Crime Story

"Jackie Chan as Dirty Harry ? You better believe it !" - thejadedcritic
Year: 1993
Director: Jackie Chan
Cast: Jackie Chan, Kent Cheng
Synopsis: Inspector Chan (Jackie Chan) investigates a kidnapping case. Based on true events.
Review:
A much lesser known Jackie Chan film and surprisingly more violent and gritty police crime action film than the usual Jackie Chan flicks. Crime Story is a movie should be more suited for other Hong Kong actors such as Chow Yuen Fatt due to its darker tone. Nevertheless, Jackie Chan fits the role perfectly as a tough and brave policeman assigned to save a rich businessman. As usual this movie has a few daredevil stunts performed by Jackie Chan himself. The storyline and plot is quite intriguing too since this is based on real events, the movie was made to be as accurate as possible, from the investigation at Taiwan and China right down to the make of car in which the victim was kidnapped.
Sadly, although this film was made in 1993, the film still has the 80s feel (dated soundtrack, dubbed voice, sound effects). Hence the lower score.
Overall, if you have enjoyed Jackie Chan's Police Story action films but desire less humour and romance, Crime Story will satisfy action junkies and Jackie Chan fans.
Rating:  7/10

Crank and Crank 2: High Voltage

Year: 2006
Directed by : Mark Neveldine, Brian Taylor
Starring: Jason Statham, Amy Smart, Dwight Yoakam
Synopsis: Chev Chelios needs to find the people that have poisoned him before it is too late.
Review: This movie looks like it was inspired from the love of video games such as the Grand Theft Auto series. And, like the video game, has a little bit of humor and controversy.
There are plenty of sequences shot in hand-held camera point of view plus the movie is edited like a music video which movie viewers may not be used to it. However for first time movie directors, they are quite creative and effective in intensifying the action. Although the action slows down a little towards the middle, the action picks up again in the final act. The movie's greatest strength is the action sequences that are intentionally funny. This is probably the best action movie of 2006. Rating 6/10.

Year: 2009
Directed by : Mark Neveldine, Brian Taylor
Starring: Jason Statham, Amy Smart, Dwight Yoakam
Synopsis: Chev Chelios needs to find the people to get back his stolen heart.
Review: Fast forward 3 years later and the directors Neveldine/Taylor have written and directed a sequel to their surprise hit.
The plot, although slightly altered, still plays the same like the original. However, there are some missing parts that were lost in this sequel. Most obvious is the funny action sequences. The many shootouts and fight scenes now look boring without them. The last action scene is also disappointing and anti-climatic.

 Overall this sequel is a huge letdown for a fan of the original and along with Transporter 3 which also starts Jason Statham, is one of the most disappointing movie of the year. Rating 4/10

If you like this movie, try:

Shoot 'Em Up (2007)
Clive Owen (Children of Men, The International) is the hero protecting a baby from harms way. This movie is better than the Crank movies because it has more humorous action sequences and funny one-liners. Bring on the sequel !

Road House

Year: 1989
Director: Rowdy Herrington
Starring: Patrick Swayze
Synopsis: An experienced bouncer (Patrick Swayze) is hired in a bar to clean up the mess.

As a tribute to Patrick Swayze who recently passed away, I watched one of his lesser known movies. While most will fondly remember him in Dirty Dancing (1987) and Ghost (1990), he has also acted in a few action movies.

While the storyline is typical for an action movie, the main highlights for this movie is the well choreographed fight scenes. There are also a couple of huge explosions, which is a trademark of producer Joel Silver.

In short, this is one of the few exceptional action movies that is still entertaining to this day. Highly recommended for action fans. Rating: 8/10

The Hunting Party

Year: 2007
Written and Directed by: Richard Shepard
Starring: Richard Gere, Terence Howard
Synopsis: Two Journalists (plus one trainee) plan to search and to capture a dictator in order to get the reward.

Here's another movie that not many has heard of, even though it stars Richard Gere (of Pretty Woman fame) and Terence Howard (Iron Man).

from the director of The Matador (which is also another underrated movie like this one) , this movie which is set during the Bosnia war should be a serious drama but instead it is actually a road trip movie with some comedy elements.

What is even more interesting is that most of the ridiculous events are actually true ! (so says the movie's introduction)


In short I was pleasantly surprised of how good this movie is. However some may not be used to the amount of cussing in this movie. Rating (8/10)

Flammen & Citronen a.k.a Flame & Citron (2008)

Year: 2008
Directed by: Ole Christian Madsen
Starring: Thure Lindhardt, Mads Mikkelsen, Christian Berkel

Synopsis: The film chronicles the lives of two Danish resistance fighters during World War II, nicknamed Flame and Citron.

