also watched 2 Guns - quite entertaining piece, but finale was a bit of a letdown and i mean especially the action scenes
Shack Out On 101 - Lee Marvin plays a sleazy violent character who works as a chef in Keenan Wynnâs diner. A lot of shady goings on become noticeable and all becomes revealed. Quite enjoyed this one, Marvin was really good in it.
Long Arm Of The Law II - Not linked but similar to the first one in that itâs main protagonists are from mainland China. Pretty violent crime actioner.
Luck - Crime drama based around a race track and criminal Chester Bernstein (Hoffman). Great stuff, the more it went on the better it got. Some great tension towards the end with Dustin Hoffman and Michael Gambon. Such a shame that three horses got put down during filming and HBO pulled the plug, I reckon it would have been a fantastic series had it carried on.
[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/27uSaSC.jpg[/img]
[b]Man of Tai Chi|2013|Keanu Reeves, Tiger Hu Chen[/b].
I was curious to see this film, since Keanu was the director. Well, as far as Martial Arts films go, this was ok, nothing special. The fight scenes and the story was decent, but Reeves acting was terrible and he looked a little too stiff and weird. I know I wonât be watching this one again anytime soon. 5/10
I didnât realize that Reeves directed that film. Saw a trailer recently and thought it looked pretty badâŠ
Directed by Neo, eh? You missed a trick there; shouldâve scored it âThe Oneâ out of ten. 
@You missed a trick there; shouldâve scored it âThe Oneâ out of ten.
Yeah, right!..I missed it. 
@Saw a trailer recently and thought it looked pretty badâŠ
MeahhhâŠItâs not really that bad, itâs okayish. 
Yeah, Reeves performance was really bad, but I was impressed he had all the actors speak their own language (obviously, because its an asian film)⊠the fights were good, but iâm guessing thats because Yuen Woo Ping was involved
[quote=âYodlaf Peterson, post:10622, topic:1923â]Shack Out On 101 - Lee Marvin plays a sleazy violent character who works as a chef in Keenan Wynnâs diner. A lot of shady goings on become noticeable and all becomes revealed. Quite enjoyed this one, Marvin was really good in it.
[/quote]
Iâve been waiting decades to re-watch it. Youâre right. Itâs enjoyable.
[url]http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/845/b4da.jpg/[/url] [size=12pt] TRANCE[/size] (2012, Danny Boyle)
The opening scene of Trance - an introductory monologue by actor James McAvoy - recalls Ewan McGregorâs introduction to Doyleâs Trainspotting. The story may also dig up memories of Doyleâs very first movie, Shallow Grave. In Shallow Grave, three young people accidently got hold of a large sum of money; in Trance they somehow manage to lose a valuable painting after a hold-up.
How? thatâs part of the labyrinth plot. After a severe blow on the head, Simon (McAvoy) canât remember where he has hidden the painting. His partner Frank (Vincent Cassel) proposes hypnotism: special sĂ©ances may bring lost memories back. Simon is brought to a beautiful hypnotist, Elizabeth (Rosario Dawson), but âŠ
This is only the beginning and I wonât say more. Trance is one of those convoluted thrillers which try to tackle viewers every other moment or so - what you see is often not what you get - and honestly, after only one viewing, I canât say if all the pieces fit. It all looks very arty and playful, but as it progresses, it becomes clear that this arty playfulness is mainly package. Thereâs also a strange feeling of dĂ©jĂ vu: weâve seen more films (Inception, Source Code) which offered a mix of dream, reality, fantasy and (pseudo)science and Trance isnât even the most inventive of the lot. Itâs well-made, but instead of a Shallow Grave it feels more like a Hollow Wave.
Doyle apparently shot the material while developing the Opening Ceremony of the London Olympics (the material was edited afterwards). Iâm not a Doyle fan (I liked his first few movies but not much of what he produced afterwards) and I donât really like this film, but others may have more positive ideas about it. The three stars are quite good and Underworldâs Rick Smithâs electronic (and yes: hypnotic) score is a special asset.
This Is The End - I thought it was pretty funny, and nicely done take on this idea
@Trance
Mediocre film, the highlight for me was Rosario Dawson naked with a shaved vagina. 
@TranceMediocre film, the highlight for me was Rosario Dawson naked with a shaved vagina.
![http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/845/b4da.jpg/[/url]](http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/845/b4da.jpg/%5B/url%5D){kind=link}
Not a bad ⊠scene, no.
The Marksman, 2005⊠A remarkably good Wesley Snipes thriller, loaded with believable action-sequences. -About a Chechen plot to use the takeover of a defunct nuke-plant as a poker-chip to scandalize the Kremlin via American involvement. The plotâs complicated, I know. But it flows smoothly as Snipesâ character realizes whatâs happening mid-mission, and works to snuff it. Iâd bet that the original title was The Painter (putting a locator-beacon on a building, etc⊠âpaintingâ the target), because thereâs no sniping marksmanship in the film, per se. But that title probably wasnât sensational. Snipesâ name is Painter, which is what his mission-specialty is. The Romanian locations ARE sensational, however. 7.5-out-of-10.
The Gravy Train AKA The Dion Brothers (1974)- Jack Starret
Possibly my absolute favorite Stacy Keach film after Fat City, it just makes me laugh at some of the ideas they had when doing this film. Keach is just wonderfully insane as a brother of Frederic Forrest, as they decide to join up with some gangsters for a robbery. Of course, like most robbery films, it goes balls up, and the brothers end up hunting the double crosser trading bullets and lobsters, and causing chaos. The film bounces between crazy and violent, such as the brothers stealing a cop car and having a drug trip inside it, to a really great gritty shootout in a collapsing building. The film does take a sour turn at the end, which was quite a shock, considering the style of the movie, but all in all, itâs a corker that sadly has not got a DVD release yet. Watched on a great VHS rip that looked fantastic considering the tape is more than 10 years old.
If you like 70âs crime capers, with a hint of hijinks, I do suggest this, and I also suggest the 77â film The Squeeze, which has Keach, and also Stephen Boyd with massive fuck off sideburns.
Iâm watching If⊠(1968) and itâs great so far. I only wonder if itâs Charlotte Rampling in the background (thatâs a cute pic) 8):
Certainly looks like Charlotte to me
Looks like her, yes.
Opera is a decent Argento, but overall it could have been so much better:
http://www.furiouscinema.com/2013/12/opera-1987-furious-classics/
Re watched Opera again last week. Although the film has its moments, I just felt the film was lacking something.
I agree Ennio. Opera is very good and stylish, but it lacked something. And I think the something it lacked was a likable protagonist. The girl was just too damn weird and bizarre in her behavior for the audience to sympathize with to really root for her. She did not act like a normal person would usually act in those situations and it is difficult for the viewer to identify with her. I think that was the major weakness of the film.
Btw that was an excellent review Mickey. Keep up the good work.