Top 5: Idris Elba Action Movie Moments

There's a laundry list of reasons why Idris Elba makes the shortlist of Bond replacements. He's handsome, charismatic, a magnetic screen presence, physically imposing, and has the steely voice you'd want out of an action hero. Though he hasn't gotten a chance to take center stage in a Hollywood action film until this week's Dark Tower. In honor of our Gunslinger, here are five of his best action movie moments.

#5 Spaceship Sacrifice from Prometheus

Though primarily focused on monsters, sci-fi, and horror, Elba turns in a singular bad-ass moment as the titular spaceship's captain's Janek. Now aware of the Engineer's intent to destroy human life, Janek decides to make a final stand and put his ship between the alien creators and the atmosphere. It's a heroic suicide mission that also flies in the face of the Engineer's view of humanity.

#4 Rogue vs Clay from The Losers

While it's hard to celebrate two former best friends going toe to toe, this fistfight in the middle of pitched gun battle is a lot of fun. Hoping to stop his friend from taking off in private plane, Clay charges Rogue with a pistol and the two begin and close quarters scrap as Rogue pulls out blades. The fight is far from graceful and full of emotion, and the two burly figures let years of tension out on each other's bodies.

#3 Motorcycle Insanity from Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance

This movie is total insanity, and not the fun kind, but a notable action highlight is Idris Elba chasing down baddies on a motorcycle. Mainly because it features the shot above where Elba's Moreau ditches his motorcycle off a cliff and decides to empty his gun into a car full of baddies while his body floats towards the abyss of a mountain. A great image if nothing else.

#2 Defending Asgard from Thor: The Dark World

It was hard to choose a single moment, since his push through ice to take out some frost giants and bring Thor to Asgard in the first Thor film is pretty rad, but his second defense of Asgard is more impressive. Seeing a Dark Elf ship approaching, Elba's Heimdall climbs the Rainbow Bridge, hops onto the speeding ships, cuts it to pieces while sliding down it, and effectively crashes it. It may not stop the invasion but the effort is truly impressive.

#1 The Speech from Pacific Rim

If you're going to deliver a "humans saving the world from giant aliens" blockbuster you'll probably need a cheesy speech delivered with no irony, and Elba is the man for the job. Hopping into a pilot's seat for one last ride, Elba's Stacker Pentecost gathers the troops to charge them up. And he easily succeeds thanks to the closing line "Today, we are cancelling the apocalypse!"

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Fight Work: The Legend of Drunken Master's Final Fight

If you're a regular reader, you'll have no trouble guessing that action movies are my favorite genre, especially movies with amazing action choreography. Whether it's more recent fare like the gun-grappling of the John Wick series, the furious fists of martial arts cinema, or superheroes facing off against their biggest villains, a great fight gets my blood pumping better than a three mile run. But what makes a great action scene? Why do some final showdowns feel epic and meaningful while others are boring? Our new segment, Fight Work, sets to find out by highlighting some of the best action/fight scenes ever put on screen starting with the final showdown from the Jackie Chan classic: Legend of Drunken Master.

The Legend of Drunken Master is widely considered to be Chan's best kung-fu flick for the perfect mixture of melodramatic story, physical comedy, and complex fight choreography that defines Chan's work and remains influential to this day. Whether it's the presence of the axe gang in Kung Fu Hustle or Drunken Boxing in the martial arts lexicon, this movie is a big reason why. And in a movie full of fight scenes that combine insane athleticism and skill with physical comedy the film's final fight remains my favorite.

The Setup

At this point in the film, Jackie Chan's Wong Fei-hung has discovered that some Chinese nationals, led by our main villain John, are helping the British government smuggle precious artifacts out of the country using a metal rod factory as a front. After aiding the factory workers and handily beating most of the villain's henchmen, Fei-hung begins to battle the best the baddies have to offer: Henry and John.

Why The Scene Works

Not every action scene works for the same reasons. Sometimes it's a unique take on a familiar trope, sometimes it's funny, and sometimes its simply the skill of the actors involved. So without further ado here's why this scene is considered a masterwork in the genre.

Wide Shots to Show Off The Skill and Choreography

It's no secret that Jackie Chan was and is an exceptional martial artist. The same goes for the members of his extensive stunt team. But having an actor with impressive physical skills does not guarantee an engaging action scene. If you need a comparison put this scene next to some of Chan's fights in his American studio movies, minus Shanghai Noon/Knights, and you'll notice two huge differences.

The first is fight choreography. Modern martial arts cinema is famous for having very quick and very intricate fight work completed by the actors themselves (in sharp contrast to the Shaw brothers slower fights) and Drunken Master is no exception. John is amazingly adept at delivering quick kicks that appear like punches (in fact he can stand while doing the splits) while Fe-Hung shows plenty of quick fists, and the speed and agility to dodge, parry, and land blows of his own. The combatants are consistently in motion either moving around the space or changing their stance to counter their opponent. I love fights like this because you can see the small alterations to each fighter's style as the fight progresses, and can cheer when Fei-Hung reverses a move that landed minutes earlier.

