Action Movie

Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995)

The Great Movie Re-Watch

Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995)

Director:

John McTiernan

Writers:

Jonathan Hensleigh

Roderick Thorp

Starring:

Bruce Willis

Samuel L. Jackson

Jeremy Irons

Blurb:

John McClane and a Harlem store owner are targeted by German terrorist Simon in New York City, where he plans to rob the Federal Reserve Building.

Thoughts:

This may be controversial, but Die Hard with a Vengeance is my favorite Die Hard. Obviously, the first one is a classic and I love it. The second one, though, is a complete rehash of the first, and while that’s fine, it’s a bit boring. The third one, with the addition of Samuel L. Jackson, cranks things up a notch, for me. I love the added attitude and humor that he brings. It is a bit longer than it needs to be, the first one has it beat there, but I’ll deal with it.

There are a number of plot holes in this film, but that’s always the case with action movies. Since the dialog makes up for it all I’m able to keep that from causing me to enjoy the movie. It’s fun to point them out while watching, but that just enhances the watching experience.

It would be nice to see Jackson’s character in the following movies, but I completely understand why his character wouldn’t want to have anything to do with John McClane. Zeus would not put up with McClane’s self-absorbed ass for long.

I’m halfway through the 90s, but I don’t believe I’ll make it through them by the end of the year. Christmas is coming and I have holiday movies to watch.

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Boss Level (2021)

Boss Level (2021)

Director:

Joe Carnahan

Writers:

Chris Borey

Eddie Borey

Joe Carnahan

Starring:

Frank Grillo

Naomi Watts

Michelle Yeoh

Will Sassa

Mel Gibson

Blurb:

A retired Special Forces officer is trapped in a never-ending time loop on the day of his death.

Review:

Boss Level snuck in under my radar and I didn’t know it was even a thing until I was mindlessly scrolling through Hulu. It was a victim of COVID and despite costing $45 million ended up on Hulu and not in theaters. It was an entertaining action movie with the added bonus of the repeating day trope. Someone at Hulu seriously loves that trope and I am all about it. More, please!

Anyway, an incredibly dehydrated Frank Grillo does a great job portraying an ex-military man stuck in a loop where he dies every day. He has no idea what’s going on at first and spends the first 80 or so loops just fighting to survive before he tries to figure out what’s going on.

Surprisingly, Naomi Watts is also in this film. I was not expecting that, though, she isn’t in the movie a huge amount. She’s Grillo’s ex and the mother of his child. She also doesn’t seem to understand PTSD and just wants him to go back to being the man she loved before all the military killing and whatnot. It doesn’t go into his military background, much, so that’s just an assumption on my part.

Mel Gibson was a good bad guy, which makes sense considering who he is in real life.

The biggest surprise, for me, was Will Sasso being the heavy henchman. I’ve only ever seen him in comedic roles and while this wasn’t a super serious role it was definitely not a comic relief character.

Michelle Yeoh was in Boss Level as well. I’m so happy with her current popularity. She’s popping up in so many movies that I watch and enjoy. I will always love seeing her.

Boss Level was a nice break from my movie re-watch and I’m glad I checked it out.

3.5/5

Speed(1994)

Great Movie Re-Watch

Speed(1994)

Director:

Jan De Bont

Writer:

Graham Yost

Starring:

Keanu Reeves

Dennis Hopper

Sandra Bullock

Jeff Daniels

Blurb:

A young police officer must prevent a bomb exploding aboard a city bus by keeping its speed above 50 mph.

Thoughts:

Speed is an obvious movie that I would own. I honestly remember where I was the first time I watched it. I was thirteen or fourteen and I watched a TV recording of it on my grandmother’s little 19 inch TV/VCR. The rest of the summer I went around telling people they were crazy, freakin crazy. It wasn’t until I was an adult that I found out that is not exactly what was said there.

At the time I loved the movie because Keanu Reeves was freaking hot. Now I love it because he’s freaking hot and it’s a legitimately good action movie. It’s the first 90s action movie I’ve watched, that I own, that has that 90s action movie feel. If that makes sense.

You’ve got the explosions and the need to not slow down. You’ve got a pretty boy that isn’t too muscular. You’ve got an attractive and capable woman, who does become a damsel in distress at some point. You’ve also got an unsaturated/filtered look at LA. Putting on my old lady hat for a second, but movies nowadays are all about that blue/brown/green filter and I’m over it.

Speed has a psych-out ending, where it comes to what you’d think is the logical conclusion, but nope there’s even more. You get automobiles and trains, maybe we’ll get an airplane in the sequel (you do not, it’s not worth owning, but I still occasionally watch it).

In conclusion, Speed is a great 90s action movie.

Gunpowder Milkshake (2021)

Netflix Movie

Gunpowder Milkshake (2021)

Director:

Navot Papushado

Writers:

Navot Papsuhado

Ehud Lavski

Starring:

Karen Gillan

Joanna Bobin

Lena Headey

Paul Giamatti

Carla Gugino

Angela Bassett

Michelle Yeoh

Chloe Coleman

Blurb:

Three generations of women fight back against those who could take everything from them.

Review:

It’s been a couple of weeks since I watched Gunpowder Milkshake. I needed time to let it percolate. I know that I enjoyed the movie, but I’m not sure how much. In parts, it reminded me of John Wick, but Sam was a little off. I’m not sure why and I’m trying to pinpoint it. She’s very good at being an assassin. She’s damaged because her mother left her at a young age. She’s capable, but still learning. She’s been doing her job for quite some time and is feared by her coworkers because of how good she is, however she still flounders in places. She’s not perfect and John Wick is, for the most part. Maybe that’s it?

Michelle Yeoh is amazing and I love her in everything. I was so happy to see her in this. I loved each of the matriarchs, with the exception of Sam’s mom, Scarlet. The lore was interesting and similar to John Wick, but female-led, which I liked.

I think what I disliked the most was that Sam ends up “killing” a person, but not really, and I didn’t like that. She’s supposed to be a “good guy” and even though she didn’t technically kill the person, she still kind of did. If she was the caliber of professional she was supposed to be I feel like she could have avoided the issue, but I could be expecting too much.

I always enjoy a child sidekick, so I had no issues with Emily. I do know that some people don’t like that, so be forewarned. Chloe Coleman plays a similar character to the one she played in My Spy, though, somehow more innocent.

I’m going to need to watch Gunpowder Milkshake again before I can come to a final opinion. It’s at least 3.5 stars, but it could be more.

Cliffhanger (1993)

Great Movie Re-Watch

Cliffhanger (1993)

Director:

Renny Harlin

Writers:

Michael France

Sylvester Stallone

Starring:

Sylvester Stallone

John Lithgow

Michael Rooker

Janine Turner

Rex Linn

Caroline Goodall

Blurb:

A botched mid-air heist results in suitcases full of cash being searched for by various groups throughout the Rocky Mountains.

Thoughts:

Once again Stallone has a writing credit because of course, he does. I have no idea how much work he actually puts into scripts but if credits are any indication he’s a prolific writer.

I’ve had an incredibly busy last three weeks and I haven’t watched many movies or read any books. I’m trying to teach myself Python and that’s slowing down my entertainment consumption. I watched a couple of movies in theaters as well, but honestly, I’m not feeling like writing blog posts right now. I will continue, at least, the bare minimum for my Great Movie Re-Watch movies.

Cliffhanger is a movie. It’s a movie with mountain climbing. It is an action movie, but also has weird moments where the music doesn’t fit the typical action movie feeling. John Lithgow makes a great villain.

Those are my thoughts on Cliffhanger.