[They later changed the title to The Raid: Redemption] I can't think of a more fitting way to close out 2013 than with this promising trailer for The Raid 2: Berandal. After a year of disappointments . . . I know that sounds harsh but it was like a huge buffet where all the food needed salt. I didn't feel really satisfied after so many Action Movies.  Sure, there was a lot there, but . .  . There wasn't the feeling I got from The A-Team's perfect 'amuse bouche' intro—the perfect bite of Action, followed by a really solid Action Movie.  So—high hopes for this movie to engage me more than the first one did (no one can complain about the amount of Action in The Raid but I was really not invested in the leading character or the villain because I didn't know enough about them up front.) Here's hoping the STELLAR fighting skills of Iko Uwais and Yayan Ruhian will be IN YOUR FACE for 2 hours and 28 minutes (loving that)! Gotta add Yayan to the Bad Ass list. He's just indescribably incredible! Weaken-your-bowels vicious as "Mad Dog". Don't f--k with Yayan!

STUNTWORK! Here is Action Academy's interview with Fight Coordinator Phil Silvera at the Just Cause facility [Phil's tweets are protected but maybe he will change that ;) and share more of his world with his fans.]
 

Expendables 3 Teaser Trailer
Dec 19, 2013

What makes an Action Movie?
Dec 8, 2013

Wonder Woman is a twig :(
That's Not What Women Really Want in a Female Superhero
Dec 4, 2013

Paul Walker dies in a car accident
Nov 30, 2013

Rest in peace, Paul Walker. Thanks for all the fun you gave us!

Homefront's fight scenes satisfy!
Nov 26, 2013

Keanu Reeves impresses with
 Man of Tai Chi
Nov 3, 2013

From the opening credits, this movie's direction is creative and new. As Keanu Reeves' directorial debut, it was above and beyond a first effort, or any effort. The transitions and cuts were unusual and often "wow" moments. I loved the unusual music. It's killer-cool! Keanu Reeves has a style all his own (it reminded me of Brian de Palma, but only in how de Palma also had a creative and visually cool style.)

Action Movie Freaks will LOVE every moment as this movie hits all the right notes. Speaking of which, the music is so different and how it's used heightens the fever pitch of the seemingly non-stop fights. There is even some trademark Action Movie humor to the fight scenes :D, and what a variety of fight scenes there are! Different physiques, different fight styles, it's really impressive how every fight scene is really good. There is no filler!

Woo-Ping Yuen is "Action Director" but the credits list Jon Valera as "Fight Choreographer" (pictured at right). Kudos to both! Woo-Ping Yuen is an Action Movie God and Jon Valera is a total  Bad Ass.

Tiger Hu Chen is amazing in fight after fight after fight (gotta add him to the Regular Joes list!).

Action Movie Freaks should not miss this movie. It will not disappoint in any way. A really impressive first movie, or any movie. The cars are incredibly cool and Keanu Reeve's wardrobe is slick—he makes a great morally-corrupt-rich-guy-with-demons villain. Loved the scream!  Reall

I could go on and on but . . . "Action" alone is the genre. Enough said.

Ender's Game a solid Sci-Fi movie
Nov 3, 2013

Going in to Ender's Game, I didn't know anything about the book. I went to see it for the visual effects in IMAX, and for Harrison Ford. The movie was about striking a balance between compassion and violence, but compassion wins in the end. The visuals are flawless. Especially n IMAX, it's just incredible what they can do. So many 'moving parts' and it all just looks real!

I really liked the soldiers-in-training/Academy concept (goes back to my love of Starship Troopers and Soldier).

Everyone in the movie is good but two standouts for me were Aramis Knight as "Bean" and Nonso Anozie as "Sergeant Dap".

You might recognize Nonso Anozie from RocknRolla, Conan the Barbarian, or The Grey. He's of Nigerian descent but English born. In this movie, he sounded like he was from New Zealand to me but my recognition of accents isn't all that. 

Aramis Knight played "Bean" and was adorable. I hope to see Aramis in more Action Movies as he grows up. He's got a lot of charm and personality and was really likeable as this character.

If the lead actor wasn't the poster child for the 98-pound weakling, I might have enjoyed it more but then he might not have seemed like such a kid, which was pivotal to the plot. In fact, if all the 'kids' were just a tiny bit older, or the villain "Bonzo Madrid" played by Moises Arias not quite so laughably short to be such a big-mouthed jackass.

It might be easily accepted by the Ender-aged audience that in the future we might rely on video-game trained children to defend us from giant bugs via a simulation that is [spoiler alert] really real life, but it was a bit silly to me. A child's fantasy. And as such, not a true Action movie, although it's billed as Action/Adventure/SciFi. In fact, the movie seemed like an anti-Action Movie because the kid with the skills and the cocky attitude was a jerk, and in the end, the hero was a pacifist. I'd rather spend my movie dollars watching some ass-kicking loudmouth. I guess movies with nice sweet kids as the lead, just don't satisfy the Action Movie Freak in me. Where's the beef jerk-y?

Ambushed: An Action-Star Trifecta!
Nov 3, 2013

Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture, and Vinnie Jones in one movie? I'll see that! It's already available on amazon instant video and coming out on Blu-ray and DVD on November 12th. Worth it for the fight scenes alone but really hoping for the cheesy one-liners and some rubbing it in their face!

Chinese Zodiac is not Jackie Chan's Farewell
Oct 27, 2013

Despite the closing credits that seemed to say goodbye, Jackie Chan says that Chinese Zodiac is not his farewell to Action Movies.  Apparently not,  since he will be back in full force in Police Story 2013 . . .

Chinese Zodiac is Jackie Chan's Farewell (maybe?)
Oct 25, 2013

Jackie Chan has given us SO MUCH entertainment, there really is no one like him.  As skilled as he is, you had to wonder just how many times did he risk his life?! He was always innovating and using what was in the room—shopping carts, ladders, umbrellas, you name it. He more than pushed the envelope, he created his own brand of Action Movie. As they put it in the goodbye: "We can never do what he does."  

What Jackie did was not only be the Good Guy on screen and off, but he never forgot what we bought the movie ticket for: To feel good. He made us laugh while we were in awe, and taught us what was the right thing to do. Too many movies forget we want our Action Figures to be Heroes.

He continually did the unexpected, hid in plain sight, took our breath away, and did Free Running moves before there was such a thing. Although he always made it look like it was easy (for him), the Outtakes that were his signature closing (and this movie was no exception) showed us just how real it all was. We saw him get hurt over and over again. I will never forget seeing him fall onto the ice from a helicopter. We can NEVER do what he did. The only idiots who try are "Jackass", and the only one who comes close is Tony Jaa. All Action Movies should show the Stunts at the end. It's what Action Movie Freaks crave. Let us get to know the Stuntmen and Stunt/Fight Choreographers this way. The outtakes are often the best part of a great movie.

Part of why Jackie Chan has not received as much attention as he should have has to be his humility.  I love him for the values he promoted in his movies, but also for his love of life. Have you ever seen him not smiling?  This movie, Chinese Zodiac, was Jackie to the nth degree. Always taking it to another level, with silliness thrown in. Loved the bee stings. It's really enjoyable and worth it for the closing alone, but the rest of the movie is very entertaining! If you're an Action Movie Freak, you won't be disappointed and the closing will make you all nostalgic and really glad you went.

Escape Plan: "Say Cheese" "Sheeze!"
Oct 21, 2013

We were anxious to see Stallone and Schwarzenegger together and Escape Plan looked like it would be really cool, but it took a looonnng time to get going. The dialog was so bad at times I grimaced, and even after the Action started, it just wasn't enough.

I would put it on a level with Deep Rising, but I enjoyed that movie much more and have watched it countless times. I would not watch this again. Both these Action Figures can do so much better. Sometimes, when a movie is not going well, you think a great ending could save it, but the ending was implausible to downright ridiculous.

The Writers were Miles Chapman and Jason Keller, and I'm picturing Beavis and Butthead laughing at their own jokes, but what I'm wondering is, how did they get these two titans to make their movie? I thought with Jim Caviezel and Vincent D'Onofrio as supporting actors it would add depth (talk about acting talent!), but D'Onofrio's part was too small and the character's depth amounted to the use of hand sanitizer. And while Jim Caviezel did something with his role as an evil Warden, it was too shallow. 