The choreography also does an excellent job at demonstrating who's in control of the fight. We'll talk about this more and how the shifts work with the movie's emotional core, but when Fei-Hung is winning and losing the choreography lets us know. He spends no time on the offensive when he's losing and when he's winning he's either pummeling his opponent or blows bounce off of him.

The second is the camera work. My biggest pet peeve with American action cinema is the emphasis on quick cuts and close-ups in the middle of pitched battles. This fight is basically the opposite. There's a lot of extended takes where you can see the actor's full range of movement. The close-ups still show us all of the footwork or grappling between our two fighters. Even slow motion is used minimally for a handful of dramatic moments, including an exceptionally dangerous stunt.

The fact that the fight ends up being hilarious for the final furious minutes? Even better.

The Turn

When it comes to fights there's about three directions you can go. It can be a one-sided smash fest with the hero wrecking all of the nearby faces, an evenly matched battle with our hero frequently overcoming a cheap shot or unexpected skill, or in this fight's case a seemingly lost cause with a reversal halfway through.

The "all is lost" approach works exceptionally well because of what we know about Fei-Hung. Up until this point we know that Fei-Hung is probably the best fighter around. We've seen him make minced meat of out everyone else to this point (when sober or the right kind of drunk), and take out the goons no one else could handle even seconds before he faces John. As such, seeing the seemingly posh John unleash a flurry of kicks that literally backs Fei-Hung against a wall, and pushes him to the verge of defeat is deflating to the audience. Fei-Hung is the last credible line of defense and whether his opponents fight fair or not it doesn't look like he's capable of doing the job.

The despair we feel watching our hero seemingly defeated makes his triumphant reversal and eventual victory all the sweeter. But the shift in the fight works on multiple levels...

Emotional Investment: Resolution of Fei-Hung's Inner Conflict

The fight's turning point comes when John begins to mock Fei-Hung and stumbles across his fan with the saying "a boat can float in water, but can also sink in it," a phrase his father used when talking about the dangers of drunken boxing. Until this point, Fei-Hung has spent the film being ashamed or hiding his drunken boxing from his disapproving father. In fact, he has intentionally avoided using this style for the entire factory fight to avoid bringing his family shame.

However, in this moment something in Fei-Hung clicks and he realizes that his signature fighting style can be a powerful weapon if the right amount of alcohol is used. Thus in one fell swoop Fei-Hung embraces his secret fighting method and his identity as a martial artist, resolves his inner conflict with his father, and unlocks the key to his victory. The fight continues on for minutes after Fei-Hung finds the right balance of booze, but the musical cue after he says "Just perfect!" tells us all we need to know. He's ready, he's a complete person, and he is going to beat John's ass.

Bonuses: Laughs, Drunken Boxing, and Callbacks

While the majority of Jackie Chan's fight work features comedic use of props, the phrase "I don't want trouble", or misunderstandings, the final charge of this fight features a barrage of physical comedy. Fei-Hung dodges John's kicks by drunkenly falling against the wall, uses cartoonish moves like "wheelbarrow," or flutter kicks while doing a handstand, and frustrates John with Bugs Bunny like antics in the middle of a feverish fight. It's not a crucial element for the fight, but it's what makes this a more memorable scene.

Another distinctive element is the drunken boxing style. Chan had used this style in  his comedic 1978 breakout Drunken Master (hence the Legend of Drunken Master being dubbed Drunken Master II), but not quite like this. While traditional kung fu films tend to feature distinctive poses and individual techniques, drunken boxing lacks grace and rigidity. Even Fei-Hung's opening poses with his fists up flies in the face of traditional kung-fu. He's wobbling back and forth and his wrists are forward (in fact his fists seem to be facing him).

Once he begins fighting we also see how fluid the style is. It features a ton of momentum reversal, or put another way using natural forces like falling to deliver an elbow, spinning to add force to backhanded punch, or adding a spin to a flying headbutt because...ok that's just awesome. The point is you don't see moves or movement like this even if you are a martial arts movie fan.

Finally, the fight has plenty of callbacks to Fei-Hung's demonstration of drunken boxing in the middle of the film. It's not quite at Daniel-san pulling out the crane kick level, but it's fun to see our previously cocky villain turned into a flailing victim of a drunken bashing like the henchmen earlier in the film.

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Haywire (Revisited)

Well crap I unintentionally put myself into a corner. After getting so amped for Wonder Woman and making a bunch of lists featuring female bad-assses, I also covered a lot of the things I would normally do for Atomic Blonde. In this case, a fight scene list and a review of the lead's better action movie moments. But since I already did that for Wonder Woman, I thought I would revisit another hand to hand combat heavy espionage movie with a female lead: 2011's Haywire.

Gina Carano plays Mallory Kane, a black ops operative who is contracted by the government to do the dirty jobs official government workers can't be caught doing. But when her latest assignment goes up in flames, Mallory will have to fight her way to freedom and find those responsible to clear her name.

