Category: Movies

Watched “Accidental Spy” on DVD. This is one of the weaker Jackie Chan‘s movies – no wonder I haven’t heard anything about it yet.

It does have a few fights and some stunts that are pretty impressive (like a burning petrol truck and Jackie falling off a high bridge), but the overall amount of action is pretty low. It seems that this film was supposed to be about the story. The story is usual though, and is very shallow.

Anyway, if you are a hardcore Jackie Chan fan, than you have to see it like any other of his movies. Otherwise – skip it, it is not for the masses. I would rate it as 4 out of 10.

I’ve just watched “Rising Sun” on DVD. It’s one of those films which give the permanent sense of de ja vu, because you’ve seen them once already some time ago, and remember nothing of them any more. I’ve seen this one too. Long time ago.

It is a very good movie. It has a nice plot, good pace, and good acting. It also nicely and extensively pictures the Japanese culture. Although I am too far from any knowledge of Japanese culture to judge if it was at all accurate. Specifically, I have my doubts about Sean Connery‘s Japanese, since his Russian was terrible. But who am I to judge? :)

Anyway, I’d give it a solid 7 out of 10. Good entertainment.

I just watched “Knockaround Guys” on DVD. It is a decent movie, but it lacks something.

In short, it looks like a slower, simplier, and American version of “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels“. There is the mob and style to it – no question about it. It lacks the details and the depth though. Characters are not well-developed and there is no thrill to it.

Action is missing some. There is almost no cool talk. Except for a short thingy done by Vin Diesel about street fighting before kicking one guy’s butt. That was misplaced though. And there were another two shorties by John Malkovich. There was some economy over the acting, although there were plenty of people who could deliver. Why they didn’t – I don’t know.

Anyway, this is a kind of 6 out of 10 movie. You can watch it or you can skip it – you won’t miss much.

Watched “The Hunt for Red October” on DVD. It is an old one, but somehow I missed it.

There are a number of movies about submarines and submarine fights. This is one of them. It is pretty good as the others. I haven’t seen any submarine movie that sucked. Likewise I haven’t seen any submarine movie that blew me away.

It has everything other movies have: lots and lots of submarine internals, some shots of submarines from outside, ships, airplanes and helicopters, torpedos and what not. Captains try to trick each other in the same way, dodging bullets torpedos, changing directions, switching off engines and maintaing radio silence. This movie misses nothing. It even adds something to the mix. Actually not somthing, but somebody. Sean Connery. He is a captain of one of the Russian submarines. But his Russian sucks. Not that I blame him though (even my Russian suck).

I wish this film had something original. Or at least more action to compensate. Also, I am not the fan of usual mixture of English language with Russian. I think that it should be either done properly or not done at all. Otherwise it is very depressing. Oh, and I also have my doubts about smoking in the submarine…

Anyway, this is a good 6-6.5 out of 10 movie. Watch it if you are submarine fan. You’ll enjoy it.