Unbiased Reviews by Real People
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Unbiased Reviews by Real People
Lights, Camera, ACTION! Shopaholic Man's Top Ten Favorite Action Flicks!Jan 27, 2006 (Updated Feb 12, 2006) Write an essay on this topic.
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The Bottom Line These are ten films loaded with action that I own, and can watch again and again.
I love movies, I love Top Ten Lists and I love action. Almost a full month has gone by of the new year without me writing a top ten list. How could I have neglected the Top Ten action list for so long, when my DVD collection is loaded with action! Well for starters, its tough to narrow a list down to ten. There are so many films that can be considered action, and other categories as well. In this list, I am just doing films that are primarily action, rather than action/adventure (like Indiana Jones, Lord of the Rings, etc) or Martial Arts, Comic Book, Sci Fi etc, although all these genres have films which also have excellent action scenes. I will also note that my list is Michael Bay free, so without further ado, lets see some ACTION! Presented in no particular order whatsoever, here are my favorite action films: Die Hard (1988 directed by John McTiernan) Oh, how can you have a list of action films without the everyman of action films, Bruce Willis. I liked the whole Die Hard series, but it was the first that was the most fun. Bruce is barefoot cop, John McClane against high tech criminals led by Hans Gruber, played with a twist of pure malevolence by Alan Rickman. Yippee Kayahhh Mother.... Army of Darkness(1993 directed by Sam Raimi). This film has been placed under many genres, but since the IMDB considers one of them action, and because the film is loaded with action of the funnest kind, it makes my list of top ten action films. The third and final installment of Raimi's Evil Dead trilogy starring everyones favorite B film star Bruce 'don't call me Ash' Campbell. In fact, these are the films that made him such a cult star in the first place. You'll see Ash battle the Army of Darkness, demons, Evil Ash, and mini Ashes. You'll see Sam Raimi's car converted into a battle tank. Its also the funniest movie on my list. The Bourne Identity (2002 directed by Doug Liman) Who knew Matt Damon could be such a bad boy? When I watched him handily dispatch two armed police officers who disturbed his sleep in this film adaptation of the Robert Ludlum novel, I knew I was in for some serious action. Many more well choreographed fight scenes were in this movie as well as a great Mini Cooper chase scene! The Transporter (2002 directed by Louis Leterrier) Luc Besson can usually be counted on for an action filled screenplay and British actor Jason Statham makes Besson's character Frank Martin come alive. Martin is a "transporter", who transports any cargo any where for a price so long as "the rules" are followed. The opening scenes alone let you know you are in for a fun action filmed movie as Martin speeds through the tight twisty streets of a small town in France transporting his bank robber clients in a getaway. This vehicle may be short on plot, but long on action. Leon The Professional (1994 directed and written by Luc Besson) Besson has always done pretty well with action films, and in this film starring Jean Reno, Gary Oldman and the first role of Natalie Portman, there is plenty of action. Reno is a skilled hitman, Oldman, in his baddest performance I have ever seen (and that includes State of Grace), plays a corrupt DEA detective who gunned down Matilda's family. Portman plays young Matilda. Kill Bill Volume One (2003 directed by Quentin Tarantino) One of my favorite directors Tarantino makes gratuitious violence into an art form. Kill Bill Volume One is a ballet of swordfights, gun fights and fist fights. Beatrix Kiddo's (Uma Thurman) showdown with O-Ren Ishii and her Crazy 88's(Lucy Lui) in the House of Blue Leaves was worth the price of admission alone. Uma slices and dices her way through all of O-Rens henchmen with a strange sort of beauty. Desparado (1999 directed by Robert Rodriguez) Master of squeezing budgets and action films, Rodriguez has come a long way from his first small budget but excellent film, El Mariachi about a guitar player mistaken for a notorious gunfighter. Desparado is basically a bigger budget remake of El Mariachi, and it is great fun to watch. Performances by Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek are pure action fun, and cinema fans should delight in cameos by Steve Buscemi, Cheech Marin and good Rodriguez friend, Quentin Tarantino. Rodriguez punctuates this funny tale with well choreographed gun fights and explosions galore. Snatch (2000 directed by Guy Ritchie) Before marrying Madonna, Guy Ritchie was off to a promising start as a high octane action director with a great sense of humor. He wrote and directed two great British action films, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch, both about the London underground. I loved them both, but of the two Snatch was better. Jason Statham stars as an illegal boxing promotor who gets mixed up with gypsies (led by Brad Pitt in a hilarious performance), a jewel heist, Russian gangsters and a ruthless crime boss. Ritchies frenetically paced filming, the great soundtrack, and the humor make this film stand out against countless cooke cutter action films. (although neither the IMDB nor Netflix define this as action, watch it and tell me if it has enough action for you) True Lies (1994 directed by James Cameron) Arnold Schwarzenegger had perfected the role of over the top action heroes long before becoming the Govenator of California. If I had to pick one Arnie film to go on my list of action films, this would be it! True Lies was not only full of action, but Jamie Lee Curtis and Tom Arnold gave the movie a sense of humor that made it rise above the usual mindless action. Sin City (2005 directed by Robert Rodriguez)This film based on Frank Miller's graphic novels was non stop film noir comic book style action. Car chases, fist fights, shootouts, and good ole fashioned gratuitious violence shot in black and white with a dash of color. Throw in excellent performances by Bruce Willis, Mickey Roarke (where has HE been?), Clive Owen, Brittney Murphy, Jessica Alba (wow, I don't know if she can act, but she is beautiful), and a guest director spot by Quentin, and you will see why so many people loved (or for that matter hated) Sin City. Well there they are, maybe another day I'll let you know my top ten adventure movies, or top ten Asian Action Movies or top ten comic book action films.  |
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