Steven Spielberg's MUNICH (2005, 164 min.) on Blu-ray.
There's a primal rage and personal investment from Spielberg that comes through every shot in "Munich" that gives it a raw power missing from every other 'prestige' Oscar bait flick he's ever directed. Even the Nazi soldiers in the "Indiana Jones" flicks got off easy compared with the determined, relentless and impersonal effectiveness with which the Israeli assassins go about executing their vengeance against the men (and one woman, the movie's most memorable and fucked-up killing) who murdered their countrymen at the '72 Munich Olympics. Revenge movies celebrate the cathartic release one gets when a bad person gets his/her just deserved comeuppance. "Munich" is the best cinematic representation I've ever seen (particularly its crushingly-powerful final shot) of how fruitless and pointless revenge actually is as a tool to implement change. For those who don't care to think too much, though, enjoy a pre-Bond Daniel Craig as a blood-thirsty Mossad badass.
I have not seen this movie since it came out. I went with my Dad, who I found out much later was an officials for the New Zealand gymnastics team at Munich 1972. I felt like kind of a brat, I was going through a weird I'm too cool for Spielberg faze and wasn't really paying attention to what he was trying to do in the movie. I know watching Munich had a huge affect on Dad because he was caught up in the atmosphere. I keep meaning to watch it again because of that reason, tenuous it might be. I might have to turn my revenge double feature into a triple.
My dad also saw "Munich" and had a profound effect on him, and movies rarely affect him at all. He said he remembered it because my mother was pregnant with me when the Munich Olympics took place, so he wondered at that time what kind of a world I was coming into when even the Olympics weren't a safe place to be anymore. I honestly think "Munich" is Spielberg's last undisputed classic in the same vein as "Raiders," "E.T.," "Schindler's List" and "Jurassic Park." He's tried to recapture the same magic in his latter prestige films ("War Horse," "Lincoln," etc.), but you can tell he's invested into "Munich" on a more personal level as an auteur, as a Jewish-American and as a storyteller with something to say using all the tools at his disposal. Worth seeing, especially since it finally came out on Blu-ray this year and looks/sounds the best it's ever looked/sounded.
And don't worry, Lindz, we all go through the 'too cool for Spielberg' phase at one point or other in our lives. But we all keep getting older while Steven's movies remain the same, waiting for us to get wiser about 'em. :-)
I loved Munich. I always thought of it as Spielberg's Michael Mann film in both pacing and style. If you told me Mann directed it I wouldn't think twice.
I loved Munich also. I think you are right about the depiction of revenge. I first learned about this event actually in Munich, which made it more dynamic to watch for me.
Hello. I want to talk to you about Jesus. Sorry, I mean the Happening. I was going to talk about Gladiator but blah blah Russell Crowe...who cares. It's fine, whatever. Then I rewatched the Happening, again. Goddammit you guys...I love this movie. I talked about it on the Unbreakable podcast comments. I don't care if you disagree with me because you're wrong. It's such an easy target. M. Night sucks. What's the twist? I don't know nothin about criticizin movies buy I know the Happenings bad, right guys? It is fuckin hilarious and I argue that it's on purpose. Oh, yeah, this is a revenge movie. Mother nature's revenge against humanity for wrecking the earth! Are you fuckin kidding me? It's more than ridiculous. The bodies falling from the sky...I laugh every god damn time. Mark Wahlberg's is beyond insane. Like I said, the first time I saw this I didn't like it. I just didn't get it. Now, I get it. If you've watched it more than once and still can't stand it...fine. It's fine. I just feel bad for you. I'm not trying to be condescending but I'm TOTALLY being condescending. So, give it another shot. Who's brave enough to follow me down the Shyamalanian shaped hole? Who's with me? Anyone? Hello?
I absolutely have this movie in my collection. It's the last Shyamalan film I ever bought. It's a fascinating oddity to me. This was no fluke, every single choice Shyamalan made was deliberate. There's a segment on the Blu ray of him directing a sequence, where he's not shooting any coverage, he's only shooting on a single take, single set up basis. One actor says a line -- cut. Reframe the shot. Now say this line -- cut. I wonder what it was like to be an actor on the set of that movie.
I love Signs. I like The Village. I own The Last Airbender. However I struggled to get through The Happening. That being said, everything in this movie seems very deliberate and ultra sincere (sorry Brent, nothing feels ironic to me). I’d love to hear what M Night was thinking when making all of these choices. I still think he is a talented director.
That's fair. Like I said, the first time I saw it, I really didn't like it. Check it out some time in the future and maybe you'll think differently. Why do you own the Last Airbender?
I wanted to like this more than I did, but I just didn't find it as enjoyable as other revenge movies like Death Wish. The Exterminator definitely lives up to his name, doling out some brutal vengeance, but overall he's a pretty bland character. The detective chasing him was much more fun to watch. Seeing Steve James pop up was a nice surprise though.
Too tired to try and delve into Munich as well tonight, but not a bad effort. I had fun with both of them. Payback is gritty almost noir-ish film in a way of a man who just wants what is his - which really wasn't his to begin with. The more insane this movie got the more I had fun with it. Plus the movie does not really shy away from creating a world of villain vs villain, Mel Gibson is just the smarter arsehole (it explains so much).
I couldn't help compare Wrath of Khan to Into Darkness. While the later has non stop action, Simon Peg and a lot of lens flare - Wrath is slightly more contemplative, which I think it comes better off. I loved how the reaction shots of opened mouth disbelief were lingered over for just a tad too long - yes that is a quibble, but it made me smile is all.
One of the best action movies in years with a perfect reason for revenge. Poor puppy. Great role for Keanu Reeves. Perfectly timed and filmed action sequences and also lot´s of fun in this slightly surreal action extravaganza. Loved it from start to finish.
A Texan ex-POW, a quiet man clearly damaged by his experiences in Vietnam, (William Devane) is attacked in his home and his family killed. He enlists the help of a fellow POW camp survivor (Tommy Lee Jones) on his quest for violent revenge against the men who wronged him.
Rolling Thunder is excellent. A much more slow-paced and contemplative movie than I thought it would be, and better for it. Although the story of a soldier returning from war, damaged by his experiences is nothing new, it works here brilliantly. William Devane and Tommy Lee Jones are very good as the two men with calm exteriors but a fire burning inside them.
Young Warriors a.k.a The Graduates of Malibu High (1983) Dir. Lawrence David Foldes
Pretty good Golan/Globus production. Kevin is a typical punk ass college kid. When his younger sister gets gang raped and dies in the hospital, shit get's serious for Kevin. While slowly loosing his mind, he teams up with 3 other frat boys and their over sized looking poodle (wearing a hat and sunglasses) to go out at night and "fight crime". The cast is great, the intro is fantastic and the 3rd act gets a little nuts although not as nuts as I'd hoped for as the run time is oddly over Golan's rule of 90-95 minutes and clocks in at about 105. I really liked that these vigilante frat boys were unlikable to begin with and they all get theirs in the end as well; two of which in glorious fashion!
After 7 days removed from Revenge!, I'd like to thank "Young Warriors" for keeping it's F-ing theme song in my head every day since. It's really driving me nuts.
