The Part-Time Critic

2011-09-26T12:48:00.003-04:00

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Season of Change

2010-09-13T20:00:00.002-04:00

"He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him" -Daniel 2:21-22

Along with the new season of Fall outside has come a new season within for me. What has begun in the summer has only grown and matured till it has become unavoidable. A season of change is at hand for me. The reason I am sharing it here, is that it will effect this blog.

I work full-time at Mosaic Church as the Ministries Director and my life for the last three years has been devoted and submitted to that body of Christ. Pastor Mario asked me back in 2005 to join the team, and we planted the church in 2007. Since then, I have given of my life to begin building the foundations and ministries that make it up. While I'd be the first to admit that I wasn't exactly experienced enough for the job, the last three years have been filled with grace, mercy, patience, and miraculous growth. How Pastor Mario (and God ultimately) ever thought they could trust me with essentials of a ministry is beyond me. Looking back over the three years, it's plain to see my faults and shortcomings and how the Lord has smoothed them out and still grown our fellowship.

During this time I was able to establish this website and begin working on my desires to review films, create film lists that interested me, and share my thoughts with the world. While my blogging has always been off and on, my film watching has always been steady. I love watching, analyzing, and talking about films. In fact, during a hard season of my Christian faith, it was the cinema and films like Adaptation, Lost in Translation, The Passion of the Christ, The Return of the King (and several more) that God used to speak to me, teach me, and guide me in ways that sermons and bible studies couldn't do. This ultimately developed into a habit (thanks to my local AMC and Regal, as well as Netflix) that consumed hours and hours of my time. I began watching and cataloging hundreds of films a year. In 2005, King Kong became the #1000 film I had ever seen. Now in 2010, I am already at #1967. In less than five years I've seen nearly 1000 films, and that doesn't count re-watches! How many hours, how much time?

While I still enjoy film, I have felt the constant calling of God to begin giving it up and moving into a new season. To accomplish the vision and mission before me, I can no longer spend my time this way. What does that mean for my film life and this site? It means I've already slashed my Netflix account (I've gone from 4 at a time to 2 and just might cancel it), cancelled my Tivo subscription, and will begin cutting back dramatically on the # of films I see in the theatre. It means I won't be purchsing anymore DVDs, and especially not ordering the Kung Fu flicks I wanted to get in for my awards (True Legend, The Legend of Chen Zhen). It means that your likely going to see little to no posts from me (regarding film) on this site for the near future. While it doesn't mean I won't share my thoughts on a couple films for here to there, it does mean that I am not going to purposefully be writing anything up or continuing with any of the projects on my list.

I don't know what the next season will look like for me or this blog; will there be many film posts? Will it become decidedly more spiritual in tone? Will it become a ministry blog? I honestly don't know. What I do know is that when God whispers, one is right to be obedient and make the sacrifice. While it feels like I am giving up something I truly love (perhaps this is why it is being asked of me), I know that God has greater plans for me and I move forward in excitement. My heart has been captured by the vision of the power and importance that the local church offers to the world. My eyes have wondered at the power of Christian discipleship and it's ability to give life to the dead, sight to the blind, and freedom to the oppressed. My mind is constantly overtaken by the challenge of Christian leadership. My ears have heard the call of my Savior to enter into a new season of devotion and sacrifice like I have not experienced before. Will I leave all that so I can continue to watch a film every night?

Perhaps it's silly to write so eloquently about giving up 'film', but it's truly a difficult thing for me. It's something I'm passionate about, and it's something that brings a lot of fulfillment to me. Perhaps when I come out of this new season I'll be able to step back into this world of film again, I don't know. I just might come with a renewed perspective and with more to offer. Or I might never refind my passion. I don't know. What I do know is that God is good and it is wise to listen to his voice. Where it takes me I don't know, but with him I will go.

p.s Thank you to everyone who has read/commented and shared my site with others. Thank you especially to Scott Mendelson who has linked to and promoted my site several times in places I never expected to get a shout out.

Jackie Chan's Top 100 Action Scenes: 10-1

2010-08-30T19:12:00.006-04:00

10-1

10. Stunt Spectacular: Closing Fights & a Falling Wall
Project A Part II (1987)
Category: Fight - Multiple People

It has taken me many viewings to come around to this finale sequence, but in the end, I felt a top ten without it couldn't be representative or authoritative. It's not the only Chan finale to stretch over ten minutes long and it's not the only Chan finale to be a hybrid of stunts, visual gags for humor, and quick fights (this is a hallmark of the Project A series), but it's quite possibly the best mixture he's ever achieved. Like the last half of The Beatles Abbey Road album, this sequence plays like a medley of half imagined ideas that when taken in individual parts isn't remarkable, but when put together and taken as a whole, achieves the level of a masterpiece. Stand out moments for me include a beat where Chan enters into and fights a bad guy in a rotating cage (The most remarkable aspect is just how fluid and easy Chan makes the whole thing appear), the numerous high level falls Chan takes, and the ending stunt tribute to Buster Keaton in Steamboat Bill, Jr. Just as in Keaton's film, this mad cap assembly of moments is pure genius and quintessential to any Chan top ten.

9. Keeping the Towel On...From Turkish Baths to the Markets
The Accidental Spy (2002)
Category: Chase
(the sequence begins in the first video at 4:20 and continues into the second video)

Similar to a the "Rat Glue Factory" sequence earlier in my Top 100, this is a hugely entertaining chase scene devoted entirely to Chan's slapstick and visual gags. You can't make as many movies and action scenes as Chan has and continue to put out original material without constantly coming up with twists to the usual chase formula. This scene see's Chan put the simple idea of trying to keep his private parts covered and takes it to very creative lengths with a bevy of props. It could've been just one covering after another, but Chan actually decides to try and use these props to good use against his attackers as well. The scene plays more like an innocent riff on the similar 'Austin Powers' sequences, but with the goodness appeal and action appeal that Chan exudes.

8. Rooftop Fight and Slide
Who Am I? (1998)
Category: Fight - Multiple People

Perhaps the last great pure 'fight' that Chan ever filmed. When it comes to his contemporary fights, Chan can sometimes be overlooked because he employs a more slapdash kickboxing style as compared to the slicker and more traditional kung fu based styles of Sammo Hung, Jet Li, and Yuen Woo-Ping, but there is a real art to what Chan accomplishes in this lengthy and punishing fight. Like most of his 90's fights, it's less about the physicality (although there is a good bit of it) and more about the efficiency and intricacy of the fight. What starts out as a strong one on one fight eventually ramps up into an amazing two on one bout that uses the setting to its full advantage.

Once the one on ones break down (and I admit there is a little too much blocking by Chan here), there is a vertigo inducing sequence on the side of the building that I think is pure genius, not for just the athleticism, but Chan's camera placement as well. If the fight wasn't enough, it's capped off by one of Chan's most incredible stunts ever. I don't care if he used wires here, this stunt takes courage and bravery, and is filmed perfectly. All in all, a masterpiece of fight cinema.

7. Construction Site Mayhem
Mr. Nice Guy (1997)
Category: Fight -Prop

Starting off this sequence (one of my personal favorites to watch over and over again) is a doorway sequence that would make 'Looney Tunes' writers proud. Immediately following it is a masterpiece of prop fighting in a construction site. I remember walking through a Home Depot as a kid and imagining what a fight sequence would look like in a store like it and I think this sequence tops anything I could've imagined or dreamed. Again, it's less 'fight' and more intricate prop use, but how can one argue against the several perfectly timed and executed beats present here? When Chan rolls over the table saw, ducks under the grinder, slides down the rollers, its as if they were always meant to be used that way. This sequence never fails to put a smile on my face.

6. Jackie Chan vs. Bennie "The Jet" Urquidez
Wheels on Meals (1984)
Category: Fight - One on One

I wrote an earlier article on Chan featuring this fight and I commented on the fight there, here is what I wrote then about the fight, "Impressive right? It's brutal, quick, and well paced. Jackie and Bennie's fights caught so much attention because they are both not only legitimate fighters but they are legitimate tough guys as well. Supposedly Jackie asked Bennie to be more aggressive than usual hoping the intensity would come across on screen and it certainly does. They are both so well matched, their fights feel real to me. My favorite elements of the fight are the playful back and forth between them as they feel each other's skills out, as well as several well placed slow motion shots and impact shots. The flip and leg sweep combo that Jackie does at 0:19 is just beautiful." I still agree with the comment and would add that this is the finest one on one fight Jackie would ever produce. It not only rates in his top ten, but would blow away the top ten of most any other fighters.

5. Chairs, Ladders, and Brooms Oh My!
Police Story IV: First Strike (1997)

Category: Fight - Prop

What you have here is the pinnacle of the type of prop sequence that dominated Chan's output in the 1990's. Gone is the emphasis on big falls and hard hits, and what we do have is Chan's most efficient, intricate, and entertaining prop fight ever. It's not only the pinnacle in terms of choreography, but in direction of this category as well. The pacing, the angles, and the editing perfectly cohere to make each shot a perfect complement to the one before. The flow of the action is enhanced by a camera that is always where it needs to be, and an editor that knows exactly when to cut.

Despite it's relative shortness, it tends to feel longer due to a three act structure, and constant ramping up to a sublime climax including feats with a ladder that would make even WWE Money in the Bank ladder match contestants think twice. With the exception of one other fight on my list, this just might be Chan's most iconic fight ever.

4. Yuen Biao & Jackie Chan Clear Out a Heroine Factor w/Urquidez Part II
Dragons Forever (1988)
Category: Fight -Multiple People

There isn't much to say about this sequence other than, "WOW". The stunts are ridiculous, the fighting great, and the acrobatics are top notch. The fact that we get to see a rematch of Chan and Bennie "The Jet" Urquidez as the climax of the sequence is what puts this one into the record books.

3. Rope Factory Finale
Miracles (1989)
Category: Fight - Multiple People

It's telling that this scene came out in 1989 because it perfectly straddles two periods in Chan's films, his hard hitting and stunt filled films of the mid to late eighties and the more comedic, prop-driven and choreographed films of the nineties. Like Project A Part II's stunt extravaganza finale, this sequence strikes the perfect balance. What sets this one apart is that it isn't a medly of individual parts, but a greatest hits of one homerun gag, one homerun stunt, one homerun back and forth after another. Seriously, do others catch all the details of this fight? This is someone not just at the top of their particular game, but someone creating something completely unique and beautiful that transcends it's own trappings.

2. The Mall Brawl
Police Story (1985)
Category: Fight -Multiple People

Like my #3 choice and my #1 pick, watching this sequence for the first time was just jaw-dropping. As I said before, it represents not someone working at the top of their game, but the work of someone pushing all boundaries and executing such unique vision that it can't help but inspire and entertain. While it's not the most definitive or my favorite of all-time (that belongs to my #1 pick), this is easily the most brutal fight Jackie has produced and the best display of how he envisioned an all out cop vs. thugs finale should be.

This sequence might as well be brothers to the hospital gun fight in Hard Boiled, because both are the epitome of their genres, but both also have still yet to be topped. The crew workers apparently joked that the film should actually be entitled "Glass Story" because of how much glass they break in this finale. I could name all my favorite moments, but the stunts and fight beats are too numerous to share. Like the fight before it, this is one highlight after another.

1. Final Factory Fight
The Legend of Drunken Master (1994)
Category: Fight - Multiple People

This is Chan's greatest masterpiece. The over fifteen minute finale to his greatest film (The Legend of Drunken Master) is one of, if not the greatest, fight sequence ever put onto film. It's said that it took months to film this sequence alone, and every bit of it shows on the screen. When it comes to fight scenes, this is every bit as epic as it gets.

This is a fight fan's dream, a veritable feast of action. Within fifteen minutes we get almost every genre you want; multiple people vs. multiple people, one on many, one on two, one on one, weapons, props, and hand to hand. While it's most remembered for the final fight, it's worth noting that this progression of fights and moments is perfectly plotted. What more could one want? This is easily Chan's most definitive fight as well. Although the fight was released in 1994, it contains elements from his output in the 70's, 80's, 90's and 2000's.

Hearkening back to the old school kung fu flicks and styles of the 70's, Chan brings back his popular drunken style and throws away the slapdash kick boxing style that he thrived on since Project A. This is heavily stylized and tough to execute style of drunken boxing. Also present are the tough, stunt filled moments of Chan's mid to late 80s films. Between the fire stunts and the burning coals, this is perhaps one of the most dangerous shoots Chan has encountered. The 90's peeks its head in with Chan's clever and heavily plotted choreography featuring weapons and different objects. It's most notable in the iron bar fight between a few factory workers. Taken alone, it's a beautiful sequence that would make my Top 100. Chan's future work in the 2000's is also present in that he allows a single creative idea (often a playful one) to drive the fight, and shaping everything in it.

This is supremely evident and gratifying in the final one on one fight sequence between Chan and his most impressive opponent, the fast kicking Korean, Ken Lo. As Chan begins losing the fight to the superior Lo, watch as Chan discovers the high proof alcohol that allows him to fight fire with fire (literally). Not surprisingly after an accidental swallow, he also discovers it allows him to get drunk as well. With this discovery, Chan takes the fight to an extreme you would never guess. What follows are perhaps the most intense 5 minutes of fight every filmed. Fully red faced and going insane, Chan unleashes his full drunken style upon Lo to the amazement of even the most cynical of fight fans. After stringing together 3 or 4 full on attack combo's, the fight comes to a satisfying conclusion more than 15 minutes after it begun.

It's simply the best action sequence Chan has ever filmed. It draws on not just a part of his vision and arsenal, but encapsulates nearly everything he has wanted to accomplish on screen. What is given to us is not merely a dance of kicks and punches, but an accomplishment that engages the viewer and challenges them. It's a message to it's viewer that when one calls upon all the fullness of their faculties, executes with all their abilities, and employs their grandest of visions, they can accomplish something that speaks beyond language barriers and simple entertainment, and can inspire the world over.

Feel free to Comment Below

Behind on the List?
Use the Links Below to Re-Cap

Introduction
100-91
90-81
80-71
70-61
60-51

50-41
40-31

30-21
20-11
10-1

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World Review

2010-08-23T22:51:00.006-04:00

Overall Grade: C+

Playing like an amped up hybrid of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Kung Fu Hustle, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World triumphs when it appropriates the visual cleverness and silliness of the two aforementioned films, but fails in the delivery of its thematic and emotional content. In a film that revels in shorthand references, allow me to reference a tried but true criticism of films like this, "all style and no substance".

Michael Cera plays Scott Pilgrim, a young adult in search of a life and a new girlfriend. At a party he spots Ramona, and attempts at scoring a date with her. He eventually wins out, but there is a catch. Ramona has a bit of a past, and in order to date Ramona, Scott is forced to fight all seven of her evil ex's. You see, Scott has to fight off Ramona's past that keeps catching up to her and ruining her present, get it?

While I will get to my frustrations with the film, let me first commend several of the appealing aspects of this film. First off, the film is crisply edited and thought out. It is constantly moving, with pacing more reminiscent of Crank and framing reminiscent of the anime and arcade. Continuing the video game theme is the sound design and visual effects that are seamlessly integrated into not only the fight sequences, but throughout the whole film, including a stop in the restroom. It's topped off with several enjoyable performances including a scene stealing Jason Schwartzman.

What undermines the entire film is the 'weightlessness' of the universe that is ultimately created. While I am willing to suspend disbelief for the sake of an interesting premise (that there exists an super-powered league of ex-boyfriends), I'm not willing to buy into a universe that ultimately doesn't reflect the emotional weight and gravity of the real world. Let me explain further.

In what world, outside of Pilgrim's dreams, would someone like the neurotic, jobless, and mumbling Scott Pilgrim be able to land the relationships that he does? He's able to date a 17 year old high school student, Ramona 'the girl of his dreams' and apparently dated the popular lead singer of hot indie band. The film never provides a good reason for the attraction these girls have to him, and vice versa. At least the film attempts to make the girls good looking, providing some reason for Pilgrim's attraction to them. Redeeming character traits or good personalities are to much to ask for in the stylized world. After several awkward meets, Pilgrim essentially beds the 'girl of his dreams', until she puts an impromptu end to it. Even Pilgrim's gay roommate is shown bedding numerous men, including straight men, with nary a wink. These relationships are so light and meaningless, how does anyone (including the audience) really get upset or that emotional about any of them. Let alone enough to create an entire league of angry ex-boyfriends?

This same 'weightlessness' undermines what are technically proficient fight scenes as well. The film never provides sufficient reason why Pilgrim is able to fight (outside of a DDR game) at the onscreen ability shown, nor is there any gravity to the punches and falls he takes. What should be fun and entertaining (these sequences are better shot than ones in The Expendables, but are ultimately less meaningful) became dull as I just waited for them to play out. Nor is there any real connection made between why the entire universe is overlaid with video game graphics (as interesting as it is), except for the reason as to just be there. What's that? You say I should just look past it, and enjoy it because of the playful spirit?

