Gator marked Burt Reynolds’ first-ever sequel. And it was also his first time settling into the director’s chair. Hal Needham joins him behind the camera, serving as a unit director, and Burt and his mustache star opposite Jerry Reed, who signs the title theme. Sounds alright? I’ll openly admit to being charmed by stunt man…
Tag: stunt
Ravenous (1999) – Antonia Bird
I like Robert Carlyle, I like Guy Pearce, and there’s some really horrific stuff in this film, but I have to be honest, the musical score kept ejecting me from the film. Beyond that it’s a tightly crafted film about cannibals, using the story of the Donner Party as a loose launching point. Guy Pearce…
The Fall Guy (2024) – David Leitch
Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt deliver a fun action-comedy that reinvents the classic 80s television show and pays homage to a stunt work (which still doesn’t have an Oscar category!). Colt Seavers (Gosling) is a high-profile stunt performer, arguably the best, and he’s been working as Tom Ryder’s (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) stunt double for years. He…
Armour of God (1986) – Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan directs and stars in this romp that seems to be a bit of a nod to an Indiana Jones-style adventure. Shot across Europe it’s not quite as exotic looking as a Jones film, or a Bond film for that matter, but it’s fast-paced, has some goofy humour, and features solid iconic stuntwork. Asian…
The Octagon (1980) – Eric Karson
Welcome to the 80s, the age of the ninja as Chuck Norris guides us through a haphazard adventure that sees him entering The Octagon! Scott James (Norris) is a world-class martial artist who is accompanied by an echoey voiceover almost everywhere he goes. He and his frenemy, A.J. (Art Hindle!) live a high roller life…
So I Married an Axe Murderer (1993) – Thomas Schlamme
I remember when So I Married an Axe Murderer hit home video, it was a huge thing in our store, and became endlessly quotable for all of us, so much so that I still use countless lines repeatedly on a weekly if not daily basis. This is Mike Myers being hilariously funny, and was his…
Magnum P.I. (2020) – The Night Has Eyes, and A World of Trouble
Magnum (Jay Hernandez) and Higgins (Perdita Weeks) are on the hunt for a stolen urn that may have been used in a murder and may in fact be more valuable than initially thought. Higgins also has to deal with the fact that her temporary visa is days away from expiring. Written by Ashley Charbonnet, this…
U.S. Marshals (1998) – Stuart Baird
Director Stuart Baird delivers a semi-sequel to 1993’s The Fugitive with this film that sees the return of Tommy Lee Jones as U.S. Marshal Sam Gerard, a role he won an Oscar for in the Harrison Ford thriller. This time around, even though he’s accompanied by a score by Jerry Goldsmith, the film doesn’t have…
Rush Hour (1998) – Brett Ratner
I wasn’t a big fan of Rush Hour when it first came out. I didn’t see it in theatres or take it home on video (despite the countless free rentals we got working in a video store) and I was a little bothered to hear that Chris Tucker got paid more than Jackie Chan did…
Kung Fu Hustle (2004) – Stephen Chow
Stephen Chow not only directed Kung Fu Hustle, but he starred in it and had a hand in the script. And what he delivers is a wild action-comedy seasoned with some pop culture references as well as seeming to exist in a Warner Brothers cartoon. Set in 1940s China, the story follows a troubled man,…
The Mind Reels 