I truly loved seeing Stallone and Schwarzenegger together, and that saved the experience for me, but there were so many stupid moments, like:

• Stallone saying "You get me that piece of metal and I might be able to get you out of here" right in front of a guard;

• The head guard having to ask what was being said in the Solitary Cell (how do they not have speakers in there?!);

• When the camera malfunctioned, why didn't they just check his cell?;

• They never pat them down, never do searches;

• How is Stallone scratching into metal and with what, and how do they not see that?;

• They don't check him when he falls on medical supplies?;

• They say they are going to break Stallone but then they just stop?;

• Stallone knows how to shut down a super tanker?;

• He can hold his breath for a ridiculously long time and just happens to surface on the side and end of the super tanker where the helicopter just happens to be passing and as big as the tanker and the ocean is, he is still spotted!?;

• And, really?: Stallone has his own plan to get off a beach half way around the world with no phone, no vehicle, and his team having no way of knowing where he is, just so he doesn't take a lift from Schwarzenegger?

First they called it The Tomb, which was a cool name, but then the mundane Escape Plan. Escape Proof would have been cooler. Stallone has a family back story/tragedy but there's nothing at stake for him except coming back to his partner/girlfriend's bad cooking? Why he's doing it was just not reasonable. Also, please give us some back story on the Warden so we can hate him.  Greed and butterflies  doesn't cut it for me, even with super close ups. 

. . . You know what this movie is: It's an ugly girl in a pretty dress. Well, clothes do not make the man. The man makes the clothes. As pretty a dress-up as Stallone and Schwarzenegger make for any Action Movie, a dog is a dog.

It had them, explosions, a high killcount, and that was about it. Fortunately, I'd watch them watching grass grown. We (Action Movie Freaks) have so much love for these two men that we're entertained regardless, but even that can't make it a good movie. I have this saying: "If you can't say it's a good movie, does that mean it's bad?"  Yes. Yes, it's a bad movie.

Ava Snow Battles Death KickStarter is up!
Oct 7, 2013

I gave to the "Ava Snow Battles Death" kickstarter drive.  It feels great to support people who seem to be fellow Action Movie Freaks. What could be more fun than watching—making your own movie, of course! I need an excuse to sew that long black Nehru collared coat that Neo wears so well . . . "I know Kung Fu." Kick ass Ava Snow!  Help them too if you can; it feels good :).

Ava Snow Battles Death KickStarter
Oct 4, 2013

I love to hear from anyone either just starting out or trying to get a project off the ground. That can-do spirit is so what Action Movies are all about, and their enthusiasm is really contagious and enjoyable to watch. Tomorrow is the start of the "Ava Snow Battles Death" kickstarter drive.  It's a web series with a female lead and lots of Action. 

Here is their press release to tell you more:

The Web series “Ava Snow Battles Death” is set to launch its Kickstarter fundraising campaign in four days, the evening of Saturday, Oct. 5. The series is a fantasy-horror-comedy about a knife-throwing heroine named Ava Snow and the overlords from another dimension who want to steal her soul.

“We're asking for five thousand, which is enough to make our pilot,” said Zack Drisko, one of the series creators, “but we're hoping to achieve some of our stretch goals and make the entire five-episode series we have planned. We have a great story to tell that we'd love to share with people.”

“Ava Snow Battles Death” was created by Drisko and Arielle Davidsohn. They premiered four sneak peek clips on YouTube and Vimeo last Friday, Sept. 20, which have been met by positive reactions.

“We were really fortunate to have a great team,” Davidsohn said. “They were the ones who made our ideas possible.”

The cast and crew includes people such as Daniel Scruggs, a VFX artist from Game of Thrones, Russ Glasgow, promo editor for Tron: Legacy and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Steve Rizzo (pictured above), stuntman from The Dark Knight Rises and No Country for Old Men, Andrew Parkhurst, director of photography for Ridley Scott's Prophets of Science Fiction, Robert C. Jackson, sound designer on 50/50 and The Expendables, Christopher Jenkins Holmes (pictured below), who had a recurring role on 90210, and YouTube star Sam Proof.

Arielle Davidsohn (pictured below),  who stars as the title character Ava Snow, underwent extreme training to pull off the fight scenes. Davidsohn trained mixed martial arts with professional fighter Cassiano Laureano (pictured at right), who trained at Kings MMA and Werdum Combat Team, home to UFC fighters such as Anderson Silva, Fabricio Werdum, Wanderlei Silva, and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua. Davidsohn also trained knife-throwing with world champion Carl Geddes.

“I was never athletic or coordinated, so learning how to fight Muay Thai and throw knives almost killed me,” Davidsohn said. “Even though I still have a long way to go until I'm pleased with my skills, I feel proud of how far I was able to come and look forward to honing my skills as the project continues.”

More information on Ava Snow Battles Death is available on their website.

Make a contribution to their kickstarter program and stayed tuned for more . . .
Follow @Ava_Snow on twitter.  Like Ava Snow Battles Death on Facebook.
Read more about their Team.
 

HOMEFRONT starring Jason Statham
Sep 15, 2013

"Whatcha gonna do about it?" When your father is Jason Statham, plenty, and it's gonna hurt.  Aah, the Ameican South, taking another hit on the jaw. According to the movies, small rural Southern towns are super unfriendly.  A how-not-to-be example.  

On the credits of Homefront, Sylvester Stallone is listed as Writer, and as one of the Producers. He and Jason must be great friends in real life after making The Expendables together. They're a hell of a dynamic duo.

Statham's Stunt Double is Jace Jeanes. What a great name. He also doubled for Tom Hardy in Warrior—Impressive. He's going to be Statham's double again in the remake of Heat, and in The Expendables 3.  Other movies he's been a Stunt Performer in are Olympus has Fallen, Jack Reacher, Bullet to the Head, Get the Gringo, Warrior, Beatdown, and Star Trek.

Statham plays an ex-DEA Agent named Phil Broker (a character from a series of crime novels by Chuck Logan) who moves to a rural town with his daughter after the death of his wife. It was filmed in Louisiana. According to Matt McDaniel on Movie Talk at Yahoo! Movies, Stallone wrote the script 10 years ago, then offered it to Statham when they were doing The Expendables 2. 

It seems like every article about the movie online is talking about James Franco's acting ability to play the villain. It bugs me, because what do they think Jason has been doing in all his movies? Just because movies are Action Movies doesn't mean there's no acting. It means there's acting PLUS the physical. Action Movie Actors should be doubly respected instead of ignored by Hollywood like Action Movies are when it comes to awards.

I'm hoping it will be the kind of Super Cop movie that's a classic Action Movie subgenre.  Seemingly a mild mannered Dad until you cross him, then HOLY HELL! It's so rewarding to watch the bad guys (and girls) get their comeuppance. Few Action Movie Actors deliver a beatdown like Statham (and apparently, Jace Jeanes). So, mark your calendar for Homefront opening November 27th. Also in the movie is Kate Bosworth and Winona Ryder. 

Statham and Stallone: that's a formula for success to me.

VIKINGDOM starring Dominic Purcell
Sep 15, 2013

As a big Prison Break fan, I'm excited to see Dominic Purcell in a Action Movie! In theatres October 4th.

You've got to be excited about this one!  I hope there are lots of cheesy one liners. We Action Movie Freaks love the rub-it-in-their-face insults, and bragging. I see there's a play on the Rocky-punching-the-ribs scene. Is it too much to hope Robert De Niro will say "sawzeetch"?

I've been on 'staycation' and slacking, but I emerged to find these game trailers from E3.  They're Xbox so . . . not so happy about that considering events lately. Microsoft seems to have crossed a line on 'control'. In my opinion they were already greedy, but the sharing issue is a huge mistake. Was thinking of switching to PlayStation or using my PC anyway.

The 1st thing I loved the look of was Ryse: Son of Rome. If brutal vicious gnarly violence is your thing . . . Ryse: Son of Rome is the shit! Love the swagger @ 6:38. The armor is beautiful and the sound of it clancking and jingling as they march really makes it come alive. It's described as single-player hack and slash. This game is exclusively for the Xbox One. I'm thinking they are going to sell very few of those. Regardless, this game is supposed to be released at the Xbox One launch.

