Still ploughing through my Star watchlist. Action time:
Deadpool 2 (2018) - David Leitch
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Just as much fun as the first, although the ending got a bit annoying. Not a fan of
killing off Mrs Deadpool either. But apart from that I really like it and the addition of new characters spiced it up nicely. "Zip it, black black Widow". I even like TJ Miller in this one. 7/10
Bad Times at the El Royale (2018) - Drew Goddard
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Looks and sounds good, love the style, but the execution is a mess. Terribly paced, boring, and miscast in several key roles. Jeff Bridges is one of the few high points and gives a better performance than the movie deserves. Quite liked Dakota Johnson too. Not enough to save the film though. The endless singing from one character seriously got on my nerves as well. 5/10
Con Air (1997) - Simon West
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Proper 90s action cheese-a-thon with the bemulleted Nicholas Cage and a brilliantly named, cool-as-a-cucumber antagonist courtesy of John Malkovich. The action scenes themselves are a bit pants to be honest, all daft explosions and slo-mo, and the annoying score grated on my nerves. But it's the characters that make the movie. A real roster of colourful personalities that ensure the film never gets boring, even at its silliest. 6.5/10
Die Hard 2 (1990) - Renny Harlin
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Pretty good in parts but it does feel a lot like a retread of the first film just in a different location. Goes a bit OTT and really jumps the shark a few times especially that ludicrous ejector seat moment. Got annoyed when McClane did his 'staggering-around-grunting-Huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuully' at the end. It's fine though. 6/10
Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995) - John McTiernan
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Now we're talking. Best in the series after the first. Pairing Willis with Samuel LJ is dynamite, and it's great to see McClane in his natural New York habitat. Racial politics come to the fore and are still as relevant as ever. This one has a (slightly) more grounded feel than the previous two, and having John McT back at the helm certainly sharpens up the action scenes. A shake up of the 'trapped inside a...' format too. Heart breaking to notice the Twin Towers still in the skyline. Also its a pity the climax is a bit lame. 7/10
Crimson Tide (1995) - Tony Scott
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Cracking movie absolutely bursting at the seams with tension and testosterone and with positively titanic performances from super-heavyweights Gene Hackman and Denzel Washington. Lots of decent support too from the likes of Viggo Mortensen and George Dzundza among others. Made me think too about the dangers of putting such terrifying responsibility into the hands of men; men who respond differently to pressure and have differing interpretations of procedure. Really good stuff. 8/10