Chewers' 165 Best Action Films Of The 00's - Page 4

Great call on "Undisputed", I'd totally forgotten about it, but now that I'm reminded of it, I have nothing but fond memories. It was definitely one of the most enjoyable movies I've seen in the past ten years. I love how old school it was. Lean storytelling and very solid and natural acting, writing, and directing. Never forcing anything, no excess bullshit. Real meat and potatoes film making.

105.  So Close (2002)  dir. Corey Yuen

Rollicking bit of eye candy that is sort of a loose riff on Infernal Affairs but with hot babes kicking ass.  Its most boring moment is still 200 times better than the Charlie's Angels movies.  

106. Running Scared (2006, D. Wayne Kramer)

Paul Walker, mobsters, kiddy fiddlers, a Nosferatu reference ... and shit-loads of brutal, bloody-nosed action.

107. Fulltime Killer (2001) d. Johnnie To, Ka-Fai Wai

Kinda like Stallone's Assassins only much, much better.

108. Time and Tide (2000) d. Tsui Hark

Another one of those HK action movies where you don't know what the hell is going on all the time but it's so cool and stylish you just don't care!

Edit: Ratty beat me to it!!

109) Alias

Sydney Bristow was cut from the same mold as Ellen Ripley and Sarah Connor and moved like a goddamn tank through bad guys and looked good doing it. The only one cooler than her was the baddest man ever born, Jack Bristow who could probably take Jack Bauer apart without messing up that cool silver mane of his. Jack once walked into a CIA meeting and shot someone dead and got away with it.  Jack once choked a guy out after torturing him and then revived him so he could torture him some more. (See below)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cameron Hughes 

103) A Knight's Tale

 

Heath Ledger is so good in this, a movie that shouldn't have worked. Jousting? With classic rock as the soundtrack? QUEEN? But it did, oh so wel.

I always forget how much I enjoy this film, and then I'll happen to see it and go "man, this is a really great movie". Love me some Alan Tudyk.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SomethingClever 

Mr. and Mrs. Smith (2005)

 

 

It's far from perfect, and it's certainly not high art, but it's super-entertaining. I was forced to watch "Killers" recently, which made me appreciate this movie, since everything this does well, "Killers" screws up. The chemistry between Pitt and Jolie is just electric, and they're just enjoyable to watch (this is the only time I've really liked Jolie in anything). Solid action scenes, charisma to spare, and a fun supporting turn from Vince Vaughn ("MOM! We are on high alert here. I almost killed you right then! You do not even realize!").

Their brawl/gun-fight in their house is one of my favorite action scenes ever, followed by a really great freeway chase

110. Curse of the Golden Flower (2006) dir. Yimou Zhang

Chow Yun Fat is a total Badass here. And he has an army of ninjas that rip people apart.

111) Thirteen Assassins

Takeshi Miike makes a movie in the vein of Kurowasa and it absolutely rocks

Mister Falcon, I...Love your picks of...Time and Tide and Fulltime Killer.  I saw both in the theater, and I agree they are...Excellent action films.

113.  'Alien VS Predator'

Fuck it.  It's a guilty pleasure and the one PWS Anderson film that I can kinda enjoy.  For all of its faults (and God knows it has a ton of 'em) it somehow still entertains me and has a few decent action set pieces.  The sequel is irredeemable, though.

That's kind of a fleedish pick, Judas. 'A few decent action set pieces' is hardly a ringing endorsement. (Hey, I gritted my teeth at CHRONICLES OF RIDDOCK, but this is going too far! i kid because I care)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cameron Hughes 

111) Thirteen Assassins

 

Takeshi Miike makes a movie in the vein of Kurowasa and it absolutely rocks

 

 

I think 13 Assassins is too late to qualify, since this is films of the 00s. To replace it, let me suggest:

111. Reign of Fire (2002)

I'll just leave it at this:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fat Elvis 

That's kind of a fleedish pick, Judas. 'A few decent action set pieces' is hardly a ringing endorsement. (Hey, I gritted my teeth at CHRONICLES OF RIDDOCK, but this is going too far! i kid because I care)

We're way beyond the list of 100, so I felt safe throwing out a guilty pleasure.

