Ong Bak 2

Okay, I don't know Thai, but I do know from deduction that "Ong Bak" translated into English means, "No concept of time or chronology."  This is the second in the series and is called "The Beginning" but seriously, "Ong Bak (1 I guess)" 2003 was in 21st century and 2 is in, heck, 18th maybe?  Weird, so it is the beginning and if it is, who the hell is this dude...Methuselah?

Whatever, timing, chronology, laws of medicine and possible blood loss (and ability to remain conscious) aside, not bad.  In fact, this was better than the first.  The fighting style is insane and Tony Jaa is something.  The style is pretty different from the Jett Li, Bruce Lee, and Jackie Chan stuff and may even be more cooler.  Bad gig for the hero is that, "man, can't this guy catch a break?"  Okay, directing good, acting good, music good, cinematagraphy good, and the script...make sure you go subtittles and not dubbed....good.

I would recommend it!

Ong-Bak

Wow, although the standard "righteous out of place dude is and takes down bad established dudes and converts those on the fence" plot, this was okay...okay enough to get me to order the next 2.  What is knarliest about this is the fighting.  I am always into a good Kung Fu/Karate movie but after awhile, they get a bit tedious...especially within one fight, either dude is beaten about the head, face, and neck with chains, 2x4's, feet, shins, etc. over and over and keeps going.

There was a bit of that stuff here, but the fighting style was wild!  It is Muay Thai and definitely different.  Tony Jaa also tosses in some parkour to keep it interesting as well.  This is not something to really go out of the way for, but it was pretty good.  Acting was all good, directing is fine, music...well, it didn't get in the way, script was subtitles and not bad and cinematography was good in that there were no dark spots or anything.  The only annoying part was the girl's voice.  God, that was annoying.

Goon

SEE THIS!  It is Rocky (1976), Slap Shot (1997)-Hanson Brothers' action on steroids, and My Bodyguard (1980) all rolled into one.  With so many little red envelope treats showing up in my house, I forget what I have ordered and have gotten into the practice of bailing on the description the DVD's envelope has and just popping the disc in the player and watching.  Goon, what the heck is this about and within 10 minutes of watching the film, I got it. 

Hesitation ensued when Seann William Scott (Stifler fame from the American Pie series) first popped up on screen, I was bummed.  In the American Pie films, he has been good, but all the stuff I have seen him in since then has been lacking.  He pulled it off here!!  Whew.  Scott is hired as a goon/enforcer for a farm team and for the most part, we follow him as he Gumps his way through the film...funny, funny.  Liev Schreiber is here as well. He has become one of my favorite actors and he rocks here!  He is the hockey league's premier goon and the film culminates with the battle royale they have within a playoff elimination game.  Last headliner is Jay Baruchel.  I saw him in The Sorcerer's Apprentice (2010) with Nicolas Cage...had to watch that as the kids wanted to see it... I am such a good dad.   Baruchel in Apprentice is the timid, shy, whiz kid.  In Goon, way different; raunchy, rude, crass, and hilarious.  Awesome.

Acting is good, directing is great, script is just fantastic (as in one scene, Scott's girlfriend runs up to him crying and in trying to figure out what's wrong, he asks, "what's wrong, why are you crying, did you just see Rudy (1993)), and cinematography is dead on: well lit and nothing is missed or hard to see.  Lastly, what is the cherry on this syrupy sundae of love is the soundtrack....it is full on Canadian style power rock the like of Rush, Y & T, and Triumph!

See this!!!!

Little Big Soldier

A few days have passed since I saw this and I keep thinking about it.  Right after it ended, I was not really moved to much, but afterwards, yeah, it was okay.  More to the point, "Hey, that was Jackie Chan?!"  In this role he still had some of the goofy stuff that has paid great dividends for him here in the States, but there was much more. 

The acting was really good, the cinematography great, the directing was good and the script...hell, I have no idea, it was Chinese so for all I know, they could have been using the script from "Dumb and Dumber."  The only goofer would have to be the sub titles were sometimes a bit tough to read and also, there were scenes with a lot of action and dialogue so I probably missed some stuff here and there.  All good though.  As for the soundtrack, no issues with it.  I didn't even notice it and when that happens, it means the music actually supported the film well.

I can't recommend the film with all sorts of excitement and raves, but it was a good dealio.

The Last American Hero

This was a rewatch from about 1976 for me and for the rest of you....SEEEE THISSSS!  Jeff Bridges has always been a favorite actor of mine and this flick was one of his first 5 or so.  Awesome.  This is a dealio that has definitely aged well.  If you are a fan of NASCAR or just a good story, this is a killer film to see.   The acting is awesome, the directing is great, the cinematography has it going on, the script is good and the soundtrack is good period stuff as well.

You name it; father/son drama, brother/brother drama, dude coming of age drama, the dude who doesn't fit in to the rules of the game but changes them and wins, all of those story lines get it going in here.  Glad I saw this one again!

Clash

Nyah.  Nothing new, nothing catchy.  Same story line of a dude way deeper undercover than maybe he should be who falls for a girl who is one of the bad guys (I mean people...sorry PC crowd) who is there only becuase she is trying to do the right thing.  One person in the group of baddies is a Benedict Arnold turncoat who plays both sides etc.  Yadda, yadda, yadda.  To get this story, just see Ronin (1998) or Point Break (1991) or something else and save yourself from having to goof subtitles.  Acting okay, directing okay, cinematography okay, script...not sure, all Vietnamese, and music: BAD.

Take Shelter

See it.  Okay, before the straight dope on this, I have to get something funny off the chest.  Right before this film I saw "Barry Munday" (2010) and in it was a supporting actor named Shea Whigham.  Hadn't seen the dude in much of anything and then pow, here is here but in a totally different (but again) supporting role...the dude has chops.  Speaking of acting chops, Michael Shannon ROCKS!  He is a dude who, just because of his expression, looks, and size you hope isn't going psycho because, well, it would be bad.

Okay, only Curtis (Michael Shannon) can see and here things that are just outta place; he also has some majorly spooky dreams as well and a mother who has been committed for being a psycho.  "Curtis, the cards are stacked against you!"  This is one of the best movies I have seen in a long time and for me (who watches a ton of movies, that is about a month) it is close to being one to watch a second time.  It was that good.  The acting led by Shannon is awesome and so are the supporting roles as well.  The directing was great, the writing awesome, the cinematography great, and what you don't get often is a killer soundtrack.  The music was an element that just really pushed this thing way up there!  SEE THIS ONE!