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House of Flying Daggers (2004)
House of Flying Daggers (2004)
2004 | Action, Adventure, Drama
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Movie Favorite

"I love Zhang Yimou. I worked with him briefly when I was prepping a show for Legendary Films – I didn’t stay on that show, the timing didn’t work out, but I got to work several months with Zhang Yimou which was great. His use of colors, that’s what we used in John Wick. My cinematographer Dan Laustsen and I were very influenced by the artistic way he used color, because Zhang Yimou is also a photographer and amazing artist. It’s funny; when asked what my influences in action are, I usually choose them based not on the actual action choreography. It’s the vibe, the thematics of the action. Or how it’s shot and composed. That’s very important to me."

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Jim Jarmusch recommended Atomic Blonde (2017) in Movies (curated)

 
Atomic Blonde  (2017)
Atomic Blonde (2017)
2017 | Action, Mystery, Thriller

"Atomic Blonde, 2016. I’ve seen it three times. It’s directed by David Leitch, of John Wick fame. But this is my idea of the ultimate feminist action movie. Wonder Woman, I’m sorry, just didn’t do it for me, but Charlize Theron is definitely my idea of a female superhero somehow. She balances femininity, vulnerability, and total badass strength. So she is truly great in this film. And I would say, she usually is very strong. I love the way that Charlize Theron is rarely, if ever, like overplaying anything. And the film is ingenious; it takes place in Berlin, just 24 hours before the wall falls. It’s full of betrayal, violence, intrigue, and the idea of life and death become completely irrelevant when the wall comes down. It’s a really brilliant plot. And also James McAvoy, John Goodman, and Toby Jones deliver really engagingly creepy, supporting performances. The action sequences are all amazing, the visual effects, and hats off to Charlize Theron. I really love, Atomic Blonde."

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Jonah Hex (2010)
Jonah Hex (2010)
2010 | Action, Drama, Horror
2
5.1 (13 Ratings)
Movie Rating
A recent re-watch of Jonah Hex went something like this:

- a lot of stuff happened before that title card that it's already incoherent
- wait, Michael Fassbender is in this?
- I can't see what's happening
- ah sweet, it's the dude from Mastodon.
- wait, Will Arnett is in this?
- Megan Fox really drew the short straw on a lot of her movie projects
- is that Michael Shannon!?
- ah sweet, it's the dude from John Wick.
- wait, Jeffrey Dean Morgan is in this!?
- once again, couldn't see what the fuck was happening because of the piss poor lighting, but Jonah Hex is nearly dead again, apparently.
- Ah cool, here's a mid-runtime action heavy sequence, still can't tell what's happening.
- wait....nope, it's over.

Christ, this movie is a blurry mess that's impressively hard to follow considering its short runtime. I love the Jonah Hex comics, I tend to enjoy Josh Brolin and John Malkovich, how is this such a trainwreck?

That Mastodon soundtrack is badass though.
  
John Wick. Chapter 4 (2023)
John Wick. Chapter 4 (2023)
2023 | Action, Crime, Thriller
6
7.7 (12 Ratings)
Movie Rating
The longest John Wick movie to date, clocking in at just under 3 hours, with Keanu Reeves once again the focal point for some inventive action scenes.

Even if, by this point, all the assassins are operating at a level just below that of superheroes: bouncing off cars, falling out upper storey windows (and then getting up and dusting themselves off), shrugging off wounds that would incapacitate you or me ...

I also have to say, just where is the police when all this is going on?!

Anyway, that's all by the by: here, John is still out for revenge on the High Table that branded him 'excommunicado', with the bounty on his head growing ever and ever larger all the time. This film also moves that action - largely - away from New York, instead relocating to Japan (Osako) and France (Paris), with the last hour or so pretty much an extended action scene as John (fist)fights, shoots, brawls, stabs and crawls his way to a dawn appointment for a duel like something out of the 18th century that he hopes will finally close his ledger.
  
Peppermint (2018)
Peppermint (2018)
2018 | Action, Drama, Thriller
Jennifer Garner brings justice...
Jennifer Garner returns to her Elektra action days with this revenge movie in the vein of John Wick and the like. Garner does well, both as the loving, doting wife and mother and as a vengeful vigilante. The action is fast and fluid from beginning to end with plenty of brutality and gore for fans of the genre. While a good movie and a welcome addition to the canon of revenge flicks, it really does nothing to elevate it. Still, some may see this type of film, with a female protagonist in the vigilante role, as a step forward in the current social climate. In the end, it was fun but nothing that will stick with the viewer after watching.
  