The 2nd was Titanfall #iwanttogotothere

Here is the info from WIkipedia: "Titanfall is a mecha first-person shooter video game developed by Respawn Entertainment @Respawn and published by Electronic Arts @EA for the @Xbox One, Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows. It is Respawn's first game, and is scheduled for release in 2014.

Players fight either on foot as free-running 'pilots' [á la Pacific Rim] or inside agile mech-style walkers called 'Titans' to complete team-based objectives. The game is multiplayer-only, but injects single-player elements such as plot, character chatter, and non-player characters into its matches."  The difference in scale is cool between scenes with the Titans and scenes with just the men.

Third, I've been intrigued with Alienware since I first noticed them in the late 1990s, partly because of their unique look, but then partly because the fact that they were local (The Hammocks) to my neighborhood (Kendall) was just too cool.  I really wanted this model. Some people I know like gaming better on a PC. Nowadays there are  so many more options to have a better experience (not just bigger monitors). I would ideally like a projector (working on it).

Alienware is the kind of thing you could buy if money were no object . . . Back then it would have been cool to take one to a LAN party (not that I ever got invited to participate in a LAN party but still, I did visit one in progress once).

Alienware did a short intro and then let attendees play. Must be nice. I noticed on Wikipedia that they have the Alienware headquarters photo as its own page. When you scroll down it lists Janet Reno and O.J. Simpson as notable residents, but O.J. was in Pinecrest (big difference!). Kendall is an international working class area. Pinecrest is 90% "white" and most all the homes are on at least an acre (zoning).  But I digress . . .

Donnie Yen's The Iceman: Action++
June 3, 2013

This trailer will surprise you.  I haven't seen anything that impressed me this much with wildly creative Action since Kung Fu Hustle (which I liked) and Shoot 'Em Up (which I didn't).

Something Greater for Action Movie Heroines
June 1, 2013

"What if a child dreamed of being something other than what society had intended? What if a child aspired to something greater?"

Those words from the Man of Steel trailer 3 resonate with women as much as men. After all, he does not say "What if a boy . . . " Therefore, more than half of the rest of the world hears:

"What if a girl dreamed of being something other than what society had intended? What if a girl aspired to something greater?"

These words together with the recent mention of Transformers 4 having a "high school girl" as the main character, and the fact that @TheSlyStallone tweeted the question "A young Sigourney Weaver anywhere out there?", all worked together for me to mark a turning point for Action Movie Heroines.

There are two kinds of Action Movie Heroines:

1) The type of male fantasy Bimbo so scantily clad and big-breastedy prevalent in comic books, video games, and Action Movies (hopefully soon-to-be of the past)

and

2) People.

Yes, women are people too.

Don't think that doesn't need to be said. 

Dances With Wolves was the big apologetic "Indians Are People Too" movie that Hollywood embraced, but there has yet to be such a movie for Women! And, judging by Seth MacFarlane's ridiculous anti-women sense of comedy at the Academy Awards last year, it's still, sadly, a ways away. However, I think we can get there with Action Movies.

If you search Google images for terms like "action movie female lead", "female action movie hero", "strong heroine," and "female hero", the results are a depressing display of exploitation and male fantasy. The only way this will change is if women change it by creating more positive role models and not bending to the pressure to be 'attractive' to men.

In real life, women want to be (and are) heroic, too, regardless of how they look, what they wear, and especially regardless of whether or not men find them attractive. 

The plot of Aliens took the most basic female instinct, motherhood, and put in into an epicly heroic situation.  Women in Action Movies don't need to be mothers but nor do they need to be bimbos, they just need to be taken seriously, and to do that, they cannot be scantily clad.

Part of what makes Alien and Aliens so popular is Ripley's competence and bravery. Yes, in both movies they show her in her underwear, but in Aliens they show everyone else in theirs too, and in Alien, it is in the context of cryosleep and serves to heighten the horror of vulnerability.  Thank goodness Sigourney Weaver is fairly flat chested or that would have made this scene completely different, especially this camera angle, which was completely unnecessary.

 I asked a male friend: "At what point, meaning how big, does a man feel ridiculous going out with a woman with enormous breasts?  Would Christina Hendricks be a good example of being over the line? Is there is a line¹.?"  Anyway, it kind of makes my point about Action Movie Heroines in general. A movie that seemed to get it right was The Expendables 2². For example:

Nan Yu's character "Maggie" fits in with this ultra Boys Club. She's not in shorts showing her legs, and she doesn't have on anything low cut.  She appears to be just another soldier. That's how it should be.

 In real life, Female Soldiers dress just like the men (see Album here). If you do a search Google images of "women warriors" (probably the most offensive results of all) it's all bimbos. The second, third, and fourth result are bare-breasted and two are naked with a sword. These are male fantasies. These are not people. The last thing a woman wants to feel in battle is vulnerable or sexual. The same might not be true for men who seem to like being turned on while being violent, maybe it makes them feel powerful. I don't know.

I do know what a woman feels. Rage. I see it everywhere. The rise of Ronda Rousey and women's MMA fighting brings the possibility of true equality through physicality. No, we can't beat all men, but we can beat some, and if they are beating us, we should fight back.  Amateur Boxing Coach Hal Adonis's remark "Half of our girls have been molested, half of our girls are gay" is a wake up call and a turning point. We're mad as hell and we're not going to take it anymore.

To succeed in life and to have respect, women have to stop buckling under pressure to appear desirable. Yes, the world knows you want someone to mate with you, women can't help that, that's biological, but women can still be sexy, clothed. Women who live their lives as man-pleasing bimbos, and who dress that way, harm other women.  I am really hoping that with the rise of role models of strong women being fighters, like Gina Carano and Ronda Rousey, girls will stop accepting being told "women can't . . . (fill in the blank)." 

To women everywhere, but especially to Gina and Ronda:  Please stop appearing in images like this. Being scantily dressed trivializes every achievement you make, and puts you back 'in your place' as just a dumb woman who cares more about having sex than anything else. These types of images say: Yes, she can fight, but she's still a dumb bimbo that wants you to fuck her. Like it or not, that's the message you're sending. So Gina, and Ronda, please don't do this . . .

Why not? Because too many women are being treated as objects, with deadly consequences. Because you are more than just one woman who wants to be found attractive. Because there are more important things for women to be, that being 'attractive' invalidates. Because you are the hope that we can be treated like people, you are exception to the rules of a male-minority-dominated society. Because you have achieved something that 25 years ago was inconceivable. Because when I was a little girl there was no one like you to look up to and say "I can."  The Man of Steel trailer says it best:

"You will give the [women] of Earth an ideal to strive towards. They will race behind you, they will stumble, they will fall, but, in time, they will join you in the sun. In time, you will help them accomplish wonders."

"You believe your [daughters are] safe?" 

They are not. Look around you at the world. At countries where women are shrouded, mutilated, raped, beaten, and killed. At this country where innocent little girls and teenagers are abducted, used, tortured, killed, and discarded like trash. Don't be afraid to be strong. Just strong. Not strong and sexy. Strong is sexy.

"My father believed if the world found out who I really was, it would reject me. He was convinced that the world wasn't ready.  What do you think?"

I think the world is ready (women are more than ready) for a female hero who is a person first and who commands and deserves respect. Female Action Movie Stars need to step up in strength and play women who are people. Action Movies are the perfect vehicle for women to find true equality. Real-life Female Heroes have an obligation to be heroic onscreen and off for the sake of all women. Change the costume and change the rules. Aspire to SOMETHING GREATER:  Which of these images of Wonder Woman would you want your daughter to aspire to?

_________

1 What I mean by that is that women who are well endowed and scantily dressed are not seen as intelligent, therefore a man being seen with a woman like that is perceived to be with her for the sex. How ridiculous can the sex toy get before he feels it will reflect badly instead of well on him?

2 The dialog in the village where they stopped in the abandoned building a was a tiny bit weird. It was actually well written because how the various men treated Maggie revealed a little about them. It was like they were okay with having her be one of them, but at the same time had to act out and prove they were men by showing they found her attractive. It also set up that she likes Barney Ross but he turns her down. As a hero, he's more concerned for her than about her. It goes against the sleep-with-them-all stereotype and you've got to like Stallone for that.

