More Spirit Than Last Time
AICN has scored AICN has scored Category: Movies
AICN has scored 20 of the Toughest [2008]
The List Universe posts their Top 20 Classic Tough Guys. Okay, I’ll play using just the guys on their list, here is how I’d rate them:
- Lee Marvin
- Charles Bronson
- Clint Eastwood
- Sean Connery
- John Wayne
- Kirk Douglas
- Robert Mitchum
- Charlton Heston
- Burt Lancaster
- Robert Ryan
- James Coburn
- Anthony Quinn
- Yul Brynner
- Humphrey Bogart
- Steve McQueen
- John Garfield
- Richard Widmark
- Dana Andrews
- James Cagney
- Edward G. Robinson
Fandango the Escape Artist Who Brought Down “Machine Gun Kelly” [2008]
Last night my wife and I were watching the 1958 Roger Corman cult film Machine Gun Kelly starring Charles Bronson. Morey Amsterdam, who is probably best known for his classic role as Buddy Sorrell on The Dick Van Dyke Show, was one of the co-stars. Amsterdam played a swishy, one-armed weasel named Fandango who eventually brings about Machine Gun Kelly’s downfall, but before he does there’s a scene that’s so unintentionally funny that I’ve got to tell you about it.
Okay.
So the police have brought Fandango into the station. Fandango is a small, wimpy wanna-be bad guy that everyone pushes around. The cops have been sweating him in order to find Machine Gun Kelly. Despite their best efforts they’re unable to get Fandango to break so they turn him loose.
After Fandango leaves the room the head detective tells his partner not to worry, he’s put his best man on trailing the one-armed weasel. Less than five seconds later the door opens and a cop says, “He got away. I lost him. He slipped into the ladies room and got away.”
My wife and I both burst out laughing. Their best cop lost a small, one-armed man named Fandango before he could even get out of the police station! The next scene showed Fandango arriving at the hideout and he was still wearing his huge overcoat with the sleeve pinned up. He didn’t even have to try to disguise himself or lose his overcoat.
There’s a lesson here. If you really need a quick get away, hit the women’s room and don’t look back. Not even the best cop will be able to track you through there.
Street Kings
There are currently three movies at the local multiplex that I want to see: “Street Kings,” “The Ruins,” and “Diary of the Dead.”Today, “Street Kings” won out mainly due to the outstanding folks behind it.
The screenplay was created by James [novelist and screenwriter – do I really need to list credits for him?] Elroy, Kurt [“Equilibrium” “The Recruit”] Wimmer, and Jamie Moss.
It stars: Keanu [“Matrix”] Reeves, Forest [“The Shield”] Whitaker, Hugh [“House”] Laurie, Chris [“Fantastic Four”] Evans, Cedric “The Entertainer,” Jay [“Suicide Kings”] Mohr, Terry [“Harsh Times”] Crews, Naomi [“28 Days Later”] Harris, and Amaury [“Prison Break”] Nolasco.
It was directed by David [“Harsh Times”] Ayer.
The Pitch: “The Shield” meets “Training Day.” Keanu plays a bad cop falsely accused of killing his old partner who had been talking to internal affairs. His team has a cover-up in place, but Keanu wants to find the killers… no matter the cost to him or the team. Soon no one can be trusted.
The Good: * The story. The action from the opening scenes to the end. * The cast. Chris Evans, Naomi Harris and Cedric the Entertainer need special mention as they made the scenes they were in even better. I was worried that Cedric would be out of place in a serious movie, but he made his character work. * The Tension: The scene in the apartment especially — “I am your nightmare.” The scene in the car when Keanu works the handcuffs and the two scenes that follow — not your typical turn of events. * The ending [as surprising and as bold as the ending of “The Mist.”]
The Bad: everyone.
The Ugly: the two gangbangers after being dug up.
Summary: Although not a classic, “Street Kings” will definitely find a home in my dvd collection. If you’re looking for action in the “Training Day” vein, then “Street Kings” is for you.
Iron Man Looking Good
Have you checked out the new Iron Man trailer? The movie keeps looking better and better!
Remembering – Charlton Heston
Charlton Heston passed away yesterday at the age of 84. Perhaps best known for his Oscar winning role as the title character in Ben-Hur, I will always remember him first as Taylor from the Planet of the Apes.Don’t get me wrong, I loved Charlton Heston in Ben-Hur which was one of those event movies back in the days before cable tv, VCRs [remember those] and of course DVDs. The first time I watched
Ben-Hur was on a little black and white tv with my mom. I can remember my excitement during the chariot race and my fear of the lepers. A few years later I watched Ben-Hur for the first time on color tv at my grandparents’ house and my grandpa told me about the chariot race [and someone actually getting killed during the filming of it].I would see Charlton Heston pop up in movies after that, but it wasn’t until The Planet of the Apes [one of my favorite childhood movie experiences] that he hit a streak of movies that really made me take notice. Mr. Heston had a small role in the sequel Beneath the Planet of the Apes — and there were of course starring roles in The Omega Man and Soylent Green. Although these movies have not held up as well as my childhood memories of them, Mr. Heston was on a roll as far as I was then concerned. You can imagine my delight when he showed up in the all-star cast of the disaster epic, Earthquake.
Despite winning a Best Actor award, Charlton Heston wasn’t one of the first names that came to mind when discussing great actors. Yet, when I think of all the movies that I’ve enjoyed that he’s appeared in from Ben Hur to Tombstone, you’d have to agree that he had talent enough to make him a star.In his later years, Charlton Heston became more known for his strict conservative political views than his acting. This was quite a change from his liberal views in the 1950’s and 60’s. In 2002, Mr. Heston announced that he was suffering from sympton’s of Alzheimer’s disease.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family, friends and fans of Charlton Heston.
New Hellboy Trailer
There’s a brand new trailer out of Hellboy II: The Golden Army and you can see it Lacking Spirit
New Hellboy Pics!
Yahoo has posted some more Hellboy photos that you can check out Poster No, Trailer Yes
The poster doesn’t impress me, but I do like Hugh Jackman Set to Drive
Way back in November of 06 I posted how much I enjoyed James Sallis’ noir-crime novel Drive. Today Variety announced that Neil Marshall is set to direct Hugh Jackman in the big screen adaptation. I’m just hoping that I dig it as much as the novel!
It’s a Wolf, Man!
I’m a sucker for a good werewolf movie. I’m hoping “Wolfman” will join the list of great ones. EW.com has a couple of photos of Benicio Del Toro as the “Wolfman” and a short interview with Rick Baker [make-up genius] here.
Tropic Thunder Trailer
I’ve got to admit that Harry Houdini Movie Star
Long time ZONErs probably remember how much I was into Harry Houdini and magic when I was a kid. [Weren’t we all?] Despite the fact that I’ve read books, seen movies, newsreels and more about Harry Houdini, I’ve never seen the movies that he made. That should change once Harry Houdini Movie Star is released.
The Strangers
Now this trailer for The Strangers is one that I can get behind. I love the creepiness of the images. Although it starts out looking like a ghost movie, I hope it doesn’t end up being a “slasher” film.
