House of Flying Daggers (Shi mian mai fu, China, 2004)

One of the most sumptuously shot films in cinema, House of Flying Daggers wears its heart on the screen mixing outrageous action sequences with high octane romance. I saw the film when it was released and thoroughly enjoyed the cinematography and action sequences though failed to appreciate the romance. I certainly noticed the romantic narrative [...]

Watchmen (US, 2009)

I’ll ignore the question as to whether the film’s as good as the graphic novel and deal with it in isolation. It’s not a typical Hollywood action movie, though the shadow of The Matrix (1999) is still looming for the fight sequences, as it is infused with melancholy and the emotional punch is garnered through [...]

The Last Samurai (US, 2003)

This is superb in both narrative and style. It’s critique of American foreign policy, using guns to back business favourable to itself, and both the scenery and action sequences look great. The action, in particularly, is superbly done as continuity is not sacrificed in a frenetic maelstrom of events. It’s relatively easy to follow what’s [...]

The Perfect Storm (US, 2000)

The movie that cemented Clooney as a star and he plays a guy who is a loser. Also, as an action movie, it starts slowly. And it was a major hit. Intelligently done with a wonderful representation of the bravery of the men (well that’s who they were). (DVD, 2) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0177971/