Fast 6: No Assembly Required
May 23, 2013

"Let's go for a little ride."  

Holy crap there's a lot of moving parts to this movie, and while it has a lot of characters, we know them so well that it runs like a well-oiled machine. Sorry about that cliche. I am sure I have used it before, but it fits, and here's another: The Rock bursts onto the screen like a blazing comet.  He's so damn big . . . said the girl next to me. As I look back at watching it, it's like a series of scenes joined together by the comet trail of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. He bursts into a scene and he blazes out again. The story's just connecting the dots until he pops back in. When he's not onscreen, the glow of the burn is still there LOL.  It seems to me they shot him just a little too close to the camera and just a little under his nose, so that he towers a lot. You feel like he's in your face. (The character is SO in-our-face.)  You'll see.  It's awesome, and plays to his comedic and other strengths.  

There are so many funny moments. When The Rock is not eclipsing the movie, Tyrese Gibson is cutting up. His dynamic with Ludacris is the BEST! That is a DUO that could easily hold up a Buddy Movie!  The situational humor is perfectly played. So much of what he says and does is just so true to character that it's hilarious. Tyrese really nails this performance. Can't say enough about how enjoyable he is in this movie.

Along for the Ride
I was especially hopeful for Gina Carano's part. To be sure, the fight scenes (there's more than one, yay!) were intense and she goes all out with [SPOILER but you knew already . . . ] Michelle Rodriguez.  I think she's holding back a little though (compared to what I saw in Haywire) because she's a powerhouse and Michelle is more of a reed.  When Gina's in a scene with The Rock, sometimes it seems like he's so big, she's just trying not to be stepped on.  I don't want to give away any dialog but he's soo large-and-in-charge, the way he speaks to her isn't really conversational. He's really talking at her or about her. You have to think this is all intentional for the sake of the humor in the portrayal of the character of Hobbs.

Another really enjoyable thing is the friction between the two titans of The Rock and Vin Diesel. Vin's nobody's bitch and he doesn't yield a fraction. Again, don't want to give anything away, but what happens between them is more satisfying than I expected. Like they didn't go the predictable route and instead went the in-a-perfect-world route (kind of like in the last movie!). While The Rock is shooting through the scenes, Vin is the calming influence. The real 'rock' of the team. His is a quiet strength but with so much sexuality, it crackles when he's just standing still.

The movie could be summed up in this quote: "Show me how you drive, I'll show you who you are." There are so many great quotes in this movie.  I'm really excited about writing about it more in depth. I just wanted to recommend it in the HIGHEST possible terms. If you have any doubts about the movie, put them away and go see it. It more than delivers in Action sequences!  There are many more spectacular chase scenes, and shoot outs, and fight scenes, and explosions than you even imagine. They keep the plot moving from point to point so there's always a reason for the Action and a goal in mind.  Like Gina with The Rock, we're just along for the ride.

Overall, the movie has a very romantic undertone. Not just about Dominic and Letty, but for the Team as family as they contrast them to their "evil twins."

The head villain, Shaw, more than holds his own against The Rock intimidation and scariness-wise, and Vin Diesel for the sexuality. I hope this movie makes the world take more notice of Luke Evans. I'd love to see more of him! He seemed more wiry than strong in other scenes, but he's 6 feet tall and when he stood toe to toe with The Rock, he looked big.

And now, the cars. This movie is so satisfying in the twists and the quirks that make it a "Fast and Furious" movie, like them getting all the equipment they need for a job, like the reason they need old-school style cars, etc. For me, this movie was less about the skankapalooza that is so prominent in earlier movies and more about the sexiness of the cars and the appeal of big machines. We're all a little in love with the machines. I find it hilarious to hear all the souped-up cars revving their engines as they leave the movie theater parking garage after the movie. We were all, all jacked up.  As I say in my "Action Movie Essentials" list in closing: A really GOOD Action Movie must make you leave the theater feeling PUMPED UP! That's what we go for. The RUSH!!

So, go get some.

Star Trek Into Darkness: Going Boldly!
May 16, 2013

"You don't respect the Chair, and you know why?
  Because you're not ready for it."  

Owch! Star Trek Into Darkness starts out with the same relational conflict and performance angst that the first movie did. And this movie, like the last one, does a stellar job of capturing the dynamic of the crew from the original TV Series.  This is what we crave in Star Trek. The various characters are all brought to life in the same quirky ways: The supremely confident Captain, the infuriatingly logical and belligerent Science Officer, the mother-hen cantankerous Medical Officer, and the drama queen pull-a-rabbit-out-of-a-hat Engineer. They have their ways that get on each other's nerves, but they have mutual respect because are all incredibly good at what they do.  Getting this right is essential because it's not Star Trek without it.  Read more . . .

The Genius of
Peter Stormare
May 12, 2013

You know how something can kind of creep up on you (like love), or when your reaction to something is visceral (like hate), well, I have this love/hate admiration for Peter Stormare. One word: Fargo and you understand the love. Now for the 'hate' (not really). He does all these really weird characters, and when he shows up onscreen I've gotten to the point of a "This-Guy-Again?!" reaction that is not meant to be unflattering—it's more like utter amazement. He's so confoundedly original that it kind of brings me out of the movie as I watch in horror and fascination at what he does with a part. Almost like Nicolas Cage but in concentrated form. Where the hell is he from, I wonder. His fucked-up accents* are sometimes amusing, and sometimes unintelligible and uber amusing. So, who IS this guy?

Turns out he's Swedish. That means nothing to me. [My only sense of being Swedish comes from Sesame Street's Swedish Chef.] 

He has played:
• a German, The Big Lebowski (1998),
• a Frenchman Chocolat (2000),
• 2 Russians Bad Boys II (2003), Armageddon (1998),
• an Italian "Prison Break" (2005),
• a Dane Echo (2007),
• a Norwegian Switch (2007/I),
• a Swede Minority Report (2002).   -from IMDB

Most recently, he's been in
• Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters (2013), and
• The Last Stand (2013)
• Pain & Gain (2013)

He's classically trained (this quote also from IMDB). He "began his acting career at the Royal [Dramatic] Theatre of Sweden, performing for eleven years. In 1990 he became the Associate Artistic Director at the Tokyo Globe Theatre and directed productions of many Shakespeare plays, including 'Hamlet'. In 1993 he moved to New York, where he appeared in English productions."  Well, that explains it all a bit more. Impressive credentials!

It's like when he appears onscreen, nothing before him was as entertaining, and you know nothing after will be, and you feel a little like "What was that?!" when it's over (in a good way). I consistently find myself shaking my head and thinking "Oh my God" every time he appears. That's a gift. I guess it's only just crept up on me now, this cumulative appreciation, since I just watched Pain & Gain a second time.

So, I'm just taking a moment to recognize a unique talent who has the movie by the balls every time he's up, and who lets go when he feels like it. Think of how he held this scene by just sitting there.

*Maybe his accents are dead on and I'm just not familiar enough to identify them.

MoviePilot.com offers a Huge List of Upcoming 'Awesome*', I mean Action Movies
May 11, 2013

Been wowed twice today. Once when I discovered Movie Pilot—and found out about tons of movies I didn't know were coming. One that really jumped out at me was Destroyer, thinking it was a Battleship sequel, but it wasn't. Still, it sounds very cool.  I added two that I didn't find there (remakes of Burt Reynolds movies).  (See list below video)

My second wow was when I read this slam of Michael Bay in a review of The Great Gatsby; "there's a lot more filmmakers can do with 3D than have Optimus Prime fly at the screen." The most eye-popping 3D final :45 minutes of a movie in history and this is the respect it gets. Insulting Action Movies doesn't make you look smart. Some people just don't get it. So I am posting the lesson "*Shut up and Eat Your Awesome" once again with a look back at Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Michael Bay's "Master Class" to school them.
 