Thriller: A Cruel Picture (1973, dir. Bo Vibenius) (First Time Viewing): Hard core (literally) exploitation. I feel exploited here because I went into this not knowing that the director has admitted that the “eyeball scene” used a real corpse! Unreal. I think that alone makes this the most extreme exploitation movie I’ve ever seen. This one’s rough. Although I can’t say I enjoyed it, I did appreciate the artfulness amongst all the ugliness. This one will stick with me. #Corpsesploitation
Daryl Hannah's character in Kill Bill is based on the lead character of this movie. When Daryl got the part, Quentin lent her a copy of the film to watch. Daryl was convinced Quentin had given her porn.
Alternate titles include Family Tree Fun Night, Death by Exposition, and Shit House. I picked this movie solely based on run time (72 min) and will be more discerning for the remainder of Junesploitation. This is the story of Lilith who, with the help of a modern day ancestor, returns from...not sure...Hell maybe to either get revenge on the descendants of those that burned her at the stake, or finally obtain ultimate power? It is a little unclear because she mostly appears at random hurls a few lame insults and lets the intended victim wander away to another part of the house. I couldn't really find anyone to root for and for a 72 minute movie it really drags. If not for the occasional curse word I'd swear (see what I did there) it was a made for TV movie. Oh well, maybe they made up for it in witchhouse 2.....
The 30-year-old teens of Angel Beach High are back for their third and least successful nudity-filled romp. I guess there's kind of a revenge plot going on here (Porky tries to force the gang to throw the state championship basketball game to get back at them for destroying his bar in the last movie), but it's lost among the 32 other paper-thin scenarios that pass for plot in this episodic silliness.
For a series of movies so obsessed with sex, they're strangely innocent in that the leads are always oddly sincere. They're just likable horndogs trying to get laid, they never seem too predatory (like the "heroes" of Revenge of the Nerds). Think of them as the Gentleman Timothy Daltons to the Tri-Lamb's Rapey Roger Moores.
I love that you watched this for Revenge! day. I'm planning on a Sexploitation flick for one of the free space days since that category was axed this year.
REVENGE OF THE TEENAGE VIXENS FROM OUTER SPACE (1984)
Four 30-something “teenagers” from a planet with no males run amok in a small town on Earth, killing people by transforming them into giant vegetables. This is the best kind of bad movie. The direction and acting are below incompetent, but there’s this earnestness to it that can’t be replicated. Everyone making this movie cares one hundred percent, even if the final result is crap. It’s more of a sci-fi comedy, with not a lot of actual revenge, though.
Accompanying short film: YOU KILLED ME FIRST (1985). These underground punk films of the ‘80s became quite the fascination for us college kids in the ‘90s. This one isn’t all porn-y, but actually tells a story that builds to a big ending. It’s quite good for what it is.
Rampage (2009): I thought there were moments where it pulls of the uncomfortable uneasy of a merciless killer who takes people out for no reason. Mostly however I was too unccomfortable to get anything from it. One reason being it thinks its smarter than it is. Another is that the reasons for revenging society and how they plan out aren't as chilling as they could be, just an awfully unpleasant view on humanity.
Cape Fear (1991): What a fantastic movie! I think I saw the original for the first time last Junesploitstion on Revenge day, so what better way to finally see this? I loved it. Performances, score, the dark places it is able to go whilst racking up tension and stakes. Will have to come back to it soon.
Lone Wold and Cub: Baby Cart at the River Styx (1972)
Im not sure what I was thinking, or where I went wrong, but I swore that I hadnt seen this one before but various moments through out seemed very familiar and I had one of those moments where I got to the final climax of the movie and thought "yep, ive seen this before". Never mind though, its a good flick.
Lone Wolf on the road of vengeance, with various clans after him for revenge. Lots of sword play, lots of crazy squirting blood Kill Bill style, and the little kid taps a womans boob to send her the message not to pick up a sword. must have been morse code.
Kevin Sorbo is an incompetent, nigh-bumbling serial killer who listens to The Carpenters' "Close to You" while he tortures women from dating sites. I really thought this was going to be a Rape & Revenge movie, but I was way off. I didn't want to spoil this, since the reveal isn't til about a half hour into the movie, but fuck it, it's in the trailer too; it turns out Julia isn't the victim, she's a serial killer who hunts male sexual predators with her younger sister! Most of the movie is the very game Sorbo having knock-down, drag-out brawls with two psychotic blondes, or getting tortured by them. It was fun! Sorbo is part of the current generation of Cameron Mitchell/George Kennedy-style actors who will take any role, like Dean Cain and Eric Roberts (who has 63 movies getting released this year alone!) Keep an eye out for Kevin in the upcoming Mythica sequels and the human-trafficking thriller Caged No More! Trailer.
Finally caught up with this modern twist on the revenge thriller and it turned out to be one of my favorite new discoveries of Junesploitation so far (I think I like Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion more, but that one's barely exploitation). Dwight wants revenge for the death of his parents, an event which seems to have had a profound effect on his psyche (marked by his overgrown beard and unsettled inward performance), but the film has us constantly questioning whose side we should be on. This muddled morality is perfectly executed from start to finish, and the visual aesthetic of the film is just gorgeous. Utterly engaging and highly recommended.
I love "Speed Racer." I'm not blind to its flaws (Chim-Chim's head on a stick, please!) but, overall, I think it's my favorite Wachowskis movie. And I don't even like the Japanese cartoon it's based on.
Across 110th Street (1972): This is a perfect film for this month for anyone who hasn't seen it. This was my first time with it and was delightfully engaged with the the passion from the actors, it felt raw and made the action feel more alive.
Titus (1999): I really wanted to work in some Shakespeare today. I am so glad I went with this one. Incredibly staged I think. Definitely nothing like the dead flatless film adaptations of some of The Bard's work but one that makes the characters' fearsome words and feelings electric as well as a show stealling performance by Sir Anthony Hopkins. Bravo Julie Taymor, lavish and intensity is a hard balance!
JCVD stars in this pic and this one was pretty sweet. He’s the brother of heavyweight kickboxing champion and when his brother gets paralyzed (after JCVD throws in the towel too, Tong Po is a dick) he goes deep into the Thailand jungle to train for his vengeance as well as have a nice travelogue of the country set to classic 80’s montage songs. While I wouldn’t say this one is action packed it does have a classic dance scene, the origin of his splits, as well as the spirit of an eagle (btw are eagles native to Thailand?) I really want to see JCVD back on the big screen.
While by no stretch of the imagination is this the best Rocky its one of my personal favorites. In the unlikely event you’ve never seen this one the gist of it is, is that Rocky has to go to Russia to avenge the death of his BFF Apollo Creed. This movie has multiple montages, lots of very blunt Cold War themes, and yes Paulies birthday gift. Damn near every song on this soundtrack is part of my workout mix and it should be on yours too. If you haven’t seen this one yet watch this, skip V and go straight to Rocky Balboa.
DAMN! Everything I was considering (save for the Kill Bill flicks) is already here. John Wick, Payback, Rolling Thunder...I wonder if Everly counts as revenge.
I don't really wanna do the same thing others have done...but I just might anyway. Those I listed above are some of my favorite movies.
Oh, I intend to, my good man. Other than Scream Factory, I think today will be the most fun I have with Junesploitation thus far...but there's plenty more good days to come!
