Jennifer North's Top 10 Action flicks!
Oct 04 '00 (Updated Oct 21 '00)
The Jennifer North scale is based upon how many times I jumped into the air, tossed an airpunch, and yelled "WOO!" or "YEAH!". Extra credit for things blowing up or long-lasting effects of patriotism after viewing.
1. Black Dog (1998) - as someone who calls the hills of Eastern Washington home, there is nothing I enjoy more than seeing stuff blow up. Eighteen wheeler trucks are a good place to start. Black Dog is one of the lesser known efforts from Patrick Swayze's body of work, he plays Jack Crews, an honest American who gets caught up in the maniacal Red's (acted to perfection by Seventies soul singer Meatloaf) gun smuggling schemes. Swayze's handsome side kick, Earl is played by the underground cult figure Randy Travis. This film serves not only to solidify Swayze's title as one of America's most important actors but remains to be a classic piece of American cinema verite.
2. Die Hard (1988 & 1995) - Don't you just hate it when you finally defeat the German terrorists and throw their asses off a building and they just keep coming back for your Motherland's gold supply?! I'm going to cop out a bit here and say that With a Vengence and the original Die Hard are tied because they are both fantastic. The scene where Bruce has to make a quart of water out of a gallon of water in the middle of a fountain in Central Park still cracks me up. Bonus points: hellion taxi cab drivers!
3. Delta Force (1986) - have you ever seen a better phallic image than this: http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0792846850.01.LZZZZZZZ.gif This movie combined two of the best settings for an action movie: a hostage scene on a hijacked airplane and a political prison in the Middle East. Chuck Norris plays an honest American solider who just wants to save lives, man! This movie solidified "the towelheads" as the unequivocal enemy character in American action films.
4. Long Kiss Goodnight (1996) - at last a strong female character that doesn't cop out in the end (ala the Matrix)! The fact that Geena Davis cute as hell is neither a coincidence nor a detraction. One day after a particularly breath-taking batch of Rice Krispie treats Geena realizes she is a top-secret spy/Assassin for the FBI! Whackiness ensues and lots of stuff blows up. Bonus points for : Samuel L. Jackson, an amnesia story line, Geena's parenting skills would even please the Right Reich. Look out SAHM's, this could happen to you!
5. Beverly Hills Cop (1984) - narrowly beat out 48 Hours and Another 48 Hours but only for the presence of the handsome (and honest American) Judge Reinhold. Features the unforgettable scene when we are introduced to Eddie Murphy's character Axel Foley when he is caught in the back of an eighteen-wheeler truck full of stolen cigarettes. Bonus points: a young Paul Reiser as the office narc, soundtrack featuring "the Neutron Dance", lots and lots of profanity, and a cameo from an uber gay Bronson Pinchot.
6. Armageddon (1998) - FM-Hunter will try to fight me on this one but you cannot deny this movie its props! There is a meteor heading towards Earth! Clearly the most logical thing to do is send a bunch of degenerates into space to land on the meteor's surface and then shoot a nuclear warhead into its crack. Bonus points: Billy Bob Thornton not playing a hick or a redneck! Steve Buschemi becomes an astronaut! Bruce Willis saves the Earth! Ben Affleck gets laid! Aerosmith does the soundtrack! Anyone who doesn't like this movie is clearly a Commie.
7. Deep Blue Sea (1999) - some people will want to pigeon hole this movie as a "shark movie" but get real, people! Sharks are animals not genres! And the first person to use the phrase "Jaws rip off" in my comment section is going to be killed. This is the frighteningly real story of one woman's mad pursuit to cure Alzheimers by breeding a superior race of sharks that can swim backwards, leap out of water, and bake a mean quiche. Madness ensues when the sharks decide they've had enough. This film is truly strong enough to stand alone as a sci-fi, romantic drama or action movie. Bonus points: a key scene where the sexy female scientist is forced to take off her clothes to outsmart the shark, LL Cool J as a scene-stealing bible-preaching chef. Also, the fact that this was the inarguably least liked film of 1999 ensures that any time you want you want to rent it there are plenty of available copies at your local video store.
8. The Game (1997) - This film may be filed under Suspense or Drama but contains enough of the riveting elements of the Action genre to deserve a place in my Top 10. Life's rough for yuppie, multi-millionaire, sleazeball Michael Douglas when he agrees to enter into a secret yuppie sleazeball society where old white guys test each other's strength of character by playing a super-secret "game" (think Fight Club with Republicans). But during the Game something goes terribly awry! While Mikey is occupied with _the Game_ terrorists break into his bank accounts, steal all his money and are now trying to kill him! Heavens! Bonus points: Sean Penn the louse of a younger brother, sexy alien Deborah Unger, and seeing Michael Douglas' life in danger.
9. Air Force One (1997) - This movie features the irreverent Harrison Ford as President James Marshall who is trying to get home after a meeting with the filthy Russians, but apparently Air Force One picked up something besides duty-free vodka in the Customs department! Russian terrorists (led by Gary Oldman) are aboard and have taken the First lady and cutie daughter hostage in what appears to be the Flying Oval Office while the President hides in the bowels of the jet trying to find out why he didn't get a better cell phone plan. Meanwhile back on Earth Ms. Vice President (Glen Close) and the Secretary of Defense (Harry Stockwell) lock horns figuring whether to go in shooting or to negotiate. While this film is an excellent portrayl of events straight from today's headlines the real clencher for its Top 10 status is the scene where President Harrison Ford repels from Air Force One to another jet while flying 100,000 feet up in the sky. U-S-A!
10. Stop, or My Mom Will Shoot! (1992) - The long-awaited union of Sly Stallone and Estelle Getty results in a story of an honest American bachelor/cop's life being turned upside down when his sassy elderly mother comes to stay with him and witnesses a murder. Bonus points: Estelle purchasing a machine gun out of the back of a van, Sly ("Little Joey") running around an abandoned warehouse to escape a wrecking ball with Mom over one shoulder and her miniature terrier, Pixie, over the other.
Contenders: Fugitive, the Negotiator, Payback, True Lies, Point Break, Lethal Weapon, Das Boot, Set it Off.
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
jennifernorth
|
 - Top 1000 |
|
Location: Sunny California
Reviews written: 125
Trusted by: 238 members
About Me:
#873, BOOYAH! U-S-A!!
|
|
|
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.