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Oburi

All praise Grail
I did... It was one of those movies that when it was over it felt like I had been watching it for a month.

I remember really enjoying it at the time while simultaneously being aware that it wasn't going down as a classic and pretty much just a schlock fest. It was the beginning of the end but honestly you could do a lot worse than Eraser. Perhaps I'd change my tune if I watched it again (haven't seen it since it came out) but it had it's moments. The plane scene and subsequent free fall. The alligators. Those cool high tech x-ray weapons. James Caan was a menacing villain. Had some good violence too.
 

Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
The plane scene and subsequent free fall. The alligators. Those cool high tech x-ray weapons.

These are precisely the three things I remember about the movie (I didn't even recall Vanessa Williams or James Caan being in it)!

Anyway, if you go in expecting T2 or True Lies it's definitely a letdown, but I wonder if this movie wouldn't work as a sort of 90s companion to Commando after a few beers. The fourth thing I recall is some unconvincing secondary villain in like cowboy boots and/or a hat, somewhat Bennett-esque. It probably falls short on the unintentional comedy and gratuitous violence to truly achieve so bad it's goodness, but you never know how time has enhanced those motifs we took for granted in the 90s. =)

I mean, look at this high concept trailer:

 

Matteo Metallo

Veritas Non Verba Magistri
Still on an Arnold kick I gave Running Man a rewatch. Definitely holds up in many ways. It struck a note though... Between this and Predator we might never see another film starring two future American Governors in our lifetime.
 

Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
I think Predator is probably the best action movie of the 80s.
Die Hard.

John McTiernan!:ubik:

So, between him, Cameron, and Paul Verhoeven you had Terminator, Aliens (my pick), Predator, RoboCop, Die Hard, Total Recall and, fuck it, Terminator 2 (it was the last in the spirit =). I used to have the first four of those and T2 in clear hard plastic VHS slip cases to protect them and their boxes, they were my precious 80s tech noir action movies! :guts:

EDIT: Wait, Aliens.

My original reply was just going to be, "Aliens." =) Then something about Die Hard being a Christmas movie and my top 5 sci-fi action list above, but then I realized you guys we're basically comparing John McTiernan movies and by then I was down the rabbit hole.
 

Aazealh

Administrator
Staff member
John McTiernan! :ubik:

Indeed. Underrated director.

So, between him, Cameron, and Paul Verhoeven you had Terminator, Aliens (my pick), Predator, RoboCop, Die Hard, Total Recall and, fuck it, Terminator 2 (it was the last in the spirit =). I used to have the first four of those and T2 in clear hard plastic VHS slip cases to protect them and their boxes, they were my precious 80s tech noir action movies! :guts:

Those were the days. =)
 

Matteo Metallo

Veritas Non Verba Magistri
Indeed. Underrated director.
Has anyone seen Nomads? It's in my Amazon watch list but haven't pulled the trigger yet.

Every 80s gem that has been mentioned is stellar make no mistake but I feel like The Road Warrior has to make the list of greatest action flicks from that era too. Perhaps I'm being a bit nostalgic, but it's one of those movies that had a lasting impression on my young mind.
 

Oburi

All praise Grail
What about the little known gem called Steel Dawn?

Speaking of Predator, my friend and I were talking just last night about the last Predator movie, The Predator, and how it just might be the worst movie ever made. I'm not kidding either. It's that bad. Torturous to watch. We couldn't come up with a single redeeming quality. "The actress was kinda hot?" was the best my buddy could do. It's certainly the worst franchise movie or sequel ever made. I challenge anyone who's seen it to come up with a worthy opponent.
 
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Aazealh

Administrator
Staff member
Has anyone seen Nomads? It's in my Amazon watch list but haven't pulled the trigger yet.

Not his best, to put it nicely. It's ambitious in the way it's structured but I found the story lacking. It's hard to explain without spoiling the plot but it's also very much a product of its era and hasn't aged very well. It's amusing to see Pierce Brosnan pretend to be French though.