John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum (2019)
John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum (2019)
2019 | Action, Crime, Thriller
John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum picks up where chapter 2 left off, with young Johnathan running for his life as the clock ticks down until the $14 million bounty on his head is activated. With man’s best friend in tow, he searches for a place to patch himself up before he is finally made excommunicado – flipping a gold coin as a rite of passage.

It seems funny that we have got to this point in the story which involved a murdered puppy and a stolen car, but we needn’t dwell on that for too long before the carnage starts to unravel at a frenetic pace. Not since the Raid 2 has there been fight sequences choreographed with such vicious aplomb, it leaves you breathless.

The stunt coordinators give us a range of unique locations for John Wick to dispatch his enemies; including a room packed full of antique ceremonial knives and a glass room displaying a variety of crystal skulls – it isn’t just bones getting shattered here. Not forgetting a horse chase that is simply spectacular.

On paper the action genre might be one of the simplest to execute, add some elaborate set pieces, crazy stunts and a pumping score and you have a recipe for success – you can even drop the odd plot hole without notice.

Director Chad Stahelski has helmed all three films and is able to give Wick the tools needed to off anyone he comes into close contact with. Is there no end to his talents – as he uses a library book to kill off a 7ft assassin and handle weaponry around a Moroccan bazaar with seamless precision.

He is aided in his quest to reach the High Table (a place to atone for his sin of killing on Continental grounds) by Sofia (Halle Berry) who begrudgingly agrees to help him. Despite her minimal screen time she does more than enough to leave a lasting impression – if not her, then most definitely the pair of vicious K-9s complete with snug fitting Kevlar vests that accompany her.

As an action film this is what I crave, something that is relentless from start to finish – I can only lick my lips in anticipation of the inevitable Chapter 4!
  
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Dean (6927 KP) rated John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum (2019) in Movies

May 21, 2019 (Updated May 21, 2019)  
John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum (2019)
John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum (2019)
2019 | Action, Crime, Thriller
Great fight choreography (1 more)
Amazing action scenes
I'm gonna need guns, lots of guns!
Another action packed John Wick film. It has more action scenes than crammed into 2 or 3 similar films. It's what we expect with the series now, very simple on the storyline with tons of fights, shootouts, chases. I would say this is better than the last one. The fight choreography is amazing, fast and frenzied without actually being edited so that you can't make half of it out. You can see every move, block, punch and kick in this. Whether it's with fists, knives, guns or even books it is just a higher standard to most action films.
So if you want a violent non-stop action film from start to finish this is the film for you.
  
Velvet Underground by The Velvet Underground
Velvet Underground by The Velvet Underground
1969 | Experimental
8.4 (7 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"I love Banana to bits, but the third one is my favourite, it’s the one that I play more. I don’t know exactly what it is about it. I bought their albums in order, but there was something about ‘Candy Says’ and ‘Jesus’ – maybe because I’d just got the White Light/White Heat album I wanted proper songs, and he delivered big time on this one. Even ‘Murder Mystery’ I like. I’m not the biggest John Cale fan, his voice gets on my wick. It was just at the time that Ziggy ended, it almost broke my heart. I had these magical split-second things – it was like being in love, but with someone from Venus, and then Lou came along and I knew he would get me through it."

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Awix (3310 KP) rated Nobody (2021) in Movies

Jul 24, 2021  
Nobody (2021)
Nobody (2021)
2021 | Action, Comedy, Crime
8
7.8 (20 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Deadpan action-comedy from the John Wick people. The premise is more or less the same - supposedly retired hard man finds himself drawn into increasingly violent clashes with gangsters - but it's less stylised and more intentionally comedic. The main joke is the unlikelihood of someone so slight and nondescript as Bob Odenkirk taking out bad guys in droves; the actor plays it with a light touch.

Thoroughly satisfying action, some very good gags, and - most importantly - this is a film which understands the importance of taking a breath for a few character moments. You get a sense of real conflict in the protagonist, the sort of thing many films go on about without ever really bringing to life. Very nicely played, written and acted, a witty and satisfying thriller.