So I thought this was a Jackie Chan film, but he only has a cameo and was the 'action director'. A young man learns martial arts under a stern master in order to exact revenge for the murder of his father. It's a kung fu comedy, with an english dub so hilariously bad it reminded me of Kung Pow! (Cockney accents an' all).
Weirder than it was funny, but the kung fu itself was actually pretty cool.
Terrific if affected performances punctuate this gem from the maestro Walter Hill. We get to see Morgan Freeman playing a real dick so well that I feel like this must be his natural disposition. Lance Henrikson and Ellen Barkin play a psycho crime couple and are so much fun. (Especially Barkin). Forest Whitaker and Elizabeth McGovern decide to really go for it with their SOUTHERN ACCENTS. Yeesh. Lead Mickey Rourke plays it pretty natural among the weirdos and seems to really draw the viewer into his damaged character.
The downright spooky reverse parallel between the formerly disfigured Johnny and Rourke himself is pretty astounding. Turn this one up loud to fully appreciate Ry Cooders score signaling the death of the 1980's.
All you excellent people are just rattling off some of my favorite movies in my collection and my only regret is that there's not enough hours today for me to watch them all.
PAYBACK STRAIGHT UP: THE DIRECTOR'S CUT (2007) I enjoyed the theatrical cut -- a LOT -- but find Helgeland's cut to be much better for my tastes.
The only drawback is: no Kris Kristofferson, who is a personal hero of mine. But, I'll always have Blade and Blade II. "What about Blade Trinity?" you may ask. "I try not to think about it," I reply.
(actually, that's not entirely fair: it isn't unrepentantly HORRIBLE, it's just that, like Scream 3, I'd like it a whole lot better if it hadn't followed 2 movies I absolutely LOVED and find far, far superior...apologies for babbling about stuff that has nothing to do with today's theme, I'll show myself out)
It feels truer to the whole enterprise, really. It's one of my favorite director's cuts ever, right up there with Almost Famous and the LOTR extended editions.
Completely! And aside from a totally different 3rd act, it's small changes that add up to a whole different vibe and experience. Remove unnecessary voiceover, check; no bleach bypass (which I DID like, but it looks fine without) and an overall sense of him being...harder. He's not supposed to be a "good guy" and the director's cut benefits from the distinction.
Wow oh wow. I have watched two movies since this one at the start of my day, yet this is the one that has stuck with me for so many reasons, and I anticipate it sticking around for quite some time. Beautifully shot, this revenge thriller plays out in reverse chronological order, and takes a couple scenes to the extreme limits of what I am capable of tolerating. I freaken loved this movie!
Ouch. Yeah, It's a beautiful and amazingly made film. It's probably the only film though that I really really like that I don't own because I'll never watch it again. I can't watch it again. Maybe "Salo" is up there too.
Yeah, I hear you on that. I loved it and feel like I want (need?) to re-watch it right away, but don't know if I can. Also racking my brain for people aside from all you F This Movie folks that I can recommend it to HAHA
Ha! Yep, that's definitely one of those where you're like "It's amazing! But don't watch it!" I ran into the same issue with "Martyrs" a while back and my friend was like "What the hell did you just have me watch?!"
ROLLING THUNDER (1977) If you haven't seen this, you really should. I was ridiculously happy when Shout! Factory released a stunning Blu-ray of it, and everyone should own it.
Memento (2001) The film that gave us the Nolans. I hadn't seen it in probably a decade and wanted to see if my initial impressions had changed (tepid at best). This time around I was pretty taken with it. The adherence to the reverse chronological format is incredible, but what I really came away with was Guy Pearce's performance and the character of Leonard. He's funny, tragic, and a little insufferable--an imperfect person we can't help but sympathize with, and marvel at his brutal cleverness. This one made me wish we could see another Nolan film with a budget that didn't rival the GDPs of some small countries. Bonus: this one's the 99¢ rental on iTunes this week, so check it out for next to nothing.
The Wraith (1986) When I was about 12 years old my friends and I had this film on pretty heavy rotation. It still more or less holds up for me, probably due to a heavy dose of nostalgia. Additionally, revisiting it now I realize it's basically a remake of High Plains Drifter.
I hope not cause im thinking how much my balls hurt!
The Long kiss Goodnight 1996
Always a pleasure never a chore, Shane Black and Renny harlin make me smile pretty much all the way through this movie, Samuel Jackson, He's the man and Geena Davies plays a great part too.
This movie is crazy. It's way over the top. It is exceedingly violent. That is exactly why it's perfect for Junesploitation, and is exactly why I love it.
I love it. I just do. You can tell me all you want about why you think it's not good. I know, I get it. But none of that matters. It's so much fun, it's so outlandish. It is also beautiful. The cinematography is great. The color palette is fantastic.
There are better comic movies, I know this. But this is the one I return to after a long day at work. This is the escape. It's awesome. You'll never convince me otherwise.
I think it is fair to say this is one of Tony Scott's lesser known films, but is really enjoyable and holds up well. Irrespective, Scott + Costner = I'm in. I loved that this is basically two separate movies: the first half is a slow-burn character piece while the second half completely changes pace and becomes the Tony Scott model we all became so familiar with. Good fun, exploitative in name only, and worth a watch if you've never seen it.
Took the recommendation on this one, and wasn't disappointed. It's far from great. I'm not even sure it's good, but it's definitely interesting. The lighting and framing of shots was heavily stylized, and the whole thing felt lije a graphic novel. Great for fans of anti heroes and Mel Gibson's wrath.
I've seen a bit of Jackie Chan love popping up here and there this month so I thought I'd get in on the action. I'm a huge Jackie fan; he has loads of charisma even beyond his extraordinary martial arts and stunt man skills. This one is a pretty deep cut, it's his directorial debut and you can tell he is still somewhat bound by the more traditional expectations of older martial arts movies. He doesn't quite get the balance of humour and action right that he would perfect later on in his career, but still plenty to enjoy in the fight choreography. - Did I mention Jackie has to avenge the murder of his grandfather?
Jackfrost 2 - Revenge of the Mutant Killer Snowman: Well this a film. That exists. So... that's something? Not worth it as a curosity, watch something else! (Haven't seen the first one)
Spy (2015): I saw this in the cinema today so I can't resist due to the themes of revenge that come into play. Please give it a chance. I had such a great time. I also want to say that scene in the airplane with Rose Byrne and Melissa is brilliant line delivery 101.
Actually, only Michael Caine wins. He got the money for that fine house he liked, a great anecdote to tell whenever they ask him if he's seen the movie, and he got to miss the phony-baloney Oscar show where he won a Best Actor award because he was busy doing reshoots for "Jaws: The Revenge." Lucky chap all around.
Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002) This is the one film of Park Chan-Wook's Vengeance trilogy I hadn't seen. How this film managed to dodge being remade by a redux-infatuated American studio baffles me. It is timely, impactful, and heart-wrenching. A crumbling economy, fractured healthcare system, layoffs, kidnapping, and death. There are moments in the last thirty minutes of this film that are hard to sit through without flinching.
I seem to be doing the Vengeance Trilogy backwards. (I watched Sympathy for Lady Vengeance last Junesploitation!)
Oh man, this blew me away. From the performances, to the script, to the music choices...wow. Kept me guessing the whole time. Ridiculously good.
And since I love revenge movies, I decided on a second one...