Movie Name	Release Date	Genre
• Empire State	19 March 2013 (GIFF)	Action | Drama
• Tai Chi Hero	26 April 2013 (NY)	Action | Adventure
• Java Heat (limited release)	17 May 2013 (Carolina Asheville)	Action | Crime | Drama
• After Earth (Will Smith)	31 May 2013	Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi
• The Colony (Paxton!)	13 June 2013 (Hungary)	Action | Sci-Fi | Thriller
• Man of Steel	14 June 2013	Action | Adventure | Fantasy
• World War Z (Brad Pitt)	21 June 2013	Action | Drama | Horror
• White House Down (Channing Tatum and Jamie Foxx)	28 June 2013	Action | Drama | Thriller
• Pacific Rim (Guillermo del Toro)	12 July 2013	Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi
• Red 2 (Bruce Willis)	19 July 2013	Action | Comedy | Crime
• Only God Forgives (Ryan Gosling)	19 July 2013	Crime | Drama | Thriller
• R.I.P.D.	19 July 2013	Action | Comedy | Crime
• The Wolverine (Hugh Jackman)	26 July 2013	Action | Adventure | Fantasy
• 2 Guns (Mark Wahlberg & Denzel)	2 August 2013	Action | Crime | Drama
• 300: Rise of an Empire	2 August 2013	Action | Drama
• Kick-Ass 2 (Jim Carrey)	16 August 2013	Action | Comedy | Crime
• The Grandmaster	22 August 2013	Action | Drama
• The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones	23 August 2013	Action | Adventure | Drama
• Closed Circuit	28 August 2013	Thriller
• Riddick (Vin Diesel)	6 September 2013	Action | Sci-Fi | Thriller
• Machete Kills	13 September 2013	Action | Crime | Thriller
• Unforgiven	13 September 2013	Action | Crime | Drama
• Last Days on Mars	19 September 2013 (UK)	Sci-Fi | Thriller
• Rush	20 September 2013	Action | Biography | Drama
• Gravity  (Sandra Bullock)	4 October 2013	Sci-Fi | Thriller
• Escape Plan (was “The Tomb” Stallone & Schwarzenegger)	18 October 2013	Action | Thriller
• Ender's Game (Harrison Ford)	1 November 2013	Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi
• Thor: The Dark World (Chris Hemsworth)	8 November 2013	Action | Adventure | Fantasy
• The Hunger Games: Catching Fire	22 November 2013	Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi
• Outcast (rumored Nicolas Cage)		Action
• The Jungle	2013 (Australia)	Thriller
• Hummingbird (Jason Statham)	2013	Action | Thriller
• Reach Me (Stallone)	2013	Drama
• Three Days to Kill (Luc Besson)	2013	Action | Drama | Thriller
• Gallowwalkers (Wesley Snipes) NOT TO BE MISSED!	2013	Action | Fantasy | Horror
• Lone Survivor	2013	Action | Drama | Thriller
• Man of Tai Chi (Keanu Reeves)	2013	Action
• Snowpiercer (Chris Evans)	2013	Action | Drama | Sci-Fi
• Vehicle 19 (Paul Walker)	2013	Thriller
• Jeepers Creepers 3: Cathedral (same Writer?Director)	2013	Horror | Mystery |Thriller
• Go Like Hell	2013	Action
• Grudge Match (Stallone, De Niro, Bernthal)	10 January 2014	Comedy | Sort
• Ten (Schwarzenegger)	24 January 2014	Action | Drama | Thriller
• RoboCop (Joel Kinnaman)	7 February 2014	Action | Sci-Fi
• The Lego Movie	7 February 2014	Animation | Action | Comedy
• Captain America: The Winter Soldier	4 April 2014	Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi
• Stretch Armstrong	11 April 2014	Action
• Godzilla	16 May 2014	Action | Sci-Fi | Thriller
• Dawn of the Planet of the Apes	23 May 2014	Action | Drama | Sci-Fi
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles	6 June 2014	Animation | Action | Adventure
• 21 Jump Street 2	13 June 2014	Action | Comedy
• Left Behind (Nicolas Cage)	19 June 2014	Action | Sci-Fi | Thriller
• How to Train Your Dragon 2	20 June 2014	Animation | Action | Adventure
• Untitled Transformers Sequel (4)	27 June 2014	Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi
• Fast & Furious 7	11 July 2014	Action | Crime | Thriller
• Fury (Brad Pitt)	14 November 2014	Action | Drama | War
• The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1	21 November 2014	Action | Adventure | Drama
• Tomorrowland (Brad Bird)	19 December 2014	Sci-Fi
• Iceman (Donnie Yen)	2014	Action | Comedy | History
• Heat (Jason Statham)	2014	Crime | Drama | Thriller
•Taking Gotham (Olivier Megaton)	2014	Action | Thriller
• Tokarev	2014	Action | Crime | Thriller
• Zorro Reborn	2014	Action | Adventure
• Scarface	2014	Crime | Drama | Thriller
• Mad Max: Fury Road (Tom Hardy, Nicholas Hoult)	2014	Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi
• For the Dogs	2014	Action | Thriller
• Overdrive	2014	Action | Thriller
• Jane Got a Gun (Natalie Portman)	2014	Action | Drama | Western
• Sharky's Machine	No Date	Action | Crime | Thriller
• The Machine	No Date	Action | Comedy
• Logan's Run (Nicolas Winding Refn)	No Date	Action | Adventure | Drama
• Mortal Kombat	No Date	Action | Adventure | Fantasy
• Bloodsport	No Date	Action | Drama
• Stan Lee's Mighty 7	No Date	Couldn't find on IMDB
• 24	No Date	Action | Crime | Drama
• The Creed of Violence (Christian Bale)	No Date	Action | Crime | Drama
• Safari	No Date	Couldn't find on IMDB
• The Count of Monte Cristo	No Date	Couldn't find on IMDB
• The Crow (Luke Evans)	No Date	Action | Crime | Fantasy
• American Sniper (Steven Spielberg, Bradley Cooper)	2015	Action

Sharing a Love of Action Movies
May 6, 2013

Now and again I get sent something from someone who just wants to share their love of Action Movies with a like-minded Action Movie Freak. Sometimes, it's from someone just starting out or maybe they're launching something new.  It always makes me happy to watch whatever they send because their enthusiasm shines through, and that really fuels my love for the genre. They are so obviously having too much fun doing what they do! It's great. Watch and see . . .

Here are three Action Movie Freaks you will enjoy:

1  Brady Romberg's Action Academy @ActionFix

"A Brain Child of Hollywood Stuntman Brady Romberg, ACTION ACADEMY offers action junkies unique look behind some of the biggest and best action in the world.

Hollywood, CA · facebook.com/TheActionAcademy" 

bradyromberg.com

You just HAVE TO watch this video. Of course Brady gets it, he lives and breathes it! This is so awesome, I posted it on the ActionFest Facebook page because it's what I love about @ActionFest and why we go! Visit his YouTube channel or his website to see more of him in action.

Follow @ActionFix and Like Action Academy on Facebook. (His posts are awesome and will keep you pumped up!) Here is his Stunt Reel:

2  Meet @JoeyCorpora

"Filmmaker, martial artist, co-founder of Platypus Underground, Ltd. 

Easton, PA"

who sent me this tweet with the so fun video below:

"SINS OF THE DRAGON, the new independent kung fu flick hitting festivals this summer"

3 From Director Carlos Aldana comes the web show "Bionique"

"In the spirit of 24 and Heroes, Bionique is an action packed sci-fi show made for the web that follows a group of computer savvy orphans in their early twenties who become human targets when it's discovered that they were part of an experimental HIV treatment in their childhood. The treatment worked, but it also left them with very unusual side effects… superpowers."

Genre: Science fiction / Action Drama
Season: 12 episodes
Running time: 8 – 15 minutes per episode
Cast: Carlos Peña (winner – Latin American Idol) + TBD
Production Company: Kinetic Portal in association with Fallout Entertainment
Creator / Director: Carlos Aldana
Writer: Jason Chase Tyrell
Executive Producer: Bill Fishman

Click to watch the trailer (I cannot embed it) and if you like what you see, subscribe by email and Like them on Facebook.