While that may be true in regards to the fighting, it's unforgiveable when the film attempts real lessons at it's conclusion. In the climax of the film, Pilgrim is supposed to have discovered self respect and thus ultimately that the battles he is fighting in life is not for a 'woman' but for self-respect. While that's cute, it would be nice for the rest of the film to support that conclusion. What has Pilgrim come to respect about himself in the end? He is still the same neurotic, jobless, and mumbling guy as he was before. Even without this little thematic twist, the film still plays out exactly the same as if he was just fighting for the girl/ On top of that, what about Ramona's self respect? Does she have to stand by and watch as a boy fights to free her and earn his self respect? What about all the supporting characters who continue on in self-disrespecting lifestyles filled with vulgarity and cheating? Does real self respect and love exist in a world without gravity?

It's a shame because there is really a lot of good stuff on display in this film. By the climax, I really felt as though the film was exactly what you would get had you handed a geeky film student a large budget to make anything he wanted. What you end up with is a heavily stylized and 'cool' universe that floats along without scrutiny, but ultimately crashes to earth when asked to speak to its real-world audience. It's similar to what people are realizing when it comes to 3-D films these days; while it can certainly add razzle-dazzle to a film, if it doesn't help to 'speak' to a real world audience, then it's just another visual effect.

The Other Guys Mini-Review

2010-08-10T22:57:00.005-04:00

Overall Grade: C+

There's a certain point about halfway into The Other Guys when I just stopped caring because it honestly felt like the writers did as well. It's a shame because the first half of the film works pretty well and the jokes are more hit than miss. The problem is, the film just continues to play off the same jokes to diminishing returns.

Why it works in the outset I don't know, but once one realizes that half the jokes revolve around the irony of particular people saying something outlandish, like Michael Keaton making TLC (the band not the channel) references, grandma's talking sexual maneuvers, or Ferrell's quiet mild mannered character going crazy from his pimp past. If this was the first time this kind of humor was on screen then it might sustain itself for an hour and a half, but after a decade of this humor, the irony gets old pretty quickly.

While the film tries to be topical and include 'wall street' villains, it's a shame the film tries to be serious about these villains by the end. In fact, we are treated to a terribly out of context attempt at a lesson in 'wall street' chicanery over the end credits. I don't know why films that thrive on 'stupid' humor with 'stupid' plots, over-simplified villains and cardboard motivations believe they have any type of context from which to tell any lessons. What it confirms to me is that these type of comedies, as long as it thrives on 'stupidity' for its humor are inherently limited.

It's a shame because I'm always looking for one of these comedies to break out and become well-rounded, but perhaps it's a fools errand. Has there ever been a well-rounded stupid comedy that doesn't get long in the tooth? Dumb & Dumber? Anyways, point being, its a hit and miss comedy that starts out strong and wears thin pretty quickly. If thats sufficient enough, you'll have a great time. If not, then prepare for another mixed pleasure.

Jackie Chan's Top 100 Action Scenes: 20-11

2010-08-08T21:37:00.005-04:00

20-11

20. Amazonian Woman Brawl
Armor of God (1987)
Category: Fight - Multiple People

This is a very memorable fight that could have been even higher if it didn't feel so overly produced. It's surprising because this stems from the mid to late 80's, which normally produced more of Jackie's free-flowing and lengthy fights. That aside, it's fun to watch the contrast in this fight, and Jackie exploits the differences for all they are worth. While many of the women were probably stunt doubled, it's perhaps one of the most brutal fights with a woman that Jackie has ever produced. All in all, a great fight, but perhaps a little too gimmicky and produced to make the top ten.

19. Chased Through Kuala Lumpur
Police Story 3: Supercop (1992)
Category: Chase

Initially somewhere in the top 50, but after a re-watch it's hard not to be blown away from the epic nature of this chase sequence. It's epic, its gutsy, and it's technically proficient. I appreciate that Chan doesn't just let this scene become one thing, but goes from a great car chase, to an incredible helicopter ride and finishes it out with another jaw dropping set piece on top of a train. The intensity just doesn't stop.

18. The Wind Tunnel Fight
Operation Condor (1991)
Category: Fight - Multiple People

This fight allegedly took weeks to film and it's not hard to see why. While films like The Matrix or Inception have certainly tried to push boundaries with fights in a science fiction perspective, Chan pushes the boundaries of physicality. Incredible playful, creative, and physical, I can think of no real equals to this fight. Some downgrade it because it's not really a pure fight, but that really misses the point of this sequence. For Chan, it's how he is able to utilize a foreign environment and adapt a fight within it. By that standard, this fight is a success.

17. Axe Gang Attack
The Legend of the Drunken Master (1994)
Category: Weapon Fight - Multiple People

Again, how wonderful is it to see legends like Chan and Lau Kar-Lueng team up? Pop them both into one of the most well worn Kung Fu sequences (trashing a restaurant), and you get one of Jackie's best. Notice here the variety of camera work and perspective we get. This fight is at one time big and at other times tight and up close, but the camera captures both feelings perfectly. My favorite moments include Lau knocking people down a whole story and Chan going full on crazy with the bamboo as a weapon.

16. Singing in the Rain Marketplace Fight
Shanghai Knights (2003)
Category: Prop Fight

This is hands down the best sequence to come out of Chan's American efforts. Its the epitome of the light-hearted prop heavy work that marked his American efforts and it also plays like a greatest hits of Chan prop gags. If you've been following the lists closely and watching each video, you'd notice that many gags are re-used here and wonderfully incorporated to make a whole. What separates the sequence is the wonderfully inspired 'Singing in the Rain' moment. It's hard to pull off self-conscious sequences without coming off arrogant or prideful, but Chan is able to make reference of many of his inspirations (the rest of the film does so as well), while showcasing how he has put his own spin in it. Glad this sequence makes it into my top 20.

15. Rat Glue Factory
The Myth (2005)
Category: Chase

It's a sequence like this that proves Jackie is every bit the physical comedy equivalent of a Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin. While not much of a 'fight', this sequence is a joy to watch and like most of his great sequences, milks the premise for all it is worth.

14. Police and Gangster Chase: Running, Fighting, Biking, and Falling off a Clock Tower
Project A (1983)
Category: Chase

Unfortunately, it's broken up into several scenes, but Project A features this mammoth chase sequence that includes some of Chan's most iconic work. Great inventive uses of a bicycle, great back and forth fighting, and one of the most incredible stunts ever put to film (an homage to Harold Lloyd in Safety Last). While, it can feel a little haphazard because it's so broken up, there is a pleasure to just watching these sequences unfold and continue on and on.

13. Fridges, Pinball Machines and Ski's Oh My!
Rumble in the Bronx (1996)

Category: Prop Fight

Three nonstop minutes of fighting that would dominate Chan's mid to late nineties output and probably provide his most consistently pleasing sequences. Would you ever think that fridges could be used as weapons as well as refuges?

12. Playground Fight
Police Story II (1988)
Category: Weapon Fight

If the last sequence was packed, then this one is overstuffed. Without a second to breathe, this might be the most quickly paced fight Jackie has ever put out. It starts out more stunt heavy and settles down into a brutal piece of weapon work. While it doesn't make the top ten because I don't think it's as distinctive a fight as it could be, this is one of those fights where pound for pound, it can compete with anything.

11. Opening Melee: Destroying Towns and Catching Buses
Police Story (1985)
Category: Action and Chase

Just missing out on the top 10, this sequence is the opener from Chan's standard setting Police Story. It's been said that disappointed that Hollywood didn't really understand what Chan wanted to do, he came back to Hong Kong to make a film that would put to celluloid the vision of action he wanted. That this epic scene opens the film shows just how ridiculously gutsy Chan was. Creating and destroying an entire shante town and following it up with some of the most risky parkour and bus stunts on film isn't just risky, it's legendary. This sequence has been remade by Michael Bay in Bad Boys II as well as by the Thai stunt teams in Born to Fight.

Feel free to Comment Below

Behind on the List?
Use the Links Below to Re-Cap

Introduction
100-91
90-81
80-71
70-61
60-51
50-41
40-31
30-21
20-11
10-1

Jackie Chan's Top 100 Action Scenes: 30-21

2010-07-26T20:20:00.008-04:00

30-21

30. Handcuffed and Running from Pirates
Project A Part II (1987)
Category: Chase

This premise is pure silent comedy star and the execution is pure Jackie Chan. It's not a long sequence (about three minutes), but this is one of those quirky chase scenes that is distinctly Jackie. Long before parkour became popular, Jackie is not only incorporating it into his action sequences, but mixing it in successfully with comedic gags as well. Incredible athleticism, gags and some solid fight work make this an all-around wonderful sequence.

29. Nazi Gold Mine Fight
Operation Condor (1991)
Category: Fight - Multiple People

As I've stated before, this kind of sequence became Jackie's bread and butter, especially in the 90's. Put Jackie into an interesting environment, fill it with martial arts bad guys wanting to get a hold of him, and watch Jackie use every part of that environment to hide, neutralize and fight his enemies. It's not the best of the bunch, but it's still WAY out ahead of anyone else. Great, excellent work here. My favorite bit is when Chan nearly gets his head sliced by a rising steel structure overtop some electric coils (its at 2:50). It's a close call that Jackie's face sells perfectly.

28. Escalators and Horse Carriages
Mr. Nice Guy (1997)
Category: Chase

I still continue to believe that Mr. Nice Guy is one of the most underrated of Chan's efforts. Here is a sequence that shows the gentle mix that was trying to be accomplished by Chan and director Sammo Hung. Having seen multiple of Hung's 70s and 80s Hong Kong efforts it isn't hard to understand why Chan plays a chef and can still match anyone kung fu for kung fu. That kind of stuff is accepted in Hong Kong film. Unfortunately, it just doesn't fly for most American audiences that desire some Navy Seal like background for our heroes. I like the mixture of stunts, to fight, to gags that this scene is able to pull off. Unfortunately the editing misses some of the lighter moments that begin this sequence. Enjoy.

27. Train Thief Fight in Three Stages
The Legend of Drunken Master (1994)
Category: Fight - Weapons

The first time the two kung fu legends, Jackie Chan and Lau Kar-Lueng met onscreen, and it doesn't disappoint. Classic weapon work here and there is a particular sequence underneath the train where there must be 10-15 moves in a single take. It's fast and intense and shows the skill involved on both sides. It's a shame that we never saw a finale one on one with these two in a film, but at least we'll always have this one. Wish this could've made my top 25.

26. Arresting Choi Wolf in the Restaurant
Project A Part II (1987)
Category: Fight - Multiple People

Not a lot of frills and novelties in this fight, but this is about five minutes of pure fight and stunt work. It's all fast, and it all looks like it hurts. There are more bad spills and falls in this sequence than in most action stars careers.

25. Motorcycle Chase Through the City to the Docks
Operation Condor (1991)
Category: Car Chase

This is the best car chase (it happens to be a motorcycle though) in Chan's career. I don't think he ever accomplished a truly visceral scene, but he really nailed the stunt work and wide shots necessary for a great scene. Two things in particular stick out here; a sequence where he narrowly misses oncoming cars and cycles by swinging on a bar and the final stunt onto a net over the sea.

24. Pachinko Parlor Brawl
Thunderbolt (1995)
Category: Fight - Multiple People

Here's a standout sequence from an otherwise mediocre film. It's a bit more intense than the typical Chan sequence, but I really enjoy how this film continues to raise the stakes as the fight progresses.

23. Cops vs. Sailors in a Bar
Project A (1983)
Category: Fight - Multiple People

I think this sequence here is able to strike a great balance (as the best ones do) between Chan's gags and legit fight and stunt work. Nearly every gag works superbly here and because it's more limited, the stunts are more memorable.

22. Fireworks Factory Finale
Police Story II (1988)
Category: Fight - Multiple People

How does Chan live up to the standards set in the first Police Story? While not quite as good, this is a fine example of nearly everything Chan brings to the table. Much like in Police Story, Chan goes all out here with stunts, this is work that still has yet to find equal. Although Jaa and his team have come close, there are a few beats here that must've certainly inflicted terrible harm on Jackie's team.

21. Mitsubishi Car Factory Fight
Twin Dragons (1992)
Category : Fight - Multiple People - Prop

The film overall is as terrible as Van Damme's twin feature Double Impact. However, unlike Van Damme's film, Twin Dragons has a couple redeemable action scenes. This is the finale sequence where Chan uses just about everything one could find in a car garage. I love Chan literally running up a moving car, on top of the multitude of other great moments in this sequence. Something you'll hear a lot, the movie is sub-par but this sequence is worth the whole thing.

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Behind on the List?
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Introduction
100-91
90-81
80-71
70-61
60-51
50-41
40-31
30-21
20-11
10-1

Inception: A Second Look

2010-07-26T16:51:00.012-04:00

**Spoilers Contained

This film has more heart and soul than anyone is giving it credit and I deserve part of the blame for that. The general critical narrative for Inception has been that it's a film that features boundless creativity, a great imagination, and a pulse pounding plot; but sadly lacks the emotion to truly involve your heart along with your mind. Upon a second viewing of the film, I think we've got it all wrong. Inception is a film that beams with humanity and features a simultaneous affront and encouragement to its viewer.

In fairness, I think that Christopher Nolan is partly to blame for such a misinterpretation of his own work. The truth is, there is just too much going on within this film to be fully experienced in just one viewing. I'm not saying that it's too complicated, but perhaps too dense to reward a viewer it's fullness with just a single screening; at least it was for me. While I'm still in awe of the ideas at play and the visuals put on screen, my second viewing was more a revelation of themes and heart. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't fighting back tears, but I was touched by several themes that spoke to me in ways I hadn't thought about in my first viewing. It has helped me to reconsider the film, and I hope that you consider them as well. Let me explain.

For me, the film's central dramatic struggle was to keep hold of reality. For the most part, this means that our characters want to know if they are in the real world or are in a dreaming state. Although it also stands in for the central idea of inception; are these my real thoughts after all? It provides for great tension in the film, as it's a nagging problem for Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) as we see him constantly spinning his top to remind himself of reality.

Interestingly, there are two people in the film who truly do lose sight of what 'reality' is; Cobb's wife Mal and a group of 'shared dreamers' in a Mombasa backroom. In the case of Mal, Cobb informs us that, "...she locked away a secret, deep inside herself, something she once knew to be true... but chose to forget." In this case, she locked away and forgot her totem (the same top that Cobb uses), symbolizing that she has chosen to lose track of reality; accepting the dream world as her new reality. In the Mombasa backroom, we are told that this group of 'shared dreamers' meets everyday for several hours of dreaming (equaling many more hours in the dream world). The overseer then states, "They come to be woken up. The dream is their reality now. Who are you to say otherwise?"

Upon first watch, I felt the Mombasa scene was more or less a throw away sequence intended to show how some have become addicted to the dreaming. In retrospect, it provides a sharp contrast and a strong argument against what would become the major theme of the film. With all that 'shared dreaming' has to offer; the extended lifetime, the creativity, and the experiences; it's not reality and therefore inferior, a shade of our real world.

In Cobb's final confrontation with his wife Mal he must confront the decision of spending a practical eternity with her in their own world ("I miss you more than I can bear, but we had our time together. I have to let you go") and desiring to return to the real world and see his children*. Ultimately, Cobb declares to Mal, "Look at you. You're just a shade, a shade of my real wife. How could I capture all your beauty, your complexity, your perfection, your imperfection, in a dream? Yes, you're the best that I can do. But, I'm sorry, you're just not good enough."

I particularly like this idea that we deserve better than our dreams, we deserve reality. Risk, adventure, loss, tragedy, grief and imperfection are central to the human experience and isn't worth losing even if it means gaining immortality or 'togetherness'. While enlightening, it's not exactly a groundbreaking insight into life and one could possible even argue (as Mal and the Mombasa shared dreamers do) that Cobb is wrong and reality isn't all its cracked up to be. This is where I think the film really shines in that Cobb comes to this insight and conclusion honestly and naturally. It is faith that is required in order to understand Cobb's arrival to truth. This is where Nolan's humanity shines through and the cold precision is put to bed.

When Saito offers Cobb the possibility of clearing his name in return for inception, Cobb asks what assurances Saito could give. The reply is "none" that he would have to take him on good faith. Saito offers, "Dare you take a leap of faith? Or become an old man, filled with regret, waiting to die alone." Cobb decides to take the job, hoping the reality of seeing his children again would be better than becoming old and filled with regret. Similarly, when Cobb and Saito (now an old man) both meet again in limbo, a remarkable exchange takes place,

Saito: You remind me of someone... a man I met in a half-remembered dream. He was possessed of some radical notions.

Cobb: I came here to tell you... something.
[pause]
Cobb: Something that... you once knew to be true.
Saito: [remembering] Impossible...

Cobb and Saito have a vague remembrance that their current world is not reality, that reality was awaiting them, but they would both be required to die for it. There are clues, evidence (the spinning top, vague remembrances) and doubts about what is real and not (and ultimately the film still leaves room for doubt), but it will require faith in order for them to meet reality. It's not a math problem or a scientific experiment, but a journey.

While I think this is a correct interpretation of Inception's central theme, it has reverberated with me so strongly because of its ability to speak to my religious beliefs. As a Christian I believe that there are clues and evidence within our world that points to a creator God and an entire spiritual realm of reality. However, there are still doubts (Man is there doubts!) This isn't a math problem or science experiment, but a journey; one that requires faith. Incredibly, like Cobb and Saito who must give up their world of limbo, (where they have full power and control) and literally die; Christ says that we must also give up our world of power and control and die to ourselves in order find the real truth of our world. I find this incredibly enriching.

