Thursday, June 09, 2022
The Bourne Classified Collection
- Commentary: Go ahead. Make fun of me. I don't care. I love this series of movies for just pure action thriller enthrallment. I even like the one without Matt Damon. I was introduced to these movies through a friend of mine who you wouldn't expect would like them, since she's not ordinarily a fan of spy action-thrillers. She nagged me, though, until I finally started checking them out of the library, one by one. It is these movies that hooked me on action-thrillers. I don't know why I developed a taste for them late in life but, well, I did, and I'm enjoying the hell out of the flavor.
They are all personal guilty pleasures. Not much more to say about these movies that hasn't already been said, except I understand there's another in the theaters and I can't wait until it hits DVD. Well, I can wait until the price drops. There is even a slot in the collection's case for that DVD. You can bet I'll be filling it.
Update 6/2/2022: This post was originally published on 8/14/16 but disappeared from public view. I am now reinstating it.
The movies in this collection are:
The Bourne Identity
Did you know there is a 1988 version of this film (same name), a TV Mini Series starring Richard Chamberlain and Jaclyn Smith? Although IMDb rated it a bit lower than this one, it wasn't a ratings slouch. If you read the comments, you'll notice that almost everyone liked to loved it; some even preferring it to the Matt Damon/Jeremy Renner franchise.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Matt Damon Jason Bourne/David Webb Franka Potente Marie Kreutz Chris Cooper Alexander Conklin Clive Owen The Professor Brian Cox Ward Abbott Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje Nykwana Wombosi Gabriel Mann Danny Zorn Julia Stiles Nicolette Parsons
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 2002
Directed by Doug Liman.
The Bourne Supremacy
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Matt Damon Jason Bourne Joan Allen Pamela Landy Brian Cox Ward Abbott Franka Potente Marie Kreutz Julia Stiles Nicolette Parsons Karl Urban Kirill Marton Csokas Jarda Oksana Akinshina Irena Neski
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 2004
Directed Paul Greengrass.
→ joan-allen
The Bourne Ultimatum
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Matt Damon Jason Bourne Julia Stiles Nicolette Parsons David Strathairn Noah Vosen Scott Glenn Ezra Kramer Paddy Considine Simon Ross Édgar Ramírez Paz Albert Finney Dr. Albert Hirsch Joan Allen Pamela Landy
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 2007
Directed by Paul Greengrass.
→ joan-allen, david-straithairn
The Bourne Legacy
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Jeremy Renner Kenneth James Kitsom/Aaron Cross Rachel Weisz Dr. Marta Shearing Edward Norton Col. Eric Byer Stacey Keach Mark Turso Dennis Boutsikaris Terrence Ward Oscar Isaac Outcome #3 Joan Allen Pamela Landy Albert Finney Dr. Albert Hirsch David Strathairn Noah Vosen Donna Murphy Dita Mandy Željko Ivanek Dr. Donald Foite Shane Jacobson Mackie
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 2012
Directed Tony Gilroy.
→ joan-allen, željko-ivanek, david-straithairn
Jason Bourne
Update 2/5/2018: Yes, I purchased the fifth installment to fill the fifth slot in this collection, Jason Bourne, which surprised me. I actually expected it to be, well, more of the same. It was, but different. Interesting. Yes, I enjoy it as much as the first four. Yes, the purchase included a DVD copy, as well as a Blu-Ray copy. I may, later, pass the DVD copy off to someone who wants it.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Matt Damon Jason Bourne Tommy Lee Jones Robert Dewey Julia Stiles Nicolette Parsons Alicia Vikander Heather Lee Vincent Cassel The Asset Ato Essandoh Craig Jeffers Riz Ahmed Aaron Kalloor Scott Shepherd Edwin Russell
→ tommy-lee-jones
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 2016
Directed Paul Greengrass.
Labels: §4, action1, adventure1, chris-cooper, david-strathairn, drama5, edward-norton, joan-allen, neo-noirB, oscar-isaac, political2, rachel-weisz, spy, super-hero2, thriller2, tommy-lee-jones, violence2, željko-ivanek
Friday, April 22, 2022
Room
- Commentary: Under construction.
I've been looking forward to watching this movie for a long time, mainly because, well, I just can't imagine ...
When I decided to obtain the movie, in large part because it was on stupendous sale, I'd read no reviews, nothing about it's reception, and, despite the fact that I now know it was universally lauded, didn't know anyone who'd seen it and can't remember ever noticing it in theatre line-ups locally. Of course, we don't have very many local theatres, but, even so ...