Lots of Action Movie News
May 6, 2013

I saw it in Miami. We all cheered when they announced [[SPOILER]] the bad guy was in Miami. Where else is he gonna be? "Make way for the bad guy! The bad guy's coming through.*" Miami looked great (it always does—it's all that water). So did the Villa Vizcaya. What a beautiful property that is. So cute to see Iron Man walking down the steps there. I will never be able to go there now without thinking of it. Ben Kingsley's character wasn't as annoying as I thought he would be. The twist is very funny. The audience really loves Jon Favreau.  I think after his character's disastrous series of phone calls in Swingers, we feel like we know him. He's relatable, and naturally entertaining/funny. Don Cheadle is good as Iron Man's sidekick (although Ty Simpkinss as Harley, the kid, steals the show). Don's character makes you feel like you could get to wear the suit and  be Iron Man. But really, what you're going for is the scene with so many Iron Men suits. You'll leave happy, trust me.

* quote from Scarface.

Getting ready for Elysium:
This is Neill Blomkamp . . ..
Apr 28, 2013

You've probably already seen that video:  "In 2007, Blomkamp directed a trilogy of live-action short films (known collectively as Landfall) set in the Halo universe, to promote the release of Halo 3." (-Wikipedia) "On October 26, 2007, all three films were edited together into one seven-minute mini-movie, and were released simultaneously on Bungie.net and Xbox Live Marketplace. The mini-movie is titled Halo: Landfall."
(-halo.wikia.com))

That video alone should make any Action Movie Freak a Neill Blomkamp fan, even before you saw District 9. Maybe, like me, you didn't get to see District 9 on the big screen. If you haven't seen it yet, click to watch: right-click to pop out—it won't start unless you do. It's slow to start for us restless Freaks but it adds so much to the story that you get to know the lead character, so be patient. The real payoff is the alien weapons. A Holy-Mother-of-God powerful assortment of the kind of guns you wish they had in Starship Troopers—man, were those stupid ineffective pulse rifles annoying. They more than make up for that in District 9. Killing humans and aliens, wait, killing is not exactly the right word . . . they explode! You'll see . . . or saw. Awesome, right? Love a Gnarly Kill! With those two movies to his credit, expectations for Elysium are sky high for me. That's not necessarily a bad thing. It makes the payoff even sweeter.

This is the synopsis from IMDB: "Set in the year 2154, where the very wealthy live on a man-made space station while the rest of the population resides on a ruined Earth, a man takes on a mission that could bring equality to the polarized worlds." Watching the trailer and looking into the concept of "Elysium" on Wikipedia, it really sets the stage for this upcoming dystopian society Action/Drama/SciFi Movie. I don't know why, maybe it's the intensity, but Action/SciFi/Horror is my favorite subgenre combination. A close second, which these next three examples are, is Action/Adventure/SciFi. And, when the storyline is set in a dystopian society, so much the better.  The Matrix is the best example I can think of, and The Chronicles of Riddick. Places where the lead character doesn't fit in and something is really wrong with the way things are. In a way, Aliens is like that too because the evil Corporation has caused a catastrophe and the aliens have t

Elysium seems like that but also it brings to mind the 99%. Looking at the trailer, it seems just an exaggeration of the way things already are. Once the gap between rich and poor gets this wide, there's bound to be revolution. I am wondering, and I am really glad they haven't given it away, what the mission Matt Damon is on entails.  I think he's perfect for the role for exactly the reasons I write about on why we love him as an Average Joe. Matt's humanity will no doubt be used in some interesting dramatic way, judging by Sharlto Copley's performance in District 9. I like it that the lead character is a bit beefier this time.

The whole look of the movie is just too cool. Can't wait to see the vehicles and what the suit does. Looks like the rich have robot bodyguards too.  Just hope there's some carnage, or maybe we need a word for robot destruction like "wipe", or, making some up: TRM (total robot massacre). Between Elysium and Pacific Rim, there better be some TRAK (total robot ass kicking).

Pain & Gain: Mark Wahlberg Shreds It!
Apr 26, 2013

No matter what you're expecting from @PainGainMovie, you'll be more than satisified. The intensity of Mark Wahlberg's performance is relentless. He holds your attention to the point where you are sometimes holding your breath. The characters are crazy, of course, and everyone in the movie is really great. @TheRock is a stand out for sure. For Mark Wahlberg to hold his own against the quirkiness and stature/screen presence of Dwayne Johnson's character is really saying something. You might have thought it would have been cast the other way around, but it wouldn't have worked that way. @TheRock has so much in real life, it works really well to take some things away and make him a 'loser'. The script is really good and there are funny lines throughout to keep you laughing. A lot of times—when you're not cringing—you're already laughing at the situational humor. An ensemble cast hasn't been this cohesive for me since The Matrix.

I will definitely buy this movie and chuckle as I watch it over and over for years to come. I think it will be highly quotable, and hope to see it a couple more times in the theater before it goes away.  Gotta go again just to write down some of the lines—It's a Classic Action/Comedy/Crime!  As an Action Movie subgenre, I'd categorize it as a Heist Movie. The relationships are too many and too complex to say it's a Buddy Movie.

It's a wildly colored "Crime Does NOT Pay" poster child. The only miss in it was the scene from the trailer when Mark Wahlberg's character decides he needs a pump and The Rock encourages him. When you see that in context it's funnier the way it was presented in trailer. They add another layer of what The Rock is saying, and it's too much. Still funny, but funnier the first way/simpler way in the trailer. You'll see.

I hope Michael Bay is proud of it (all the talk about Armageddon lately is so dumb). I wish non-Bay-fans would just "Shut up and Eat their Awesome." @S4TE Michael Bay is an Action Movie God!

Patrick Hughes to direct Expendables 3
Apr 23, 2013

Truly exciting news today from @TheSlyStallone. He is giving a new Writer/Director the chance of a lifetime. Patrick Hughes, an Australian, will get to direct the best of the best.  So damn exciting. It's got to be so rewarding to share what you know and pass it on to someone you feel is worthy.  Judging by Mr. Hughes' full-length feature Red Hill, he not only knows what he's doing, he's great at dialogue and creating tension. It's on Netflix or you can watch it on Amazon. It's categorized on IMDB as a Thriller/Western and delivers on both. There are some great lines and nicely framed shots (like these two). I would (and will) watch it again.  The music by Dmitri Golovko has a cool edge that reminds me of classic spaghetti Westerns (heavy trumpets, solemn beat)..

Pain & Gain Premier in Miami:
New Times Good Time
Apr 20, 2013

You may have something like the "alternative weekly" Miami New Times where you live. It's a local newspaper/website that has all the nightclub information, singles personal ads like crazy, and local stories/features that are a little wacked (like Mugshot Fridays), or that hit the pulse/crystalize the moment. In Miami that's usually a heaping helping of political corruption, art and cultural events and/or local personalities, weirdos, and whatever's controversial. Where did someone get their face eaten off? Where else. And remember when Kim Kardashian posed in W magazine in silver paint, well, of course a guy in Miami had to do his version. Like that.

Don't get me wrong, we all love it. While it's the Miami New Times, we just call it the New Times. The editing is creative, the writing's great, and it's always fun to read. They know what's "hot" and everything that's going on. Their covers are always attention-getting.

The New Times published the original, true life story the movie Pain & Gain is based on. If you want to read it, the installments are here.

Their video from the Pain & Gain Miami Premier on April 12th is priceless. The New Times reporter tries to have fun with the cast, and the way they all react says a lot about them. Ed Harris takes himself WAY too seriously (but then you already knew that if you've ever watched the outtakes from The Rock .) Good times!

Super-good Man of Steel Trailer #3
Apr 18, 2013

This trailer makes me happy, and I am trying not to bring expectations to this film, so I watched it. For the pure enjoyment of Action Movies, which is the most important thing, I am working on not bringing anything into seeing an Action Movie. I prefer to just enjoy it as a movie. What makes me even happier is that it is 2 hours and 28 minutes!  Based on @GraceRandolph's take on it, I wonder if it will end with Superman becoming Clark Kent, setting it up for the next movie and making you hungry for that aspect. It's clearly a journey of self-discovery, and whose journey could be more action-packed than Superman's?! After seeing this trailer, I love the "Man of Steel" aspect/name and maybe I can stop calling it Superman by mistake all the time. LOL  Enjoy:

The Action Elite aka @Action Elite
Apr 15, 2013

Full Metal Jacket at @OCINEMA Wynwood
Apr 9, 20133

No ActionFest in 2013—or just bigger, better, later, and in MIAMI?
Apr 6, 2013

Hey, RYAN GOSLING and BRADLEY COOPER we're talking to you . . .
Apr 6, 2013

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Bullet to the Head Review
Feb 1, 2013

Starting with “I got your old guy right here”, Sylvester Stallone wisecracked, shot, stabbed, punched, and drank his way through Bullet to the Head.  