Haywire is the perfect example of a "good enough" action movie. That is to say that the film has enough good qualities to recommend, but not so good to call it a must-watch. Why? Well let's dig a little bit and find out in a bit I'll call Good Part/Bad Part.

Good Part: A Charismatic Collection of Supporting Roles

The list of a famous actors involved in this movie is fairly impressive including a standard Michael Douglas performance, which is always fun, a nice nostalgic look at how to use Bill Paxton correctly, and Antonio Banderas going for a quieter role than usual. And in the fight work we've got Channing Tatum bringing the youthful energy, Michael Fassbender bringing intensity, and Ewan McGregor bringing some shiftiness (this was even how Carano described their fighting styles). It's type-casting up and down the card but when they've only got a scene or two to get right it really works.

Bad Part: An Uninteresting Lead Character

Don't get me wrong. If you need a female fight scene heavy Carano is great (more on this later). But as a leading lady, the movie doesn't give her much to do or express. This may be by design (Carano was far more inexperienced at this point), but when we're supposed to care about her it helps to know things about her and her goals other than: she's our hero and the bad guys are bad. I know this is designed to be minimalistic with dialogue but if we never get to know Mallory we can't care about her.

Good Part: Hard Hitting/Realistic Fight Work

I love these fight scenes. Not just because they emphasized Carano's MMA training, but because they feel intense and intimate and are predominantly one on one affairs against other trained people. Each fight feels very different and you can see Mallory use different techniques and tactics accordingly. Going against Fassbender? Go for haymakers. Going against Tatum? Better find a weapon or out maneuver him. She also doesn't pull off any implausible moves like a never ending spin kick or a flip finish of some sort. Nope here it's well timed kicks and arm bars galore. Which I would like better if....

Bad Part: Stylistically Boring

I suppose the point of this is to demystify action heroes and give us a gritty, lived in action film that doesn't treat each punch like a showstopper. But to my mind, realism works when it's filmed with more panache. Make the impressive moves look more impressive. Shoot things in more light. Give us a soundtrack to compliment it. Hell any soundtrack. Or at least make the impact sounds louder. One bit of slow motion to show off how impressive a particular move is? No. Dammit this is why you don't do action Steven Soderbergh.

Verdict: Fun For the Set Pieces

Sometimes one element of a movie is strong enough to give it a recommendation. And in Haywire's case this gritty approach to fight work paired with a leading lady is enough to make it stand out. For action junkies only though.

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Trailer Talk: Thor: Ragnarok

It's no secret that Thor's movies are generally deemed the weakest in the Marvel collection. That's not to say the character is bad, or that Chris Hemsworth is a lesser actor, because neither statement is true, but overall his films have lacked a solid identity compared to Iron Man's action comedy vibe, and Captain America's sincerity. But based on the Comic Con trailer for Thor: Ragnarok they may have found it....

What Stands Out

Can We Talk About The Soundtrack?

The music for this is all instrumental and sounds modern, (it was "Immigrant Song" by Led Zeppelin  last time) and it FREAKING RULES!!! It sounds like symphonic epic eighties synth metal (a phrase that's never been used for a score before) and seem to perfectly capture the film's vibe, color palette, and imagery. I don't know who made this music, but if this isn't what the score sounds like Imma be pisssed.

The Buddy Comedy Vibe

I'm very happy that this film is both giving Chris Hemsworth a chance to show off his comedic chops again and going for broke as a comedy. This trailer also gives us the best look at the banter between Thor, Bruce and Bruce's angrier half Hulk. The thing I actually find most fascinating about is whether the duo's scenes will differ depending on whether it's Bruce or Hulk. I have supreme confidence in director Taiki Waititi to deliver the laughs, but it's an interesting wrinkle that also feels cut from a decade this movie is embracing....

Full On Eighties Ridiculousness

I love how colorful, bright, and unapologetically silly this movie appears to be. Fans of Waititi know that he loves eighties American culture and it seems like he's embracing all of the weird, fun, and vibrant tendencies of eighties science fiction. Put another way, the general storyline looks like its being played straight (I mean it is the God of Thunder facing off against the Goddess of Death), but the jokes seem to be based around the characters, not the plot's inherent silliness.

What Isn't Hulk Gonna Fight?

So far I counted Hulk fighting Thor, a giant Wolf, and a Magma God-like creature. Solo movie or not, it looks like Ragnarok is gonna give us all of the Hulk smashing he can handle.

Verdict: Can I Watch This Now and Have Fun Already?

This has easily looked liked the most gonzo Marvel movie to date and I want it in front of my eyes already!

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Trailer Talk: Kingsman: The Golden Circle

I was already excited for a new Kingsman before I saw a single bit of footage. The original was an absurd action packed romp from Matthew Vaughn, so new film would have to seriously drop the ball to lose my interest. Seeing the new wrinkles in the first trailer, i.e. an American version of the Kingsman called the Statesmen, more awesome action, and the return of Colin Firth, all turned up my hype meter to 11. And this comes out and buries the needle. Why? Let's talk why.