Am I saying that Inception is a Christian film? Certainly not. Both seek to speak to the truths of our existence, and in that way they are indeed similar. The film's acknowledgment that there are not only clues to ultimate reality, but also doubt about our reality, makes it surprisingly relatable (especially in our postmodern context). Even more so, the films embracement of the necessity of faith in order to experience the realities of life, makes it thoroughly human. In that sense, I think it speaks not just to Christians, but to anyone who has experienced life. Appropriately there is room to doubt for those who look for it (does that top keep spinning?), but Cobb's and Inception's embracement of the real and rejection of the dream (making it very Matrix-esque), symbolized by Cobb's journey to his children, is a full on emotion and humanity.

In fact, taken to its conclusion, the film almost insults the viewer. Like the shared dreamers of Mombasa, we viewers connect and share this dream with Nolan, projecting our own subconscious into the film. In our ever increasing media society where we consume films, television shows, and video games for hours a day, are we not like those living their lives away in a dream world? To that, the film's exhortation to reject the dream and embrace the fullness that reality has to offer is both an affront and an encouragement to its viewer. Of course it's the best type of affront, a warning and a clarion call, that reality waits beyond the doors of the theatre. This to me is the humanity of the film, and it comprises the true contribution that Inception has to offer.

*This also rings true with Cobb's notion that positive emotion always seems to trump negative emotion. Ultimately, the positive emotion of reuniting with his real children has trumped the negative emotion of the guilt he feels for conceiving the idea that would lead to Mal's death.

Jackie Chan's Top 100 Action Scenes: 40-31

2010-07-17T13:00:00.006-04:00

40-31

40. Sword, Pipe, and Skirt Fight
The Young Master (1980)
Category: Prop Fight - Multiple People

I've always found this sequence of fights to have a very natural flow to it without feeling like it was an efficiently edited scene like in Jackie's later years. Here you see what I believe to be the first use of the comedy gag that Chan finds an artifact or prop very useful to his enemy and uses it to fight against him. Lots of great comic moments here, and the final fight between Chan and the woman is quite interesting in how she uses her skirt. In a scene later on this list, Chan will actually pick up that skirt trick and use it himself.

39. Chan vs. Bradley Part 2
Gorgeous (1999)
Category: Fight - 1 on 1

This is the follow-up match to one that occurred earlier in the film Gorgeous. It's a great one on one that features some incredible speed and a real kickboxing vibe to it. It really is a great match, but it's held back a little bit here by Chan's desire to throw a little humor into it. The fight for the most part is about realism, quickness and the upper hand, but there are a few moments that just strike me as too cheesy to give this one a higher placement on my list.

38. Rollerskate Interstate Chase
Winners and Sinners (1983)
Category: Chase

I've mentioned before that there are sequences that just set Jackie Chan apart from any other action star in the world, this is a prime example. The sequence starts out with some pretty impressive stunt work on skates by Jackie and escalates to see him skating between cars and under semi-trucks! This is real dare devil work that isn't paralleled by anyone I can think of. Could you imagine Stallone, Van Damme or Seagal doing anything like this? The whole thing is topped off by a fantastic car pile up. A great sequence.

37. Wooden Shoe Chase in Rotterdam
Who Am I? (1998)
Category: Chase

We are really getting into some of my favorites now. It's not his best chase sequence or fight sequence, but four things work and work really well in this scene. First, the whole play on Jackie losing his shoes, getting his feet hurt, and hurting other's feet serves as a fun gag that binds the whole sequence. Second, the setting really shows off the great architecture and variety in the city. Third, the use of the wooden shoes to me is genius. It's brutal, funny, and ties into the running theme. Fourth, the final stunt where Jackie slides past a street with trucks blaring by has got to be one of his greatest and most dangerous stunts of all-time or a visual trick. Either way, it always catches me off guard and by surprise.

36. Thugs Attack the Car and are Dispersed
Police Story (1985)
Category: Fight - Multiple People

Again, this is the first 'fight scene' from Jackie's redefining Police Story. The focus in these fights wasn't so much on being a stunt-fest, intricate fight fest, or a comedy showcase, but a shortened version that included all those features. The fight would be quick, brutal, and effective. It's a short scene, but there is more packed into it pound for pound than other sequences. Enjoy.

35. Shark Tank Scuba Fight
Police Story IV: First Strike (1997)
Category: Fight - Prop Fight

Here is an easy fight to overlook because it's no slugfest, but to overlook this fight would be to overlook Jackie's uniqueness. If you thought it would be impossible to have an underwater fight, think again, because Jackie milks this scene for all that its worth. Throwing in some great gags with sharks, blood from cuts, and air tanks, just makes this an even better all-around fight scene. Add this with the skate sequence above and has anyone ever had two more diverse action sequences in their career?

34. An Old Man Stops Two Robbers
The Young Master (1980)
Category: Fight - Multiple People

The final and best fight sequence from The Young Master. It's a great all-around fight that Jackie chooses to show off about every skill he has. It also includes the use of the skirt trick from the 'Sword, Pipe, and Skirt' sequence mentioned above. Overlooked and under appreciated, this scene is a great representative of how early Jackie was distinguishing his brand of action apart from any drunken styles.

33. Three Way Fight in Lo Sam Pao's Lair
Project A (1983)
Category: Fight - Weapons Fight - Multiple People

It's always great to see the 'three brothers' (Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, and Yuen Biao) get together for a fight sequence. It starts out as a pretty good scene where each individual gets some great moments and develops into a full three on one against Dick Wei (a regular bad guy in these films). Great team work and fighting set this one apart.

32. Drunken Master vs. Thunderleg
Drunken Master (1978)
Category: Fight - One on One

Although I prefer The Young Master to Drunken Master when it comes to older Chan films, there is no doubt that the finale fight in Drunken Master is leagues ahead of The Young Master's finale. This is one of Chan's all-time great one on one fights. It's long, brutal, and showcases what would become probably his most famous style, drunken boxing. Outside of the sequel to Drunken Master, this is his best sequence of drunken boxing.

31. Construction Site Shootout and Fight with Dick Wei
Heart of Dragon (1985 )
Category: Fight - Multiple People

Heart of Dragon teamed Chan up with Sammo Hung in an attempt at a real drama. Although the movie is a failure, their attempt at a more serious tone did produce this gem of a finale. The violence level is definitely upped from Jackie's normal limits, and the fight style is a little more brutal and street fight esque. Dick Wei re-appears here for an even better fight than the one in Project A.

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Introduction
100-91
90-81
80-71
70-61
60-51
50-41
40-31
30-21
20-11
10-1

Inception Review

2010-07-16T18:59:00.012-04:00

Overall Grade: A

"We create the world of a dream. We bring a subject into that dream and they fill it with their secrets." Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) explains this key plot point early in the film to newcomer Ariadne (Ellen Page). It's an important description of the dream heists that Inception is based upon, but it's also a good basis for understanding how the film as a whole works, how the director/writer Christopher Nolan put it together, and even on a deeper level, how an audience interacts with a film. While Inception is about as intelligent, entertaining, and imaginative as summer blockbuster's get, its lasting contribution isn't really what someone is going to get out of it, but what someone is willing to put into it. However I think I may be getting ahead of myself here, so let me begin on the surface level.

On the surface, Inception is a marvelously written heist film with a science fiction twist. Instead of stealing money, or artwork, the idea here is to extract corporate ideas within the vault of someone's subconscious. If that sounds terribly un-cinematic, it's not. This isn't a 2 hour art-house drama between an estranged and damaged widower and her psychiatrist taking place in just one shot. Nolan, his art director, and cinematographer transform and translate what could essentially be just conceptual ideas into a true visual feast. We are talking exploding realities, cities turning in on themselves, worlds crumbling, and gravity defying fights; is that visual enough for you? Two twists take this basic plotline and begin the real story that drives Inception.

First, a corporate industrialist Saito (played superbly by Ken Watanabe) wants to hire Cobb and his team not to extract an idea from a rival CEO, but instead to implant an idea. It's a risky venture that would require Cobb and his team to go several layers into the subconscious, risking their lives in the process. Cobb is at first not willing to take the risk, until the second twist comes in, Saito offers Cobb as his reward, the chance to return to the United States and see his children. Essentially offering Cobb the vaunted one last job to make things right. Cobb takes it and sees it as his chance to "come home". Why he's exiled from the US, and why he's estranged from his wife and children are answers the film will later unfold.

These two threads (the act of inception and the emotional journey home to his wife and children) really drive the action and emotion of the entire film. From here we get to see Cobb assemble his team, hatch their plan, and then, for the last half of the film, execute the inception itself. Enough about the plot and surface level stuff, how does it all come together and work as a film?

If it seems I've focused a lot on the plot, it's because this film is packed with it. In fact, it feels at times that the film is probably a little too packed with it. The world, ideas, and storyline that Nolan has created is truly incredible, creative, and intriguing. I have no doubt that the ideas and concepts Nolan explores here will spark a slew of like-minded films within the next few years. However, the world that Nolan creates is so intricate and clever, the forward momentum of plot and action so unstoppable, that the performances and drama of the film struggle to become it's equal.

From the very get go, the film hits the ground and keeps moving from one moment, one place, one idea to the next. It's a torrid pace of storytelling that can leave some behind, but more than likely, serves to wrap one up into the film and its ultimate trajectory. This is a film that starts out running, and picks up momentum as it hurls forward and digs deeper. However, the deeper it goes intellectually, the more distant I felt emotionally.

For instance, while the audience is supposed to care deeply for Cobb's emotional 'Journey Home' and reconciliation with his children and wife, the movie never takes the time to bond us with this family. While the film revels in slowly revealing the hidden secrets behind his family, it never revels in revealing to us what was so special about 'home' to begin with. It unfortunately turns his family into one-dimensional pieces of a puzzle that slowly reveals itself and solves itself, as long as you just stick along for the ride.

It's not as if Nolan doesn't spend time focusing on these relationships, there is actually a decent amount of screen time devoted to it, it's that it just doesn't work in the way that everything else does in this movie. Incredible visuals? In spades. Seamless art direction? Check. Ominous and pounding score with accompanying sound design? Best of the summer. Clever and brutal action? Will be remembered for years. Powerful and three dimensional emotional archs? Sort of.

Perhaps though, this isn't a problem of Nolan's making. As I mentioned in the opening, our characters in the film create a dream world and then allow subjects into the dream that populate the dreams with their secrets. What's onscreen is the film and world that Nolan has created; the themes and emotion of the film reflect the vision and mind (secrets) of Nolan himself. However, in talking with a few people about the film, I found that they had a connection with Cobb's family that I didn't. As I expressed my disappointment in the emotional arch, they were surprised because they felt it worked perfectly. Perhaps, the story is a bit more complex than I've given it credit. Perhaps my disappointment and disconnection reflects less Nolan and more of me?

As I began to think along that line of thought, I find it incredibly rich that the central idea of the film (that of building a dream and allowing others to fill it) are essentially what happens when an audience interacts with a film. Each film has all the same elements of a dream world created and sustained by architects (writers), point men (directors), and forgers (actors). Like dreams, movies just begin suddenly and move from scene to scene, and when they bend reality in a way that's unreal we react accordingly. What makes this idea interesting is that the audience then becomes the subject, and we fill these films, stories, and worlds with our secrets and our projections.

** For an interesting read using this line of thought, read below the end of the review. Warning, it contains some spoilers

In this way, Nolan has left several things open to the viewer, and really allows the viewer to fill in accordingly. In this regard, the film is a smashing success and works not only as entertainment, but as a journey of adventure, interaction and catharsis. Without giving away the ending, I will say that it's most not an artistic cop out, but is seated firmly within the ideas and intentions I've mentioned above.

While it isn't a perfect film, Inception is a wonderfully crafted, and intricately plotted film that allows itself to be filled with the themes and idiosyncrasies of not only it's architect and writer, but us the viewer as well. In fact, should we not have expected as much from a film entitled "Inception"? For that reason, this film is able to rise above its few faults, rise above just being an entertaining film, and become a real piece of art. Like the best films, I think it allows each new viewer not just to enjoy it as it is, but to make it their own. Learning not just about Nolan's world and his secrets, but about our own in the process.

**Continued from above: SPOILERS

Continuing from the idea I've outlined above that this film functions in the same way that audiences interact with films. When can say this interpretation actually is manifested onscreen in the character of Saito (Ken Watanabe') as the 'Tourist'. Why does he tag along as part of the team? He say's it's to ensure that Cobb goes through with it. Essentially, I would argue that Saito is the stand-in for the audience here. The film is called "Inception". This is what we want to see Cobb and his team do, along with all the action and drama that comes with it. Saito (the audience) is the one that enrolls him in this action. In fact, isn't the idea of planting ideas into someone's mind, one of the reasons we go to the movies at all? To be inspired by ideas and to let them influence us?

Saito then comes along as 'The Tourist' as the stand-in, getting to not only watch the team in action, but also take part in the whole ordeal. In fact, our main character Cobb can't leave the film until he rescues us and brings as back into the world after the act of inception occurs. It's not until this happens that Cobb is allowed, by an act of Saito, to return and find his happy ever after. Cobb isn't allowed his happy ending, until he's accomplished what we want him to do, overcome his problems (which I would argue is the idea we want to have implanted in us), and get us out in the process.

Is it foolproof? No, but I think it's got a lot to say. Just a cursory reading of the IMDB boards shows there are several other interesting ideas and readings out there as well. This is just one that speaks quite a bit of insight to me.

Jackie Chan's Top 100 Action Scenes: 50-41

2010-07-06T15:59:00.005-04:00

Coming to the Top 50 is a welcome sight as the quality of the sequences continues to get stronger and stronger (as is the natural progression of a Top 100 I suppose). The previous sequences were all quality, but it's always nice to make one's way into the meatier and more substantive sequences of Jackie's career. Keep in mind, there is always some play room in these standings as there really isn't much difference between something at 47 and 42, but I did make sure that natural cutoffs were honored. In other words, the Top 25 was chosen because it's the best 25, and #26 doesn't belong. The top ten was was chosen at the best ten and #11 doesn't belong, and so forth through top five and the final one. I hope you enjoy.

50-41

50. First Full Demonstration of Drunken Boxing
The Legend of Drunken Master (1994)
Category: Fight - Multiple People

Some might put this spectacular sequence higher (meaning a better spot) on their lists, it is indeed incredible, but it's a little too nicely choreographed for my tastes. The whole routine goes a bit too neat for me to make it higher, but that aside, and one has to marvel at the creativeness to think this up and the athleticism to pull it off. One of those sequences you rarely find any other action stars pulling off.

49. Art Gallery Flight Ends in Chasing a Balloon
Around the World in 80 Days (2004)
Category: Fight - Prop Fight/Multiple People
(The fight begins at 8:43 and continues to the next video. There is a brief pause of action and then it begins again on the balloon)

While the film itself isn't much to write home about, Jackie delivers several creative fight sequences in Around the World in 80 Days two which have already made the list. This is the best fight from the film and is one of the best examples of the typical type of fight he would put together for his Hollywood films. While the true fight fan would be disappointed, Chan does little more than simple kicks and punches, but for one looking for more creativity, this sequence is genius. I love the methodical way in which Chan paints a landscape on a canvas during the fight, accidentally punches himself in the mirror and in true Chaplin fashion creates a couple hilarious visual gags going up the side of a building on a rope. In fact, Chan later loses his pants on a statue (with a Chaplin mustache from the art fight earlier) in a reference to Chaplin in the opening scenes of 'City Lights'.

48. Indians Attack
Shanghai Noon (2000)
Category: Fight - Multiple People

As I mentioned earlier, Chan's approach to his Hollywood films seem to be less 'fight' centered and more 'creativity' centered. This focus lead to a lot of prop fights and creative weapon fight scenes, and this is a great example of what he could do. It's a short scene, but it's packed with one creative use of environment after another. Again, easy to overlook as not on par with his Hong Kong work, but this is a different side of Jackie here. There is more efficiency to the scene, and more creativity, just less diversity in the punch/kick area. Seriously, if you were asked to think of creative ideas for fights with only trees as your environment, would you come up with half the ideas Chan did here?

47. Sideways in a South African Alley
Who Am I? (1998)
Category: Car Chase

One of two car chases to make Top 50 (there isn't another until the Top 25), and this one is vintage Chan. Lots of great destruction, narrow streets, and one particular stunt that see's the car go sideways in order to make it through a slim alleyway. Topped off with a nice crash from the top of a parking garage and this is definitely a car chase to feel proud of.

46. Chan vs. Bradley Part 1
Gorgeous (1999)
Category: Fight - One on One

Here is a rare One on One fight for Chan, and it's a powerful and fast back and forth exchange. One of the best ways to really know if our actors have the goods and if the choreographer has the goods, is to see how long the camera maintains a shot, and how many moves are featured in each shot. This fight amazes in that it's composed of several long shots featuring 10 or more moves each! Keep in mind, most Hollywood fight scenes to this day only feature 2-3 moves before a cut. Despite mild use of wires, this is an excellent pure fight for Chan, without the use of props.

