The best 5 action movies (that I've ever read)
I'll admit it, I can't stand chick flicks. I think this is because prior to getting married I made a whole plethora of unfortunate relationship decisions all on my own and very rarely did they ever lead to anything that resembled a heartwarming feel-good comedy.
Did I say rarely ? I meant ever. Never ever .
Action movies on the other hand have a special place in my heart, because I cannot watch a good action movie without feeling all warm and fuzzy deep down in the usually chilly little cockles of my heart. So here's a short list of my very favorite foreign language action films:
District B13 (2004)and District 13: Ultimatum (2009) French language, English subtitles. Both movies have extremely tight action sequences, shootouts peppered with martial arts and parkour laced chase scenes. Also: plots, both movies have great plots.
Chocolate (2008) Thai language, English subtitles. Waif fu and killer martial arts skills throughout the whole movie.
Kung Fu Hustle (2004) Chinese language (Cantonese), English subtitles. Fight scenes range from impressive to intentionally hilarious, the fight choreography in this movie is simply amazing, as are the costumes and sets.
Dororo (2007) Japanese language, English subtitles. This is a fantasy movie and the fight scenes are somewhat lacking compared to the other movies in this list however, the pace of the story and excellent story telling makes this a worthwhile use of 139 minutes.
What are you favorite action flicks to read?
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While a fan of foreign films they are usually not the action kind, though I do own and enjoy Kung Fu Hustle.
However one film that may fit into this category is Until the End of the World by Wim Wenders. What makes this film somewhat unique is that the action starts in Spain, moves through France, Germany, Russia, China and Australia and in each locale the dialogue is in that country's language. While the visual appeal of the film and its varied cast are a treat, the soundtrack is particularly good.
I have Kung Fu Hustle on my DVD shelf. I love it. I've heard a lot of good things about Chocolate, so I may take a look at it. Thanks for the article!
On a side note... Last week I purchased The Man With The Iron Fists on BluRay and wasseriouslypissed off I couldn't get the sound through my oldreceiver. I've purchased a new Marantz NR1603 and will be picking it up after work tonight and installing it. I'll be watching that same movie this weekend in 7.1 surround sound baby!
Welcome Wendy to NT! Interestingarticle and I have featured it on the front page under NT columnist.
I am not so much a fan of action movies, as I am suspense. But the challenge being here that I haven't seen too manysuspensefilms in aforeignlanguage. But my two favorites would be "The Girl in the... series", which does have action in them and Clint Eastwood's Letters from "Letters from Iwo Jima".
Kung Fu Hustle rules.
I'm not to keen on chop socky movies in general though I do love me some Samurai flicks. Here's a few to peruse if they look of note for you.
The Samurai Trilogy with Toshiro Mufune is high on my list. It is the story of Mushashi Miyamoto in three films. " Mushashi Miyamoto , Duel at Ichijoji Temple and, Duel at Ganryu Island . Three strip technicolor wonderfulness. Mushashi was such a badass he whittled a sword out of wood to defeat his last opponent. He was sorta the 14th century John Wayne of Japan. Big Badda Boom.
Dont' know why this is B&W but,
There are some rockin Samurai films out there. Seven Samurai , Throne of Blood , 13 Assassins and so on.
If you have a taste for brutal black comedies,
His other movie, 7 Psychopaths ain't too shabby either. Not as good but still mighty fine.
Battle Royale is a watcher though it might not be for everyone. Thumbs up from Unkle Tex though...
This one might not be for everyone either but if you have a hankering for a Psychedelic Viking Fun Fest you'll like it. It's got Mads Mikkelsen too. Gotta love that guy.
Anyhow, that's a few I like. There's a million of em.....
Speaking of bookes, The novel "Battle Royale" by Koushun Takami and "Musashi" by Eiji Takami are both worth a read. Most fun.
If I read the books first I rarely watch the movie. The movies never meets my expectatios. Perhaps my perception is not in step with the Author They also always leave so much out.
Well, this isn't an action film, but it IS a scary/horror film -- "Diabolique" in French.
Oh man, that movie made me jump out of my skin! I haven't seen it in a while on TV, and it isn't available on DVD that I can find-- but Golly!
Being a lover of both literature and movies I just look at each as totally separate entities. Two different art forms that rely on a different set of parameters in story telling. Not that some movies are such sucky and pale renditions of a novel that they are unwatchable. Most are.