Why I'm Hyped

The Setup: Kingsman in Trouble

It's clear that we've got another Bond level villain, played by Julianne Moore (who is awesome in everything), who has systematically dismantled the current Kingsman roster aside from Eggsy, Merlin, and a revived Harry, with goals of hurting the world (maybe drones are involved). As such it looks like our heroes are reaching out to their American cousins the Statesmen led by Jeff Bridges for help. Hells yeah.

More Tech

While the first film had an emphasis on gadgetry the Bond films have been missing, this movie is taking the gadgets to Robert Rodriguez levels. In this trailer I saw shots of a laser lasso, a briefcase made for Desperado, the return of the umbrella, a whiskey flask grenade and plenty more. It's like someone asked a fifteen year old what would be a fun gadget for a cyperpunk cowboy and a country club member and filmed it.

More Action

Matthew Vaughn is a masterful action choreographer and it looks like we've got plenty more scenes to look forward to. We've got gunplay from Eggsy, baddies with tech upgraded bodies, the best lasso used as a weapon scene I've ever seen, and even standard fight inside a car fare. What aren't they going to do in this movie?

The Tone: Tongue Firmly in Cheek

While the first film was enjoyable it did seem to hold to Americans in contempt. This time around it looks like everyone is making fun of themselves. Eggsy is clearly so posh now that he believes himself more skilled than a guy with a "skipping rope," while Channing Tatum says "F*** Yeah!" at the notion of teaming up.

Excitement Level: Through The Roof

If you liked the original, the second film looks like a bigger, more ridiculous version...with Jeff Bridges and Channing Tatum! What's not to love?

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The Great Escape (1963)

While they remain a staple of award season (the late fall and early winter), it's surprising to see a big budget military drama hit theaters in summer, during the height of blockbusters. Then again Christopher Nolan isn't one to adhere to Hollywood norms. Enter Dunkirk, a fact-based film about the famous evacuation of Allied troops from the French coast city. Its a risky move, though the early reviews are good, but not outside Hollywood precedent. In fact, Dunkirk's subject matter reminded me of another blockbuster WWII film starring the legendary Steve McQueen: 1963's The Great Escape.

In 1943, the German high command has grown weary of spending time, troops, and resources to track down escaped Allied prisoners. Determined to curb this problem and reinvigorate the German war effort, a new escape proof prisoner has been built to house the Allies most troublesome POWs. Though the initial escape attempts falter, the newly arrived commander known as Big X gives the frustrated soldiers a new goal: the largest escape ever attempted.

Like many studio films of its era, The Great Escape has a number of traits that might make it difficult for a modern audience. There are glaring shifts in tone from comedic to tragic, the film's run time is pretty excessive at almost three hours, and some of the events within the film feel a little too chummy for a war drama (especially between captive and captors). That said, there's plenty about the film to recommend.

A Stacked Cast At The Height of Their Powers

It's almost impossible to think of a modern film, minus the modern Ocean's movies, to get this many famous faces into one film, let alone have them play to their strengths. Richard Attenborough brings in the signature English stoicism and sense of duty as Big X. James Garner and James Coburn turn in work as the team's big time charmers and giants with hearts of gold. Charles Bronson gets a more nuanced turn than expected as a tunneler with claustrophobia and Halloween's Donald Pleasance gives a heart-breaking turn as a forger who's losing his sight. And since each of these character's has a definitive role in the escape we get a variety of unexpected team ups and relationships we wouldn't expect otherwise. There is one person I'm leaving out though.

An Iconic Steve McQueen Character

Steve McQueen is the reason people remember this movie. While the rest of the would-be escapees are all well-defined, McQueen walks into the film like a movie star walking on set and owns every bit of screentime they give him. He's brash, confident in the face of resistance, resourceful, incapable of being broken....and that's before he picks up the motorcycle that he himself rides. From his first frame McQueen embodies his "King of Cool" persona to perfection and the movie is all the better for it.

Emphasizes the Importance of Camaraderie, Icons, and Resistance without Mythologizing

Even in the sixties, most films about WWII were largely romanticized portrayals about meaningful sacrifice and doing the right thing in the face of a determined enemy. So how does a POW film make an impact? By emphasizing the human element.

Though it seems obvious that POWs would want to escape, and doing so assists the Allied war effort by tying up German resources (even if they don't make it home), the true purpose of the camp's escape plans is far simpler: it gives them purpose.

As captured soldiers they have seemingly lost their ability to fight, control their own actions, and to some extent, exist. Without hope or an obtainable final goal, it would be very easy for the soldiers to become despondent and even suicidal (as we see when one man has been thwarted too many times). The big plan means they'll work as unit with purpose, development friendships, resist (as is their duty as soldiers), and gives them something to strive for.