45. Indian Temple Fight
The Myth (2005)
Category: Fight - Multiple People/Prop

Did I say that his was kind of fight was Chan's bread and butter? Did I also mention that it's one of my favorite types? Here's another great example of Chan mixing humor, martial arts action, and creative prop/weapon/environment use to craft an efficient and entertaining sequence. It's incredible that Chan was still creating these scenes this late in his career.

44. Motorcycle & Bats Fight
Gorgeous (1999)
Category: Fight - Multiple People/Weapons/Prop

How long do you think it took Chan to learn how to pick up those bats off the ground with just his feet? It's little details like that, which are easy to look past and not appreciate when it comes to Chan sequences. It's a real move, as is all his incredible slickness with those bats. Perhaps this isn't 'better' than the likes of some of the other sequences above, however, it never fails to entertain me greatly to see him go back and forth with those bats like a great Harpo Marx routine.

43. Boat Fight with Gangsters During Lunch
Dragons Forever (1988)
Category: Fight - Multiple People

Can you tell we've returned back to 80's Chan sequences? The fighting is a bit quicker, a little more brutal, but also a bit sloppier. Chan wisely decided to feature a bit more of his athleticism in this sequence, giving it a lot more room to roam and show off all the different things he could do around the boat. Of course, the final stunt kicking the bad guy out the window and out the boat is a perfect topper to a fast moving sequence.

42. Drug Deal Gone Bad Turned Chase
Mr. Nice Guy (1998)
Category: Chase

This sequence comes from one of my favorite Chan films and one of his most underrated. It's the second sequence to make the list from Mr. Nice Guy. Chan always seems to be on top of his game when it comes to foot chases and he throws out all the stops in this one. Great comedy gags (I love the food vendor giving Chan up), quick fighting, and some very creative environment use (seriously, finding a way to fight with inflatables). It's one of those hybrid chases that only Chan can do. Unfortunately, the editor of the videos above cut out some of the visual gags in the sequence.

41. Jackie vs. Jet
The Forbidden Kingdom (2008)
Category: Fight - One on One
(Click HERE or the image to watch the fight. Embedding was disabled)

Look past all the hype surrounding the first match up between Jet Li and Jackie Chan and you'll find a fairly excellent back and forth fight that (while it doesn't blow anyone away) is actually a darn good. The fight is broken up into a couple different sections with each featuring a different fighting styles, including emphasis on leg work, foot work and hand work. I don't mind the wire work (they are both playing mythical characters), but I still would've hoped for a more 'definitive' fight. Still, I don't think we should look past just how great this fight is because it isn't the greatest ever.

Feel free to Comment Below

Behind on the List?
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Introduction
100-91
90-81
80-71
70-61
60-51
50-41
40-31
30-21
20-11
10-1

Jackie Chan's Top 100 Action Scenes: 60-51

2010-07-05T23:37:00.007-04:00

60-51

60. Bench Fight Between Chan and Biao
The Young Master (1980)
Category: Weapons Fight
(The fight spans both videos)

Another fight from the exemplary Young Master. It's always fun to watch part of the original trio of stars (Jackie Chan, Yuen Biao, and Sammo Hung) get to fight against each other, and this intricate pole and stool fight is a lot of fun. It's a bit slow and some might question it being this low on the list, but the reason this fight scores so well is because I find myself watching it again and again.

59. Capturing Chan Ho in a Club
Project A (1983)
Category: Fight - Multiple People

After a string of intricate 'fight' focused films earlier in his rise to stardom, it seemed like Jackie used Project A to focus more on his comedic abilities and (as evidenced in this fight scene) his athleticism & stunt work (and more appropriately, stunt team). A great fight here is capped off with a couple brutal falls from the top of the stairs that few teams are still willing to take.

58. Teaching a Lesson to Stalkers in a Restaurant
Police Story II (1988)
Category: Fight - Multiple People

The follow-up to Chan's immensely successful Police Story (1985) features a type of fight that Chan pioneered with this series of films. This fight, like the loft fight included earlier in this list, is brutal where each punch and kick results in a stunt of some kind. Unfortunately, this fight is also very quick. If Chan could sustain this intensity over a four to five minute fight (which he would in further scenes) then this would rank higher. Still, as is, it's great to watch.

57. Fighting for the Baby in the Villain's House
Rob-B-Hood (2006)
Category: Fight-Multiple People

About as vintage Jackie Chan as contemporary Chan gets. Had this sequence been considered outside of the context of Chan's career work, then it could be very high on this list. It's a longer fight with lots of the elements you want: comedic gags, stunts, good back and forth fighting. The only thing holding it back, is that Chan has done this kind of sequence before, but faster and better.

56. Barn Fight for Father's Honor
Dragon Lord (1982)
Category: Fight - One on One

This is practically the lone redeeming sequence to Chan's Dragon Lord and it's quite an epic fight. I've labeled it as one on one, but it's essentially a two on one fight. Although longtime Chan stunt man Mars begins the fight, the real meat of the fight is really a one on one event. Its long, brutal, and exhausting. My only complaints are that it's probably a bit to long for my tastes, and there is too much of a sloppy feel to the fight, like Chan is throwing everything at the wall here. I know thats what he was going for, it's just not my preference.

55. Chan vs. Whong in Sik
The Young Master (1980)
Category: Fight - One on One

This fight is very similar in nature to the previous one, but even more brutal and long (if that can be believed). My same complaints still stand of the previous one also stand for this one. What these two fights, and this one in particular, show though is Chan being able to pull off long and brutal fights (with brutal combat) in the traditional kung fu format of one on one fights against a kung fu master. Perhaps it doesn't bear the full artistic stamp of Chan, but it bears the stamp of Chan taking a genre tradition and giving it his own take.

54. Monk Cafeteria Fight
Armor of God (1987)
Category: Fight - Multiple People

This is a great sequence seeing Chan take on multiple people with some Looney Tunes gags and the requisite stunts included. I especially appreciate the gag where the secondary characters continue to find their exit ways blocked while Chan is forced to fight the men singlehandedly. Also, look out for the final stunt where a monk does two 360 flips after a kick. Incredible.

53. Cornered Upstairs and Fighting his Way Down
Miracles (1989)
Category: Fight - Multiple People

Here is another case of a fight scene that I'd love to see more of. At just 96 seconds, it really lacks enough breadth to become something of more substance, but does it really pack a punch in those 96 seconds! Some of my favorite Chan stunts are in this little scene, including the splits down a circular stair and falling from the second level loft to a desk on the first floor!

52. All Parties Fight in an Apartment for the Baby
Rob-B-Hood (2006)
Category: Fight - Prop/Multiple People

Chan's third re-teaming (and not his last) with Yuen Biao in this posting is a better and more concise sequence than the finale fight of Rob-B-Hood at #57 on this list. In its shorter running time (but not too short) this sequence (like the other one) contains all the right elements without wearing out it's welcome. Welcome also, is a lovely little handcuff sequence that is the physical equivalence of Groucho and Chico bantering back and forth.

51. Rickshaw in the Alleyway Fight
Miracles (1989)
Category: Prop Fight - Multiple People

I really wish I could've fit this one into my top 50, but it just missed out. Here is a sequence that pound for pound is as great as most anything you'll see, but I do think it's still too short. Now, it's two and a half minutes, but every time I watch it, I feel like there was so much more potential for this to be a true great. As is, I adore the rickshaw sequence and find the move where Chan gets a crotchshot to be one of the funnier and more sophisticated crotch shots in cinema. Now there's a sentence I didn't expect to ever write!

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Introduction
100-91
90-81
80-71
70-61
60-51
50-41
40-31
30-21
20-11
10-1

Jackie Chan's Top 100 Action Scenes: 70-61

2010-07-02T23:36:00.008-04:00

70 - 61

70. Spanish Mission Showdown
Shanghai Noon (2000)
Category: Weapons Fight
(this is a part of the whole finale)

This is a generally well plotted finale and there is a great spear sequence included. How often do we get the chance to see Chan (late in his career) working with real chinese weapons, especialy the three sectioned staff?

69. Beating Up Thugs in a Van
Mr. Nice Guy (1998)
Category: Fight - Multiple People

Think to yourself, how could I have a 3 minute action sequence take place in the back of a van, and for the heck of it, throw in a recurring comedic gag without ruining the sequence? Great use of seat cushions, emergency brakes, and kicking people out of doors here turns what could've been a run of the mill sequence into something tight, fast, and fun to watch. Great to see Sammo Hung (who directed this film) get a little comedic cameo on the side.

68. Legoland Fight
A New Police Story (2004)
Category: Fight - One on One
(All emedding on this one is off. Click Here or the Poster to watch the Video)

While the film itself was a mixed result, this was the best action sequence to come out of it. It's actually a rare one on one fight for Jackie and one that features a lot of leg work, another rare occasion. Jackie's been in better fights, but this one stands out in particular because of the bright and memorable Lego setting. There are also a couple great choreographed beats as well.

66. Library Fight with Knights
Shanghai Knights (2003)
Category: Prop Fight - Multiple People
(there is an extended version on the DVD that is much better)

I think these sequences are Chan's bread and butter. When Chan is able to mix his martial arts with an interesting environment and opponent that allows him to come up with visual gags and running themes, he seems to always be able to produce. I love the ever decreasing book sizes as well as the reverse situation of artifacts we found in the Rush Hour finale sequence.

65. Catching a Street Race: Hong Kong Night Race
Thunderbolt (1995)
Category: Car Chase

One of few standout racing scenes in Thunderbolt this is a authentically filmed night race. Incredible night footage of two cars going fast and doing some great stunts. One thing you'll notice in each of Chan's car chase scenes is that he understands these sequences need several beats or punctuated moments of action. Many filmmakers think two cars just racing or chasing are enough, but see how Jackie plots the chase well providing certain 'moments' of stunt work with a finale ending.

64. Running Away from a Biker Gang
Rumble in the Bronx (1996)
Category: Chase

Another bread and butter genre for Chan and this is one that few martial artists have even tried. It's not just a chance for action, but one for Chan to show off the myriad of talents that he has. Chan treats his chase sequences just like his car chase sequences. His chases are filled with beats and stunts and usually are always capped off by a particularly incredible stunt. This one is no different. There are a couple incredibly close run ins with vehicles and a jumping stunt (really done) to top it off. Only Tony Jaa in the first Ong Bak has used this style of sequence to it's potential.

63. Car Garage Fight
Thunderbolt (1995)
Category: Fight - Multiple People

This is an unusually strong sequence for Chan, I don't mean that in quality, I mean that in intensity. It's rare he basically manhandles a group in a fight, but this is one of those rare scenes. Also different in this scene is the lack of Chan's usual camera work. Instead of master shots, this is more tightly cut and dynamic. Proof that Chan could be successful even outside his comfort zone.

62. Swordfight in the Temple with the Local Officials
The Young Master (1980)
Category: Weapons Fight

Another example of Chan's early fast and intricate work from The Young Master. Notice how this scene is all about Chan showing off how he can arm himself while disarming his opponents. Fast, complicated, and extremely impressive.

61. Chased through Town by Monks
Armor of God (1987)
Category: Car Chase

I've always viewed Chan's 1987 Armor of God and the follow-up 1991's Operation Condor to be his general take on a Bond film. So this to me, is what a car chase sequence in Chan's version of James Bond would look like. While it's got the usual stunt beats I've mentioned before, the big difference to me between Hollywood car chases and Chan's version is the way Chan approaches filming his stunts. Hollywood likes to get up close and favors a more visceral appeal. Chan likes to show off the size, destruction and danger of his stunts, so his camera sits far away. Different styles, different outcomes.

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Introduction
100-91
90-81
80-71
70-61
60-51
50-41
40-31
30-21
20-11
10-1

Movie Review: The Last Airbender

2010-07-02T09:16:00.006-04:00

Overall Grade: C-

What shocks the most about M. Night Shyamalan's The Last Airbender is not that it's bad, (children's fantasy series don't always deliver on screen, Eragon anyone?) but that it's an absolute incompetent mess. Extending grace, I would first try to understand if the source material was flawed or presented an unadaptable challenge. On that note, it seems clear that the basic concepts of the source material are the few creative bright spots of the film. It's when Shyamalan overlays his adapted screenplay and his confused directing that the concepts fizzle out under overly expository dialogue, barely sketched out characters, and half-baked themes and arcs.

Still, M. Night can walk away with a few successes on this film. For the most part, the art direction, costume design, and visual effects work well to create the world this bumbling story inhabits. They are some great landscape shots and a clear idea (artistically) what the different nations (fire, water, wind, and earth) look like and feel like. Add to that a couple good shots of action when M. Night allows his camera to focus for a longer period of time (a camera move he would use for his most dramatic moments). Dev Patel walks away with perhaps the only three dimensional character (albeit slightly overplayed at times), and in my opinion is the only character to emotionally root for in this film. That's a problem.

Overall, Shyamalan seems to get bogged down in trying to explain this whole bending universe solely through expository dialogue. It shocks me that someone who was able to keep such subtlety and restraint in The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable couldn't find out how to let the story tell itself, Robert McKee would not like this film. So many fans hoped that coming upon previously written material would give Shyamalan the creative spark he needed to return to his former self; those hopes are now dashed. As bad as The Happening was, at the least it was the failure of an artist taking risks with original material. What makes The Last Airbender a bit harder to stomach, is that there is no risk here, only incompetence on display.

The only noticeable difference between a Shyamalan directed Last Airbender and if Uwe Boll (In the Name of the King, Alone in the Dark) had directed it, would be the name in the credits. I've tried to keep up hope with Shyamalan, but he seems to only be going downhill (which is saying something after The Happening). There's always a possibility for redemption, but for now, the most accurate way to recommend Shyamalan's work in The Last Airbender is, "Abandon hope, all ye who enter here"

Jackie Chan's Top 100 Action Scenes: 80-71

2010-07-01T21:00:00.009-04:00

80 - 71

80. Casino Finale: Bomb in the Mouth is worth Two in the Hand
Rush Hour 2 (2001)
Category: Fight - Multiple People

Perhaps an odd choice to put this far down, but I find something so clever about Chan's idea to put the bomb in his mouth and have his hands and mouth taped; he's able to use it for a couple funny gags when someone tries to set it off. Besides just standard good work, there is an absolutely amazing stunt where Jackie fits through the opening on a banker's cage. Just incredible.

79. A Sword Fight for Answers
The Myth (2005)
Category: Weapons Fight

This is a interesting take on the sword fight, where a modern day sword fight mirrors a historical fight and allows Jackie to remember something about his past. It's a technically sound sword fight, but the back and forth between past and present gives it an added edge (no pun intended).

78. Karaoke Bar Fight
Twin Dragons (1992)
Category: Fight - Prop Fight

This is gonna be a genre of fight that shows up a lot on this list, Jackie Chan vs. multiple foes while Chan using various props and items in the room to creatively defeat them. Not the best in the genre, but there is some good give and take, as well as fun use of a microphone. All around good fight scene.

77. Motorcycle Chase in Paris
Rush Hour 3 (2007)
Category: Car Chase

A rare gem to come out of Rush Hour 3 and it's technically an enjoyable little car chase sequence. It's tough to shoot like this in Paris, but to pull off a few stunts like they did, throw in some hybrid fighting, and you have a darn good action sequence.

76. Getting Maggie Back: Fight in the Loft
Police Story (1985)
Category: Fight - Multiple People

This is vintage 80's Chan. Police Story was about making a statement and this scene does it. Every punch and kick results in a dangerous and wince-inducing stunt that wouldn't be matched until Tony Jaa began throwing around his stunt team as well. This scene would rank higher on the list, but its just too short. High intensity, but just too little length.

75. Chasing After the Baby Carriage
Rob-B-Hood (2006)
Category: Car Chase

Forget the stupid title, this is vintage Jackie Chan stunt work mixed with his brand of humor. I'm sure it was ultimately safe, but I don't know how the final close call accidents weren't extremely dangerous for Chan. Another example of stunts Chan pulls off that Hollywood still hasn't been able to match.

74. Fan Fight Against Brother Bill
The Young Master (1980)
Category: Weapons Fight

You've all heard about Snake in Eagles Shadow and Drunken Master, but not many have probably heard about one of Chan's most underrated and forgotten films The Young Master. This film shows off just how intricate and meticulous Chan was at an early stage even without the likes of Yuen Woo-Ping. How long and how many takes do you think it took Chan to master some of those fan tosses?

73. Sword Fight with Rathbone
Shanghai Knights (2003)
Category: Weapons Fight
(The sword fight begins around 5 minute mark)

An extremely impressive sword fight that resists the need to become a 'Hong Kong' style sword fight. It's refreshing to see Chan keep this one more European style, and in essence, not even come out on top. However, Chan cleverly brings the scene to a conclusion.

72. Japanese Horror House Havoc
My Lucky Stars (1985)
Category: Weapons Fight

This isn't the most traditional 'Jackie' sequence and it comes from a film that barely features him at all. It looks like a typical gun and sword sequence (not typical for Hollywood), but turns into a visual treat when the different horror house rooms provide some really clever visual gags. Very inventive and not something you'd see in the filmography of just any action star.