I Spit on Your Grave (1978)
I watched this kind of as a challenge to myself to see if I could get through it. I did. But I think I'm good on rape and revenge exploitation films...although, everything she does feels super justified. So there's that.
I had actually never seen this before. What can I say that hasn't already been said? Just from one viewing, it seems to be a freaking masterpiece and I loved every second of it. The score is one of the best ever. The cinematography is fascinating. The performances are out of the park. Good grief Charles Bronson was INCREDIBLE. What an insane amount of charisma for someone who barely talks. He even had an eerie presence when he comes on screen playing his harmonica. And that end gun fight scene? Ridiculously powerful. I clearly need to watch more spaghetti westerns and I certainly plan to.
Death Proof has it all. Part hangout movie, part carsploitation, part revenge thriller, part slasher. This was probably my sixth or seventh viewing and I still get so pumped when Patrick's girlfriend Zoe Bell slides down from the roof onto "the bonnet" of that Dodge Challenger. Jackie Chan, Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd are the people that come to mind when comparing that type of edge of your seat star driven stunt. Wow.
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)
I’m still not sure where the “revenge” is in this movie. It’s more of an “uprising” of the Sith (dare I say, awakening?). Is it controversial to say that I like this more than Return of the Jedi?
I´m late but I have to add this. This movie is totally nuts, but it´s also kind of hypnotizing. Don´t try to make sense of the story, just watch and enjoy. It has phantastic cinematography, an absolutely weird Van Damme performance channeling Apocalypse Now`s Colonel Kurtz. It also has Dolph Lundgren declaiming strange speeches. On top of that it has Scott Adkins performing some of the most violent and prolonged fights, some filmed in (seemingly) one glorious take, which blew me away the first time and again yesterday. I think this is a love it or hate it movie - and I love it.
In honor of Mike Pomaro I had to watch this early Guy Magar movie about an artist who survives a suicide attempt only to become possessed by the spirit of a gangers taking revenge on those who wronged him (so it's J.D.'s Revenge without the blaxploitation angle). It's almost totally nonsensical and way too long (almost 2 hours), but super entertaining and feels much more like a '90s horror movie in its look and its tone than something from '87. Playing the hooker with a heart of gold is Suzanne Snyder, who deserves her own tribute for being involved in so many beloved genre films.
For my money the most narratively coherent and well-paced of any Jackie Chan-directed feature I've seen so far. Even the first Police Story (so far my favorite) has large chunks that are just pretty boring to watch wedged in between the moments of sublime stunt work. But apparently Chan balanced this by making Police Story 2 his weakest in terms of said stunt work. The fight scenes are pretty few and far between, and when they happen the editing seems too frenetic, refusing to let us fully enjoy the outrageous things Jackie and his stunt team pull off.
One more late one. All caught up again. A girl gets shot up with heroin, is put in a porno, then left in an alley way to die. Her dad travels around Australia looking for the people responsible....and not to buy them a cookie or give them a pat on the back. Man, this movie is brutal. In the first 5 minutes a man gets a crowbar to the face, and it only gets worse from there. If you can stand intense cringe-worthy violence, this is a good revenge flick. It's one of those that I liked to a certain extent, but never need to see again.
Fantastic action, not a ton else. I liked it a lot, but not as much as I wanted to. Keanu Reeves is good, the cinematography is great, the writing is not that good... But really fun and watchable.
Death Wish (1974): Really tight, efficient movie -- no padding, no unnecessary scenes, no fluff. Just revenge (plus Jeff Goldblum in his very first role). It's pretty great.
Steven Spielberg's MUNICH (2005, 164 min.) on Blu-ray.
ReplyDeleteThere's a primal rage and personal investment from Spielberg that comes through every shot in "Munich" that gives it a raw power missing from every other 'prestige' Oscar bait flick he's ever directed. Even the Nazi soldiers in the "Indiana Jones" flicks got off easy compared with the determined, relentless and impersonal effectiveness with which the Israeli assassins go about executing their vengeance against the men (and one woman, the movie's most memorable and fucked-up killing) who murdered their countrymen at the '72 Munich Olympics. Revenge movies celebrate the cathartic release one gets when a bad person gets his/her just deserved comeuppance. "Munich" is the best cinematic representation I've ever seen (particularly its crushingly-powerful final shot) of how fruitless and pointless revenge actually is as a tool to implement change. For those who don't care to think too much, though, enjoy a pre-Bond Daniel Craig as a blood-thirsty Mossad badass.
I have not seen this movie since it came out. I went with my Dad, who I found out much later was an officials for the New Zealand gymnastics team at Munich 1972. I felt like kind of a brat, I was going through a weird I'm too cool for Spielberg faze and wasn't really paying attention to what he was trying to do in the movie. I know watching Munich had a huge affect on Dad because he was caught up in the atmosphere. I keep meaning to watch it again because of that reason, tenuous it might be. I might have to turn my revenge double feature into a triple.
DeleteMy dad also saw "Munich" and had a profound effect on him, and movies rarely affect him at all. He said he remembered it because my mother was pregnant with me when the Munich Olympics took place, so he wondered at that time what kind of a world I was coming into when even the Olympics weren't a safe place to be anymore. I honestly think "Munich" is Spielberg's last undisputed classic in the same vein as "Raiders," "E.T.," "Schindler's List" and "Jurassic Park." He's tried to recapture the same magic in his latter prestige films ("War Horse," "Lincoln," etc.), but you can tell he's invested into "Munich" on a more personal level as an auteur, as a Jewish-American and as a storyteller with something to say using all the tools at his disposal. Worth seeing, especially since it finally came out on Blu-ray this year and looks/sounds the best it's ever looked/sounded.
DeleteAnd don't worry, Lindz, we all go through the 'too cool for Spielberg' phase at one point or other in our lives. But we all keep getting older while Steven's movies remain the same, waiting for us to get wiser about 'em. :-)
I loved Munich. I always thought of it as Spielberg's Michael Mann film in both pacing and style. If you told me Mann directed it I wouldn't think twice.
DeleteI loved Munich also. I think you are right about the depiction of revenge. I first learned about this event actually in Munich, which made it more dynamic to watch for me.
DeleteI really enjoyed Munich as well. It was much more powerful and emotional than I thought it would be going in. Also great analysis J.M.
Delete"But we all keep getting older while Steven's movies remain the same, waiting for us to get wiser about 'em."
DeleteFucking nailed it.
The Happening (2008)
ReplyDeleteHello. I want to talk to you about Jesus. Sorry, I mean the Happening. I was going to talk about Gladiator but blah blah Russell Crowe...who cares. It's fine, whatever. Then I rewatched the Happening, again. Goddammit you guys...I love this movie. I talked about it on the Unbreakable podcast comments. I don't care if you disagree with me because you're wrong. It's such an easy target. M. Night sucks. What's the twist? I don't know nothin about criticizin movies buy I know the Happenings bad, right guys? It is fuckin hilarious and I argue that it's on purpose. Oh, yeah, this is a revenge movie. Mother nature's revenge against humanity for wrecking the earth! Are you fuckin kidding me? It's more than ridiculous. The bodies falling from the sky...I laugh every god damn time. Mark Wahlberg's is beyond insane. Like I said, the first time I saw this I didn't like it. I just didn't get it. Now, I get it. If you've watched it more than once and still can't stand it...fine. It's fine. I just feel bad for you. I'm not trying to be condescending but I'm TOTALLY being condescending. So, give it another shot. Who's brave enough to follow me down the Shyamalanian shaped hole? Who's with me? Anyone? Hello?