The movie also demonstrates how big personalities can impact those around them. For many of the men the arrival of Big X gives them direction and leadership, while the legend of McQueen's "Cooler King,"  based on his unflappable nature even after his perpetual capture, gives them an icon to root for, even if they are afraid to do what he does. There might be some modern lessons there.

While undoubtedly a product of its era, The Great Escape's rich characters and strong performances carry it through. Check it out.

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The Fifth Element (Revisited)

Director Luc Besson's career feels like a blatant retort to the notion that "French movies are boring." Why? Because Besson has spent the majority of his career directing and producing unapologetic action films that either take place in European locales (Taken), feature non-American actors (Jean Reno in Leon: The Professional), or exist to entertain above all else (why else watch Lucy?). But with Besson's space epic Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets about to hit theaters, one Besson film has been on my mind above the others: 1997's The Fifth Element. So today we'll revisit Besson's first gigantic foray into science fiction and see why it's become something of a cult classic.

In the 23rd century, a terrifying black mass has appeared on the edge of the known galaxy. Immune to all conventional weapons, in fact weapons of war only make it stronger, the human race seeks relief and protection from the mystical "Fifth Element" a supreme being capable of repelling the evil force. But when the supreme being's convoy is destroyed, a former soldier turned cabbie and a priest will to have race against time, and the evil entity's allies, to collect the items needed to unleash the Fifth Elements power.

The Reason This Isn't Dubbed A "Must Watch": It Is Straight-Faced Silly...But That's A Good Thing

When your primary antagonists are a gun toting businessman whose shady dealings literally kill people, actual war pigs, and a giant ball of evil incarnate that only gets stronger when you treat it aggressively, you're not aiming for subtely. And yet that slightly tongue-in-cheek, yet totally sincere approach is one of the big reasons this movie is so much fun. Plenty of people have remarked on this, but a lot of modern cinema is afraid of using big emotions and silly concepts without irony. There's frequently nods to the camera or a joke to undercut the moment to let the audience know, yeah we know this is silly.

The Fifth Element goes in the opposite direction. Sure there are jokes, but none of the movie's emotional moments are cheapened. The best example is the frequently sited fight scene between the Fifth Element Leeloo and the Magalores (the war pigs). In this scene, our hero Korben is watching the Diva, a giant blue alien with a tentacled hair style sing opera as her entourage is murdered by Magalores with Leeloo watching in the wings. Mad as hell, Leeloo begins a somewhat comedic martial arts beatdown of the gun-toting aliens....as the song shifts to operatic dance pop with the Diva using dance moves at place in a boy band video with Leeloo and the Diva ending their routines with the same pose. And it works. It's the silliest thing to describe but in the context of the film it's a joy to behold and one of the most memorable film scenes I've ever seen.

Milla Jovovich

Before she was beating zombie ass in the Resident Evil series, Jovocich was a largely unknown actress with a number of small starring roles to her name. This is her breakout and it's easy to see why. The role is an emotional roller coaster, and now that I think about it a huge precursor to River Tam in Firefly and Serenity, often asking Jovovich to be aggressive, heart-breakingly vulnerable, and joyful in single scenes...all while speaking broken English or an entirely made-up language at lighting speed. She is utterly compelling which means that the audience immediately understands why Bruce Willis' Corben Dallas helps, follows, and falls for her seconds after meeting her.

Builds A World With Distinctive Looks and Characters

Like many of the best science fiction movies, The Fifth Element does a great job at showing us the world in the 23rd century without telling us about it. In one shot during Leeloo's escape we can determine that cities are gigantic above the smog clouds skyskraper factories with flying cars. We don't need the entire backstory as to how we got here, or commentary on whether this is a good or bad thing. This is just the reality.

In similar fashion, the film's main characters are all well-defined and reinforced by their wardrobes. The priests, though decidedly modern and unaffiliated wear robes and occasionally head coverings akin to Judaism and Islam. Leeloo wears a lot of white and orange that shows off her physique and makes her stand out (note that Korben also wears orange as well). We even have a black president whose clothing distinguishes him from the military personnel, but doesn't full mimic modern day suits.

However, my favorite mixture of character through design is Ruby Rod. Even fans of this movie hate Ruby, but that's kind of the point. You're not supposed to like Ruby. He's every obnoxious self-centered flamboyant drive time DJ rolled into one and everything from his voice, the performance by Chris Tucker, and his clothes are intentionally garish. He's the antithesis of our mission oriented heroes. You won't like him, but you won't forget him.

Verdict: Simple and Sincere Fun

The Fifth Element is far from a deep movie, but its well realized characters, world, and general sense of fun are palpable. Check this out, especially if you're going to see Valerian this weekend.

