Movie confessions

[lester1/2jr]

I think gangster movies are corny. It's just a way for white people to try and act like they are scary, meanwhile 40 people are killed in Chicago every weekend. The real scary white people are the IRS!

[claws]

Vintage martial art movies have more oomph! The fighting in modern martial art movies is overstylized and lacking impact.

I'd say the fight scenes in modern movies are worse (you can admire the choreography and athleticism of vintage chopsocky better), but the storylines and other elements of modern films tend to be better, in my view. The worst era was in the 80s and 90s with the kickboxing-type movies, when they had neither athleticism nor decent stories.

That's a fair take. The old-school martial arts films had a raw energy and skill that's hard to beat, while modern ones focus more on storytelling and production value. The '80s and '90s kickboxing craze definitely had its low points though some fun cheese, but not much in the way of great fights or deep plots.

[RCMerchant]

^ Me either.

[M.10rda]

I agree with the comments made about GODFATHER 2.

Pacino has given some terrible performances, onscreen and onstage, but he's also given some classic, masterful performances. His work in the first GODFATHER is so accomplished (from such a young actor) that it instantly solidified his reputation, but also it was a tough act to follow. He's not even nearly as good in GODFATHER 2!

Every single review I write on this website constitutes some kind of confession, I think.

[Trevor]

I always say that MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS (1974) was the first movie I saw in a cinema.

There's actually one before that: the 1973 remake of LOST HORIZON which a family friend took me along to see when I was six. I hated it probably because of its length, the songs and probably because I didn't understand it at all.

I have seen it since - someone uploaded the thing to Youtube - and my opinion hasn't changed at all. Even if you polish a turd so that it gleams, it's still a piece of poo.  

[RCMerchant]

^ I actually seen that! And your right. It's awful.

[Archivist]

Vintage martial art movies have more oomph! The fighting in modern martial art movies is overstylized and lacking impact.

I'd say the fight scenes in modern movies are worse (you can admire the choreography and athleticism of vintage chopsocky better), but the storylines and other elements of modern films tend to be better, in my view. The worst era was in the 80s and 90s with the kickboxing-type movies, when they had neither athleticism nor decent stories.

Not sure which kickboxing movies you're referring to that lack athleticism. The 80s and 90s were replete with actors who were also martial artists. Others were martial artists and kickboxing champions turned actors. Gary Daniels (Bloodmoon), Jean Claude Van Damme, Billy Blanks (taekwondo champion), Loren Avedon (another taekwondo champion), Matthias Hues, the list goes on and on. Awful movies and bad stories, but one thing they had was athleticism.

[claws]

^^ compared to Jackie Chan, Jet Li or Bruce Lee showcasing incredible speed, power, and technique, most of those 1990s real life fighters turned actors never really stood out, with a few exceptions.

Cynthia Rothrock - Amazing
Chuck Norris - Eh
Don "The Dragon" Wilson - Good, but not great
Billy Blanks - Great
I don't think Matthias Hues ever did a back-flip 
Avedon and Daniels were kind of on a same level, but Daniels was more impressive in my opinion. He also made better movies.

[zombie no.one]

I think gangster movies are corny. It's just a way for white people to try and act like they are scary, meanwhile 40 people are killed in Chicago every weekend.

read an interview with some italian detective years ago, and apparently GOODFELLAS was a massive hit among various italian mafia members, and some actually started dressing like the characters!

[Rev. Powell]

Vintage martial art movies have more oomph! The fighting in modern martial art movies is overstylized and lacking impact.

I'd say the fight scenes in modern movies are worse (you can admire the choreography and athleticism of vintage chopsocky better), but the storylines and other elements of modern films tend to be better, in my view. The worst era was in the 80s and 90s with the kickboxing-type movies, when they had neither athleticism nor decent stories.

Not sure which kickboxing movies you're referring to that lack athleticism. The 80s and 90s were replete with actors who were also martial artists. Others were martial artists and kickboxing champions turned actors. Gary Daniels (Bloodmoon), Jean Claude Van Damme, Billy Blanks (taekwondo champion), Loren Avedon (another taekwondo champion), Matthias Hues, the list goes on and on. Awful movies and bad stories, but one thing they had was athleticism.

I meant that, while the individual actors might have athleticism, the heavily-edited modern action movie way the scenes are shot don't showcase it like the vintage movies that would feature long unbroken fight scenes did.

[Trevor]

My hometown is featured in the movie CRY FREEDOM. 😳😉

[lester1/2jr]

Claws - needless to say, if Bruce Lee had lived he would have completely dominated 80's action cinema.

[zombie no.one]

Daniel Craig looks like a random bad guy henchman in a JAMES BOND movie, who would try and throw Bond out of a 10th storey window or something, but Bond would do some surprise flip and send him flying out instead... and that would be his only scene.

[vincentvision-3000]

I really, really dislike the lord of the rings series. Meet the feebles was better.

[RCMerchant]

I dislike all the FRIDAY the 13TH movies beyond 3 and JASON GOES TO HELL.
I dislike all the HALLOWEEN movies beyond the first and the 3rd, and the first Rob Zombie one.
I dislike all the NIGHTMARE ON ELM STRRET films beyond the first.
I dislike ALL the TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE films beyond the first and 2nd.

I never seen any of the SAW films.
I never seen any of the HOSTEL films.
I never seen any of the PARANORMAL ACTIVITY films.
I never seen any of the TERRIFIER films.