[crickets chirping] ;-)
DeleteAlright Brent, I'll bite. I'll watch The Happening for my revenge pick. I'll post my response here later today.
DeleteWill those chirping crickets attack me if I don't respond?
DeleteIf the crickets don't, the wind will...
DeleteI absolutely have this movie in my collection. It's the last Shyamalan film I ever bought. It's a fascinating oddity to me. This was no fluke, every single choice Shyamalan made was deliberate. There's a segment on the Blu ray of him directing a sequence, where he's not shooting any coverage, he's only shooting on a single take, single set up basis. One actor says a line -- cut. Reframe the shot. Now say this line -- cut. I wonder what it was like to be an actor on the set of that movie.
DeletePerfect answer, Brent.
DeleteThe Happening (2008)
DeleteI love Signs. I like The Village. I own The Last Airbender. However I struggled to get through The Happening. That being said, everything in this movie seems very deliberate and ultra sincere (sorry Brent, nothing feels ironic to me). I’d love to hear what M Night was thinking when making all of these choices. I still think he is a talented director.
That's fair. Like I said, the first time I saw it, I really didn't like it. Check it out some time in the future and maybe you'll think differently. Why do you own the Last Airbender?
DeleteMy lasting impression of this movie is Pete Holmes's hilarious impression of Mark Wahlberg. https://youtu.be/VFnQrxQy0sM?t=50
DeleteThe Exterminator (1980)
ReplyDeleteI wanted to like this more than I did, but I just didn't find it as enjoyable as other revenge movies like Death Wish. The Exterminator definitely lives up to his name, doling out some brutal vengeance, but overall he's a pretty bland character. The detective chasing him was much more fun to watch. Seeing Steve James pop up was a nice surprise though.
Payback (1999) and Wrath of Khan (1982)
ReplyDeleteToo tired to try and delve into Munich as well tonight, but not a bad effort. I had fun with both of them. Payback is gritty almost noir-ish film in a way of a man who just wants what is his - which really wasn't his to begin with. The more insane this movie got the more I had fun with it. Plus the movie does not really shy away from creating a world of villain vs villain, Mel Gibson is just the smarter arsehole (it explains so much).
I couldn't help compare Wrath of Khan to Into Darkness. While the later has non stop action, Simon Peg and a lot of lens flare - Wrath is slightly more contemplative, which I think it comes better off. I loved how the reaction shots of opened mouth disbelief were lingered over for just a tad too long - yes that is a quibble, but it made me smile is all.
John Wick (2014)
ReplyDeleteOne of the best action movies in years with a perfect reason for revenge. Poor puppy.
Great role for Keanu Reeves. Perfectly timed and filmed action sequences and also lot´s of fun in this slightly surreal action extravaganza. Loved it from start to finish.
Saw this in the cinema this year, brilliant choice.
DeleteRolling Thunder (1977) - First viewing
ReplyDeleteA Texan ex-POW, a quiet man clearly damaged by his experiences in Vietnam, (William Devane) is attacked in his home and his family killed. He enlists the help of a fellow POW camp survivor (Tommy Lee Jones) on his quest for violent revenge against the men who wronged him.
Rolling Thunder is excellent. A much more slow-paced and contemplative movie than I thought it would be, and better for it. Although the story of a soldier returning from war, damaged by his experiences is nothing new, it works here brilliantly. William Devane and Tommy Lee Jones are very good as the two men with calm exteriors but a fire burning inside them.
Tommy Lee Jones has never been scarier. This is a GREAT movie and a great choice for Revenge day.
DeleteYoung Warriors a.k.a The Graduates of Malibu High (1983) Dir. Lawrence David Foldes
ReplyDeletePretty good Golan/Globus production. Kevin is a typical punk ass college kid. When his younger sister gets gang raped and dies in the hospital, shit get's serious for Kevin. While slowly loosing his mind, he teams up with 3 other frat boys and their over sized looking poodle (wearing a hat and sunglasses) to go out at night and "fight crime". The cast is great, the intro is fantastic and the 3rd act gets a little nuts although not as nuts as I'd hoped for as the run time is oddly over Golan's rule of 90-95 minutes and clocks in at about 105. I really liked that these vigilante frat boys were unlikable to begin with and they all get theirs in the end as well; two of which in glorious fashion!
After 7 days removed from Revenge!, I'd like to thank "Young Warriors" for keeping it's F-ing theme song in my head every day since. It's really driving me nuts.
DeleteThriller: A Cruel Picture (1973, dir. Bo Vibenius) (First Time Viewing): Hard core (literally) exploitation. I feel exploited here because I went into this not knowing that the director has admitted that the “eyeball scene” used a real corpse! Unreal. I think that alone makes this the most extreme exploitation movie I’ve ever seen. This one’s rough. Although I can’t say I enjoyed it, I did appreciate the artfulness amongst all the ugliness. This one will stick with me. #Corpsesploitation
ReplyDeleteI did not know that, woah....
DeleteDaryl Hannah's character in Kill Bill is based on the lead character of this movie. When Daryl got the part, Quentin lent her a copy of the film to watch. Daryl was convinced Quentin had given her porn.
DeleteWitch House (1999)
ReplyDeleteAlternate titles include Family Tree Fun Night, Death by Exposition, and Shit House.
I picked this movie solely based on run time (72 min) and will be more discerning for the remainder of Junesploitation.
This is the story of Lilith who, with the help of a modern day ancestor, returns from...not sure...Hell maybe to either get revenge on the descendants of those that burned her at the stake, or finally obtain ultimate power? It is a little unclear because she mostly appears at random hurls a few lame insults and lets the intended victim wander away to another part of the house.
I couldn't really find anyone to root for and for a 72 minute movie it really drags. If not for the occasional curse word I'd swear (see what I did there) it was a made for TV movie.
Oh well, maybe they made up for it in witchhouse 2.....
Porky's Revenge (1985)
ReplyDeleteThe 30-year-old teens of Angel Beach High are back for their third and least successful nudity-filled romp. I guess there's kind of a revenge plot going on here (Porky tries to force the gang to throw the state championship basketball game to get back at them for destroying his bar in the last movie), but it's lost among the 32 other paper-thin scenarios that pass for plot in this episodic silliness.
For a series of movies so obsessed with sex, they're strangely innocent in that the leads are always oddly sincere. They're just likable horndogs trying to get laid, they never seem too predatory (like the "heroes" of Revenge of the Nerds). Think of them as the Gentleman Timothy Daltons to the Tri-Lamb's Rapey Roger Moores.
I love that you watched this for Revenge! day. I'm planning on a Sexploitation flick for one of the free space days since that category was axed this year.
DeleteWay to think outside the box, Josh!
DeleteREVENGE OF THE TEENAGE VIXENS FROM OUTER SPACE (1984)
ReplyDeleteFour 30-something “teenagers” from a planet with no males run amok in a small town on Earth, killing people by transforming them into giant vegetables. This is the best kind of bad movie. The direction and acting are below incompetent, but there’s this earnestness to it that can’t be replicated. Everyone making this movie cares one hundred percent, even if the final result is crap. It’s more of a sci-fi comedy, with not a lot of actual revenge, though.
