16 Blocks (2006)

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Genre : Crime/Action
Country : USA

Cast :
Bruce Willis : Jack Mosley
Mos Def : Eddie Bunker
David Morse : Frank Nugent

Regisseur :
Richard Donner

Summary
Jack Mosley, a burnt-out detective, is assigned the unenviable task of transporting a fast-talking convict from jail to a courthouse 16 blocks away. However, along the way he learns that the man is supposed to testify against Mosley's colleagues, and the entire NYPD wants him dead. Mosley must choose between loyalty to his colleagues and protecting the witness, and never has such a short distance seemed so long...

My Opinion


Hey, Bruce Willis plays in this movie ! As a Willis fan I had to see this film and assumed this would be a top movie again. Surprise numero uno: Bruce is actually a discarded detective with a serious alcohol problem. Finally a rendition that's slightly a bit different than that of McClane. In the end I thought it was a top performance of Bruce.

Mos Def plays the really dorky criminal Eddie who isn't exactly able to commit a crime and who needs to be escorted by Bruce Willis to a courthouse 16 blocks further. Eddie is going to give a statement there, which could be disadvantageous for some corrupt agents (yep, they're back). That strange nasal accent he's using sounded funny in the beginning and made me laugh once and a while. Eventually I actually thought it fitted him perfectly. Although the story itself takes place over a distance of 16 blocks, this film had several twists making it still exciting.

And of course there's the famous Bruce Willis humor : dry as ever. Although I must say that Moss contributed as well.
Jack Mosley: You're not gonna die on me are you?
Eddie Bunker: I dunno, I ain't never died before. 


In my opinion an excellent movie

My rating 8/10
Links : IMDB

Boy Wonder (2010)

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Genre : Crime/Action
Country : USA

Cast :
Caleb Steinmeyer : Sean Donovan
Zulay Henao : Teresa Ames
Bill Sage : Terry Donovan

Director :
Michael Morrissey

Summary
A young Brooklyn boy witnesses the brutal murder of his mother and grows up obsessed with finding her killer. Thus begins his life as a quiet, straight-A student by day and a self-appointed hero at night. But what is a real hero? And who decides what is right or wrong? As the boundaries blur, Sean's dual life wears on his psyche and his two worlds careen dangerously close to colliding. Like a graphic novel you can't put down, Boy Wonder challenges morality, distorting perceptions of what is right and what is justified, as it races to its shocking conclusion.

My Opinion
 
I was pleasantly surprised by this film. A typical revenge-movie. But it was put together pretty well  with a surprising end. Steinmeyer plays the teen who's hungry for revenge in a very realistic way. He looked tormented the whole movie.

The few fight scenes are short but energetic and pure violent. Boy Wonder is actually not so bad when you think of all the other crap thriller that have flooded the market recent years. Keep an eye on that guy Caleb. I think we'll hear from him much more in the future !

My rating 8/10
Links : IMDB , Moviemeter

Snow White and the Huntsman (2012)

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Genre : Adventure/Fantasy
Land : USA

Cast :
Kristen Stewart : Snow White
Chris Hemsworth : The Hunter
Charlize Theron : Ravenna

Director :
Rupert Sanders

Summary
Snow White, imprisoned daughter of the late king, escapes just as the Magic Mirror declares her the source of the Evil Queen's immortality. The Queen sends her men, led by a local huntsman, to bring her back. But upon her capture, the huntsman finds he's being played and turns against the Queen's men, saving Snow White in the process. Meanwhile, Snow's childhood friend, William, learns that she is alive and sets off to save her.

My Opinion

Watching a fairy tale ... duhuh ... and in the end it was something in the nature of "The Lord of the Rings" with 7 funny, combative dwarfs. I thought it was a beautifully executed fantasy story, with a rather Gothic kind of atmosphere and with fun action scenes.

First disappointment : Kristen Stewart isn't such a great actress. The Twilight saga passed me because I hate hypes. I knew her well from Panic Room, but that's no point of reference. 

Get it on Amazon ...

A funny quote I've read on IMDB : "Kristen Stewart is like my refrigerator, no matter what I put in it (milk, soda, eggs, vegetables, meat), it is and it will always be a refrigerator. And so is she." And yes that's true: she shows almost no emotion and I'm convinced she dips her face in starch before walking onto the set.

Second disappointment : I need to see this movie once again but then with subtitles because of these dwarfs with their damn Irish / Scottish accent. It was so difficult to understand.

Anyway, I wasn't bored while watching this entertaining tale.
And I'm looking forward to the sequel!

Het verdict 6/10
Links : IMDB

Die Hard: With a Vengeance (1995)

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Genre : Action
Country : USA

Cast :
Bruce Willis : John McClane
Samuel L. Jackson : Zeus Carver
Jeremy Irons : Simon Gruber

Director :
John McTiernan

Summary
John McClane is now almost a full-blown alcoholic and is suspended from the NYPD. But when a bomb goes off in the Bonwit Teller Department Store the police go insane trying to figure out what's going on. Soon, a man named Simon calls and asks for McClane. Simon tells Inspector Walter Cobb that McClane is going to play a game called "Simon Says". He says that McClane is going to do the tasks he assigns him. If not, he'll blow off another bomb. With the help of a Harlem electrician, John McClane must race all over New York trying to figure out the frustrating puzzles that the crafty terrorist gives him. But when a bomb goes off in a subway station right by the Federal Reserve things start to get heated up.