 The movie was a little Transporter-ish and like Parker, and like Statham's characters Stallone's character James Bonomo aka “Jimmy Bobo” has rules. .

We get to see those rules in action from the get go. The movie also features a gnarly kill near the beginning as Stallone gives someone the Final Destination treatment.

Read more . . .

 

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Fast Six Trailer in 3 Days!
Storyline Revealed
Jan 31, 2013

@fastandfuriousmovieis counting down on @instagram to the reveal of their trailer. I thought they were doing a good job of using social media (twitter @FastFurious and official Facebook Fast & Furiouss) without the extreme overkill like Prometheus did/is still doing, or like A Good Day to Die Hard seems to be. But I spoke too soon. 

If you want to know the storyline, it was revealed today on iamrogue.com. The article mentions they will start pushing the movie after the trailer debuts during the 2/3 Super Bowl.  They use the word "floodgates".  It also says they don't know the final name of the movie, but IMDB has it as ";Fast & Furious 6".  I'm going to not watch the trailer. Been closing my eyes for A Good Day to Die Hard because I want to enjoy the movie, and the trailer seems longer and longer. I'd rather see everything for the first time during the movie and be surprised.

Let me get off the trailers-reveal-too-much soapbox, and say how pumped I am that @ginacarano will be in this movie! Women really need strong role models and not just bimbos in cosplay......

I just hope she's a real Vasquez-type of tough chick and not just another 'sexy' skank-type role. She plays a cop, so maybe that will help.  Will she get to shoot anyone? Will she get to drive? Will she be in a fistfight? or two or three? She has skills, so I hope they use them.  Watch that kick!

The movie seems a little in danger of having too many characters. It has all the cool Action actors the way the Oceans movies had the Hollywood cool set. 

If they focus on The Rock versus Vin Diesel, Action Movie Freaks will be satisfied. Cars, fights, motorcycles, explosions, a tank (more cool photos here), etc. etc. won't hurt! All of the cars they have shown on @instagram are amazing...

One last thought about trailers. If they kept the good stuff out of the trailer, it would pay off exponentially with word of mouth because there would be SO MUCH MORE to talk to your friends about after you see the movie.

But what do I know? I've just been obsessed with Action Movies since before there were Action Movies. Was just thinking today how hungry we were for Action Movies watching kung fun movies in college, and then along came Chuck Norris.  He really not only gave us what we wanted, he spiked the ball.

I have no doubt Fast & Furious 6 will be great, whatever they end up calling it.  And what do they call this?  Ladies and Gentlemen . . . the "Plymouth (Road Runner) Superbird".

 

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Trailers for
Olympus Has Fallen
and Dead Man Down
Jan 27, 2013

Before they showed Parker, there was a preview for Dead Man Down, tagline: "Blood Demands Blood" starring Colin Farrell. So he's taking another shot at Action . . . I think as far as acting goes, he's unequalled, but he didn't seem like he can be a convincing Bad Ass Action Figure after Total Recall. Still, it looks like a hell of a ride. I imagine between him and Noomi Rapace, the acting will be phenomenal, but the Academy won't notice . . . It's labeled Action/Crime/Drama, and I think there are equal parts Action and Drama so I have high hopes to be edge-of-the-seat wildly entertained!  It seemed like an elevated version of what would have once been just another "Mel Gibson movie."

 

There was also a trailer for Olympus Has Fallen (22 Mar 2013). I was wondering what the name would be as I watched it, and "3 Zero 9er" really clicked, but they went with "Olympus Has Fallen". Too lofty. Looks like Gerard Butler's got the Action Figure role down pat here. After 300, he's all good for me.
 

Apparently the movie was once called "White House Taken" Ooof! Talk about bad titles.  [This tidbit came from allouttabubblegum.com (back in June 2012).] I guess they had to change the title because there is a movie called "White House Down" starring Channing Tatum due out June 28th, 2013. 

 

 

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"Parker" Review
Jan 24, 2013

I love a good Heist movie, so, I'm hoping Parker delivers.  It opens tomorrows (they had a midnight showing tonight). I did a search for images and JLo is in most every one. What I'm really hoping for is Statham being a smart ass. 

I saw it and really enjoyed it!  Here's my take on this Taylor Hackford takedown.

 

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"Blade Runner 2"
Jan 23, 2013

Are you obsessed with Blade Runner? So is SciFi Movies Network, who is keeping track of Blade Runner 2 news, like this description of a scene by Ridley Scott.  The original article appeared on Collider.com. Below is Blade Runner tribute artwork by a very cool artist, Pavel Elagin.

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"The Last Stand" is really 'Over The Line'
Jan 22, 2013

I went to see The Last Stand Thursday, January 17th before it officially opened. Couldn't wait to see Arnold back in Action Movies in a leading role. For the most part, I liked a lot about it (I will pay to see it again). The driving was astounding! I couldn't believe how good the stunt driver(s) must be. At one point I was wondering "How did they do that!?"  If the stunts are great, enough shit blows up, stuff crashes, guns are huge, well, you get the picture . . . I'm happy. Read more . . .

 

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"The Last Stand" opens tonight!
Jan 17, 2013

Sonny Landham is in it!  Got my ticket :) "There's something out there . . . "

 

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Who is the Biggest BIKER BAD ASS?
courtesy of: BikeBandit.com
Jan 16, 2013

This cool infographic is from BikeBandit.com "The Web's Largest Powersports Store".

They have After Market & OEM parts for many brands, Riding Gear, Clothes & Accessories, and an online Community with Blogs, Videos, Race Results, well, you name it . . . they probably got it covered, cause they are BAD ASS themselves.

 

Special thanks to BikeBandit.com for sharing this infographic.

Here are the Sources mentioned above in grey:

"The 15 Coolest Motorcycles From Sons of Anarchy"

1950 Harley-Davidson FL Panhead Hydra Glide Review from Just Bikes | Australia

Sons of Anarchy wiki | Jackson "Jax" Teller

"Mad Max and Post-Apocalyptic Motorcycles" | AllAboutBikes.com magazine
 
"The TT Special 650 Triumph from The Great Escape" | Steve McQueen online

mbike.com | Encyclopedia. Community. Map.

 

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"World War Z" Trailer
Jan 13, 2013

They have kicked up the zombie notch another level from fast to numerous. Will the sheer volume of ravenous zombies be enough? Not for an Action Movie unless the blow them away in equally large numbers and lots of creative, gnarly ways. Yeah, carnage. That's what we want!

 
 

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Trailer for Thor Heyerdahl's "KON-TIKI"
Jan 9, 2013

There are books you read at an impressionable age that stay with you for life. For me, Kon-Tiki was one of those books.

Another was Erich Von Daniken's Chariots of the Gods.

They were almost required reading for children of the '70s and '80s. Certainly they created an unquenchable thirst for adventure in my soul, and sparked my imagination. These two book covers (1968 paperback of Chariots and 1960 version of Kon-Tiki) are the versions I read (picked up at garage sales). The adventure and bravery in Kon-Tiki is astounding. You're going to watch the trailer and think they're crazy, but yes, they really did all that.

The  real life story is fascinating not only for the academic theory and the journey, but also as a triumph of the human spirit.  There was a movie made in 1950 about the 1947 journey of the Kon-Tiki (the book was first printed in 1948), but now they have remade it. It was released in the U.S. on January 5th, 2013 to a Film Society of Lincoln Center audience. It cannot be found on amctheatres.com yet.  I hope it comes to Miami. 

 

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Attend the premiere of "The Last Stand"
Jan 9, 2013

The premiere of Arnold's newest film The Last Stand will be on Monday, January 14th at 7:30PM at Grauman's Chinese theater in Hollywood. The first 100 attendees in line will also get to be placed into the fan pits on the red carpet. This is a first-come, first-served event so arrive early, and good luck!