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Top 5: George A. Romero Moments

Yesterday the film mourned the loss of George A. Romero, the father of modern zombie fare, and to many including John Carpenter, the father of modern horror film. It's easy to see why. Romero turned zombies from a creepy concept to an existential cannibalistic plague, revived horror anthology filmmaking with Creepshow, and demonstrated that horror was fully capable of delivering social commentary and deeper meaning beyond surface level scares. He was also, by countless accounts, one of the sweetest and good-natured men in the business with enough good humor about his films to give Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright Land of the Dead cameos after Shaun of the Dead came out. So in his honor, we're picking five of his best movie moments. And because some of his movies have more punch than others some movies may appear more than once. *Spoilers Ahead*

#5 "They're Coming to Get You Barbara!" from Night of the Living Dead

The cold open to Night of the Living Dead is one of the most copied and iconic scenes of all time as a brother and sister visit their father's grave. Teasing his sister's fear, Johnny utters the line above like Vincent Price before being set upon by a strange man and unceremoniously killed. It's a bleak opening that sets the stage for what's to come and sets up a pay off during the film's finale when Johnny returns.

#4 Call In from Martin

Primarily known as a zombie movie man, this gritty and depressing vampire movie is one of the best deconstructions of cinemas most romanticized movie monsters and the call in scene is the film's thematic core in a nutshell. After we've watched him struggle with his vampirism through dark and violent means for over half the film, the titular Martin calls in to a radio show to set the record straight. Amused by his admission, the host calls Martin "The Count" and suggests that Martin leans-in to our cultural image of vampires (the "sexy stuff"), despite Martin's persistence that there's no magic of mysticism to his condition. It's a great dialogue about the conflict between sensationalized suffering that ultimately sets Martin down a terrifying road.

#3 Bub from Day of the Dead

While Dawn of the Dead hinted at subconscious desires beneath the zombie exterior, Day of the Dead took things twenty steps further with the development of Bub, an imprisoned zombie. Trained by the compound's lead scientist Dr. Logan, Bub slowly but surely reclaims some of his human abilities like aiming a gun, saluting, and even empathy. Not only is this development terrifying in its own right, but it also presents a blatant juxtaposition with many of the base's soldiers who have descended into animalistic behavior and mindless violence. All of it leads to a final showdown between the human and zombie where the audience is rooting for the zombie.

#2 "What Have We Done To Ourselves?" from Dawn of the Dead

What would you do if the world was ending or if you became a zombie? While I believe most would either look for survivors or retain our humanity, Dawn posits that perhaps we'd lean into our consumer culture instincts. After noting the zombies odd affinity for the local shopping mall, our team of survivors live like kings and make no plans to leave. That is until the emergency broadcasts cease and the chance of discovery appears to have dwindled. Now realizing the folly in their wasteful tendencies the pregnant Francine looks around the lavish living space with despair and wonders what's become of them. All the while zombies are all the door and society has crumbled...

#1 Ben's Fate from Night of the Living Dead

While Romero always described it as a no-brainer, making your horror movie hero a black man in 1968 took guts, as did his portrayal as a hyper-competent and intelligent leader bracing against ignorance. Throughout the film we watch Ben try time and again to speak reasonably to unreasonable people and do his best to save lives until eventually it seems like he's only saved his own. And then a team of armed white men, in southern accents no less, come upon the house...and shoot Ben through the window and celebrate that they "got another one" The aftermath in still images remains one of the most haunting and nihilistic endings in horror history and remains relevant to this day.

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Promo Highlight: Atomic Blonde

It's very rare that I come across non-trailer promotional material that I immediately fall in love with, but the latest glimpse from the Cold War action flick starring Charlize "Furiosa" Theron Atomic Blonde just gave me my new favorite thing. In quickfire fashion, here's my reasons why.

Fight Like A Girl

I suggested almost this exact branding for team Wonder Woman and it looks like team Atomic Blonde took it instead...I'm both mad but also incredibly happy about it. Can I get some credit somehow?

High Praise for Charlize

I've seen plenty of praise heaped on actors like Tom Cruise and Jason Statham for their commitment to stunt work, so seeing Charlize Theron be immediately billed as "in the top 1% of actors doing their own action" is both impressive and refreshing. The feature also demonstrates the different this made for the director in terms of shooting, highlights the work Theron put in, and shows us the prep work to create a bad ass fight scene.

A Great Look Into Action Filmmaking

Another awesome thing to see, aside from the female bent of this feature, is director David Leitch's approach to action film-making. For example, he says that Theron's skill set meant that they could extend takes to include more moves, which is not only complimentary to his lead but more enjoyable for the audience (especially folks like me who hate heavily cut fight scenes). I also liked that he talked about the work he put in the choreography team to make Theron's fighting style realistic and the training she went through to do all the film asked of her.

But of course, Theron giving credit to the stunt team for taking extra hits, getting them drinks afterwards, and boasting about a lack of (admitted) injuries on set is phenomenal. These folks are the people that make all of our bad-ass action movies possible and they deserve a ton of credit. The final shot with Theron asking if her movie attacker and stunt partner was ok? Great stuff and a responsible portrayal of staged violence.

