Death Race (2008)

No more violent than Braveheart. No noisier than Days of Thunder. No more outrageous than any of the Mad Max movies. In fact, this story felt a bit like Thunderdome. The smarts behind "the machine" is an evil woman. The hero is a bad boy who bends the rules in his favor. If you liked Thunderdome I predict you will like Death Race.

Jason Statham takes his Transporter character to a different level with this one. He is smarter than the average bad guy and just a little bit tougher. As usual.

Joan Allen is a bit of a surprise as the evil warden of a very unusual prison. If cold and expressionless can be called acting, then she does a great job. I wish she had put more relish into the role. It would have given more credibility to the crazy behind her make-up.

Ian McShane is much more enjoyable here than in his role in HBO's Deadwood. Much less potty mouth and much more brains. Just as plotting and evil though.

The movie had much more story than I expected and was actually as interesting as it was entertaining. You may actually find yourself cheering for the "bad guys" in the end a bit like The Longest Yard.

Watch this movie with someone who will be patient enough for the good bits.

Face/Off

Part Sci-Fi, part crime drama, part action adventure, this movie has a little something for everyone. The main characters, representing absolute good and evil, literally and figuratively reverse roles in a fantastic way. While they fail miserably to actually become their enemy, they succeed in convincing everyone else all is well. Almost.

John Travola, the comeback bad guy version (Pulp Fiction, Get Shorty, and Swordfish), plays an FBI chief obsessed with a single villain. Nicholas Cage (Con Air, Gone in 60 Seconds, and Lord of War) is at his bad-guy best in this movie. Cage's acting is totally over the top and it's perfect for the role.

Each bad boy has his good girl, and Joan Allen (Peggy Sue Got Married - also with Cage, Bourne series, and Off the Map) is solid as the long-suffering FBI wife. Gina Gershon (Syriana and Kettle of Fish plus tons of other iffy stuff) is the equally long-suffered criminal moll. Only they know for sure who is who.

As thriller movies go, this is a good one. AFI ranks it in the top 100 of all time.

Watch it with someone with at least 2 personalities, and see what happens.

Bourne Ultimatum - WOW

"The Bourne Ultimatum" has been called the best action spy thriller of all time. While I may not yet be willing to go that far, I can say it raises the bar to a new height. The first hour is non-stop, rapid edit, action. You must pay attention. At the 1 hour and 10 minute mark, the movie slows down and you can catch your breath, literally. But, be ready with the pause button before that so you can make sure you catch every little nuance. There are tons.

You do not need to have seen the 2 previous Bourne movies, but it would certainly help. I highly recommend both before seeing this 3rd.

Matt Damon is the ultimate smart tough guy. Joan Allen (Pleasantville) and Julia Stiles (um, okay this Bourne series is the only thing she has done that I liked) make great accomplices without the romantic involvement so many other stories get hung up on.

This movie "feels" high tech without the use of special effects. I love that. This movie expects you to think ahead, and think back. I love that too. In fact, this movie does not "give" you anything. It's much more like a ride at your favorite theme park. Get on, strap in, hang on, ride the twists and turns.

Sorry it has been so long since my last post. Sometimes you have to dig through a lot of dirt to find a good gem. "The Bourne Ultimatum" is a great popcorn and soda movie. Watch it with someone who knows how to enjoy something like this or they'll ruin it for both of you.