Accompanying short film: YOU KILLED ME FIRST (1985). These underground punk films of the ‘80s became quite the fascination for us college kids in the ‘90s. This one isn’t all porn-y, but actually tells a story that builds to a big ending. It’s quite good for what it is.
Rampage (2009): I thought there were moments where it pulls of the uncomfortable uneasy of a merciless killer who takes people out for no reason. Mostly however I was too unccomfortable to get anything from it. One reason being it thinks its smarter than it is. Another is that the reasons for revenging society and how they plan out aren't as chilling as they could be, just an awfully unpleasant view on humanity.
ReplyDeleteCape Fear (1991): What a fantastic movie! I think I saw the original for the first time last Junesploitstion on Revenge day, so what better way to finally see this? I loved it. Performances, score, the dark places it is able to go whilst racking up tension and stakes. Will have to come back to it soon.
...and Robert De Niro has never been more badass than in Cape Fear.
DeleteLone Wold and Cub: Baby Cart at the River Styx (1972)
ReplyDeleteIm not sure what I was thinking, or where I went wrong, but I swore that I hadnt seen this one before but various moments through out seemed very familiar and I had one of those moments where I got to the final climax of the movie and thought "yep, ive seen this before". Never mind though, its a good flick.
Lone Wolf on the road of vengeance, with various clans after him for revenge. Lots of sword play, lots of crazy squirting blood Kill Bill style, and the little kid taps a womans boob to send her the message not to pick up a sword. must have been morse code.
Wolverine claw makes sand bleed.
You probably saw Shogun Assassin.
DeleteI thought about that, but I'm more certain I haven't seen shogun assassin than I am that I haven't just watched the same movie twice. Oh well
DeleteThe whole Baby Cart series is pretty badass.
DeleteJulia X (2011, dir. P.J. Pettiette)
ReplyDeleteKevin Sorbo is an incompetent, nigh-bumbling serial killer who listens to The Carpenters' "Close to You" while he tortures women from dating sites. I really thought this was going to be a Rape & Revenge movie, but I was way off. I didn't want to spoil this, since the reveal isn't til about a half hour into the movie, but fuck it, it's in the trailer too; it turns out Julia isn't the victim, she's a serial killer who hunts male sexual predators with her younger sister! Most of the movie is the very game Sorbo having knock-down, drag-out brawls with two psychotic blondes, or getting tortured by them. It was fun! Sorbo is part of the current generation of Cameron Mitchell/George Kennedy-style actors who will take any role, like Dean Cain and Eric Roberts (who has 63 movies getting released this year alone!) Keep an eye out for Kevin in the upcoming Mythica sequels and the human-trafficking thriller Caged No More! Trailer.
Blue Ruin (2013)
ReplyDeleteFinally caught up with this modern twist on the revenge thriller and it turned out to be one of my favorite new discoveries of Junesploitation so far (I think I like Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion more, but that one's barely exploitation). Dwight wants revenge for the death of his parents, an event which seems to have had a profound effect on his psyche (marked by his overgrown beard and unsettled inward performance), but the film has us constantly questioning whose side we should be on. This muddled morality is perfectly executed from start to finish, and the visual aesthetic of the film is just gorgeous. Utterly engaging and highly recommended.
Totally agree with your finely worded review Wes!
DeleteThanks, Gabby!
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteGreat pic and excellent choice.
DeleteThanks J.M.! You a Speed Racer fan?
DeleteI will interject here to say that I feel SR is hugely underrated and/or misunderstood, and I love it unreservedly.
DeleteI love "Speed Racer." I'm not blind to its flaws (Chim-Chim's head on a stick, please!) but, overall, I think it's my favorite Wachowskis movie. And I don't even like the Japanese cartoon it's based on.
DeleteAcross 110th Street (1972): This is a perfect film for this month for anyone who hasn't seen it. This was my first time with it and was delightfully engaged with the the passion from the actors, it felt raw and made the action feel more alive.
ReplyDeleteTitus (1999): I really wanted to work in some Shakespeare today. I am so glad I went with this one. Incredibly staged I think. Definitely nothing like the dead flatless film adaptations of some of The Bard's work but one that makes the characters' fearsome words and feelings electric as well as a show stealling performance by Sir Anthony Hopkins. Bravo Julie Taymor, lavish and intensity is a hard balance!
Kickboxer (1989) (First Viewing)
ReplyDeleteJCVD stars in this pic and this one was pretty sweet. He’s the brother of heavyweight kickboxing champion and when his brother gets paralyzed (after JCVD throws in the towel too, Tong Po is a dick) he goes deep into the Thailand jungle to train for his vengeance as well as have a nice travelogue of the country set to classic 80’s montage songs. While I wouldn’t say this one is action packed it does have a classic dance scene, the origin of his splits, as well as the spirit of an eagle (btw are eagles native to Thailand?) I really want to see JCVD back on the big screen.
8 Word Review (In Preparation for SMM)
“Now I get that joke from Hot Shots Deux”
Rocky IV (1985)
ReplyDeleteWhile by no stretch of the imagination is this the best Rocky its one of my personal favorites. In the unlikely event you’ve never seen this one the gist of it is, is that Rocky has to go to Russia to avenge the death of his BFF Apollo Creed. This movie has multiple montages, lots of very blunt Cold War themes, and yes Paulies birthday gift. Damn near every song on this soundtrack is part of my workout mix and it should be on yours too. If you haven’t seen this one yet watch this, skip V and go straight to Rocky Balboa.
8 Word Review (In Preparation for SMM)
“I bet Paulie’s sex robot started Judgement Day”
You watched Kickboxer for the first time followed by a rewatch of Rocky IV. Doesn't get any better than that. So jealous.
DeleteNow if Tom did a lot of coke and somehow voted for Ronald Reagan he'd recreate the 1980's to perfection. Don't do it, Tom! :-P
DeleteDAMN! Everything I was considering (save for the Kill Bill flicks) is already here. John Wick, Payback, Rolling Thunder...I wonder if Everly counts as revenge.
ReplyDeleteI don't really wanna do the same thing others have done...but I just might anyway. Those I listed above are some of my favorite movies.
You should watch what ever you feel like. It doesn't matter. All are welcome! Come into the light!
DeleteOh, I intend to, my good man. Other than Scream Factory, I think today will be the most fun I have with Junesploitation thus far...but there's plenty more good days to come!
DeleteI heavily considered The Crow. I went with something else though :)
Delete36 Crazy Fists (1977)
ReplyDeleteSo I thought this was a Jackie Chan film, but he only has a cameo and was the 'action director'. A young man learns martial arts under a stern master in order to exact revenge for the murder of his father. It's a kung fu comedy, with an english dub so hilariously bad it reminded me of Kung Pow! (Cockney accents an' all).
Weirder than it was funny, but the kung fu itself was actually pretty cool.
Johnny Handsome 1989 Walter Hill
ReplyDeleteTerrific if affected performances punctuate this gem from the maestro Walter Hill. We get to see Morgan Freeman playing a real dick so well that I feel like this must be his natural disposition. Lance Henrikson and Ellen Barkin play a psycho crime couple and are so much fun. (Especially Barkin). Forest Whitaker and Elizabeth McGovern decide to really go for it with their SOUTHERN ACCENTS. Yeesh. Lead Mickey Rourke plays it pretty natural among the weirdos and seems to really draw the viewer into his damaged character.