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Wonderfully Terrible: Cobra

Sylvester Stallone is the centerpiece of one of Hollywood's most famous "What If?" storylines. See in the early eighties Stallone was attached to a fish out of water action-packed detective tale called Beverly Hills Cop. However, when the studio got Stallone's script (he is famously involved in writing for most of his films), the movie he had in mind looked exceedingly expensive, and Stallone was replaced with Eddie Murphy and reworked as a comedy. Not one to completely abandon material, Stallone decided to take his ideas and make a movie of his own, the eighties action bonanza and cult classic Cobra.

Stallone stars as Marion "Cobra" Cobretti, a tough as nails cop and member of the police force's "zombie-squad." While many disapprove of his violent approach to law enforcement, Cobra is called into action to defend a woman from a cult-like army of killers and prevent them from plunging the city into chaos.

Like many movies of its era, Cobra was an unqualified box office success, despite bad reviews from critics. And yet, the film doesn't have the same standing as something like Predator, Die Hard, or even Stallone's own Rambo series. Why? Well let's look at the fun stuff and crap stuff and find out.

The Wonderful

Cobra's Gear & Car

Having never seen this movie before, it's clear that Stallone still has affection for this role because he carried over a bunch of the look, gear, and vehicle from Cobra. And admittedly, it works with Stallone's macho swagger. The toothpick and sunglasses works as well here as it did for Chow Yun-Fat in the same era, the pearl-handed pistol is a nice cowboy throwback, and the old time muscle car in jet black is fun as well. I imagine this was a popular costume after the movie came out.

A Physics Defying Car Case

In the middle of the film there's a massive car chase with Stallone and Brigitte Nielsen running away and taking out a bunch of armed goons in cars. And the stuff that happens in this scene is absurd. At one point Stallone opens fire on the front of a truck....which subsequently explodes and flips over backwards. Likewise, the Stallone driven car nearly flips....after ramping over garbage. It's so incredibly silly I couldn't help but enjoy it.

Plenty of Spray and Pray Gun Fighting

Like many movies of the day, there's plenty of our hero shooting from the hip and mowing down bad guys like nobody's business. There's a machine gun with seemingly bottomless ammo, our bad guys are all terrible shots, and every single pistol shot from the hero hits the mark. It's distilled eighties action into one movie.

The Terrible

The Odd Politics

Much like Dirty Harry, Cobra is about a cop willing to break the rules to keep people safe. But what's so weird about this is that none of Cobra's police work or his instances of using deadly force seem inappropriate. He only uses deadly force when the threat is life or death, and seems to keep everyone he can safe. So why is he a pariah? It seems like some or sort of "soft on crime" critique, but that may have been modern politics seeping into my viewing experience.

Undeniably Racist Moments

Unfortunate rule for many eighties movies. If there is someone of another race in a predominantly white movie, get ready to cringe when anyone of color arrives on screen. Especially if they are in a group. *Sigh* Just get to the Latino gang members and you'll know what I'm talking about.

A Completely Forgettable Script

I can't tell you the villain's name in the this movie. And I just watched it. That should really be all you need to know. At the time this movie was critique for relying heavy on action movie tropes and that's a hard critique to deny. The one-liners are there, but they're awful, Cobra himself isn't really a character so much as a tool, and the rest of the characters are so one-note or boring I couldn't be bothered to remember them.

Terrible Cuts

There's a lot of bad cuts in the middle of action scenes in Cobra. In the finale gunfight for instance, we'll see a gun fired by Cobra, see a guy go down, then see muzzle flash from Cobra, and another guy in a completely different location fall down dead. It means that even though the space is ideal for a protracted gun battle the geography, the number of opponents, and even the hero's actions are never that clear.

Verdict: Drinking Game Fun

Upon viewing it, it's easy to see why critics didn't like this movie and why it's not viewed as a classic. But if you're a fan of this era of movie making you could do worse.

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Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Though a sequel was never guaranteed, Rise of the Planet of the Ape's ending coupled with its unexpected level of success meant that a sequel was almost guaranteed, regardless of quality. But expanding the intimate film's world, budget, and set pieces didn't guarantee a second success. Which is why seeing the series continue down its well-crafted path was almost as refreshing as the first film. The end result was another box office and critical smash. So much like yesterday's revisit of Rise today we'll see what positive new directions Dawn took the series.

A decade after the Simian Flu wrecked havoc on the human population, humans and an ape colony led by Caesar are in the midst of recovering/developing their societies, albeit separately. However, when a group of humans looking to restore power to their city accidentally stumbles across Caesar's group, the two sides develop an uneasy truce. However, the deep-seeded distrust bubbling beneath the surface seems destined to lead to violent conflict, despite cooler head's best efforts.

While there's a natural inclination to compare Rise and Dawn to one another it's a moot point. Truth is Rise is a far more intimate origin story and Dawn is a bigger movie dealing with the aftermath of the world Rise built. So what stands out here?