115. Death Race (Anderson, 2008)

Okay, cocksucker. Fuck with me and we'll see who shits on the sidewalk.

If Judas can say Alien vs. Predator, I'm untouchable for citing this. It's a concept and name-only, but I'll be damned if this is a shit ton of fun and the second car-centric, unintentionally gay entry on this list. What this remake doesn't have in Stallone, it more than makes up for in having an 18-wheeler with a tank attached to it.

I mean, come on.

115. Blood Diamond (2006) dir. Edward Zwick

Aside from some sappy shit, and the boring romance with Jennifer Connelly, this is one pretty solid Action/Adventure/War movie. Has a pretty solid pace. Lots of variety in its action scenes. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by duke fleed 

Mister Falcon, I...Love your picks of...Time and Tide and Fulltime Killer.  I saw both in the theater, and I agree they are...Excellent action films.

Thanks duke. I'm sure there are some other Asian action films I'm forgetting. Anyway:

116. Wasabi (2001) d. Gérard Krawczyk

Jean Reno as a two-fisted French cop let loose in Tokyo? Oui!

Yeah!   Extra Innings!

117. War of the Worlds (2005)

Yeah the son being alive feels like a major misstep but it's forgivable since the previous 2 hours were so damned good.   Once the Tripods attack, it's on rails until the aforementioned ending and even then, it's not enough in my mind to derail the movie.   Aside from great set pieces, the sound design is amazing.   When the tripod attack starts, it feels like Gabriel just sounded the horn that starts the apocalypse.   Just chilling stuff.

118. Munich (2005) dir. Steven Spielberg

Sticking with Spielberg, Munich is one of the most intense movies I've ever seen. Once the hunt begins, it's a series of assassinations and shootouts and paranoia that never stops.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ricardo Brady 

106. Running Scared (2006, D. Wayne Kramer)

 

Paul Walker, mobsters, kiddy fiddlers, a Nosferatu reference ... and shit-loads of brutal, bloody-nosed action.

This should have been FAR higher on the list.  Karel Roden and his "John Wayne in The Cowboys" obsession (particularly in his last scene) is reason enough for that.  I almost did it a few pages back, but unfortunately forgot.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SomethingClever 

I always forget how much I enjoy this film, and then I'll happen to see it and go "man, this is a really great movie". Love me some Alan Tudyk.

 

When I saw this in the theater I was actually embarrased in my seat at the opening sequence with the crowd stomping along along to Queen. About ten minutes later I started to agree with all the pop songs, and by Bowie's Golden Yeasrs I was totally along for the ride and ended up loving the damn movie.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cameron Hughes 

103) A Knight's Tale

 

Heath Ledger is so good in this, a movie that shouldn't have worked. Jousting? With classic rock as the soundtrack? QUEEN? But it did, oh so well.

 

Part of me wishes that the long-proposed sequel, A Pirate's Tale, had happened.  I believe it centered around everyone coming to the aid of Tudyk's character who has become a pirate and is in some sort of trouble.  Apparently the entire core cast would have returned.

Art Decade, Another...BLAH, remake of a 70's era Classic.  I will take the series with Steve Forrest and Robert Urich any day of the week.  The training is cool, but the mission is very weak.  The Aaron Spelling series has this beat action wise by a...Mile.

Didn't see this on the list but it definitely belongs in the Top 100.

What an amazing martial arts film.  Jet Li is badass in this.  Based on a true story.  Seek this one out.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JustAncient 

118. Munich (2005) dir. Steven Spielberg

 

 

Sticking with Spielberg, Munich is one of the most intense movies I've ever seen. Once the hunt begins, it's a series of assassinations and shootouts and paranoia that never stops.

I'm quite angry with myself for not doing this one way, way earlier.  I think it's one of Spielberg's finest films.

