Courtesy of Shout! Factory, fans of Jackie Chan will be able to get their hands on a double feature from the master of comedy kung-fu, and take hold of two of his notable features from Hong Kong and America. Mostly for Chan buffs, the “Jackie Chan Double Feature” is an interesting double package for bargain hunters alike. The weaker of the duo is 1985’s “The Protector.” Written and directed by James Glickenhaus, this American debut of Chan features Chan teaming with Danny Aiello as two NYPD officers that have to high tail it to Hong Kong.
Tag Archives: Crime
Dredd (2012)
What’s sad about director Peter Travis and writer Alex Garland’s “Dredd” is that it’s the comic book movie of the character Judge Dredd, that fans probably deserve. And they may not get a sequel at all, since its release in 2012 did little to stir the franchise potential of it all. The ingredients are all here for “Dredd” to kick off a wonderful series. There are a people behind the movie who take the material seriously, there’s zero camp, star Karl Urban plays Judge Dredd as an anti-hero and not like a clown, there’s no comic relief, and Judge Dredd never once takes his helmet off during the movie. To compensate for his lack of face time, Urban scowls and emotes more zealously than his prior roles for Dredd, and it pays off without an inch of over the top dialogue delivery to be found.
Our Top Ten Tarantino Characters
Above all else, director Quentin Tarantino has a talent for creating some of the most memorable film characters of all time. Ever since his debut with “Reservoir Dogs,” he’s shown that he can take much of his favorite influences and transform them in to appealing and charismatic characters with great back stories that you can quote until the cows come home. Whether you think of him as a hack or a true artist, Quentin Tarantino is one of the rare filmmakers who can build his characters as pastiches of his favorite pop culture influences and still be able to come out fresh as a daisy. While most of his characters are all derived from some source, Tarantino’s charismatic writing, sharp one-liners, and flashy personalities for each persona grants even the weakest character in the Tarantinoverse some sense of staying power in the collective memories of fans and movie viewers alike. Whether it’s the Bear Jew, Vinnie Vega, or English Bob, you know when it’s a Tarantino character. And you love them, even when you hate them.
In celebration of Tarantino’s newest, and very explosive film entitled “Django Unchained,” we present our Top 10 Tarantino Characters of all time. So far.
Sex Hunter: Wet Target (Sekkusu hantâ: Nureta hyôteki) (1972) (DVD)
I was very disappointed to see the back of the DVD case for “Sex Hunter” compare this short Roman Porno to “Thriller: A Cruel Picture.” It’s very misleading to pair one of the greatest grindhouse revenge thrillers ever made to “Sex Hunter.” It’s an hour long endurance test in tedium and finishes with a climax that is both abrupt and incredibly unsatisfying. Granted, there’s not much to expect in the way of characters and action from a movie barely clocking in at seventy minutes, but a little blood shed wouldn’t have hurt.
Unbreakable (2000)
In the year 2000, after M. Night Shyamalan premiered his innate storytelling ability with the surprise supernatural thriller “The Sixth Sense,” he pretty much dashed expectations with a follow-up film that no one was expecting. Initially considered a poor follow-up, M. Night Shyamalan really approached a film that could well within his storytelling parameters, and he did so with a subtlety and humility that’s finally being appreciated. “Unbreakable” is a rather underrated masterpiece, and one that really does pay homage to the comic book mythology that society generally looks down upon. By approaching the comic book mythos with a straight face and a somewhat surprising dramatic dignity, M. Night Shyamalan adds a realism to the superhero origin story that’s deliberately paced and absolutely compelling to witness.
The Hidden Chapter (2012)
In truth I could kind of see where the short film from director Rodney Wess was headed, but “The Hidden Chapter” has enough potential to be a solid crime thriller, that I saw it to the end, either way. Though the film does have occasional sound problems, and some editing issues, Rodney Wess does compose a clever and sharp crime thriller short that goes beyond your normal tale of cat and mouse.
Arkham Rising (2012)
This is one of the few fan films I’ve seen that doesn’t take place prior or subsequent a film, but during the film. Unofficially considered a part of the Nolan Batman mythos, director Tito Guillen’s short is set during the time where Bane has defeated Batman and now sets every criminal in Arkham free to do whatever their hearts desire. With a thick sense of tension and dread, along with a wonderful score that channels Nolan’s films, “Arkham Rising” is a simple and short look at madness being unleashed.