71. Seaboat Fight
Gorgeous (1999)
Category: Fight - Multiple People

This isn't the most epic one vs. many fight Jackie has had, nor is the most technical, it's just fun to watch for me. Hard to explain, but this one has a bit of a looney tunes feel for me, with recurring gags and a kind of in one door and out of the another feel as well. To compare this fight with the more visceral gun and sword fight of the previous one is to begin to get a glimpse of the diversity that is still to come.

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Introduction
100-91
90-81
80-71
70-61
60-51
50-41
40-31
30-21
20-11
10-1

Redeeming the Week in Entertainment: 6/20 - 6/27

2010-06-27T22:14:00.013-04:00

The second entry into this feature again is going to cover some pretty wide territory from USA World Cup failures to Jason Derulo's breathy stylings. For those who didn't catch the first entry and have no idea what this weekly feature is about, here is a re-cap of the mission this feature sets out to be.

Instead of just simply looking to kill time or 'veg out', I'll be looking deeper into the entertainment I take in and try and glean something of value from it. This will probably manifest itself in a quick paragraph or two on a few of the things I watched the previous week. You might get an articulate discourse on deep philosophical themes, or just a quick unsupported opinion or two. Some of the items included may seem 'unredeemable', but certainly I feel the act of thinking critically about it and recognizing its' faults and weaknesses, can itself be a redeeming act. It's ultimately an exercise for me to continue thinking deeper about the entertainment I consume, as well as a way to kind of share a 'week in review' with anyone who cares to read. So lets get to it.

USA vs. Ghana
World Cup Soccer: Round of 16

&

FSU vs. TCU
College World Series

Both the Florida State Seminoles (I am a FSU grad) and the US World Cup Soccer Team were recent causes that I've taken up. It's not that I didn't like either (I've been to several FSU games and watched the last World Cup), but both recently made it to the final stages of their respective playoffs and cheering on the team not only became easier, but it quickly became a thing of passion. Of course, winning makes it easier, but with such a full schedule, I've just now gotten a chance to follow with any detail.

As fast as I became a passionate fan, FSU and the U.S. were knocked out of the tournament. FSU took a 7-2 lead into the late innings and ultimately collapsed. The U.S. allowed early goals in regulation and then overtime, only to succumb to a Ghana team that could've been beaten. Immediately after the losses my (as well as most people I presume) initial reaction was to be angry with the teams themselves. They blew it, they stunk it up, they choked, they were outclassed, and on and on the thoughts ran through my head.

That's when I really felt like I had to put it into the correct perspective. Certainly, there is criticism for each team and for the individual errors committed, but it's also so easy to lose sight of the accomplishments that brought me to watch the team to begin with. How easy is it to believe that the USA's loss just confirms what the world wants to believe, the US will never be good at soccer. What a minute though, we went to the round of 16 out of all the soccer powerhouses in the world. On top of that, we were one or two mistakes away from making the quarterfinals, a place we had gotten to in 2002. Perennial big dogs like France and Italy couldn't even make it out of their groups, leaving with disappointed teams. The world of soccer is competitive and tough, yet the USA has competed and been a force to reckon with for at least a decade.

What FSU and the USA has taught me is to strive to put my efforts and the efforts of others in the correct perspective. Remember how great the last inning strikeout was to get us into the College World Series? Remember the excitement that came with Donovan's wining goal in the 91st minute against Slovenia? We aren't owed these memories, and we should recognize them when they come around. Thank you USA and FSU for your passion and drive to win. It was a pleasure to get a chance to cheer you on.

Jason Derulo
Singer of "In My Head", "Watcha Say", & "Ridin Solo"
(Video is not suitable for all ages, and NSFW)

Right now it seems that top 40 radio is just dominated by the same breathy young R&B star in every song. Between Jason Derulo, Taio Cruz's "Break Your Heart", Travie Mccoy's "Billionaire", Drake's "Find Your Love", and the return of Usher & Kanye West, I don't know if we ever get a break from it (except for Gaga or Keisha it seems). I single out Derulo's "In My Head" because I think it's the worst example of the entire genre of r&b mixed with dance club beats that Usher and Kanye have pioneered.

The fact that the song begins with his own name as self-promotion is reason enough to turn it off, but listen to all the extra little things he seems to add to every line, with extra breaths and 'oohs' an 'ahhs'. In the tradition of Simon Fuller's critical eye, this song is so indulgent it takes on a self-parody flavor and has to represent the maturation and fall for this genre. Perhaps he can be cut some slack by just saying he was trying to do his best homage (more like impression) to Michael Jackson. In fact, the video in a way comes off like Michael's "The Way You Make Me Feel" video. That being said, this whole trend annoys me for it's emphasis on style (really an over-indulgent style) that only points inwards. Do I even need to mention the quality of the lyrics?

Lady Antebellum
"Need You Now"
(Click the Picture to watch the Video)

It's a song that has been in circulation for quite some time now, and I keep playing it over and over myself. I don't highlight this song because of the genre contrast with the R&B above (I like both genres equally), but because I think there is an honesty and simplicity contrast. From a Christian perspective, this song features two hurting people whom probably shouldn't be turning to alcohol to drown sorrows. However, what the song nails is the honesty of what it's like to hurt in needing someone. The music and vocal styling accentuate the melancholy and pain present in the lyrics and I think it's something everyone (even those not in that particular position) can really relate to and 'feel'. Besides the musical aspect of it, I think thats what makes this a successful cross over into pop radio. People always respond to an honest and sincere plea. It's the same kind (although spiritual in nature) of honest and heartfelt pleas that David makes in the Psalms. Something about human interaction finds it necessary, important, and healthy to share these feelings, and Lady Antebellum's "Need You Now" is a good example of it.

The Mythbusters
Television Show airing on Discovery Channel

I absolutely love The Mythbusters! I took a vacation last week and as part of winding down, ending up watching show after show (including one of their countdown specials). Mythbusters is a rare show that is always educating, while always entertaining. While they always do a great job in attempting to explain the science behind their projects, I think the shows major appeal lies elsewhere. The best thing the show puts forward is the amazing chemistry between their leads as well as the highs and lows of the projects they take on.

Like most of the best sitcoms, they feature casts that you would want to hang out with; people who love life, enjoy it in the moment, while also sharing their feelings and thoughts. For anyone who has watched multiple episodes of the show, you know there are plenty of inside moments, one-liners, and character on display, that we feel like part of the crew. The difference being that this essentially isn't a scripted 'fake' show. For the most part, the responses and relationships in the show are all genuine, and enjoyable to watch.

However, happiness and chemistry alone doesn't a great show make. It's the ability of Mythbusters to put that joy and chemistry at the service of their 'work' that makes it even more redeeming. What a great example to see such unity in a team, such drive and critical thought on a project, and great joy at a result well deserved. I think what makes it most appealing to this Christian man, is that they are enjoying and flourishing at the gifts of God. Unity, creativity, and productivity are a few of the qualities this show demonstrates. We all could take a few lessons from the Mythbusters.

Jackie Chan

I've begun a new featured list and it's Jackie Chan's Top 100 Action Scenes. It's required me to spend a lot of time reviewing Chan's films and sequences. For my thoughts on Chan and what he has to offer us, check out my Introduction to the List or the first few ones I've released below.

Introduction
100-91

90-81

Jackie Chan's Top 100 Action Scenes: 90-81

2010-06-26T21:45:00.032-04:00

90-81

90. Chan Takes On Iron Head the Thief
Drunken Master (1978)
Category: Fight - One on One
(The fight begins at 2:20)

This comical fight scene comes from Chan's breakthrough film Drunken Master. Although I feel the film is a bit overrated, this sequence displays some of Chan's burgeoning skills. Lots of fast foot and hand work along with a 'Bruce Lee' moment with a hammer.

89. Drunken Master vs. The Bamboo King
Drunken Master (1978)
Category: Weapon Fight

Another fight from Drunken Master see's our arrogant Chan in a beautifully staged fight featuring bo sticks and a wooden stool. In retrospect, this could be lower on the list, if it wasn't for how much I hate Chan's personality in this film. It makes the fart and poop jokes that much more distateful and just doesn't find the right tone. This is great one on one work though that would make Lau Kar-Lueng proud.

88. Draggd Behind a Hovercraft & Stopping it in the City
Rumble in the Bronx (1996)
Category: Chase/Stunt

Just an absolute stunt fest and the first action clip that really shows the difference between Chan and all his action counterparts. From huge jumps (jumping onto the hovercraft broke Chan's ankle), to skiing behind the craft, to all the ridiculous hanging on, this is just one beautiful stunt after another. I particularly love the bit where Chan gets crushed by the hovercraft and rises out fo the sand in it's aftermath, I couldn't imagine Keaton with a straighter face.

87. General Fights His Own Army to the End
The Myth (2005)
Category: Fight - Weapons Fight

The Myth was Chan's attempt at an epic period piece (like Hero) mixed with an Indiana Jones adventure story. While its clearly in the 'superhuman' realm of fighting, I think Chan is able here to pull off this one man vs. hundreds feel he is going for. Again, it's a different style of fight than Chan is exploring and his creativity comes through here as well, see how he uses his spear to send rock projectiles into the oncoming calvary. It's not perfect, but I find it inventive and effective.

86. Exploding Tanker Truck Finale
The Accidental Spy (2002)
Category: Action/Stunt/Car Chase
(It doesn't really begin until 0:15 in)

Few people could blend the different categories of action scenes like Chan can. In this epic scene here we have elements of a car chase, fight scene, and thrilling disaster piece. There's ample practical stunts, practical destruction, and it's filmed pretty well to boot. The only real negative are the clearly CGI flames on the tanker. In the end, its forgiveable for such a great real explosion in the end though.

85. Final Fight in the Museum
Rush Hour (1998)
Category: Fight - Multiple People / Stunt
(The scene begins at 7:31)

Another great hybrid action sequence from Chan. What starts out as a shootout becomes a fight and ends with parkour (not seen in the clip) and one incredible stunt. What helps this scene is that it fits really well as the finale of the film. While there are plenty of problems with the film, this finale does a good job in brining it all together and wrapping it up with action. Chan uses a gag here that he exploits in several of his fights, watch how an enemy will discover a soft spot of Chan's (in this case, the fact they don't want the vases broken) and exploits it for laughs. A very clever gag.

84. Circular Door and the Police
Shanghai Knights (2003)
Category: Fight - Multiple People
(Unable to embed compatible video but LINK is here. Video starts at 8:00)

It's such a frivolous little action beat that you may not think twice about the creativity and cleverness on display. It's only a minute and twenty seconds long, but there is a grace to every step Chan takes here; notice he slides out the door at the last second getting his hat stuck, something he finishes the scene by putting on. He would keep the same theme in the next action scene that see's him lose his jacket in the beginning and then put it on at the end. Who else puts together such a sublime piece of wackiness, grace, and wit? I think the music just underscores it perfectly.

83. Snowmobile and Helicopter Shootout
Police Story IV: First Strike (1997)
Category: Action/Chase
(All 3 videos combined only equal a little over 5 min.)

James Bond gets the Jackie treatment here in another one of Chan's shootout/fight/chase/stunt hybrid scenes. Leave it to Chan to take what is essentially a Bond ripoff (the skiing henchmen) and turn it into a self-deprecating (the silly hat is from a souvenir shop) scene of humor. See for instance Chan's ungloved hands, which remain ungloved the whole sequence, even after he takes an icy dip. Add snowboarding to his resume alongside skiing behind a hovercraft.

82. Lu Yan and Jason fight Soldiers in the Restaurant
The Forbidden Kingdom (2008)
Category: Fight - Multiple People
(Unable to embed compatible video, but LINK is here)

Essentially The Forgotten Kingdom was written off because it was directed at a family audience. It's a shame because two of Chan's best action sequences came from that film, including this scene that allows Chan a few moments to really shine with a wooden bo. You get the feeling here that Chan was able to use the young boy in much the same way he integrated Tucker in his Rush Hour sequences. It's too bad it's the forgotten film, because this sequence here deserves to be remembered.

81. Chinese Village Fight w/ Sammo Hung
Around the World in 80 Days (2004)
Category: Weapons Fight - Muliple People
(Unable to embed compatible video, but LINK is here. Video starts at 4 min.)

Another forgotten and overlooked film in Chan's career, features a couple imaginative sequences by Chan. While the film is suspect, at the very least Chan was able to demonstrate a couple of exemplary scenes like the one above.

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Introduction
100-91
90-81
80-71
70-61
60-51
50-41
40-31
30-21
20-11
10-1

Jackie Chan's Top 100 Action Scenes: 100-91

2010-06-26T19:29:00.017-04:00

100-91

100. Fighting together for the first time

Rush Hour (1998)
Category: Fight - Multiple People

(fight begins at minute 6)

Although I didn't intend this to be, I'm delighted that the first Jackie Chan film I saw lands the first action sequence on the list. It's kinda short and features several gags he's done better in other sequences, but it's still a fun sequence thats different because Chan is attempting to work Chris Tucker into the fighting, including a memorable moment when they finally click and score parallel jump-kicks. Notice how Chan uses the chairs and rugs in this scene. Very creative. In a scene that didn't make the list, Chan uses this rug gag to hilarious results in Operation Condor.

99. Helping Panther Escape from Prison

Police Story 3: Supercop (1992)
Category: Chase - Fight/Action
(sequence begins right away and ends at 5:40)

Not exactly a stunner sequence, but Jackie presents some really quick and crisp fighting that is typical of his eighties and early nineties output. Jackie is playing a cop undercover attempting to win the trust of an inmate by helping him breakout. There is a hilarious beat where after a beautiful display of kung fu Jackie remembers he has to look non-police like and hams it up with a weird pose. The sequence is topped off by an incredible slide down the side of a mountain on a rope. The stunt is great and no doubt incredibly dangerous.

98. Speed Boat Chase in Hong Kong

Twin Dragons (1992)

Category: Chase - Boat

How many great speed boat chases are there in film? Okay, I hear you John Woo and Michael Mann fans. Besides Face/Off and the Miami Vice series, Chan pulls off a fun and believable boat chase here. What separates it from your typical boat chase is that twice, the opposing boat literally comes on top of Jackie's boat, WHILE Jackie is driving and in shot! Incredible.

97. Raiding a Money Laundering Outfit

Crime Story (1993)

Category: Action/Fight

(Scene covers two videos, but only lasts about 3 min.)

Crime Story was Jackie Chan's attempt to do a 'gritty' police drama rather than the more light-hearted affairs he was doing. The results were mixed overall, but this was the best sequence to come out of the film. Chan's emphasis on 'gritty' comes across as things are less acrobatic and comedy filled than they are high-wire and brutal. The real heroes of this sequence is the Jackie Chan stunt team that takes numerous 15 foot falls that look very real and very painful.

96. Mr. Han Takes on a Gang of Kids

The Karate Kid (2010)

Category: Fight - Multiple People

(there is no video available yet for this one)

Probably the single best sequence Chan has put out since 2008's Forbidden Kingdom. It's a tricky sequence because it essentially boils down to a grown man beating up a gang of kids. They are aggressive and mean, but they are still kids. Chan gets around this by cleverly crafting the fight to where he only redirects the attacks of the kids to where they attack themselves; Chan essentially never attacks the kids himself. Very clever and creative, a small example of what is to come later in the list.

95. Cop Team is Ambushed and Strung Up

New Police Story (2004)

Category: Action - Shootout

(There is no video available)

Another attempt by Chan to return to a 'grittier' and more grounded police drama. The arrogant Jackie leads a young SWAT team into a trap set by young bank robbers. Essentially it's an ambush that features a good shootout sequence followed by some decent fighting. It's different for Jackie because the sequence see's Jackie lose his whole team as well as lose the fight with the young kung fu expert. Few action stars would take risks like this.

94. Showing Off by Fighting a Gang Member in a Temple

Dragon Lord (1982)

Category: Fight - Multiple People

(Fight begins at minute 4)

Dragon Lord (1982) came after Chan's big breakthroughs in 1978, but before he really established himself as THE superstar with 1983's Project A. Dragon Lord was a bit of a let down, as it featured most of Chan's unfortunate indulgences and little comedy or creativity. Still, it produced two scenes on the list. He's an arrogant punk in this scene trying to show off his kung fu skills in front of the ladies. It's unfortunate his character has little skills, but its a fun sequence to watch him try and take on and outwit clearly better opponents. Chan's quickness and overall flexibility really come across well in this scene.

93. Swinging a Good Horshoe

Shanghai Noon (2000)

Category: Weapon Fight

(I couldn't embed the right size video, here is the LINK to view it)

Owen Wilson and Jackie Chan are an infinitely better pairing than Chan and Tucker in the Rush Hour series in my opinion. From their first pairing comes this creative sequence where Chan creates a rope dart out of a horseshoe and a length of rope. You might argue that it's not the most incredible sequence or even that long of a sequence (I've seen much better technical use of the rope dart before), but there is just something so memorable about the way Chan uses it here.