Every 80s gem that has been mentioned is stellar make no mistake but I feel like The Road Warrior has to make the list of greatest action flicks from that era too. Perhaps I'm being a bit nostalgic, but it's one of those movies that had a lasting impression on my young mind.

Of course, it's a monumental movie!
 
Anyone here ever seen American Cyborg Steel Warrior?
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That's some good ass 90's Terminator post apocalypse rip off cornball crap to enjoy with friends.
 

Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
Indeed. Underrated director.

Oh yeah, one of the greats, unfortunately his career and public life came to a notably ignominious end, including bankruptcy, illegal wiretapping, lying to the FBI, and prison (I think he made too many movies featuring doomed criminal masterminds =)!


Hans Gruber is still my favorite movie villain. That’s why I immortalized him.

Ah, Dyson Dance, it's like hearing the anthem of my homeland after many cold years abroad.

Every 80s gem that has been mentioned is stellar make no mistake but I feel like The Road Warrior has to make the list of greatest action flicks from that era too. Perhaps I'm being a bit nostalgic, but it's one of those movies that had a lasting impression on my young mind.

Not at all, it's one of my personal favorites and hugely influential (even the Black Swordsman owes something to the archetype of the Road Warrior). It's actually more than just a great action movie, it's a guide on how to live one's life in the apocalyptic post-covid world; one day bleeding into the next, living like a maggot off the corpse of the old world! I have a social life now, only in my memories...

Also, let's give George Miller credit, the most versatile of his action contemporaries, even within the Max franchise from the original's 70s exploitation flair to the Spielbergian adventure of Thunderdome (which is essentially Fallout), but then everything else from Babe to Happy Feet and the incomparable Fury Road.

Speaking of which, he's also the only one that's arguably gotten better with age by making a modern action standard while the rest have floundered or disappeared. Speaking of the unlikeliness of Fury Road's greatness, I remember reading about it in the 90s next to blurbs about the Planet of the Apes remake when Arnold was rumored to star. Unbelievable this movie not only finally got released decades late, but with a new actor replacing an iconic portrayal and a director in his 70s and all those red flags just didn't matter, it was that great.

It's certainly the worst franchise movie or sequel ever made. I challenge anyone who's seen it to come up with a worthy opponent.

I thankfully haven't seen it, but I'll do you one better and put up a contender technically from within the Predator franchise: Aliens vs Predator - Requiem. There is no way The Predator can be worse than this crap where Aliens stalk modern suburban teenagers like any generic B-movie slasher. What a fall from grace.
 

Oburi

All praise Grail
I thankfully haven't seen it, but I'll do you one better and put up a contender technically from within the Predator franchise: Aliens vs Predator - Requiem. There is no way The Predator can be worse than this crap where Aliens stalk modern suburban teenagers like any generic B-movie slasher. What a fall from grace.
Dude ... not even the same ball park. I promise you it's worse. AvP Requiem looks like Terminator 3 compared to The Predator. Requiem sucks but at least the story makes sense on some level and you can see where they were trying to go with it. The Predator makes no sense from the first scene and involves a little kid accidently acquiring Predator technology (via Fedex) and ends up walking around with a comically giant Predator helmet and is able to actually use it! Like I said it's painful to watch and makes so sense. Human characters using the cloaking device? Controlling the predators blood hound creature inexplicably (he gave it a treat so now the killer alien dog likes him)? Later one of the lame main characters gets in full predator suite and starts fighting. It's practically sacrilegious. I'll take Requiem any day over it.
 

Aazealh

Administrator
Staff member
Speaking of Predator, my friend and I were talking just last night about the last Predator movie, The Predator, and how it just might be the worst movie ever made. I'm not kidding either. It's that bad. Torturous to watch. We couldn't come up with a single redeeming quality. "The actress was kinda hot?" was the best my buddy could do. It's certainly the worst franchise movie or sequel ever made. I challenge anyone who's seen it to come up with a worthy opponent.

