a film that swept several big awards in HK. The film is not your typical HK action film, as the story focuses on the top level of the police units dealing with a kidnapping of a police van and several policemen. Yet, the film is very good, and is similar to that wonderful BBC show 'Line of Duty', only here the plot is resolved in 90 minutes. That's not a bad thing at all, as the film goes along at a very fast pace, even with limited action. A lot of twist and turns in the plot, so never a moment to breathe. A must watch for any Hong Kong film lovers.
And finally: The Constable (2013), a fantastic action film. The plot? Well, I didn't notice one, the film just goes along with the main police officer, played by Simon Yam, as he deals with several crimes in the city. Half the film is about the crimes, the other half focuses on the private lives of the characters. The film is a big load of fun, lots of humour (and some drama) and badass action for 90 minutes.
A thing that will encourage our very own @doubleoego: Simon Yam was 58 years old when he made this film, and he doesn't appear to have aged at all since the the early 2000's, and he can surely take care of himself in the fight and chase sequences. Also, the film features some familar faces of HK crime/action films, like Lam Suet (who always plays very nervous characters), who often plays alongside Simon Yam in films directed by Johnnie To. All in all a very enjoyable old-school action film, with plenty of humour and epic action sequences.
Oh, right. I was thinking of movies and TTSS was the only one I could think of that they've been in together. Tv stuff then... I've heard of Stuart: A Life Backwards, that it's good and all, but unfortunately haven't seen it, yet.
Warning: this film is a must watch for everyone who enjoys flat-out, no-nonsense action/spy thrillers. The movie is over 2 hours long, and it has not one single quiet moment. The movie starts with chase scene that will make Hollywood jealous, and ends with another mindblowing chase + a fist fight. The rest of the film, you may ask? Well, it's just more chase scenes and fist fights and shoot outs! The hero is another proper badass from South Korea, and he spends the entire film running around, jumping from roof tops, dispatching of bad guys with ease, and causing utter mayhem during several car chases.
You think 'Bourne Ultimatum' was pretty much flat-out action? Well this film just about doubles the amount of action you thought was possible to put in a single film. And rest assure: none of the action sequences are boring, they are each more epic, ballsy, brutal, breathtaking than the next. If you enjoyed 'Man From Nowhere', this film is just for you.
Not sure why i watched this, was surfing my cable channels and it just started so I saw it through. Some clever jokes and a good cast, would have loved it if I was eight years old I guess. Some clear references to Bond, and Richard Kiel and an Oddjob lookalike turns up at the end in a meeting for former recuperated minions.
- Commitment (2013)
- Man On High Heels (2014)
- The Divine Move (2014)
- For The Emperor (2014)
- Confession of Murder (2012)
- A Company Man (2012)
- Nameless Gangster (2012)
- New World (2013)
- Gangnam Blues (2015)
- The Terror Live (2013)
- A Dirty Carnival (2006)
- The Yellow Sea (2010)
- The White Storm (2013)
- Killers (2014)
- The Con Artists (2014)
- Secretly, Greatly (2013)
- Hwayi: A Monster Boy (2013)
- Monster (2014)
- Juvenile Offender (2012)
- Tazza: The High Rollers (2006)
- Tazza: The Hidden Card (2014)
- Rough Cut (2008)
- Nightfall (2012)
- Cold War (2012)
- The Constable (2013)
- The Suspect (2013)
Latest review: The Berlin File (2013). A brilliant South Korean spy/action film set, as the title suggests, in Berlin. The plot is great, lots of twists and turns, at times it's a low-key spy thriller, but with several mndblowing action sequences: fist fights, foot chases and shootouts. The main character is played by a recurring actor in this marathon (he appears in Nameless Gangster, The Terror Live and The Yellow Sea), and he is amazing here as a badass spy. If you enjoyed 'The Suspect', this is another very entertaining spy action/thriller from South Korea.