Go to www.gofobo.com/RSVP and use the code ACTIONYYRR to download your tickets.

Grauman's Chinese Theater
6925 Hollywood Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90028

Synopsis: Action icon Arnold Schwarzenegger makes his much-anticipated return to the big screen in Korean director Kim Jee-Woon's hard-hitting U.S. directorial debut, The Last Stand. After leaving his LAPD Narcotics post following a bungled operation that left him wracked with remorse and regret, Sheriff Ray Owens (Schwarzenegger) moved out of Los Angeles and settled into a life fighting what little crime takes place in sleepy border town "Sommerton Junction". That peaceful existence is shattered when Gabriel Cortez (Eduardo Noriega), the most notorious, wanted drug kingpin in the western hemisphere, makes a deadly yet spectacular escape from an FBI prisoner convoy. With the help of a fierce band of lawless mercenaries led by the icy Burrell (Peter Stormare), Cortez begins racing towards the US-Mexico border at 250 mph in a specially-outfitted Corvette ZR1 with a hostage in tow. Cortez' path: straight through "Junction, where the whole of the U.S. law enforcement, including Agent John Bannister (Forest Whitaker) will have their final opportunity to intercept him before the violent fugitive slips across the border forever. At first reluctant to become involved, and then counted out because of the perceived ineptitude of his small town force, Owens ultimately rallies his team and takes the matter into his own hands, setting the stage for a classic showdown.

 

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Instagram is 'back'!
Jan 6, 2013

Good news! @instagram changed their mind about profiting off our pictures. I was wondering about the copyright issues it would raise with celebrities and movies. I re-joined (I had deleted my account in protest), and since actionmoviefreak was not available, the new name on the account is actionmoviefreakdotcom.

Follow fastandfuriousmovie for photos from the filming of The Fast and the Furious 6.

 

 

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"They Live" at Alamo Drafthouse tonight!
Jan 5, 2013

If you live near Austin, Texas, you can see They Live tonight @10PM—Wish they'd open an Alamo @drafthouse in Miami near @FIU!

 

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New Year's Action Movie Resolutions
Jan 4, 2013

1. Can't believe I'm saying this but, even though I will post trailers when I find out about them, I am not going to watch trailers for Action Movies I'm really excited about anymore. Here's why: Trailer Overload—Too Much of a Good Thing?!  I think Prometheus was the breaking point. They did too much exposure for that movie and the trailer gave away EVERYTHING plot-wise ("We were so wrong" (@2:10) removed ALL suspense, and the ship crashing should not have been shown). Don't know that I would have liked it any better, but at least I would have enjoyed watching it more. If you feel the same, I'd love to hear which trailer ruined the movie for you: gynell@gmail.com.

2. I'm having fun participating in AllOuttaBubbleGum.com's 3rd Annual Action 100 List. Each year, they let us submit our Top 100 Action Movies, then they compile them, and we all rate the movies on the compiled list on a scale of 1-10. If you're an Action Movie Freak, it's a great opportunity to find gems you've never watched. This year, I resolve to watch 5 movies from the list that I've never seen (high-rated movies of course) by the end of January, and to watch the rest of them before next year (! yikes).

Check out their Top 100 Action Movie lists from 2010 and 2011.

You know you would!  AllOuttaBubbleGum.com is a very cool site.
They're on YouTube and twitter as well @AllOuttaBG and @Kain424.
And join the FORUMS so you can submit your Top Action 100 next year.
You know you want to . . .

I have moved all the blog posts from this year to another page, but I left this list from last year so you could see results . . .

AllOuttaBubbleGum.com's
2nd Annual TOP 100 ACTION MOVIES
January 1, 2013

It's out! AllOuttaBubbleGum.com's 2nd annual list of the Top 100 Action Movies was posted today, and here are the results (condensed).  Looks like the combination of John Woo and  Chow Yun Fat is best, holding the first spot and tied for the second.  If you LOVE this, listen to like-minded fun on their podcastt.  The list is a little Western heavy (I can't argue they are not great movies though with great Action and definitiveive Bad-Ass characters.) Rambo is the only series where ALL the movies made the list. To celebrate that is the best tribute video EVER (at the bottom)!

1. HARD BOILED (1992)
2. - 4. The Killer (1989)
           Predator (1987)
           Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
5.  Indiana Jones And The Raiders Of The Lost Ark (1981)
6.  A Better Tomorrow (1986)
7. - 8. Die Hard (1988)
           Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade (1989)
9. Total Recall (1990)
10. - 11. Star Wars: Episode V — The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
               The Terminator (1984)
12. - 15. Commando (1985)
               The Good, The Bad, The Ugly (1966)
                Lone Wolf And Cub: Sword Of Vengeance (1972)
                True Lies (1994)
16. Rambo (2008)
17. RoboCop (1987)
18. Police Story (1985)
19. Fist Of Legend 1994)
20. Eastern Condors (1987)
21. - 22.  Aliens (1986)
                The Matrix (1999)
23. Red Cliff (2008-09)
24. Bullet In The Head (1990)
25. - 26. Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior  (1981)  
The Wild Bunch (1969)

 

27. Once Upon A Time In The West (1968)
28. - 31.  Django (1966)
                 Lone Wolf And Cub: Baby Cart At The River Styx (1972)
                 A Fistful Of Dollars (1964)
                Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope (1977)
32. - 34.  HEAT (1995)
                The Professional (1994)
                For A Few Dollars More (1965)
35. - 36. The Legend Of Drunken Master (1994)
                 Lethal Weapon (1987)
37. Braveheart (1995)
38. - 43.  A Bittersweet Life (2005)
                 First Blood (1982)
                 Lone Wolf And Cub: Baby Cart In Peril (1972)
                 Snake In The Eagle's Shadow (1978)
                 Sanjuro (1962)
                 Above The Law / Righting Wrongs (1986))
44. Project A (1983)
45. The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring (2001)
46. - 48.  Lethal Weapon 2 (1989)
                The 36th Chamber Of The Shaolin (1978)
                Let's Kill, Companions (1970)
49. Escape From New York (1981)
50. - 51.  Death Wish 3 (1985)
                 A Better Tomorrow II (1987)

52. - 57.   Casino Royale (2006)
                 Conan The Barbarian (1982)
                 Dillinger (1973)
                 The Great Escape (1963)
                 The Siege Of Firebase Gloria (1989)
                 They Live (1988)
58. - 60.   On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)
                 Starship Troopers (1997)
                 The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996)
61. The Crow (1994)
62. - 66.  Black Dynamite (2009)
                 Jackie Chan's First Strike (1996)
                 A Fistful Of Dynamite (1971)
                 Stone Cold (1991)
                 The Untouchables (1987)
67. Die Hard: With A Vengeance (1995)
68. The Getaway (1972)
69. THE LAST BOY SCOUT (1991)
70. - 74.  Battle Royale (2000)
                Enter The Dragon (1973)
                Face/Off (1997)
                GoldenEye (1995)
                The Good, The Bad, The Weird (2008)
75. - 77.  Die Hard 2 (1990)
                Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985)
                The Expendables (2010)

78. - 80.  Blade II (2002)
                From Russia With Love (1963)
                Watchmen (2009)
81. Inception (2010)
82. - 88. Wheels On Meals (1984)
                Rambo III (1988)
                Star Wars: Episode VI — Return Of The Jedi (1983)
                Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)
                The Blues Brothers (1980)
                The Driver (1978)
                 Ip Man (2008)
89. - 91.  Hard Target (1993)
                 Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)
                 Under Siege (1992)
92. - 94.  Shanghai Express (1986)
                 Highlander (1986)
                 To Live And Die In L.A. (1985)
95. Licence To Kill (1989)
96. - 99.  The Street Fighter (1974)
                 Return Of The Dragon (1972)
                 Mr. Majestyk (1974)
                 Taken (2008)

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@TheScottAdkins just posted this on his FB page. Love @TomCruise but I think Scott would've been great too in @OblivionMovie. More Scott Adkins!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Which characters will be in the #JusticeLeague movie via @Machinima_com 
Luv me some #AQUAMAN "swim & fight"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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