I did know it was based on a novel, and that put me off, a bit, the thought, you know, that this kind of thing never really happened ... except it did. This article exposes the truth on which the novel is based, which is even more horrifying than the novel/movie by Emma Donoghue. Once I knew this, I was even more eager to watch the film, perhaps, even, read the book.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Brie Larson Joy "Ma" Newsome Jacob Tremblay Jack Newsome Joan Allen Nancy Newsome William H. Macy Robert Newsome
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 2015
Directed by Lenny Abrahamson.
Labels: §3, father-daughter-dynamics, haunting3, horror2, joan-allen, mother-son-dynamics1, violence4
Tuesday, March 06, 2018
Face/Off
- Commentary: Definitely a guilty-pleasures movie for me!
Love the "Hallelujah Chorus" sequence! Love the cinematography! Love the twisty-turny story! Love the final catch-him sequence! Love this pairing of John Travolta and Nicolas Cage!
I watched this movie again a few days ago (it's one of those for which I get a hankering) and, as usual, laughed out loud in delight, even though I was watching it alone.
Just an action gem! A John Woo masterpiece.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role John Travolta Sean Archer Nicolas Cage Castor Troy Joan Allen Eve Archer Alessandro Nivola Pollux Troy Gina Gershon Sasha Hassler Dominique Swain Jamie Archer Nick Cassavetes Dietrich Hassler Harve Presnell Victor Lazarro Colm Feore Dr. Malcolm Walsh John Carroll Lynch Prison Guard Walton CCH Pounder Hollis Miller Tommy Flanagan Leo
Just in case, the Wikipedia write-up for this movie is here.
Release Date: 1997
Directed by John Woo.
Labels: action1, drama4, joan-allen, john-travolta, me-favorite1, neo-noirB, nicolas-cage, popcorn-and-soda2, science-fiction1, suspense1, thriller1, violence2
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Yes
- Who's watched: Watched and bought this movie AMD
- Mentions: None
- Commentary: Finally, one more AMD movie that isn't fluffy, not even close! I stumbled across this movie by chance when I was browsing Netflix. It sounded interesting. I fell in love with it as I began watching it and became even more intrigued when I realized that the entire script was written in poetry. It is so skillfully written, directed and acted that I can imagine lots of people watching this movie and never realizing it is poetic. It's modern day Shakespeare. The story was also mesmerizing, especially it's peculiar overview of romantic relationships, sly and ironic, erotic in an offhanded way, which makes it hard to call this movie a romance, although I'll include that label on this review. I was so enthralled that when I bought the movie I also bought the script and, as well, had a copy of this movie sent to one of my sisters who I just knew would find it as intriguing as I did. I also excerpted one of the monologues from the movie, over-narrated by a character who is in a nursing home, pretty much comatose and immediately dying, to read at my grief support group because it confirmed something I rather suspected from having attended my own mother's death; that the dying (and the dead) don't necessarily want their survivors not to grieve for them.
I linked the title of this post to the movie's site (which, astonishingly is still up. However, I noticed that Roger Ebert was particularly impressed by this movie. You might want to read his review. He also interviewed Sally Potter and Joan Allen about their involvement in the movie. Even Chaz wrote a blog post about Ebert's admiration for the film. Why he did not christen this movie as one of his "Great Movies", I'll never understand, especially considering the glowing review he gave it.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Joan Allen She Simon Abkarian He Sam Neill Anthony Shirley Henderson Cleaner Wil Johnson Virgil Gary Lewis Billy Raymond Waring Whizzer Stephanie Leonidas Kate
Although the website linked to the title of this post is actually interesting, it's a bit daunting to get into and figure out, so, just in case here's the film's Wikipedia page.
Release Date: 2004
Directed by Sally Potter.
Labels: drama6, erotic, female-director3, film-art1, haunting1, joan-allen, me-favorite2, romance1, spiritual1
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Searching for Bobby Fischer
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: *1*
- Commentary: Just an absolute gem of a movie, from the casting of every part to the story. Quietly inspirational. Whenever we watch this movie Mom always sighs at the end and says, "That just makes me feel good about being alive."
Ditto.
Additionally, this movie is loaded with amazing actors, from the leads to the bit parts. They all deserve recognition for this effort, so I've listed just about all of them in the table, below.
In case you're interested, you might like to access this link to the script for this movie.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Max Pomeranc Josh Waitzkin Joe Mantegna Fred Waitzkin Joan Allen Bonnie Waitzkin Ben Kingsley Bruce Pandolfini Laurence Fishburne Vincent Livermore Robert Stephens Jonathan's teacher David Paymer Kalev Hal Scardino Morgan Pehme William H. Macy Tunafish father Dan Hedaya Tournament director Laura Linney Josh's school teacher Tony Shalhoub Chess club player
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1993
Directed by Steven Zaillian.
Labels: ben-kingsley, biography1, drama9, joan-allen, laura-linney, laurence-fishburne, shared-favorite, teaching