The downright spooky reverse parallel between the formerly disfigured Johnny and Rourke himself is pretty astounding. Turn this one up loud to fully appreciate Ry Cooders score signaling the death of the 1980's.
That's a damn fine choice there, sir.
DeleteAll you excellent people are just rattling off some of my favorite movies in my collection and my only regret is that there's not enough hours today for me to watch them all.
My feelings exactly Albert. I'm gonna shoot for two more.
DeletePAYBACK STRAIGHT UP: THE DIRECTOR'S CUT (2007)
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the theatrical cut -- a LOT -- but find Helgeland's cut to be much better for my tastes.
The only drawback is: no Kris Kristofferson, who is a personal hero of mine. But, I'll always have Blade and Blade II. "What about Blade Trinity?" you may ask. "I try not to think about it," I reply.
(actually, that's not entirely fair: it isn't unrepentantly HORRIBLE, it's just that, like Scream 3, I'd like it a whole lot better if it hadn't followed 2 movies I absolutely LOVED and find far, far superior...apologies for babbling about stuff that has nothing to do with today's theme, I'll show myself out)
Completely agree, Albert. I love the theatrical cut but the Directors Cut is so much more gritty.
DeleteIt feels truer to the whole enterprise, really. It's one of my favorite director's cuts ever, right up there with Almost Famous and the LOTR extended editions.
DeleteIt's the best example I can think of where the Director's Cut is a legitimately different film.
DeleteCompletely! And aside from a totally different 3rd act, it's small changes that add up to a whole different vibe and experience. Remove unnecessary voiceover, check; no bleach bypass (which I DID like, but it looks fine without) and an overall sense of him being...harder. He's not supposed to be a "good guy" and the director's cut benefits from the distinction.
DeleteAbsolutely, the whole tone of the film, including the original score, changes the flick. Nice! Glad someone agrees. Cheers.
Delete*Short discussion on Payback becomes long discussion on the Blade trilogy*
Deletehaha It's all good bro.
I am ashamed to say I've only ever seen the Theatrical cut of Payback. I have it on DVD. Reading the comments though, I need to see the DC.
DeleteLOL And I thought I'm the only one in the whole world who didn't saw the director's cut..! High five, Kyle!!! :D
DeleteBlood Simple just came on the old timey local broadcast TV. Is it exploitation? Sure! Revenge? Hell Yea. Don't call M. Emmet Walsh stupid or else.
ReplyDeleteIrreversible (2002) First viewing
ReplyDeleteWow oh wow. I have watched two movies since this one at the start of my day, yet this is the one that has stuck with me for so many reasons, and I anticipate it sticking around for quite some time. Beautifully shot, this revenge thriller plays out in reverse chronological order, and takes a couple scenes to the extreme limits of what I am capable of tolerating. I freaken loved this movie!
Ouch. Yeah, It's a beautiful and amazingly made film. It's probably the only film though that I really really like that I don't own because I'll never watch it again. I can't watch it again. Maybe "Salo" is up there too.
DeleteYeah, I hear you on that. I loved it and feel like I want (need?) to re-watch it right away, but don't know if I can. Also racking my brain for people aside from all you F This Movie folks that I can recommend it to HAHA
DeleteHa! Yep, that's definitely one of those where you're like "It's amazing! But don't watch it!" I ran into the same issue with "Martyrs" a while back and my friend was like "What the hell did you just have me watch?!"
DeleteHAHA! I just suggested it to a couple people and felt equally guilty and excited for them.
DeleteMartyrs is on my list for tonight! YAY!
Dude, Irreversible and Martyrs back to back. Whoa, that is HEAVY haha
DeleteROLLING THUNDER (1977)
ReplyDeleteIf you haven't seen this, you really should.
I was ridiculously happy when Shout! Factory released a stunning Blu-ray of it, and everyone should own it.
"I'll just get my gear"...damn. A great film.
So good!
DeleteMemento (2001)
ReplyDeleteThe film that gave us the Nolans. I hadn't seen it in probably a decade and wanted to see if my initial impressions had changed (tepid at best). This time around I was pretty taken with it. The adherence to the reverse chronological format is incredible, but what I really came away with was Guy Pearce's performance and the character of Leonard. He's funny, tragic, and a little insufferable--an imperfect person we can't help but sympathize with, and marvel at his brutal cleverness. This one made me wish we could see another Nolan film with a budget that didn't rival the GDPs of some small countries.
Bonus: this one's the 99¢ rental on iTunes this week, so check it out for next to nothing.
I always wondered what the repeat value of Memento would be :)
DeleteDEATH SENTENCE
ReplyDelete(2007, James Wan)
Day 9 of Junesploitation and it's time for my favorite movie-genre: revenge!!!
James Wan's DEATH SENTENCE is such a great but unfortunately underrated movie.
The critics didn't liked it, because the story and its characters are full of clichés and pathos!!
HEY!!WHO CARES???
I want a main character, in this case a loving and responsible father, who takes bloody revenge for the death of his loved ones!!!!!
DEATH SENTENCE begins with a nice happy family and turns step by step into a dark, gritty and violent tour-de-force!!!
The movie is well made and has a lot of great camera shots!!!
Kevin Bacon, who plays the revenge taking father, is brilliant!!!
He begins as a nice daddy and ends as a bloody wreck after his killing spree!!!
A must see!!!!
Great Choice!
DeleteThe Wraith (1986) When I was about 12 years old my friends and I had this film on pretty heavy rotation. It still more or less holds up for me, probably due to a heavy dose of nostalgia. Additionally, revisiting it now I realize it's basically a remake of High Plains Drifter.
ReplyDeleteMy girl, Sherilyn!
DeleteAre you thinking what im thinking?
ReplyDeleteI hope not cause im thinking how much my balls hurt!
The Long kiss Goodnight 1996
Always a pleasure never a chore, Shane Black and Renny harlin make me smile pretty much all the way through this movie, Samuel Jackson, He's the man and Geena Davies plays a great part too.
Punisher: War Zone (2008)
ReplyDeleteThis movie is crazy.
It's way over the top.
It is exceedingly violent.
That is exactly why it's perfect for Junesploitation, and is exactly why I love it.
I love it. I just do.
You can tell me all you want about why you think it's not good.
I know, I get it.
But none of that matters.
It's so much fun, it's so outlandish. It is also beautiful. The cinematography is great. The color palette is fantastic.
There are better comic movies, I know this. But this is the one I return to after a long day at work. This is the escape.
It's awesome.
You'll never convince me otherwise.
Nuff Said.
I think that flick kicks ass, period.
DeleteGlad I'm not alone!
DeleteYou exactly wrote down what every PWZ-fan, including me, thinks about this movie.
DeleteWE LOVE PWZ!!!!
It serves everything what we painfully missed in the Thomas-Jane-movie!!!!
Great choice!!!!!!
Revenge (1990)
ReplyDeleteI think it is fair to say this is one of Tony Scott's lesser known films, but is really enjoyable and holds up well. Irrespective, Scott + Costner = I'm in. I loved that this is basically two separate movies: the first half is a slow-burn character piece while the second half completely changes pace and becomes the Tony Scott model we all became so familiar with. Good fun, exploitative in name only, and worth a watch if you've never seen it.
