Generic Saturday
28 January, 2012
In an aim to have a few more film posts, I’ve decided to try something I am going to call Generic Saturday. This basically means that every Saturday I will choose a specific genre of film and discuss some things about it, such as my favourite films of that genre, least favourite, some generic features of the genre, why others like it, etc,etc. Or, something along those lines anyway! Let’s see how well this works, shall we?
So, for the first one of these I have decided that we will discuss
action movies*
*this topic was chosen by my best friend.
Top 10 Action Movies*
*that I or my housemate own
- Children of Men
- Dejavu
- All of the Fast&Furious movies
- Inside Man
- Bourne Triology
- Transformers
- The A Team
- We Own the Night
- The Fighter
- Shutter Island
Problems I encountered when deciding:
– lack of memory (I simply could not remember any good action movies without looking through the DVDs that my housemate and I own)
– which genre? (A lot of films I saw, I was tempted to add but then they also could have been featured under other genres such as fantasy, historical epic, etc.)
– lack of action DVDs (I am a girl, -did ya not know? :p- and, shamefully, the amount of action movies I actually own is few and far between! This is, clearly, something that I will need to salvage!)
Ten Awful Action Movies*
*in my personal opinion
- Wanted
- Taken
- The Expendables
- Ultraviolet
- Any and All James Bond Movies
- Troll Hunter
- Red Riding Hood
- Scarface
- Drag Me to Hell
- Duplicity
Problems I encountered when deciding:
– Lack of Memory (Trying to remember great action movies is one thing, trying to remember awful ones is another thing altogether!)
– Genre (Again, I kept thinking of some awful action-related movies but most would be better suited elsewhere, like with the superheroes or horror movies)
but, what actually IS an action movie?
According to Wikipedia,
Action film is a film genre where one or more heroes is thrust into a series of challenges that require physical feats, extended fights and frenetic chases. They occasionally have a resourceful character struggling against incredible odds such as, life-threatening situations, an evil villain, and/or being chased in several ways of transportation (car, bus, truck, etc.), with victory achieved at the end after difficult physical efforts and violence.Story and character development are generally secondary to explosions, fist fights, gunplay and car chases.
The most important part of that description, in my opinion, is Story and character development are generally seconday.
Don’t worry if your film doesn’t have a great plot to it, as long as the special effects are out of this world, your film will be a hit.
But is this true?
Personally… half-and-half.
I have to admit that there are some action films I watch and enjoy that have a weak plot or storyline but I am enthralled by the action sequences within the film (Thinking Fast Movies here), yet, there are also similar films with great special effects and weak storylines that I just can’t sit through. (Taken is one of these.)
So what is it that makes an action movie good?
If I’m being completely honest, I don’t know. The problem I have with action movies is sometimes I’ll watch one and love it, but then, I may go to watch it again a few years down the line and hate it. So, really, the action movie genre is completely subjective. The only way to know if you’ll actually like the film is to actually watch it.
Unless, of course, the film is Red Riding Hood which is so bad, it’s laughable.
What are some of your favourite or least favourite action films? What are your opinions on what makes an action film good? Let me know!
Faye
8 Comments
Theta Sigma
I’d have to agree with you on the Bourne Trilogy.
From last year, I’d also include Source Code, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol and The Adjustment Bureau.
In my least favourite – a definite yes to including Red Riding Hood. I’m sorry but I’d have to include Transformers – Dark Of The Moon was 2 and a half hours that I’ll never see again – Ironclad and SuckerPunch.
There’s probably others that I’ve forgotten for both categories, but I saw 60+ films last year.
Daydreaming_Star
Ooh! See, I forgot about Source Code! I liked that film! But I have yet to see MI:4 or Adjustment Bureau, even though I own this one! I will make sure to watch it soon! :D
Yeah, when I say Transformers I mean the FIRST one. The only one that’s been any good. The second was just AWFUL. I didn’t think the third was that bad, it just wasn’t brilliant either! lol.
I am glad to know you saw so many films :) makes the film buff in me smile :D
Faye
Theta Sigma
At the cinema, I mean.
Sarah (saz101)
Red Riding Hood is so laughable it should be categorised as comedy. But seriously, I kind of enjoy it for the duumbassness it is XD
Oh goodness, favorite action films? Taken is epic. EPIC. So I don’t care what you think :P
But I seriously agree with your list. Children Of Men is EXTRAORDINARY. The F&F movies are so much fun, and so good for what they are, and the Bourne Trilogy. OMG, ’nuff said. I don’t know if they really count, but The Matrix? I LIVE FOR IT. I can think of so many action-centric movies, but they’d also be thriller/horror/something else entirely, so I’m torn.
But OK, ones you haven’t mentioned that I LUIRVE? The Matrix (the first one), Kung-Fu Hustle (is HILARIOUS AND AWESOME)… does Inception count? And Evil Dead 1, 2 and 3?