Can I just say how happy I am that 2Fast 2Furious and Tokyo Drift got into the top 100?   They are guilty pleasures but they are the McRibs of guilty pleasures.

In that vein, let's keep it going!

121.  xXx: State of the Union (2005)

How do you top the original with Vin Diesel?  Just add ICE.   Silly and strangely homo erotic in parts,  the film manages to stay afloat on entertaining action scenes and a loveable dedication to its own brand of stupidity.   For instance, here's our hero's brilliant disguise when he wants to overhear his enemy's plan....

And here's a thread dedicated to it that turned me on to the film...

http://www.chud.com/community/t/81887/xxx-state-of-the-union

123.  A.I. (2001)

Debatable since it's more of a sci/fi adventure film than an action film but it's the only hole this movie fits in (until we do a Sci-Fi list).   Still, for my money it's some of the Beard's best work in the 2000's with an ending that is still one of his best and most misunderstood.

124. Shoot Em Up (2007) dir. Michael Davis

Death by Carrot. And many other reasons.

125. Fearless (2006) dir Ronny Yu

Billed as Jet Li's last Wuxia film, or martial arts epic. It delivered in spades. With a well acted, beautifully shot story, and some of the best choreographed fight scenes in a long time.

126.

Seriously? We do TV shows too and this hasn't come up? I know everyone's probably still a bit burned from the last season, but as far as I'm concerned, the way this show did action is untouchable. I mean, Sayid alone... remember when he killed a dude with a dishwasher? Or any of this:

I was going back and forth on including "Lost" but as good as the first 5 seasons were, the last one just threw it all away with the alternate universe stuff or rather how it was resolved.   If the show had the will or the brains to somehow make the alt universe real instead of the afterlife and found some way to work it into the island story, it would have ranked much higher.   That was the obvious direction it was going at the start of the season and somewhere along the way minds were changed.   Having said all that, the journey getting to the end was awesome and glad it's on the list.

127. Daybreak (2006) TV Series.

Imagine 24 mixed with Groundhog Day and you have this wonderful gem of a limited series.   Great action sequences on a TV budget and writing that makes good use of the reliving the same day motif.   Highly recommended.

129. Kill Bill vol. 2 (2004)

How did we drop the ball on this one? Part spaghetti Western, part kung-fu epic, part piercing character study, vol. 2 is pretty damn awesome. My favorite Action scene is the MR. MAJESTYK homaging trailer fight between The Bride and Elle Driver. The Bride buried alive scene is also great, and of course, there's the final confrontation when the Bride kills Bill (featuring an amazing David Carradine) . Like vol. 1, this is QT letting all his influences hang out, and it's a film geek dream.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JustAncient 

118. Munich (2005) dir. Steven Spielberg

 

 

Sticking with Spielberg, Munich is one of the most intense movies I've ever seen. Once the hunt begins, it's a series of assassinations and shootouts and paranoia that never stops.

Shame on us, this should be top 10 or 20

131)

It's a modern day Mission Impossible mixed with It Takes a Thief and absolutely rocks with a stellar ensemble cast lead by Oscar winning Timothy Hutton to give it a little class.

132) Kidnapped

It failed on NBC, but managed to be a really good 13 episode mini-series with a great cast that included Delroy Lindo and Timothy Hutton and Jeremy Sisto as a kidnapping consultant who rescued victims. It could be amazingly tense with tons of twists and turns. It is on Netflix Instant.

133) Burn Notice

For my money, the coolest action show of the decade with a great lead in Jeffrey Donovan who can convincingly pull off the action and act, and it performed a minor miracle of convincing me why everyone likes Bruce Campbell, who plays the lazy and drunken but very dangerous and violent Sam Ax. Every episode has me furiously scribbling notes as Michael narrates how to do really cool shit.

Minority Report (2002)

The best Philip K. Dick adaptation since BLADE RUNNER.

Whoops, well a good pick, AD. I agree it's surprising that it slid so far down. There's some great set pieces in it.