Highly Sympathetic Villains

Continuing the series even-handed portrayal of self-aware mammals, the movie's major villains have sympathetic perspectives. On the human side we have Gary Oldman's Dreyfus, a man who lost his entire family to the virus, and whose role responsibility is keeping his people safe. As such, sentient apes, even those led by an angry/power hungry rebel, present a consistent threat that he needs to prepare for and fight against. Would more trust help the situation? Sure, but his experience doesn't allow him to.

And on the ape side we have Koba, a seemingly broken individual whose torture at the hands of humans has scared his psyche and warped his sense of right and wrong. He hates humans, but he has good reason to and seeing Dreyfus' men stack up weapons, even if they are meant for self-defense, looks like aggression. To his mind, this justifies taking a more peaceful Caesar and his followers out, consequences be damned. Once again, it's hard to argue against his worldview because he's a victim of trauma and sometimes trauma breaks you.

The Story Feels Honest to the Situation and Characters

Unlike many other movies, that seemingly toss inexplicable loose cannons onto a box of tinder and gunpowder, Dawn's central conflict between humans and apes feels like a train wreck our heroes are powerless to stop. The humans led by Malcolm are well-intentioned, hold no ill will towards apes, and simply want to co-exist as does Caesar. But they're both painfully aware of how sensitive and close to violence their co-horts are. Time after time they have to step-in to prevent violence, so much so that neither is surprised when shots are finally fired. We can see almost every move coming, but the tension of not if, but when, actually improves the viewing experience. Case in point, watching Koba dupe Dreyfus' soldiers and then pick up a gun is master class in developing tension in film.

Even Better Effects and Set Pieces

Dawn is working with almost twice Rise's budget and it shows in the best possible way. The first noticeable change is the ape motion capture work which is astoundingly better, which greatly improves the apes fur texture and response to water and light. In the same camp, the set pieces including a final tower tussle betwee Caesar and Koba, Koba's revolution (especially the oft-reverred single take), and even hunting outings with the apes, are all miles beyond the first film's capacities. It's the best kind of blockbuster and sequel making.

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Rise of the Planet of the Apes (Revisited)

I'll admit that when I first saw previews for a prequel/sequel/reboot of the Planet of the Apes franchise, that sounded like the worst idea ever. Perhaps it was the sting of Tim Burton's Ape Lincoln in his 2001 version, franchise fatigue, or general disinterest, but I didn't expect to like the movie. But I did. And critics did. And audiences did. And now the franchise is about to release its third and final installment War for the Planet of the Apes this Friday. As such, we'll be going back to the beginning to see how the new trilogy got off on the right foot/paw.

James Franco stars as Will Rodman a scientist in the midst of testing a revolutionary drug designed to treat Alzheimer's. After a test subject chimp goes rogue during a presentation, Rodman's research is rejected by his company. But Rodman receives hope in the form a Caesar, the son of his chimp test subject whose mental capacities continue to grow. But as Caesar becomes more human, will he be able to find a place in the world?

Like many successful summer blockbusters Rise works because of its story, great performances, exciting set-pieces, and of course excellent effects. But what sets this particular movie apart? Here's my two cents.

Science Isn't The Enemy

For a genre obsessed with new technology and possibilities, science fiction has been plagued with a fear of technology (i.e. Terminator's Skynet). As such, it's a breath of fresh air when scientific endeavors aren't the enemy, even if they cause problems. In Rise it's hard to look at anyone, minus the abusive ape keepers, as definitively in the wrong. Franco's Rodman wants to cure a disease that plagues millions and wants Caesar to have a fulfilling life, but also doesn't know how to provide it. Likewise, it's easy to see why Caesar is fed up with a human society that views him as nothing but an animal. The list goes on. The point is that characters intentions and the science that at the center of these problems isn't at fault.

Instead it prevents the audience with tough questions, like whether or not cures are worth taking risks or where Caesar could find a proper home in the world as we know it. It's great stuff.

Investment in Characters

In bad movies the audience is told that a moment is important due to the camera work, the acting, and even the score. But that doesn't mean the moment works. Put another way, imagine Daniel-san winning the tournament in The Karate Kid after a single lesson, without a major injury, and without Mr. Miyagi at his side. Not the same movie is it? The same goes for Rise which has two to three epic moments that hit like sledgehammers because of the time we've spent watching our characters grow. In a lesser movie we wouldn't care about Caesar's revolt or find the relationship between Rodman and Caesar so tragic, but in Rise we do. The added audience investment also works wonders in the film's set piece that use that demonstrate that set-pieces work best when they feel inevitable.

Motion Capture Performance As Art

At this point saying Andy Serkis is amazing at motion capture, and probably more ape than man at this point, is like saying California is sunny. Still that level of expectation shouldn't undermine how important Serkis and the mastery of motion capture technology, is to this film. Caesar is a fully fleshed-out character whose body language and facial expressions tell us more about his feelings that he's able to express with sign language. People talked about getting Serkis an Academy Award nomination for this movie and I do not blame them.

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