Daydreaming_Star
You did not just say you enjoyed Red Riding Hood… :P
Oooh… Now that is difficult! But I think yes, the Matrix probably would be classed as action and should definitely be up there on my list!!
Yeah, I know that feeling! But all of the other genres will be used on this blog at some point, I’m sure! We can gush then xD
I haven’t seen Kung-Fu Hustle (*shock*) so I should definitely do that! And yeah, I guess Inception would count! I thought that film was good, but not brilliant. Twas a bit slow but I did enjoy the ending!
I also haven’t seen any of the Evil Dead’s so no idea if they’d work!
Yay!
Thanks for replying :D
Sarah (saz101)
Mmmm… I enjoyed it in the same way you kind of enjoy watching… I don’t, Play School, as an adult? It’s fun to laugh AT. It’s not as bad, as, say Babylon A.D. which is one the most extraordinarily bad films I’ve EVER SEEN. I turned it off and just shook my head. Normally I can *enjoy* a bad action film, because they’re fun to laugh at… but this? Huh.
I HEART KUNG FU HUSTLE SO BAD. It’s sub titled, but it’s a kung-fu action/comedy and it’s actualyl really good and ridiculous… but it KNOWS it’s ridiculous, and seriously, I just can’t explain. Oooooh, and did you see Hero? With Jet Lee, and Zhang Ziyi and Maggie Cheung? OMG. It’s AMAZING.
And Evil Dead has zombies… so let’s say horror… but they’re HILARIOUS ZOMBIES.
I liked Inception a lot… but maybe it was just impressive to LOOK at. It was an amazing looking film, the effects were extraordinary, and I REALLY liked it, but fair call on it being slow :D
OMFG! I can’t believe I forgot Tarantino! Pulp Fiction! Kill Bill! Inglorious Bastards!
*deep breath* And I’m done ;D
Daydreaming_Star
Haha, it is certainly fun to laugh at but it’s definitely a film I will only ever put myself through once. Sorta like the Twilight films ;D (oh, hey, SAME DIRECTOR :p) I haven’t seen that either, interestingly enough! I’m pretty certain I won’t be doing so anytime soon though :p
AWESOME!! Hahahahahaa. *catches breath* sorry, it’s just um… I wrote an entire essay on Hero and got my highest grade EVER and am doing my dissertation (10,000-12,000 word thesis) on the reception of chinese films. :D I adore all things chinese :D so YES, IT IS AMAZING :D
Haha. HILARIOUS ZOMBIES are always good. I’ll have to get on to watching them! =D
Yeah, I am definitely not denying how spectacular it looks cause it definitely looks amazing! Like the bit with Ellen Page and the moving mirrors and the room like tipping… ahhh, just… cinematography bliss xD I don’t like … despise it and I would happily watch it again but it’s just not one of my favs!
Haha. But, I would probably include Tarantino in my art-house genre films, which then just gets things ridiculusly complicated! Haha. But have you seen Dusk til Dawn? ;D
*deep breath* YAY!
Sarah (saz101)
Oh goodness, YES! I could NOT watch it again. Oh my, you’re right, huh? It IS Catherine Hardwick :S
Err, so, uh, I’m not gonna tell you I saw Twilight 6 or 7 times at the cinema? *hides* Ummm… yes. But seriously, I don’t think it’s a great movie, or even a GOOD one, but seeing it with my BFF was hilariou and fun, and *shuts up now*
EEEEEEEE! HERO! ASADHAKSHASDFAJLGHJ! It is SO. GOOD. And I am CRAZY EXCITED you love it and got an amazing grade and! and! and! But it’s incredible. It’s not like a massive-budget Hollywood martial-arts action film, where there’s over-choreographed fight scenes, massive explosions, and not much else… sure, it’s still massive budget, but it’s an amazing film, and extraordinary story-telling.
Errr… disclaimer on the hilarious zombies? It’s NOT Shaun Of The Dead or Zombieland… it’s real B-Grade late eighties to early nineties horror. And it’s awesome. They’re Sam Raimi films, so they have his kind of ridiculous humour, and they have a MASSIVE cult following. The first two are… er… so the first one is the first, and the second is almost a remake of that one, but the third IS comedy. It is HILARIOUS. It’s called Army Of Darkness.
You’ve NAILED it with Inception. Just… wow. “cinematography bliss”. THIS. I really liked the mind-effery, and I loved that it was big budget Hollywood film with a completely original screenplay–it wasn’t a remake or an adaptation, but yeah… if it makes any sense?
TARANTINO! AAJDGJADGFS! OK, I’ll accept art-house. Does Rodriguez get to into that category as well? I saw Machete the other day and it is hilarious. BUT BACK TO THE MAN! YES. I’ve seen Dusk ’til Dawn… err.. a ‘few’ times. Yes :D
I LOVE it. I love that Quentin’s in it and he’s total creeper. It cracks me up. Err, this is embarrassing though, so please don’t judge me, but I haven’t seen Reservoir Dogs *hides face in shame* It’s even worse because I HEART STEVE BUSCEMI! :(