My opinion

After the unsurpassed parts I and II of the series "Die Hard", this part was released in which McClane needed to be assisted by Samuel L. Jackson, the chameleon of Hollywood. I think he's a class actor as he demonstrates from Pulp Fiction to Django Unchained. Give that man a role, and he makes something epic out of it. Ditto in "Die Hard with a Vengeance". He plays the nervous Zeus, jumping up over and over again when he notices something discriminatory. The chemistry between these two characters was a guarantee for firework in action scenes and dialogues.

I thought "Die Hard with a Vengeance" was far better than part two, both in action as in the humor used. Also Jeremy Irons was a lot better as a villain. There was something psychotic, threatening and unpredictable about him.  The expression on his face changed suddenly from full of anger into a face as if Willis just told a good joke. Masterful.

The game being played to mask the ultimate goal, was brilliant. The action scenes are finger-licking exciting and thrilling.  
 

Unfortunately the next two sections are dreadful. What a disappointment!

My rating 8/10 
Links : IMDB , Moviemeter

Freelancers (2012)

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Genre : Action/Crime
Country : USA

Cast :
Robert De Niro : Joe Sarcone
Forest Whitaker : LaRue
50 Cent : Malo

Director :
Jessy Terrero

Summary
The son of a slain NYPD officer joins the force, where he falls in with his father's former partner and a team of rogue cops. His new boss, Sarcone, will see if he has what it takes to be rogue through many trials and tribulations of loyalty, trust and respect. When the truth about his father's death is revealed revenge takes him over and he won't stop until justice has been truly served.

My opinion

Well ... again another police flick with the well known corrupt/dirty cops subject. I thought it was only worth watching because De Niro (playing on auto-pilot) and Whitaker were performing in it. I think Whitaker is a sublime actor.

But despite these class actors this movie is as flat as a bad raised pie and this thanks to the miserable poor performances by 50 Cent. How he ended up in this film I don't know but there is a saying "Every man to his own trade". In other words, 50 Cent stick to your turntables.
It's a film without any depth.

I saw a review on IMDB with this title: "Elvis was a better actor ..."
Indeed

My rating 3/10 
Links : IMDB , Moviemeter

Safe (2012)

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Genre : Action/Crime
Country : USA

Cast :
Jason Statham : Luke Wright
Chris Sarandon : Mayor Tremelo
James Hong : Han Jiao
Catherine Chan : Mei

Regisseur :
Boaz Yakin

Summary
In China, the girl Mei is a genius that looks like a computer in numbers. She is abducted by the Chinese Triads and the boss Han Jiao ends Mei to Chinatown, in New York, to help him in the control of his activities. Meanwhile, the fighter Luke Wright has his life destroyed when he wins a fight against the will of the Russian Mafia and accidentally kills his opponent. The Russian mobsters kill his wife and the alcoholic Luke wanders on the streets and hostels with no objective in life. One day, Han Jiao asks Mei to memorize a long number and soon the Russian Mafia abducts the girl from the Chinese mobs. She escapes from the mobsters she is chased by the Russians; by the corrupt detectives from the NYPD; and by the Triads. When Luke sees the girl fleeing from the Russian mobs in the subway, he protects the girl and discovers that the number she had memorized is the combination of a safe where the Triads keep 30 million dollars.

My opinion

A good Statham movie is always welcome ...
Simple story ...
Tight action scenes ...
Cool dialogues ....
And a ice-cold looking Statham ....

What more do you need for an entertaining movienight ?
It shouldn't always be a smart, thoughtful, highly intellectual put together film, huh.

My rating 6/10
Links : IMDB , Moviemeter

Die Hard 2 (1990)

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Genre : Action
Country : USA

Cast :
Bruce Willis : John McClane
Bonnie Bedelia : Holly McClane
William Atherton : Richard Thornburg

Director :
Renny Harlin

Summary
After the terrifying events in LA, John McClane is about to go through it all again. A team of terrorists, led by Col. Stuart is holding the entire airport hostage. The terrorists are planning to rescue a drug lord from justice. In order to do so, they have seized control of all electrical equipment affecting all planes. With no runway lights available, all aircraft have to remain in the air, with fuel running low, McClane will need to be fast.

My opinion

Follow-up of THE action movie from the 80's, "Die Hard", and this time it's located at an airport. Personally I think this is the least of the three parts due to the absence of tension and because the villain, played by William Sadler, doesn't look so evil. Just a soldier on the wrong path, who performs the entire operation with military precision. No room for improvisation.
John Amos as Major Grant, the defector, was an excellent supporting act. I knew him from "Coming to America", and was pleasantly surprised to see him here as a bulldog of a military.

Bruce Willis seemed to be super excited to play McClane again. Again he was there with his cool "you-can-kiss-my-butt-asshole" attitude and his dry, cynical humor with great one-liners as a result, such as :
-Hey, Carmine, let me ask you something. What sets off the metal detectors first? The lead in your ass or the shit in your brains?
-Oh man, I can't fucking believe this. Another basement, another elevator. How can the same shit happen to the same guy twice?
- Grant: Too bad, McClane. I kind of liked you.
John McClane: I got enough friends.

The only downside to this film was the slightly less sense of tension. It's not a movie that puts you on the edge of your seat, like the first one did. But without a doubt, a worthy action-rich successor of "Die Hard" !


My rating 8/10
Links : IMDB