92. Massage Parlor Scuffle

Rush Hour 2 (2001)

Category: Fight - Multiple People

It's essentially a re-mix of my #100 fight scene, but this one is definitely better. Chan gets a bigger chance to shine here, combining some great acrobatics with a couple great sequences where he fights two at a time. Chan is also able to integrate Tucker better here, it seems as though he finally was getting the hang of how to use him. I think Tucker's "You all look alike" line after punching Chan is great as well.

91. Military Hospital Fight

The Accidental Spy (2002)

Category: Prop Fight

(I couldn't embed the right size video, here is the LINK to view it)

In what was otherwise one of Chan's most forgettable films (still scored 3 scenes on this list though), this funny prop fight ranks in at 91. It starts out as an interesting, "What's he going to use next" kinda prop fight that ends in one of Chan's most hilarious bits, making genius use of a defibrillator. Again, what other action star would allow himself to be the butt of an excellent joke like that? Chan's influence by Keaton and Chaplin is evident in that joke there.

Behind on the list? Click the Link below to Re-Cap

Introduction
100-91
90-81
80-71
70-61
60-51
50-41
40-31
30-21
20-11
10-1

Jackie Chan's Top 100 Action Scenes: Introduction

2010-06-26T18:11:00.011-04:00

Introduction

Without question, Jackie Chan is one of the greatest action stars, directors, and minds to ever try their hand in film-making. He first had a film role in 1962, made his big break in 1978 (with Snake in Eagles Shadow as well as Drunken Master) and has created countless classic action films and sequences since. I first encountered Jackie in 1998 with Rush Hour (which I thought was incredible at the time), and was amazed at how he constructed quick, elaborate, fight sequences with daring stunts and intricate hand and footwork. Here was something completely different than the standard kick and punch of Jean Claude Van-Damme (or kick, punch, & toss if you're Steven Seagal).

As I began to watch more of Chan's work, I realized that it just wasn't something different, it was in a class of its own. The next works I discovered were Rumble in the Bronx and Police Story IV: First Strike. This was some of his first imports (not even his best) into America (I only got them in late 1998 and 1999), but I thought they were incredible. Add on to that, my mother enjoyed Chan's brand of action, which featured intricacy over brutality, comedy over seriousness, and cleverness over obviousness. We began to watch the films together and we both got a kick out of them (no pun intended there).

I know what you must be saying, "You haven't even finished your 100 Favorite Films of All-Time, why tackle another?". The simple answer is, "Because I want to do this one right now!" Sorry, there's no way around it, I stalled out on #41 of my Favorite film list. I do expect to get back to that soon, but I've been waiting to do this Jackie Chan list for ages now. About five months ago I was able to finish off all the major films in Jackie's filmography, and I recently had a week vacation to begin and finish the actual ordering from over 200 Jackie Chan action sequences, no simple task (I had to go back and watch over 90% of the 100 action scenes).

My mindset in crafting the list was to not order the list in the sense of 'objective quality' only. Much like I do with my yearly best pictures and my personal top 100, the list is a balance of quality and personal enjoyment. One sequence might be technically more impressive than others, but if I just don't enjoy watching it as much, then it will probably rank lower than a scene that might scene less impressive that I just find more enjoyable. Most action stars would have a list of 100 shootouts or 100 fights, Jackie's list is a compilation of impressive fights, mind-blowing stunt fests, hilarious set pieces, bold car chases, outlandish foot chases, scuba tank fights, and on and on. No other star has the creative wit and diversity to pull off a list like the one I'm about to post; there is none like Jackie Chan. No other action star could say he was influenced as much by Bruce Lee as he was Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd.

This list is also meant as a research tool and advertisement for all current fans of Chan and future fans of Chan. There might be those who only know his recent output, perhaps only seeing him in things like The Spy Next Door or The Karate Kid. I hope that this list will let you see the glory, contributions to cinema, and (lets be frank) art that he has left behind. For those interested in Chan already, I hope this is a guide to further delve into the myriad of pleasures that his films have to offer. I look forward to your thoughts on my judgments, placings, and commentary. As much as any good film, some of Chan's sequences inspire debate, thought, and mixed feelings.

Perhaps in the end, as much as I am making this list for others, I'm making it for myself. For Chan's ability to bring myself to awe and wonder & for his ability to go beyond and consistently challenge himself, and me in the process. Like many at the top of their fields, their drive & determination to be the best and present their best, challenges all those who watch them in the process. Most of all though, I am making this list for the way Chan's films were able to bring my mother and I together; to just enjoy his films and all they entail. They are fond memories and I always know that when I go home, we can pop one in and just sit and enjoy them. As much as this list is about measuring things, that's something that just can't be measured.

Redeeming the Week in Entertainment: 6/12 - 6/19

2010-06-21T12:40:00.014-04:00

This will be the first entry into what I hope will eventually become a weekly one. I watch a variety of different television shows, films, youtube videos, DVDs, and sporting events, in the span of any given week, and this weekly feature will aim to 'redeem' them. In other words, was their something redeeming about that Seinfeld episode I watched earlier in the week, what about the NBA Finals game, and how about that video that got e-mailed to me?

What exactly do I mean by redeeming? Instead of just simply looking to kill time or 'veg out', I'll be looking deeper into the entertainment I take in and try and glean something of value from it. This will probably manifest itself in a quick paragraph or two on a few of the things I watched the previous week. You might get an articulate discourse on deep philosophical themes, or just a quick unsupported opinion or two. Some of the items included may seem 'unredeemable', but certainly I feel the act of thinking critically about it and recognizing its' faults and weaknesses, can itself be a redeeming act. It's ultimately an exercise for me to continue thinking deeper about the entertainment I consume, as well as a way to kind of share a 'week in review' with anyone who cares to read. All in all, we'll see how it turns out.

"California Gurls" by Katy Perry ft. Snoop Dogg
Youtube Music Video
**Video is not suitable for Work or for All Ages. Watch at your own discretion

I heard the song on the radio a couple weeks ago, then kept hearing it. It eventually got stuck in my head and I began to get curious about a few of the lyrics so I then looked up the video. Beyond being an extremely catchy tune, this song and video are horrendous. It certainly follows the current trend of kitschy and over the top music videos, but ultimately also follows the trend of women allowing themselves to be exploited simply as objects of sexual satisfaction. The video ultimately features a lineup of women dancing in suggestive (and terribly unimaginative) costumes, while singing lyrics about how California women are openly promiscuous. Snoop Dogg comes off as the 'pimp' in the video, a role he clearly seems comfortable with.

I include this video because it's so easy to just listen to this song and sing along with it, without actually considering what it's lyrics and video are presenting. I'm not saying its wrong to listen to it (darnit for being so catchy), but that once one knows fully well the underlying messages and video portrayals it just becomes harder to overlook them. I'm just tired of women portraying themselves as objectified sex objects for the pleasure of men. It's one thing to sing your own praises, but a complete other to obviously pander to men's basest desires. Perhaps it doesn't help matters that Snoop Dogg is a peddler of his own pornography line, this continues to give the impression that Perry (whose career this is) is just a girl in Snoop's own lineup.

"I Can't Be Tamed" by Miley Cyrus

Youtube Music Video

**Video is not suitable for Work or for All Ages. Watch at your own discretion

It really is an unfortunate turn for the career of Miley. It seems as though every young female artist has to have some type of "coming out" song that declares they aren't the young pop princess they used to be, and as much as this song wants to claim that Miley can't be tamed, she certainly is following a predictable, bankable, and artistically empty course. How is this video and song any different than what Britney, Christina, or Lady Gaga have done? Songs like "The Climb" and "Party in the USA" for all their cheesiness or pop ballad machine cut feel, were different than the field of dance club fetish songs out there right now. There's nothing more tame and predictable than for Miley to re-envision herself as a fetishistic, brooding, and 'un-tameable' woman. No one needs to tame something thats already lame.

Celtics vs. Lakers
Game 7 of the NBA Finals

The last couple of years I've enjoyed watching the NBA playoffs. I typically don't follow the regular season (just don't have the time), but the playoffs have always made me clear my nightly schedule. Now there are certainly exceptions to the rule here, but NBA playoff basketball is filled with redeeming storylines, players, and performances. In particular, the two teams that made it to the finals this year really captured my attention. The team play of the Boston Celtics was incredible to watch and follow. In fact, when the Celt's played the team defense they were capable of playing it was beautiful to watch their team make defensive rotations, double teams, blocks, and steals, then run down the court in transition and put it in the basket.

On the flip side, the Lakers were a case study in steady and determined reliance and trust in their system and strategy. It seemed as long as the Lakers were able to remain consistent to their strategy while the Celtics made their bursts of inspired play, they were able to outlast and overcome the Celtics. Overall, the effort, determination, mental adjustments and restraint displayed by both teams is something to walk away from inspired. It has certainly gotten me back into playing basketball, as well as considering how those qualities and values can be adapted to a ministry team.

Toy Story 3

For a detailed look into "The Hidden Story Behind Toy Story 3", check out my previously posted essay here.

USA vs. Slovenia
World Cup Soccer

The first time I've found myself completely engrossed in a soccer match. It was great to see a deflated US team come back during the second half and rally to tie. It was frustrating to watch a poorly officiated call rob the US of a much needed win. What to take away from this?

It's easy for non-soccer fans to make fun of the sport. It certainly isn't as schematic driven as football or basketball, and several elements are easy to pick on. However, I'm glad that I haven't given up on the sport when my first few viewings were not enjoyable. There is an interesting ebb and flow to a well played soccer match that can be just as entertaining as any sport I've watched. Between penalty kicks, corner kicks, crossing kicks and breakaways, there is little lack of tension and suspense.

As an American I would love to see instant-replay, less ties, and less emphasis on taking a dive, but for all those faults, there is plenty here to like. I'm glad I've stuck with the sport and didn't just close off to it. For those still not convinced, watch the games with other soccer fans, or if possible, soccer players. Ask them questions about what is going on, why certain players reacted in the way they did and so forth. There is a lot going on that I didn't know about, and if there is anything redeeming to take out of all the time I've spent trying to enjoy soccer, it's that we sometimes have to put forth a considerable effort to understand things we initially don't enjoy or understand. In the end, it was really worth it.

The Hidden Story Behind Toy Story 3

2010-06-20T23:56:00.012-04:00

After watching Toy Story 3, hearing reviews from friends, and reading several critical reviews of the film, I am stunned that much of the real story in Toy Story 3 has gone unnoticed. Underneath the bright colors, the funny lines, and the tear-jerking moments lies an existential tension that ultimately upholds a biting and deceptive nihilism that most audiences don't pick up on and if they did, would probably sour on the film. What am I talking about you ask? Lets dig a bit deeper.

SPOILER ALERT

Let's first get this out of the way; Toy Story 3 is a good film. The love from the writers and animators is clearly on display here, leading to a film that is equally parts funny, engrossing, and touching. Add on top of that continued great voice work, some fun new characters, and how could this film not be a success? While Toy Story 3 is clearly a winning film, there are a few issues that serve to limit this film (in many ways the series of films as well) for me, and it surprises me that many other critics and moviegoers don't seem to notice these issues as well.

The drama of the Toy Story Universe depends on its ability to create relatable situations between the toy subjects and the audience members. While there certainly are emotional points the audience can relate to within Toy Story 3, the overall dramatic issues are a failure as they fail to offer appropriately translatable situations for us, the audience. Toy Story 3's primary dramatic tension comes from Andy's growing older and no longer playing with his toys; he'll be going off to college by the end of the film. As such, the whole cast of toys has been getting neglected, thrown out, or donated. Our remaining cast of toys has to struggle with no longer being useful to their owner and eventually getting thrown into the trash, tossed in the attic, or donated to a daycare center. While it's a very relatable feeling to no longer feel wanted or used and indeed presents the audience with a similar existential crises, I don't think it becomes an appropriate tension for an audience to relate to.

Woody makes the argument early in the film that a toy's purpose is to be "there for Andy, whenever he needs them", basically saying that the purpose of life (for a toy) is to fulfill their role (being available to give joy to the kid) regardless of the circumstances (his seeming apathy and neglect). This makes things difficult for the audience because our purposes in life are very different. While Woody makes the argument that a toy's value comes in it's usefulness and acceptance by it's owner, that's a diametrically opposed value to what we feel humans have.

For instance, if something only has value because something outside of it finds it useful, attractive, fun, or whatever, then it has extrinsic value. Yet, most religions and the predominant culture of the day would argue that humans have intrinsic value. Meaning that we are valuable simply because of who we are and not based on anything outside us, say our family's love or our boyfriend's value of us. I would argue that this is the mindset the audience comes in with. It surprises me that the audience never picks up on the idea that the movie doesn't agree with that viewpoint. Woody makes this extrinsic argument in the beginning of the film (and in a way, the whole film series has been making it.)

You might say that this is just a beginning point for the film and that the theory undergoes change. Well, does it? By the end of the film, we find that the theme has gone from, "We are here for Andy" to "We are here for each other". This is told poignantly in a moment where our cast of toys embraces their seemingly inevitable fate of death (in a tear-jerking scene that would on its own stand as one of the best dramatic scenes of the year). However, has it changed our main issue of extrinsic versus intrinsic value? Unfortunately not, it's only multiplied it. Instead of finding one's value in the acceptance of the joy of it's owner, it's now about finding value in the acceptance of community. While it's true that genuine satisfaction comes from pleasing others and finding acceptance by others, should we be so comfortable with a film that makes it not a side-truth of our world, but 'the truth' of our world?

Ultimately what it comes down to is that Toy Story 3 is a nihilistic story at its heart, making it more akin to The Road, Up in the Air and No Country For Old Men than people would think. It's a story about beings who realize their ultimate purposelessness (Andy's growing indifference, toddler's mayhem, their fate being out of their hands, their ultimate fate at the dump), and must come to terms with creating value out of that world, where none exists. In this case, the value is family and staying together. There is nothing wrong with having a movie with this theme, however, it does strike me as odd that most people don't see it, or even know that it's going on.

I don't mind a nihilistic theme in a major release, but what I do mind are inconsistent themes of nihilism, which Toy Story 3 has in spades. As our film progresses, our characters ultimately catch onto tha "finding joy and purpose in their owner" is meaningless and changes their value to "finding joy and purpose in community". However, through some clever work by Woody (read writer manipulation), they are able to find a warm and caring owner again by the end. In essence, they are able to find a new Andy, one who takes care of them and looks after them. This is a lazy way to reward our characters and resolve a major worldview issue. Instead of our toys actually embracing and finding their fates as temporary passing objects of other's affections, they are rescued and sent into the hands of a new loving owner and community of toys.

One reviewer called this as close to 'religion' as a secular film gets, in remarking that there is an acceptance of mortality & purposelessness, but through the building of values they kind of find 're-birth' into a new world. I disagree. I think it's half-hearted nihilism. Here is the rub, if Andy can grow indifferent than so can their new owner. If Andy and the new owner can grow indifferent, then so can the other toys in their acceptance of each other. This is what the toys and the audience, after our experiences in this film should have learned. We shouldn't feel like the toys find a 'happily ever after', they have simply prolonged their fate, and allowed their value to come from community and the acceptance of an owner. What happens when this new owner tires of them? The film doesn't really want to embrace a nihilistic view of the world to it's end. It's more interested in a happy ending and a friendly loving community.

While the Toy Story 3 Universe may admit that these toys are just a piece of plastic meant to be thrown away when it's outlasted its usefulness, it ultimately doesn't treat them that way, because the audience wouldn't accept that. A brave film would've followed our heroes to their demise and to the triumph of its dramatic themes. Instead, the film stutters and panders not just to the audience, but more than likely to the half-hearted existential nihilism of the writers. It only makes me appreciate more the fully committed nihilism of a Charlie Kaufman, Cormac McCarthy, or Werner Herzog. They stare into the face of the abyss and come out changed, scared, and scarred. Our brave Toy Story characters stare into the face of the abyss and come out with smiles, hugs, laughs, and the welcoming arms of a re-born owner who lavishes attention, care, and love upon them. Something doesn't seem right here and I hope that audiences would take notice.

Sidenote: Does anyone else find it a little sad that rather than say goodbye to friends and family, Andy has to say goodbye to his 'good' friends Buzz and Woody? It's as if the film says that the best friend a boy could have are his toys. I'm all for creative play with toys, but shouldn't there be some balance with human interaction there? I just find the emphasis on the importance of toys (and the ungodly amount of toys) in a child's life to be a little scary.

Iron Man 2 & Robin Hood: Video Review

2010-05-17T18:36:00.001-04:00

How to Train Your Dragon: Video Review

2010-04-10T16:00:00.004-04:00

Clash of the Titans: Video Review

2010-04-10T14:38:00.002-04:00

The Green Zone: Video Review

2010-03-13T14:20:00.003-05:00

For more of my thoughts on The Green Zone HERE is a link to my review of Roger Ebert's review of the film

The Green Zone: Review Roundup

2010-03-13T13:52:00.012-05:00

While the film hasn't exactly grabbed the attention of the populace, it certainly has grabbed my attention. Brought to us by Matt Damon, Paul Greengrass, and Brian Helgaland (three of my favorite people making films), my contention is that Green Zone is a liberal fantasy that revises and simplifies the historical reasons for entering the Iraq War turning Matt Damon's Chief Miller into a superhero finding out the truth.