Anyhow, it keeps disappointment to low levels with that approach. At least for me.
I am the opposite. I wont go see a movie unless I have read the book. I don't like movies invading my imagination for character and place prior to the read. Then I feel justified whining about the picture show.
In Bruges is pretty funny. SevenPsychopathsis on my list to watch when I can. Valhalla Rising is on Netflix. I watched it one Saturday morning not so long ago when I couldn't sleep (like now).
All in all I have a hard time with subtitles (and tv crawlers) because I spend more time reading the print than I can the action, so I don't get to see a lot of foreign films.
There is an American re-make (1996) that, if I remember right, was okay. I haven't seen the '55 French version to compare it to. You can get either movies at amazon. They released the '55 French version as part of the Criterion Collection in 2011 on both DVD and BluRay .
I hear you. My eyeballs ain't what they used to be. If it is good I generally watch a subtitled picture twice. Especially if the visuals are impressive.
Valhalla Rising grew on me. I liked it the first time around but the second was the kicker. It is wonderfully odd. Pretty brutal, which bothers me not.
"Lo there do I see my father
Lo there do I see my mother
And my sisters and brothers
Lo there do I see the line
Of my people back to the beginning
They do bid me to take my place among them
In the Halls of Valhalla
Where the brave may live forever"
And such....
This one is a top flight Fist of Cheese. Sorta the retelling of Beowulf. More or less.
well not really an action flick but here goes , "fraility"
You're killing me.
Me, its a stale can of Dixie Beer on a wet macrame coaster sitting on top of a black and white TV right next to the 3D portrait of our Lord and Savior. A bottle of 1816 Reserve, The Dynamo of Dixie, a half full Leroy's Bucket of Blood and Mammary Emporium shot glass sitting by a slowly smoking pipe and a 1911. I'm slouching back on the sofa I pulled out of my lawyers garbage with big dawg panting, slobbering, farting and licking areas of his body that we only wish we could next to me. You'd have to be a bemused contortionist. Anyhow, Over the noise and flickering of the TV I can hear Nadine Gortner all the way down the mountain beating her husband and screeching like a banshee. I think it might have something to do with that new little bar girl down at Leroy's. I've got on a red one piece union suit with rear entry ventilation, feet clad in my ex wife's large China Mart Bunny Slippers. The wind carries the aromatic joy of the Rendering Plant over in Lick Skillet through my door and into my nostrils. Ahhhh. A good night for Bridget Jones.
I am not sure if I love the BR franchise, I like the commentary, but both movies were way too bloody for my tastes to consider them action movies. Valhalla Rising is just stunning, and a good movie all around.
Frailty is definitely a horror-- although I have to agree; excellent movie.
Tex, that is so awesome. If I read this and close my eyes I can almost hear the sounds of your neighbors shooting at each other.
Thank Perrie, I'm honored.
I have only seen the first of the Girl movies, it was a great movie but a few of the scenes were too brutal for it to be a good movie to relax to. I think the appeal of action movies is the mindless entertainment whereas suspense (good suspense) really puts your brain through a workout.
It is somewhat strange how the inherent beauty of Valhalla is comfortable with its brutality. Must be the duality of the Viking Thing. It is a stunner.
If, by BR franchise, you are referring to Battle Royale, my only question therein is, what is it with the Japanese and little girls in school girl uniforms?
When they do, it skeers the patooty out of Big Dawg. He makes a dash for the bath tub and hides till they are finished.
Oh, and thank you kindly.
best atcha
I like it as well. It is unusual to discover a horror film that rises above the Bad Cheese category. Few and far between.
Speaking of Paxton, this one is a killer. For me, it sits somewhere between, horror, action, hillbilly noir and social commentary. Written by Billy Bob.
Hey Perrie. Try High Tension (2003 - Horror). It'sFrench, but if you watch the DVD you can watch it inEnglishdubbed. There is a lot of suspense interspersed between copious amounts ofgratuitousviolence.
Of Trigger Effect (1996 Drama/Thriller). What happens in a city when the lights go out for several days.
An interesting Canadian movie which islabeledas horror, but has very little actual horror in it is Pontypool (2008). This one is really interesting because it is set in a small town radio station where we get bits andpieces (ha ha anunintentionalpun)of the story on a zombie like outbreak.