- Joined
- Nov 21, 2022
Nothing wrong with good traditional action film but, there are some that are just good movies even without the guns/explosions and car chases. As in the dialogue/characters/acting/plot are great, details like the firearms actually sound like a gun being fired in an urban environment, you get the idea.
Here are some of my recommendations:
1995 Heat, an actually good "heist" action film Robert De Niro, Al pacino, Val Kilmer, Danny Trejo, Tom Sizemore all in the prime of their careers. Danny Trejo stopped being an alcoholic, Tom Sizemore was also sober from his meth problem, Robert De Niro hadn't become a liberal faggot yet but, the movie itself is so so well done for an action film. The movie was so well received it was alleged to have inspired the infamous "North Hollywood shootout", google that rabbit hole if you want to. To me the dialogue between De Niro an Pachino is almost worthy of a short film al by itself.
Here's a good modernized trailer, be warned it's slightly on the spoiler side as all modern trailers are.
My second recommendation is Collateral 2004, Jamie Foxx is a cab Driver and kind of a pussy/nobody who picks up the wrong fare played by Tom Cruize. The movie has some good action scenes, more importantly the story and acting are great imho. Javier Bardem before he was a bigshot has some dialogue. Tom Cruize typically plays the protagonist, the likeable smart mouthed funny hero. In this film that is not him
Trailer
If you never plan on seeing this movie, as in you're dying of cancer tomorrow or something this will ruin my favorite scene in the film for you. I can't get enough of this scene, I'm somewhat of a firearms enthusiast so take that into consideration;
3rd recommendation,
No Country for Old Men, 2007. Based on a Cormack Mcarthy novel IIRC, Josh Brolin plays an everyday redneck blue collar type literally living in a trailer in the mid 1980s, other than being a little bit on the clever side and knowing his way around firearms that's his entire character till he reaized what he's gotten himself into. He's out hunting antelope in a rural area and comes up on both an one hell of asset and liability. Javier Bardem as his adversary is outstanding and just for lack of a better term "scary as fuck". IMHO this launched Javier Bardem's career from character actor to lead roles.
4th Recommendation:
Drive 2011, Slow paced "car chase" type of action film, first 10 minutes are the best scene in the movie imho, the main Character played by Ryan Gosling is purposely given as little background as possible and he's somewhere between traditionally stoic and literally autistic a very different take on the traditional "anti-hero". As implied by the title chase scenes are the highlight as far as action goes, the plot and story are enough to carry the film and without ruining it for you the script does not go as you'd expect. There are some odd choices in the music but nothing terrible. Albert Brooks has always been typecast as this goofy lovable Jewish guy and he although I'm certain his character is Jewish it's not Albert Brooks you've seen before. Bryan Cranston is in it and he's great as always.
Aliens 1986, I dont' think I could spoil this movie if I tried. just watch it if you have not yet, it's debatable more sci-fi than action but the injection of action into the "Alien story" was loved by everyone. Some claim it was a parable for the Vietnam conflict, I don't have an opinion on that.
"Game over, man., Game over"
Here are some of my recommendations:
1995 Heat, an actually good "heist" action film Robert De Niro, Al pacino, Val Kilmer, Danny Trejo, Tom Sizemore all in the prime of their careers. Danny Trejo stopped being an alcoholic, Tom Sizemore was also sober from his meth problem, Robert De Niro hadn't become a liberal faggot yet but, the movie itself is so so well done for an action film. The movie was so well received it was alleged to have inspired the infamous "North Hollywood shootout", google that rabbit hole if you want to. To me the dialogue between De Niro an Pachino is almost worthy of a short film al by itself.
Here's a good modernized trailer, be warned it's slightly on the spoiler side as all modern trailers are.
My second recommendation is Collateral 2004, Jamie Foxx is a cab Driver and kind of a pussy/nobody who picks up the wrong fare played by Tom Cruize. The movie has some good action scenes, more importantly the story and acting are great imho. Javier Bardem before he was a bigshot has some dialogue. Tom Cruize typically plays the protagonist, the likeable smart mouthed funny hero. In this film that is not him
Trailer
If you never plan on seeing this movie, as in you're dying of cancer tomorrow or something this will ruin my favorite scene in the film for you. I can't get enough of this scene, I'm somewhat of a firearms enthusiast so take that into consideration;
3rd recommendation,
No Country for Old Men, 2007. Based on a Cormack Mcarthy novel IIRC, Josh Brolin plays an everyday redneck blue collar type literally living in a trailer in the mid 1980s, other than being a little bit on the clever side and knowing his way around firearms that's his entire character till he reaized what he's gotten himself into. He's out hunting antelope in a rural area and comes up on both an one hell of asset and liability. Javier Bardem as his adversary is outstanding and just for lack of a better term "scary as fuck". IMHO this launched Javier Bardem's career from character actor to lead roles.
Locks do not work the way they are defeated/exploited in this film, this comes up a lot. Take a it from someone who has breached a thousand doors for civilians and law enforcement this simply just does not work this way. I mean I found it interesting and cool but my own autism and technical knowledge struggled with the suspension of disbelief
4th Recommendation:
Drive 2011, Slow paced "car chase" type of action film, first 10 minutes are the best scene in the movie imho, the main Character played by Ryan Gosling is purposely given as little background as possible and he's somewhere between traditionally stoic and literally autistic a very different take on the traditional "anti-hero". As implied by the title chase scenes are the highlight as far as action goes, the plot and story are enough to carry the film and without ruining it for you the script does not go as you'd expect. There are some odd choices in the music but nothing terrible. Albert Brooks has always been typecast as this goofy lovable Jewish guy and he although I'm certain his character is Jewish it's not Albert Brooks you've seen before. Bryan Cranston is in it and he's great as always.
Aliens 1986, I dont' think I could spoil this movie if I tried. just watch it if you have not yet, it's debatable more sci-fi than action but the injection of action into the "Alien story" was loved by everyone. Some claim it was a parable for the Vietnam conflict, I don't have an opinion on that.
"Game over, man., Game over"