JOHN WICK (2014)
ReplyDeleteIn which Keanu shoots all the heads because the bastards killed his dog.
A new classic.
Payback
ReplyDeleteTook the recommendation on this one, and wasn't disappointed. It's far from great. I'm not even sure it's good, but it's definitely interesting. The lighting and framing of shots was heavily stylized, and the whole thing felt lije a graphic novel. Great for fans of anti heroes and Mel Gibson's wrath.
Fearless Hyena (1979)
ReplyDeleteI've seen a bit of Jackie Chan love popping up here and there this month so I thought I'd get in on the action. I'm a huge Jackie fan; he has loads of charisma even beyond his extraordinary martial arts and stunt man skills. This one is a pretty deep cut, it's his directorial debut and you can tell he is still somewhat bound by the more traditional expectations of older martial arts movies. He doesn't quite get the balance of humour and action right that he would perfect later on in his career, but still plenty to enjoy in the fight choreography. - Did I mention Jackie has to avenge the murder of his grandfather?
Jackfrost 2 - Revenge of the Mutant Killer Snowman: Well this a film. That exists. So... that's something? Not worth it as a curosity, watch something else! (Haven't seen the first one)
ReplyDeleteSpy (2015): I saw this in the cinema today so I can't resist due to the themes of revenge that come into play. Please give it a chance. I had such a great time. I also want to say that scene in the airplane with Rose Byrne and Melissa is brilliant line delivery 101.
Damn Gabs, you're killing it today with the amount of films!
DeleteThank you! But please never call me Gabs haha. You're watching insane stuff! High five
DeleteJaws: The Revenge (1987)
ReplyDeleteHad to.
The shark gets some revenge against people, the people get some revenge against the shark - in the end the only real winner is the audience.
Actually, only Michael Caine wins. He got the money for that fine house he liked, a great anecdote to tell whenever they ask him if he's seen the movie, and he got to miss the phony-baloney Oscar show where he won a Best Actor award because he was busy doing reshoots for "Jaws: The Revenge." Lucky chap all around.
DeleteDon't forget - he also got to make out with Lorraine Gary.
DeleteTHE FOG (1980)
ReplyDeleteI know this is minor Carpenter for some, but I love it completely.
Coulda used it on a number of days, that's how great it is.
Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002)
ReplyDeleteThis is the one film of Park Chan-Wook's Vengeance trilogy I hadn't seen. How this film managed to dodge being remade by a redux-infatuated American studio baffles me. It is timely, impactful, and heart-wrenching. A crumbling economy, fractured healthcare system, layoffs, kidnapping, and death. There are moments in the last thirty minutes of this film that are hard to sit through without flinching.
Oldboy (2003)
ReplyDeleteI seem to be doing the Vengeance Trilogy backwards. (I watched Sympathy for Lady Vengeance last Junesploitation!)
Oh man, this blew me away. From the performances, to the script, to the music choices...wow. Kept me guessing the whole time. Ridiculously good.
And since I love revenge movies, I decided on a second one...
I Spit on Your Grave (1978)
I watched this kind of as a challenge to myself to see if I could get through it. I did. But I think I'm good on rape and revenge exploitation films...although, everything she does feels super justified. So there's that.
Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)
ReplyDeleteI had actually never seen this before. What can I say that hasn't already been said? Just from one viewing, it seems to be a freaking masterpiece and I loved every second of it. The score is one of the best ever. The cinematography is fascinating. The performances are out of the park. Good grief Charles Bronson was INCREDIBLE. What an insane amount of charisma for someone who barely talks. He even had an eerie presence when he comes on screen playing his harmonica. And that end gun fight scene? Ridiculously powerful. I clearly need to watch more spaghetti westerns and I certainly plan to.
Death Proof (2007)
ReplyDeleteDeath Proof has it all. Part hangout movie, part carsploitation, part revenge thriller, part slasher. This was probably my sixth or seventh viewing and I still get so pumped when Patrick's girlfriend Zoe Bell slides down from the roof onto "the bonnet" of that Dodge Challenger. Jackie Chan, Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd are the people that come to mind when comparing that type of edge of your seat star driven stunt. Wow.
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)
ReplyDeleteI’m still not sure where the “revenge” is in this movie. It’s more of an “uprising” of the Sith (dare I say, awakening?). Is it controversial to say that I like this more than Return of the Jedi?
Not controversial at all, but you should make sure to look under your car from now on before you start the ignition. Just saying... ;-)
DeleteUniversal soldier: Day of reckoning (2012)
ReplyDeleteI´m late but I have to add this.
This movie is totally nuts, but it´s also kind of hypnotizing. Don´t try to make sense of the story, just watch and enjoy.
It has phantastic cinematography, an absolutely weird Van Damme performance channeling Apocalypse Now`s Colonel Kurtz. It also has Dolph Lundgren declaiming strange speeches. On top of that it has Scott Adkins performing some of the most violent and prolonged fights, some filmed in (seemingly) one glorious take, which blew me away the first time and again yesterday.
I think this is a love it or hate it movie - and I love it.
Retribution (1987, dir. Guy Magar)
ReplyDeleteIn honor of Mike Pomaro I had to watch this early Guy Magar movie about an artist who survives a suicide attempt only to become possessed by the spirit of a gangers taking revenge on those who wronged him (so it's J.D.'s Revenge without the blaxploitation angle). It's almost totally nonsensical and way too long (almost 2 hours), but super entertaining and feels much more like a '90s horror movie in its look and its tone than something from '87. Playing the hooker with a heart of gold is Suzanne Snyder, who deserves her own tribute for being involved in so many beloved genre films.
Police Story 2 (1988, Jackie Chan)
ReplyDeleteFor my money the most narratively coherent and well-paced of any Jackie Chan-directed feature I've seen so far. Even the first Police Story (so far my favorite) has large chunks that are just pretty boring to watch wedged in between the moments of sublime stunt work. But apparently Chan balanced this by making Police Story 2 his weakest in terms of said stunt work. The fight scenes are pretty few and far between, and when they happen the editing seems too frenetic, refusing to let us fully enjoy the outrageous things Jackie and his stunt team pull off.
The Horseman (2008) (first time viewing)
ReplyDeleteOne more late one. All caught up again. A girl gets shot up with heroin, is put in a porno, then left in an alley way to die. Her dad travels around Australia looking for the people responsible....and not to buy them a cookie or give them a pat on the back. Man, this movie is brutal. In the first 5 minutes a man gets a crowbar to the face, and it only gets worse from there. If you can stand intense cringe-worthy violence, this is a good revenge flick. It's one of those that I liked to a certain extent, but never need to see again.
Forgot all about this movie - and I own it! Haha. Great pick and great flick! The fishing hook scene - ouch.
DeleteYeah, I could barely watch that scene. And don't forget about the football pump. Yeesh!
DeleteJohn Wick (2014)
ReplyDeleteFantastic action, not a ton else. I liked it a lot, but not as much as I wanted to. Keanu Reeves is good, the cinematography is great, the writing is not that good... But really fun and watchable.
Death Wish (1974): Really tight, efficient movie -- no padding, no unnecessary scenes, no fluff. Just revenge (plus Jeff Goldblum in his very first role). It's pretty great.
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