I had somehow missed this comment me. I saw this movie on a plane flight, and yes, it is exceptionally bad. Worst of all time, I don't know, but it's terrible. What's surprising is that Shane Black wrote and directed it, and his previous stuff had been much better.

To be honest, Predator should never have gotten a sequel to begin with. Or at least should have stopped at Predator II, which, well... has some redeeming features I guess. I haven't watched it in 15 years but I have some fond memories of it. The AvP stuff has been mostly embarrassing (except for the old PC games of course!). I won't mention the comics, and I only saw the first AvP movie, I avoided Requiem. I also didn't see "Predators" because it seemed to suck. Should have slept instead of watching "The Predator" too.

Oh yeah, one of the greats, unfortunately his career and public life came to a notably ignominious end, including bankruptcy, illegal wiretapping, lying to the FBI, and prison (I think he made too many movies featuring doomed criminal masterminds =)!

It's not over yet, he's attempting a comeback!
 

Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
Dude ... not even the same ball park. I promise you it's worse. AvP Requiem looks like Terminator 3 compared to The Predator.

That's not exactly a high bar, but from your description I'll take your word for it that The Predator is worse on a much grander scale.

I saw this movie on a plane flight, and yes, it is exceptionally bad. Worst of all time, I don't know, but it's terrible. What's surprising is that Shane Black wrote and directed it, and his previous stuff had been much better.

That's the most disappointing part, not necessarily Black specifically, but that someone out there should be able to make a good Predator movie nowadays but they're still somehow getting worse.

To be honest, Predator should never have gotten a sequel to begin with. Or at least should have stopped at Predator II, which, well... has some redeeming features I guess. I haven't watched it in 15 years but I have some fond memories of it.

Yeah, even some of the weird stuff in it is kind of interesting, but it's a mediocre to decent early 90s action movie that pales in comparison to the original by classic action movie standards. Since they don't make 'em like they used to though it looks pretty good compared to its descendants.

The AvP stuff has been mostly embarrassing (except for the old PC games of course!). I won't mention the comics, and I only saw the first AvP movie, I avoided Requiem.

By the same token, AvP was so disappointing with it's PG-13, rubber suit shakey cam fights, but now it seems downright serviceable.

I also didn't see "Predators" because it seemed to suck.

I was disappointed by this one too, but it's arguably the second best Predator movie, objectively. It has some good actors and twists on the original idea, but also some underwhelming ones.


I feel like everyone should get a comeback with streaming. =)
 
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Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
I recently watched Wonder Woman 84 and it was garbage. I also saw the old Spawn movie from. The 90’s and it was actually better thematically than WW84. Who would have thought?

Wow, it left such an impression on me I literally forgot to include it in my review of Christmas break movies on the previous page! Well, ok then...

WW84 -Yeah, it's hot neon green and pink garbage. The one thing I will give it is the plot is boldly insane! Like it's built all around wishes and takes the concept to the furtherest possible extreme, to the point it makes Aladdin look pretty tame in the wish theme department. If you told me this script was originally called The Wishening and only had Wonder Woman tacked on later I'd believe you. It's so incredibly weird and bad. It also has the delightfully ironic side effect of making the biggest female superhero franchise look like it's essentially about women, even goddesses, hopelessly wishing for boyfriends! :ganishka:

Oh, and for intents and purposes Wonder Woman basically rapes a guy. :slan:
 
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Matteo Metallo

Veritas Non Verba Magistri
Just watched "Everything Must Go", with Will Ferrell. Really enjoyed it and thought Ferrell beat the typecast and convinced me with his performance. It tugged at my heart strings and most of the time a flick gets 4 out of 5 just for that reason.
 

Fervent Enigma

Loveless
Rewatched Sunshine with Cilian Murphy. One of my favorite space exploration type films. I really loved the subtle maliciousness in Murphy’s performance, even though he’s the protagonist.
 
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