Top 10 Hitman Movies

July 4, 2012 1 Comment

Hitman Criteria: Story must focus on a working contract killer at least in part. No former assassin, revenge driven stories (Bourne Series, Kill Bill), no serial killers, and no movies with only minor hitman characters (Layer Cake).

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10) Collateral (2004)

Fairly clever take on the genre with an assassin using a taxi driver to shuttle him for target to target. One of Tom Cruise’s better recent film adventures.

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Must-See Movies: Le Samouraï (1967)

April 6, 2011 2 Comments

Le Samouraï (1967)

Jean-Pierre Melville‘s French-noir masterpiece is one of my personal favorite films and one I consider to be criminally underrated. Its influence on the modern-noir genre and, in particular, hit-man films is immense. Oft copied, no film since has been able to work brilliantly on so many levels. Every aspect of the film has been meticulously crafted by Melville; from the occasionally sparse use of dialogue, the engrossingly tense atmosphere, to the almost monochrome color scheme, all of which results in a truly unique cinematic experience.

Le Samouraï opens with a superbly filmed 10 minute, dialogue-free sequence which introduces professional hit-man Jef Costello (Alain Delon.) Residing in a barren apartment and never cracking a smile, Jef only lives for one thing, doing what he’s paid to do. Although Jef is an intrinsically unlikable character (murderer,) Delon’s performance exudes coolness, demanding your attention and reverence. His cold and calculating demeanor is in stark contrast to his eyes, brimming with intensity and sentiment. Read more of this post

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Must-See Movies: Intro

April 6, 2011 Leave a comment

New look & new series

I am finally beginning a new long-term series entitled “Must-See Movies.” My plan is to (hopefully) watch 100+ of my all time favorite films, plus some ‘classics’ I have yet to see, and write reviews/articles for each along the way. My goal is to complete at least 1-2 per week, possibly more, if I don’t get too lazy.

The list will proceed in no particular order, aside from which movie I feel like watching that day. The overall film choice will be relatively eclectic and cover all genres: titles ranging from popular classics (Taxi Driver, Rear Window), foreign masterpieces (Le Samouraï, La Dolce Vita), to cult-classics (The Big Lebowski, Evil Dead) and everything in between.

I will also keep a running link-list of the movies (below), updating as I go along.

Must-See Movie List:

#1  -  Le Samouraï (1967)

#2  -  tba

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10 More Great Movie Twists

November 23, 2010 1 Comment

As a supplement to my previous article, Top 10 Movie Twists, here are 10 More Great Movie Twists that are guaranteed to shock, awe, and possibly irritate you.

Obviously contains SPOILERS

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Fight Club (1999) – “I know this, because Tyler knows this.”

The Narrator (Edward Norton) and Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt) are the same person.

- One of the most spoiled twist endings. I knew about it well before I had seen the movie, removing any potential surprise or intrigue.

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Top 10 Vampire Movies

October 27, 2010 6 Comments

Vampire films of late have been gathering a bad reputation and the genre appears to be waning; whether it be due to poor casting, cheesy effects, or awful storytelling. However, despite Stephenie Meyer’s best efforts, the genre is still alive and seems more popular than ever.

Vampire Criteria: Vampires must be the film’s main focus. No split monster genres (Underworld, Night Watch) and no shitty films (Twilight, Queen of the Damned, Van Helsing), regardless of popularity.

*Also missing from consideration are a few potential ‘classics’ I have (somehow) yet to see: Thirst (2009), Martin (1977), Fright Night (1985), Near Dark (1987).

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Close Call: Dracula: Dead and Loving It (1995)

Mel Brooks’ take on Dracula. Although not on the same level as his earlier effort Young Frankenstein (1974), it is quite enjoyable and often hilarious.
* The trailer is awful

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Top 10 Werewolf Movies

October 19, 2010 1 Comment

It was fairly difficult to create this list of 10 werewolf movies as there’s only a relatively small selection to choose from. Compared to vampire and zombie films, werewolves occupy only a tiny niche in the horror genre. 1981 was a vintage year, with 3 films making the list from that year.

Werewolf Criteria: Must be a horror film with werewolves as the main focus. No split monster genres (Underworld, Monster Squad), no non-horror films (Teen Wolf, Abbott & Costello), and no shitty films (Twilight), regardless of popularity.

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10. The Company of Wolves (1984)

A nighmarish-fantasy film on the list for only one reason: it contains the most disgusting werewolf transformations which begin with the cursed grotesquely peeling away their own skin. *Shown in trailer.

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Top 10 Zombie Movies

October 18, 2010 Leave a comment

With Halloween right around the corner, I thought some horror related film lists would be appropriate. Beginning with my personal favorite, zombie movies. Clips/trailers included.

Zombie criteria: Must be actual living dead, reanimated corpses. No living viruses (28 Days Later…), demonic possessions (Evil Dead Trilogy), and no voodoo/spells (White Zombie, Weekend at Bernie’s 2). Just to be clear.

*Warning: Some clips/trailers are unedited; full of gore & all the good stuff.

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10. Planet Terror (2007)

The watchable half of the Grindhouse double-feature, complete with Robert Rodriguez’s trademark action scenes and an all-star cast.

Iconic Scene: Rose McGowen’s assault with a machine gun leg.

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