Review:
There have been many films released recently about the resistance fighters during World War II. Both Hollywood and Europe are now paying tribute to the forgotten heroes which may not be as accurate as the actual event. Examples: Tom Cruise as German Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg in Valkyrie (2008) (Rating: 6/10) and Daniel Craig and Liev Schriber as Jewish brothers in Defiance (2008) (Rating 7/10).

One of the most expensive Danish movies ever made and based on a true story, this Danish movie is about two infamous resistance fighters executing people who were found to be Nazi supporters in their home country, Copenhagen.

Throw in some informers, double agents, family problems and revenge and you've got a typical World War II drama. The only difference is how the tension builds up, which this film succeeds. Very little boring moments.

Trivia: Try to spot two actors from Casino Royale (2006)

Rating: 7/10

If you like more of this, try:
Zwartboek a.k.a Blackbook (2006)

Former Sci-fi/erotic thriller director Paul Verhoeven (Robocop, Basic Instinct) returns to his home country in Netherlands to direct this highly rated World War II drama about a female spy. Storyline/plot is almost similar to Flame & Citron, but more complicated and more nudity.
Rating 7/10





Max Manus a.k.a Man of War (2008)

Another big-budget Norweigian World War II drama about the resistance.

Many critics have compared this to Flame & Citroen which was also released during the same year. The timing is unfortunate as both movies depict different resistance movements. For Max Manus and his gang, their mission is to blow up German warships. The movie has a few scenes of tension filled moments which really happened.
Overall, another good WWII movie that is based on a true story.
Rating: 7/10

Movie Review: Taken

Movie Review: Taken
Directed by: Pierre Morrel
Written by: Luc Besson & Robert Mark Kamen
================================
"I don't know who you are. I don't know what you want. If you are looking for ransom, I can tell you I don't have money. But what I do have
are a very particular set of skills; skills I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you. If
you let my daughter go now, that'll be the end of it...But if you don't, I will look for you, I will find you, and I will kill you." - Bryan Mills, Taken

Synopsis: Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) is forced to come out of retirement as an ex-CIA when his daughter is kidnapped in Paris.

From the writers of Transporter trilogy and the director of District B13 comes another high octance action thriller.

Unlike most action movies, you will instantly feel for the main character as he is trying to find his daughter as the actor potrays the

emotional scenes quite effectively. Although he acts rather rashly most of the time (such as beating up the kidnappers in broad daylight)

but this is understandable as hisdaughter's life is at stake.

The fighting sequences are reminiscent of Bourne identity and considering that Liam Neeson is 56 years old, it is quite shocking to see him

beat up or kill so many people with only his bare hands.

In short, this has to be one of the best action movies that I have seen in a long while. And many people who have seen it agrees.

The Sci Fi Films of Paul Verhoeven

Paul Verhoeven (b.1938) is a dutch director, producer and screenwriter. So far, he has directed seven Hollywood films. Four of which are in the genre of Science Fiction. His films are notorious for excessive violence, gore and sexual content.

He has directed a total of seven films for Hollywood before returning to his homeland. His non sci-fi films include :

Flesh+Blood (1985)
Basic Instinct (1992)
Showgirls (1995)


Robocop (1987) was his first science fiction film and was a major hit when it was released. Set in the not too distant future where crime is prevalent, the film is about a cop who was brutally murdered and was saved by combining his body with a machine.

Lots of action and strong brutal violence throughout.

The 30th Anniversary DVD will be released on August 21 this year.

Followed by 2 sequels and a TV series



His next film was an even bigger success. Total Recall (1990) starred action superstar Arnold Schwarzenegger and was based on a story by veteren sci-fi writer Philip K. Dick (who also wrote Blade Runner, Paycheck, Minority Report and A Scanner Darkly)

It had everything: action, violence and humour. Highly recommended viewing for fans of Sci-Fi.





After the success of Starship Troopers, another attempt was made to make a movie from another famous sci-fi author.
Starship Troopers (1997) is based on a book by Robert A. Heinlein. The movie focuses on a group of close friends who sign up in the army to fight the insect aliens that have threatened earth.

Followed by a Straight to Video sequel.

Part 3 is in the works.




The 4th and final sci-fi film marks his last Hollywood entry before leaving for his homeland. Although there have been many movies about the invisible man (John Carpenter's Memoirs of an Invisible Man springs to mind, this movie is about an invisible man that became evil.

Some nice effects of the process of how he became invisible, and the ways of detecting the presence of the invisible man.

Other than that, it was an average sci-fi flick. Not one of Verhoeven's best.