While that's the view that I take out of the film, there are plenty other voices out there, and below are a few of the other voices that I found interesting.

Kansas City.Com: A positive review from Robert Butler

Excerpt: "The film is particularly good at capturing the disconnect of life in Baghdad’s protected Green Zone. In Saddam’s former palace, Washington interns in bikinis lounge poolside with beers, cradling automatic weapons and listening to pop music. A few blocks away American soldiers are fighting and dying.

This movie is so focused on plot and breathless action that the acting is incidental. Unlike the Oscar-winning “Hurt Locker, these characters haven’t time for a significant emotional arc — they’re too busy running and shooting.

Still, Kinnear is a despicable villain, and Damon is his usual charismatic self. Amy Ryan has a few good moments as a reporter whose sloppy pre-war reporting about WMDs paved the way for the conflict, and Khalid Abdalla (who was born in Scotland) is excellent as a Saddam-hating Iraq army veteran who teams up with Miller, serving as his translator and the film’s conscience.

Bottom line: “Green Zone” is high-octane speculative fiction with a political agenda. You can already hear Rush Limbaugh harrumphing.

Inland Empire Weekly: Amy Nicholson makes a case that the film isn't simplified but in actuality distilled

Excerpt: "Green Zone is as smart of a thriller as you’re going to see on the Iraq War. (At least, until 2060 when an as-yet-unborn Quentin Tarantino will make his War on Terror Inglourious Basterds.) Inspired by former Washington Post Baghdad bureau chief Rajiv Chandrasekaran’s first-hand account, Imperial Life in the Emerald City, Green Zone distills—not simplifies—the clashing forces that dashed our chance of peace. (If, in fact, peace was ever even on the table.)...Green Zone is richer than Jason Bourne’s sweaty quest; though it’s a compressed fiction, it’s fair. Unlike GWB’s “With us or against us,” bluster, this doesn’t pretend that people are either good or bad. Everyone—even Naor’s deadly general—is self-righteously following their conscience. And consciences have consequences."

Film Freak Central: A mixed review from Ian Pugh.

Excerpt: "Green Zone feels like a self-conscious relic of the previous decade and there's nothing to convince us of otherwise, particularly because it applies tired aesthetics to an impotent tirade about the American invasion of Iraq. At its best, the picture suggests an extraneous coda to the Greengrass-completed Bourne trilogy, without the benefit of its mystery, its forward momentum, or its looming implications."

Read more at: http://www.filmfreakcentral.net/screenreviews/greenzone.htm

Decent Films Guide: A negative review by Steven D. Graydanus

Excerpt: "Reviewing the Rob Marshall film Memoirs of a Geisha, Roger Ebert wrote, “I suspect that the more you know about Japan and movies, the less you will enjoy Memoirs of a Geisha.” This is such a useful critical rule of thumb that there ought to be a shorthand way of referring to movies fitting that description. I don’t suppose we can call them Geisha movies. No, probably not.

Still, let the reader understand when I suggest that Green Zone is a Geisha movie, in the sense that the more you know about Iraq and movies, the less you will enjoy it. I don’t know a lot about Iraq, and even I know too much for this movie."

Read More At: http://decentfilms.com/reviews/greenzone
There is also something else worth reading on his site regarding Green Zone http://decentfilms.com/blog/green-zone-kinnear-lied

The Part-Time Critic: My takes on the film

"Does Roger Ebert Really Not Care About Truth?": I wrote an earlier review of Roger Ebert's four star review, that can be found here.

My own personal video review of Green Zone can be found here

Does Ebert Really Not Care About the Truth?

2010-03-13T00:01:00.013-05:00

Recent release Green Zone scored a four star review from Roger Ebert today. While every man is entitled to his opinion of a film (I would never decry someone for 'feeling' a way about a film and isn't about it getting four stars), it's his shocking lack of concern for truth and even more shocking lack of objectivity that really caught my attention.

For those not in the know Green Zone is a war thriller about the early days of the Iraq War and one army chief's mission to uncover the truth about why the search for WMD's has come up empty. The film has come under fire from several places for it's fact twisting and simplifications. I have yet to see the film (will be watching it today) so I cannot comment on whether or not the allegations seem to be truthful. However, Eberts opening lines about Green Zone seem to indicate that he doesn't even care if the film is truthful or not, Ebert writes...

"Its message is that Iraq's fabled "weapons of mass destruction" did not exist, and that neocons within the administration fabricated them, lied about them and were ready to kill to cover up their deception. Is this true? I'm not here to say. It's certainly one more element in the new narrative that has gradually emerged about Iraq, the dawning realization that we went to war under false premises."

Where to begin? Is Ebert this willfully ignorant of recent history? Let me run down the issues with just these three points:

1) Ebert says the film claims that Iraq's 'weapons of mass destruction' were fabled and never existed. It was the neoconservatives who 'invented' the evidence as a pretense for war. Without going back into the whole Iraq war discussion, let me offer this

- It wasn't 'just' American intelligence who believed in Iraq's WMD, it was all the intelligence agencies of the western world, let alone Saddam's own people who thought he had them.
- U.N. Weapons Inspectors and Teams dating back to 1991 recorded and noted that WMD's were unnaccounted for and consistently desired to monitor and search for them
- Colin Powell (no NEOCON fanatic) became convinced of the evidence
- Nearly all the major players in Congress who say the same intelligence as Bush and the other allied nations believed Saddam to have WMDs.
- Many Generals within the U.S. Army and Iraqi Army believed many WMD's were destroyed or moved before the invasion

This is not me making a case FOR the war. This is me making the case that the film deceptively oversimplifies the issue, and does so with a partisan agenda. Of course, none of these things matter, because they don't fit the narrative that Ebert and revisionist critics believe.

2) "Is this true? I'm not here to say"

Ebert runs an end around the facts of the case by claiming that it's not relevant whether the history is true or not. Seriously? This film is meant to be a commentary on what happened in Iraq right? It's meant to be based upon a non-fictional account? I would surmise that it doesn't matter to Ebert because it fits his liberal narrative. I would guess (and I am speculating) that if the film had pressed the opposite case, that the evidence was a 'slam dunk' and that we were heroes in Iraq, then fact twisting would mean a lot more to him. This is more evident by third point...

3) "It's certainly one more element in the new narrative that has gradually emerged about Iraq, the dawning realization that we went to war under false premises"

Where has Ebert been since 2003? New narrative? Gradually emerged? Dawning realization? People were claiming Bush lied as early as the spring of 2003. It's been a constant drumbeat ever since and played pivotal roles in the 2004, 2008 elections. This line alone should be enough to caution anyone desiring to take his thoughts on the war seriously.

To straighten it out, Ebert says that the film claims 'Neocons' entirely fabricated the evidence for the Iraq War leading us there under deception. It's not for him to say whether or not it's true, but it's useful because it's an element that's emerging in our realization that we went to war under false premises? So, Ebert believes we went to war under false pretenses, this is fact for him. The films' claims, no matter if they are true or not, are important because they re-affirm what Ebert already believes?

This reminds me of an anecdote that the philosopher Peter Kreeft once told his class recounting that one student claimed it was okay to make any point they wanted because even if the point was inaccurate or unfactual, it at least stirred up a worthy debate. To that, one of Kreeft's other students replied, "Your mother is a whore!". The original student became offended, but the offendee replied, "I don't know if it's true or not, but it sure is a worthy debate!"

The sad part is, Ebert does buy this simplistic scapegoat crap about the Iraq War. No one claims there wasn't major failures in the run-up to the war and after the war. There were massive intelligence failures that could be explored insightfully and fruitfully. An excellent film could be made about the immediate failures after we entered Iraq, but it wouldn't be a black and white one; at least not an honest film.

None of this matters to Ebert and I think it's a shame. There are times when historical inaccuracies can be and should be overlooked, because of the larger themes and thrust of a film. A film like JFK can be enjoyed (even though it's tough) despite it's inaccuracies, mostly because that history is behind us, and the consequences of those inaccuracies only lead to simple disagreements, heated debates, or at the most conspiracy nuts.

This isn't the same with the Iraq War. We still have thousands of soldiers fighting in the that theater, let alone in Afghanistan. So much depends upon the successful outcome in Iraq and American's ability to operate there, that getting history correct or at least allowing the room for disagreement is important.

I'm not saying that these kind of films shouldn't be made because they are disloyal or would ruin our effort, people can make whatever film they want, it's a free country. I'm also not saying that Ebert can't have this opinion. What I do want to say is that I think both are dangerous to good political discourse and have the ability to only solidify in the minds of Americans and the world half-truths and myths, only obscuring further the real problems and issues that revolve around Iraq.

My view that Ebert is cleary easy on this film because of his liberal bias is only confirmed by his opening line, "Green Zone looks at an American war in a way almost no Hollywood movie ever has: We're not the heroes, but the dupes." Only someone with blinders on couldn't see that Hollywood puts out plenty of movies like this. Not being able to see that Green Zone fits comfortably within a whole line of films critical of American's role in Iraq (let alone several of the Vietnam flicks), makes me believe Ebert has lost his sense of objectivity.

We all have our subjective bias. We all lean toward narratives that fit our current worldviews. However, isn't one the essential parts of being a cultured and learned person being able to retain objectivity and openness, especially to those things that don't seem to fit our current worldview? Ebert's contention that Green Zone is a rare breed of war film is so glaringly untrue that I wonder whether Ebert cares that he's lost his ability to see past his own worldview. Or worse, that he even knows.

Question of the Ages: Which Jackie Chan Fight is Better?

2010-03-09T18:03:00.010-05:00

Thanks to my friend Peter Chan on a convenient trip to Hong Kong, I was able to secure a copy of Jackie Chan's Dragons Forever from 1988. The film is the last pairing between Jackie Chan and his Chinese Opera mates Sammo Hung and Yeun Biao (incredible fighters in their own right). The final fight scene is an incredible display of acrobatics and choreography by Chan and Biao, but it's the re-match fight between Jackie and Bennie "The Jet" Urquidez that gets most of the talk, and for good reason.

While I've seen the fights already on YouTube, it was great to see them for the first time on my flat screen television. However, the film has re-sparked in my mind a common debate amongst nearly all fight film fans, which of Jackie Chan's fights with Bennie "The Jet" Urquidez is greatest? His first fight with Bennie "The Jet" is found in Wheels on Meals from 1984 and was nearly immediately viewed as one of the greatest single fights of all-time. Four years later, the rematch took place in Dragons Forever.

So, I'm gonna embed both fights below and offer my commentary on each. Afterwards, I'll let you know which I think is better (they are both incredible), but I'm really interested in what you have to say. So, if you have the time, watch the clips below and let me know which fight you find to be better and why.

Jackie Chan vs. Bennie "The Jet" Urquidez #1
Wheels on Meals (1984)

Commentary: Impressive right? It's brutal, quick, and well paced. Jackie and Bennie's fights caught so much attention because they are both not only legitimate fighters but they are legitimate tough guys as well. Supposedly Jackie asked Bennie to be more aggressive than usual hoping the intensity would come across on screen and it certainly does. They are both so well matched, their fights feel real to me. My favorite elements of the fight are the playful back and forth between them as they feel each other's skills out, as well as several well placed slow motion shots and impact shots. The flip and leg sweep combo that Jackie does at 0:13 is just beautiful. The main drawback would be the length. I feel the fight could be a bit longer, as I could've watch them fight for another couple minutes or so.

Jackie Chan vs. Bennie "The Jet" Urquidez #2

Dragons Forever (1988)

Commentary: Again, the back and forth here is just incredible. Jackie gave this fight good pacing as well, as I think there are clearly three distinct acts to this fight. There's some quick acrobatics in this one, as well as that playful humor that Jackie is known for. What takes this one down a notch in my mind is the inclusion of the other fighter. He's funny and interesting, but it takes away from the one on one a bit in my mind. I also dislike the slow-motion fall Jackie takes into the boxes as the fall doesn't look at all harmful. If the other fight was short, this one is a tad shorter and it suffers because of it. It hits high gear in the second half, but a few more minutes of fight would've set this one apart.

The Verdict: I would take the fight from Wheels on Meals as the better of the two.

What do you think? Do you prefer the second one? Tell me why?

Oscar 2010 Recap

2010-03-08T16:50:00.016-05:00

I posted them a little late, but perhaps you were able to glean from my Oscar predictions. There's always a few wild cards out there (the short category awards and sound awards are notoriously difficult to guess), but my predictions came out extremely well this year at 20/24. This should've been good enough to win your Oscar pools, and if it wasn't, then you've got a true Oscar nut in your pool, never enter again. In case you missed my predictions, here they are again

The categories I missed out on:

-Best Documentary Short

-Best Live Action Short

-Best Sound Editing

-Best Adapted Screenplay (Precious beat Up in the Air in one of the few upsets of the night)

In case your not on Facebook or don't follow me on Twitter, here is a re-cap of my tweets from the night.

8pm-9pm

"Thought the opening was a conplete waste of time on the Oscars. Martin and Baldwin are about 50/50 hit and miss"

"Baldwin and Martin are tripping on some basic stand up essentials like decent transitions"

"I love that the Oscars are playing nearly thirty second clips of all the acting categories. Lovin it"

"Why have two Oscar hosts if Neil Patrick Harris gets the big opening?"

9pm-10pm

"The Oscars are settling in and the two host system seems even less needed. Very slow pace to the show."

"Nearly one hour in and only four awards!"

"What a cliff hanger! I wondrr who will take the visual effects Oscar?"

"Wow. That short doc award was just all kinds of wierd and awkward"

"Didnt see that Precious win for writing. Apparently neither did the writer"

"Dont turn off the Oscars...theres a Horror film tribute coming up!!! Call your friends!"

"That paranormal activity parody was great. Glimpse of what the opening couldve been"

10pm-11pm

"One wonders if James Cameron is making all his Oscar winning co workers call him a genius or some variation in speeches"

"Is Jennifer Lopez wearing bubble wrap?"

"Now that was some CLASSY dancing!!" (During the Original Score Breakdancing Moment)

11pm-12pm

"Wow. Is anyone else depressed after seeing those documentary clips?"

"Are these introductory speeches for the best acting categories not the most narcissistic moments of a narcissistic event"

"15 minutes for Best Actor?! Please just end it"

12am-12:15am

"Wow. You think Hanks was trying to hurry through that?"

"Maybe my least favorite Oscars since I started really watching in 2004"

Final Thoughts:

If you follow me at all then you know that I considered 2009 to be a sub-par year for film and while there are some bright spots in the nominees for me (Inglorious Basterds & An Education), I found the 10 Best Picture nominees to be unusually mediocre and average. I'm not an Avatar guy or a Hurt Locker guy (heck none of my top five was even nominated), so it was already an awards show without any real rooting interest.

I've been following the Oscars in earnest since 2004, and this has to be my least favorite show since then. While Martin and Baldwin had some good moments (the Paranormal Activity and snuggie moments were very good), they were also awkward and just plain unfunny at times. The show struggled to get started, probably since they actually had three different starts to the show (the actors all standing together, the Neil Patrick Harris routine and the hosts themselves), and it just seemed to be sluggish. It lacked the presentation and unified theme of last years Oscars, and really lacked the edge that hosts like Stewart or Rock brought to the show.

For an already narcissistic show, I just found this one to be especially self-congratulatory (the three minute love notes to the best actor and actress nominees didn't help). Add on top of that the generally obnoxious storylines of the evening, "Will the Ex-Wife or the White Husband get the Oscar?" "Will this be the first female or the first black director to win?", and I just didn't care for much of what was going on. For a better take on those storylines check out this article.

As always though, it's fun to watch and to guess for the most part. It's even better when you get to do that with a group of friends, which I did. The pictures below are from our own Oscar party. Enjoy. Feel free to comment.

(Peter stands next to our Projected Oscar telecast!)

(The telecast and our Official Oscar Leaderboard)

(Peter updating the leaderboard throughout the night)

(Erica and Gary scurrying to finish their ballots before the start of the show)

(Per tradition we assign a food item to each Best Picture nominee. This year, given the ten nominees, our food amounts grew considerably)

(Blue Kool-Aid, because people be drinkin' it on this film!)

(Because they owned a Taco Bell franchise)

(The aliens in the film were called prawns, or something close to it, and shrimps are a bit like prawns. Okay, its a stretch, we know.)

(Apples go with Education right?)

(The soldiers drank CapriSuns)

(You just have to have it with milk)

(GUTHRIES!!! And we didn't steal it)

(Jewish cookies)

(Russell feeds Kevin the chocolate)

(Cause they give peanuts on airplanes)

(The Final Board and Standings)

2 Minute Video Review: Alice in Wonderland

2010-03-08T16:37:00.003-05:00

Overall Grade: C

Feel free to comment with your own thoughts

2 Minute Video Review: Shutter Island

2010-02-26T18:43:00.003-05:00

Overall Grade: A-

It's my first video review. Maybe they will improve, maybe they won't. Here's to hoping that they do!

Brand New Technology!

