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Started by SmallBlueThing, 04 February, 2011, 12:40:44 PM

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Jim_Campbell

Quote from: pictsy on 22 July, 2021, 08:59:26 AM
Face/Off
It's a really interesting film.  I'm sure not on purpose either.  It seems to be entirely constructed on contrivances.  It almost has themes, but forgets to explore them.

I think a large part of the odd tone is down to the fact that it was originally written as a straight SF movie, and then it was decided to make it a current-day action movie, so they filed off as many SF elements as they thought they could get away with, leading to this... thing which is obviously an SF movie but conspicuously pretending it's not.
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Hawkmumbler

John Woo never fails to deliver.

Definitely Not Mister Pops

Quote from: Hawkmumbler on 22 July, 2021, 09:47:06 AM
John Woo never fails to deliver.

Yeah, he always does something to make each and every shot interesting to look at.

Usually it's molting pigeons taking off.
You may quote me on that.

milstar

Quote from: pictsy on 22 July, 2021, 08:59:26 AM
Face/Off

I thought I hadn't seen this film before so I decided to finally get around to watching it.  I'm convinced now that I have seen it before and just forgot.  It's a really interesting film.  I'm sure not on purpose either.  It seems to be entirely constructed on contrivances.  It almost has themes, but forgets to explore them.  The action is surprisingly bad.  It's a mess, but a fast paced mess, so I was always hit with something new to baffle my brain.  And if it wasn't from the narrative then it was from the eating competition between Cage and Travolta as to who can consume the most scenery.  The answer is Cage, btw.  The answer is always Cage.

In terms of Cagery present in this film, I'd say it is relatively restrained.  I'd probably put it in the middle of the Cage scale of Cagery.  Enough to be satisfied that you are getting your moneys worth of Cage.

Oh and I kinda liked the film despite it being incredible dumb and awful throughout.

Bleeding hell, it's one my least favorite Woo's films. Too much unfocused drama and seriousness in it and Cage (and Travolta) overact. For my money, Broken Arrow all the way. At least Woo knows how to film an action scene, although by the time the boat chase arrives, the movie runs out of the juice.
Reyt, you lot. Shut up, belt up, 'n if ye can't see t' bloody exit, ye must be bloody blind.

PsychoGoatee

#15979
I love Face/Off, lotta fun. John Woo rules, of course I recommend his HK films to anybody who hasn't seen them.

The Killer, Hard Boiled, A Better Tomorrow, Bullet in the Head, all really moving genuinely intense incredible films. The Killer is my pick for best film in the action genre ever. Because it's just so damn cool, I really care about the characters, plus the action is so cool, it's like a beautiful dance.



Dandontdare

Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 22 July, 2021, 09:04:57 AM
Quote from: pictsy on 22 July, 2021, 08:59:26 AM
Face/Off
It's a really interesting film.  I'm sure not on purpose either.  It seems to be entirely constructed on contrivances.  It almost has themes, but forgets to explore them.

I think a large part of the odd tone is down to the fact that it was originally written as a straight SF movie, and then it was decided to make it a current-day action movie, so they filed off as many SF elements as they thought they could get away with, leading to this... thing which is obviously an SF movie but conspicuously pretending it's not.

Ah .. that actually explains a lot. My main memory is why nobody was shouting "What the fuck - that's impossible" all the time.

Funt Solo

I watched Face/Off when it first came out. Now, I'd need paid (I can imagine quite a lot) to watch it again. File under "no redeeming features".
++ A-Z ++  coma ++

PsychoGoatee

#15982
Anybody, everybody, check out some vintage Woo, if you haven't. The Killer especially. Chow Yun-Fat is so good too.

This stuff being referenced in Dredd comics surely is a measure of cool. Remember that Johnny Woo guy?

Here's a random one, saw that great 80s B-movie Trancers again recently. So good. Jack Deth is one cool future cop.

milstar

Quote from: PsychoGoatee on 24 July, 2021, 12:48:27 AM
Anybody, everybody, check out some vintage Woo, if you haven't. The Killer especially. Chow Yun-Fat is so good too.

This stuff being referenced in Dredd comics surely is a measure of cool. Remember that Johnny Woo guy?

Here's a random one, saw that great 80s B-movie Trancers again recently. So good. Jack Deth is one cool future cop.

The Killer may be the least favorite of mine; just for the unnecessarily gut-wrenching ending. Then again, I realized that the plot and characters usually suffer in Woo's movies (then again, these things should be secondary in action movies). That's why I am a huge fan of Hard Boiled. Cliched, overtroped plot, cheesy dialogues, ludicrous music, one-dimensional character that act undestructible - yet, it's the best action film I have ever seen. Take that, Die Hard!
Reyt, you lot. Shut up, belt up, 'n if ye can't see t' bloody exit, ye must be bloody blind.

pictsy

Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 22 July, 2021, 09:04:57 AM
Quote from: pictsy on 22 July, 2021, 08:59:26 AM
Face/Off
It's a really interesting film.  I'm sure not on purpose either.  It seems to be entirely constructed on contrivances.  It almost has themes, but forgets to explore them.

I think a large part of the odd tone is down to the fact that it was originally written as a straight SF movie, and then it was decided to make it a current-day action movie, so they filed off as many SF elements as they thought they could get away with, leading to this... thing which is obviously an SF movie but conspicuously pretending it's not.

The soft sci-fi aspect of the film is something I quite liked.  Nevertheless, this is still quite funny. :D

For all the praise that John Woo gets, Face/Off has laughably bad and hyper-cheesy shots that offer no small contribution to the terribleness of the film.  Watching the languishing attempts to work around the actors shortcomings as action performers (especially compared to the HK crews that Woo would have been used to working with) is cringe worthy.

milstar

Regarding John Woo, I took my time in front of telly to watch a movie that influence Woo's work and that is The Wild Bunch. Peckinpah's film about the last days of outlaws and gunslingers. It's not difficult where Woo took his influence. Grand, haotic, slow-mo, violent shootout which were quite fresh for when the movie is released. Unfortunately, these only occupy the beginning and the ending, and in between there's nothing worthwhile, which makes watching it for 2 and half hours a bit like chore.
Reyt, you lot. Shut up, belt up, 'n if ye can't see t' bloody exit, ye must be bloody blind.

Funt Solo

The Wild Bunch is probably in the Top Five for westerns. An excellent movie. Ernest Borgnine has never been better.
++ A-Z ++  coma ++

milstar

She's the Man

I don't know what devil made me sit in front of the telly to watch this. They made absolutely bollocks of the Shakespeare work, which I cannot even believe they stated that during the opening credits. Annoying gender politics, annoying Amanda Bynes, absolutely predictable and Channing Tatum totally miscast as a teenage kid. Come to think on it, I better re-watch the Gregory's Girl. That is the real movie.
Reyt, you lot. Shut up, belt up, 'n if ye can't see t' bloody exit, ye must be bloody blind.

Funt Solo

Under Siege - it's a Die Hard rip-off (including the jumping off tall thing attached to a dangly thing* to escape an explosion) and, on paper, it would be easy to argue that it's demonstrably not a good movie - so let's call it a guilty pleasure.


*Although Die Hard in turn borrowed the idea from Harold Lloyd.
++ A-Z ++  coma ++

Tjm86

Guilty pleasure?  Come on ... Tommy Lee Jones ... Gary Busey in drag ...

Whatever you do though, don't try Under Siege 2 ...