2010-02-26T18:28:00.005-05:00

Ok, so it's really not all that new. I've decided to try my hand in a little bit of video reviewing. Below is the introduction to my new format. I hope you enjoy.

Great Films of the 2000's Montage

2010-02-09T22:45:00.002-05:00

Here is a great montage of some of the best films of the 2000s

I first found this at www.incontention.com but the video is courtesy of

Bennett Media

Contains clips from most all of my favorite films and I think that last clip is a perfect ender. Enjoy!

the films of the 2000s from Paul Proulx on Vimeo.

2009 Leaman Awards: Supplementary Awards

2010-01-21T16:32:00.007-05:00

-Top Ten Tag Lines-

10. "There's one inside all of us" –Where the Wild Things Are

9. "Here comes the bribe" –The Proposal

8. "Holmes for the Holidays" –Sherlock Holmes

7. "Safety Never Takes a Holiday" –Paul Blart: Mall Cop

6. "Christine Brown has a good job, a great boyfriend, and a bright future. But in three days, she's going to hell" –Drag Me To Hell

5. "Divorced...with benefits" –It's Complicated

4. "New model. Original parts" –Fast & Furious

3. "Once Upon a Time in Nazi occupied France..." –Inglorious Basterds

2. "Is Your Money making a Killing?" –The International

1. "Based on a tattle-tale" –The Informant!

-Bottom Five Tag Lines-

5. "Some fight for power. Some fight for us" –Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li

4. "He was a prisoner who became a president. To unite his country, he asked one man to do the impossible" –Invictus

3. “Outwit. Outspy. Outsmart. Outplay. Then get out” –Duplicity

2. "Sometimes we leave everything to find ourselves" –Two Lovers

1. "This Easter the legend comes to life" –Dragonball: Evolution

-Top Fifteen Drama Scenes-

15. "Bathtub Showroom moment between two sisters" –Away We Go
14. "Carousel of Death spins and one decides who dies" –Saw VI
13. "Hans Landa slowly gets a confession from a farmer hiding Jews" –Inglorious Basterds
12. “Plane Crash and Its’ Aftermath in One Take” –Knowing
11. "Judit reveals to Matteo her involvement in the destruction of his film" –Broken Embraces
10. "Getting the truth in a motel room" –State of Play
9. "Kirk is Born as the U.S.S Kelvin is Destroyed" –Star Trek
8. "A visit to Mandela's old Prison" –Invictus
7. "Disarming a bomb at the UN " –The Hurt Locker
6. "Carl and Ellie Marriage and Passing Montage" –Up
5. "Harry coaxes the truth about Tom Riddle from Professor Slughorn" –Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
- My vote for best sequence in the entire Harry Potter series.

4. "The truth comes out in a sit down with Mom, Precious and a Counselor" -Precious
- Powerful and insightful, without becoming melodramatic.

3. “Oh the Times They are Changing: Opening Title Sequence” – Watchmen
- The most creative montage of the year (sorry Up fans), is the best sequence in the entire film (and it's right at the beginning).

2 ."An undercover Mission is discovered by an SS Officer in a Basement and Ends in a Firefight" –Inglorious Basterds
- Quentin Tarantino's trademark 'talky' style is put to use here to create one of the most suspenseful sequences in cinema. The tension ratchets up slowly and ends with quite a bang, one of Tarantino's finest sequences.

1. "Jake Climbs Iknimaya, tames his own Ikran and learns how to fly" –Avatar
- All the positives of the film contained in one sequence that truly shows the integration of all the boundary pushing technologies with a well written (and directed) dramatic beat. It's suspenseful, visceral, awe-inspiring and the best dramatic sequence of 2009.

-Top Fifteen Action Scenes-

15. "Master Ip defeats the Out of Towners and Restores Honor to Fo Shan" Ip Man
14. "Jaa Uses a bit of Drunken Style mixed with leg work and Rescuing Slaves" Ong Bak 2
13. "Killing the Comedian" Watchmen
12. "Kato Saws Through Teams of Ninja's and is Rescued by Saya in the Forest" Blood: The Last Vampire
11. "Three Assassins Converge on the Motorway in a Doubledecker" The Tournament
10. "Optimus Prime Rescues Sam and Fights off Three Decepticons in the Forest" Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
9. "Shootout in the Woods at Little Bohemia" Public Enemies
8. "Machines Gathering Humans leads to a Car Chase Ending on the Bridge" Terminator: Salvation
7. "Ip Man Defends the Cotton Mill and Fights Against Two Old Foes" Ip Man
6. "Final War Between the Navi and the Humans on Air and Land" Avatar
5. "Tracing the Shooter Leads to a the Guggenheim Shootout" The International
4. "Final Assault by Sea and Land on Cao Cao's Camp" Red Cliff
3. "Ip Man Takes Out Ten Japanese in One Fight" Ip Man
- An epic, but short, fight scene that features a brutal fist to fist fight sequence. There is no give and take, but the creativity and the context of the scene truly make it one of the great fight scenes.

2. "Finale at his Home Village: Weapons Fight Extravaganza" Ong Bak 2
- Tony Jaa demonstrates his ability to use nearly all variety of weapons with this stunning sequence that last nearly 20-25 minutes. Despite the use of some unorthodox weapons (he's not as adept at the three sectioned staff as he would like you to think), it's with the more tradtional weapons like the sword that is agility, creativity, and quickness truly shines.

Here is a clip from the massive finale

1. "Finale: From Rooftops, to Dojos, to the Sides of Buildings" Chocolate
- It's a grueling, long, and varied sequence that ends in a stunning fight on the side of an apartment complex. While portions of the finale feature some well choreographed fighting, it's the final all-out stunts that set this sequence apart. Not since Jackie Chan's stunt team in the 1980's has there been a team as dedicated to showing us something we've never seen before.

Here is the best sequence from the great finale

-Special Recognition-

- The following is a list of things in 2009 that barely missed a category or just deserved a category of there own. Some are good, some are bad, but they all deserved some recognition.

- Best Compilation of Work: Jim Broadbent in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, The Young Victoria, and Inkheart

- Eric Bana Award: (For the Best Performance in a Bad Film, as Bana gave in Troy) Michael Sheen in Underworld: Rise of the Lycans

- Hairspray Award: (For the best 1st Half of a Movie Ruined by a Terrible 2nd Half, like Hairspray) Up gets lost in South America, The Informant! never seems to end, and Paranormal Activity never delivers on its excellent slow build first half.

- Gary Oldman Award: (For the most over the top performance of the year) Chris Klein in Street Fighter: Legend of Chun Li

- Guilty Pleasure of the Year: Saw VI, Crank: High Voltage, The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard

- Special Achievement in Visual Effects: Destruction of the world in Knowing, Whisps of Gas and Smoke Turning into Memories Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, "The Shadow" in Inkheart, the visual landscapes of Avatar.

- Creative Ideas That Made Me Happy: The redemption of the Victoria's mother in The Young Victoria, Scrat and Scratess chase the Acorn while in Bubbles sequence in Ice Age 3, the character of Buck in Ice Age 3, Stealing arrows in Red Cliff, 'You Make My Dreams Come True' dance sequence in (500) Days of Summer

- Best Comedic Bit Roles: Kristen Wig and Bill Heder in Adventureland

- Best Documentary: Anvil: The Story of Anvil

- Worst CGI of the Year: Race to Witch Mountain, Ninja Assassin, and The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

- Most Surprising Performance: Zac Efron literally carrying 17 Again on his own.

- Worst Performances and Moments: Hank Azaria's Kahmunrah debates Stiller's Nightguard in Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, Christine Brown fights a Gypsy in her Car in Drag Me To Hell, Oil Rub Down on the High Priest in Year One, Ejiofor convinces the World leaders to let the gates down for the people in 2012, The ladies of the raped and murder club come out to meet and welcome Suzy Salmon from The Lovely Bones

- Worst Performance in a Good Film: Naomi Watts in The International

2009 Leaman Awards: Superlative Awards

2010-01-20T16:50:00.006-05:00

Most Disappointing Film of the Year

"Given to the film that falls the farthest below its expectations"

Winner: Terminator: Salvation

Runner-Up: Year One

Comments: I suppose I should've known better than to get my hopes up for this film, but the combination of an excellent trailer, a gritty and visceral aesthetic, and the inclusion of Christian Bale suckered me in. Besides an excellent second act action beat, this film fails on all levels and single handedly has destroyed any interest I still had in the Terminator franchise.

Most Surprising Film of the Year

"Given to the film that soared the highest above its expectations"

Winner: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

Runner-Up: 17 Again

Comments: 2009 has turned out to be quite an amazing year for animated features, and there was no animated film that surprised me more than Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. The horrible trailer gave the impression that the film was a one gimmick film attempting to just capitalize on the 3D craze. In actuality, it's a refreshing and entertaining film that reminded me of Emperor's New Groove or Kung Fu Panda (though not quite in their league). Also surprising in 2009 was Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, becoming my favorite entry in the Ice Age series and redeeming a lackluster Ice Age: The Meltdown.

Most Overrated Film of the Year

“Given to the Film that is consistently cheered when it should be jeered”

Winner: The Hangover

Runner-Up: Food, Inc.

Comments: The Hangover is not only one of the most pedestrian sex comedies I've seen in a while, but it's also the most overrated. The Hangover takes an interesting premise and squanders it with cardboard characters doing immoral actions and ultimately learning nothing from anything while getting away with everything. As the men learn of their escapades their reaction is laughter and incredulity, its never remorse or reflection. Don't be fooled, The Hangover is no Wedding Crashers nor is it even Knocked Up, this film could've starred Jerry O'Connell and gone straight to DVD in college towns.

Most Underrated Film of the Year

“Given to the film that is consistently jeered when it should be cheered”

Winner: The International

Runner-Up: Knowing

Comments: Not the best conspiracy thriller ever conceived, but The International is a solidly entertaining and intriguing film that moves quickly, features a couple great dramatic moments, and a gun fight for the action hall of fame. Director Tom Tyker does an excellent job of location scouting, giving the film's travelogue locations a slick and modern aesthetic. The film always remains visually appealing, but it's ultimately the 'realist' position that the movie concludes with I enjoy the most. Like Traitor from last year (though not quite at that level), here is a thriller that flies under the radar, but delivers as well as any the past few years.

2009 Leaman Awards: Major Awards and Commentary

2010-01-19T17:17:00.023-05:00

Here is the BIG STUFF! Thanks for reading and Enjoy!

Best Supporting Actress

- Vera Farmiga Up in the Air

- Mo'Nique Precious

- Gwyneth Paltrow Two Lovers

- Blanca Portillo Broken Embraces

- Rachel Weisz The Brothers Bloom

Winner: Mo'Nique Precious

Runner-Up: Blanca Portillo Broken Embraces

Comments: It wasn't never really a race this year as Mo'Nique walks away with the award. Easily the most 'evil' of the performances, Mo'Nique doesn't shy away from going over the top, and this pays off with her emotional plea in the final act of the film, revealing more character than most care to admit. The best antagonist since Ledger's Joker.

Best Supporting Actor

- Jason Bateman State of Play

- Jim Broadbent Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

- Saul Rubinek Julia

- Mark Ruffalo The Brothers Bloom

- Christoph Waltz Inglorious Basterds

Winner: Jim Broadbent Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Runner-Up: Jason Bateman State of Play

Comments: Has there ever been a more interesting character in the Potter films than Professor Slughorn? Conflicted from the beginning, I absolutely delighted in Slughorn's struggle with his past failures mixed with his delight in helping and 'collecting' students. Slughorn is played with wit, charm, and potency by the always great Jim Broadbent. Slughorn's confession to Harry is my favorite moment of the whole series, as well as the best acted.

Best Actress

- Emily Blunt The Young Victoria

- Carey Mulligan An Education

- Tilda Swinton Julia

- Gabourey Sidibe Precious

- Meryl Streep Julie & Julia

Winner: Carey Mulligan An Education

Runner-Up: Tilda Swinton Julia

Comments: How refreshing and delightful to find this outstanding performance amongst a year filled with disappointments in the cinema! Equal parts innocent and naive, as well as sexy and adventurous; Carey Mulligan is the center of the entire film. Mulligan gives one of the best debuts of the decade, it just so happens it's one of the best female performances of the decade.

Best Actor

- George Clooney Up in the Air

- Russell Crowe State of Play

- Robert Downey Jr. Sherlock Holmes

- Viggo Mortensen The Road

- Sam Rockwell Moon

Winner: Sam Rockwell Moon

Runner-Up: Viggo Mortensen The Road

Comments: The best twin performance since Nicholas Cage in Adaptation (Rockwell is not quite as good), is also the best male performance of the year. Much of Rockwell's trademark quirkiness is reined in here as Rockwell gives a solid and greatly layered performance that just might be the highlight of his career.

Best Ensemble

- Inglorious Basterds

- Precious

- The Road

- Sherlock Holmes

- Up in the Air

Winner: Up in the Air

Runner-Up: Inglorious Basterds

Comments: This was a pretty easy choice for me this year as I truly enjoyed all the performances in this film. In fact, I think the film works (and works well) simply because its leads are so charming, charismatic, and agreeable. I think the films performances actually help to temper and balance out the stark purposelessness of universe of Up in the Air. If I return to the skies, It will be to simply watch Clooney, Farmiga, Kendick and Bateman, live out these characters, despite how the film ultimately uses them.. I don't know if I can say that about any other film this year.

Best Director

- John Hillcoat The Road

- Duncan Jones Moon

- Kevin MacDonald State of Play

- Guy Ritchie Sherlock Holmes

- Quentin Tarantino Inglorious Basterds

Winner: John Hillcoat The Road

Runner-Up: Kevin MacDonald State of Play

Comments: Adapting and bringing to the screen one America's great novels is not an easy task. Hillcoat confidently commands The Road creating the perfect tone and atmosphere that coarsens through every aspect of the film, including it's subtext and performances. Working with a fairly slim plot and stoyline, Hillcoat masterfully coaxes out every ounce of value.

Best Picture

5. Ip Man

4. Moon

3. Sherlock Holmes

2. The Road

1. State of Play

Comments: State of Play marks the first time I've ever given my Best Picture award to an 'A-' film (the only 'A' film of 2009). Despite these circumstances, State of Play is still a solid film that deserves recognition, so I'm glad to give it some. The plot is much too detailed to convey here, but its revelations are all earned, surprising, and truly engaging. Sandwiched in-between all the plot and mystery, are some great issues dealing with the privatization of homeland security (can I say again how much I enjoy the film's failure to confirm the easy scapegoat here?), the dying of print newspaper, and the question of fairness and accuracy in reporting.

The acting is excellent (Crowe, Bateman and Mirren especially) and all the production is memorable as well. All in all, this will be one film that I'll look forward to watching again and again in the future, much like A Few Good Men. It's a blast to watch, remember the twists and enjoy the performances.

2009: A Year in Review

"It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better"

I love watching movies. I devote nearly all of my spare time to watching them, thinking about them, writing about them, and sharing them with friends. Not every film turns out to be one worth devoting all that time to and unfortunately in 2009 that extended to the majority of films I saw. About halfway through the year, as I began to be disappointed by film after film, I suspected that it would be a tough year for me, but I never thought the year would end with only one 'A-'' film (and that took a second viewing for me to arrive at). This is the worst year in film dating all the way back to 1996 (and at least that year had Jerry Maguire and Scream in the 'A' range.). So what made the year so bad? Were there any bright spots in the whole thing? Lets take a closer look at the year.

Looking over the list of what I would label as 'disappointments', it's hard to remain positive about the year. The list of directors with prestige that turned in average to terrible films this year is simply astounding; Eastwood, Proyas, Jonze, Zemeckis (who hasn't made a great film since 2000's Cast Away), Cameron, Jackson (of the Peter vairety), Soderbergh, Linklater, Raimi, Gilliam, Coen Brothers, J.J. Abrams, Howard, Gilroy, Gervais, Marshall, Allen, and Ramis. All directors I look forward to and not a single one produced a film that I care to watch again. Alas, perhaps 2009 was missing those prestige dramas, but did it at least deliver my bread and butter genre? Did it succeed in prodcuing great blockbuster entertainment?

Looking over my grades for this year's blockbuster is like looking over the report card for a failing high school football player. The list of casualties include: Wolverine, Star Trek, G.I. Joe, Angels and Demons, Harry Potter 6, 2012, Watchmen, Terminator 4, Transformers 2, Night at the Museum 2, and Avatar. All of these failed to deliver the goods in my opinion failing to either deliver a fun and entertaining ride, or the rare blockbuster that is as deep as it is wide. Sherlock Holmes is this year's best blockbuster film, delivering everything a blockbuster should have while offering something deeper as well.

Two unlikely areas produced the best surprises of the year for me. Hong Kong/Asian cinema and animated films truly 'saved' the year from near disaster. While it's been a down year for American blockbusters, Chocolate, Ip Man, Red Cliff, Ong Bak 2 all represent the cutting edge for action films. What a relief. Not to mention the unusually great animated category. I thought that 2008 was going to be the 'down' year for the 2000's, but I guess sometimes it has to get worse before it gets better. Which, when you think about it, is a pretty fitting statement for 2009 in general. Bring on 2010!

- The Part-Time Critic: Kyle Leaman