Meanderings of a Film Lover

And you're not.

And I couldn't think of any better way to introduce myself to the blog... so I just took something from SNL's Weekend Update. Yes, for a film blog, I took something from a TV program which has only created about half a dozen bankable movie stars in its 35 years (though don't worry, Chris Parnell still gets work). I'm not here to talk about that though. Not yet.

I want to talk to you about the 21st century action move and its three main iterations. Joystick movies, docu-action and action films.

The first of which, that I'll explain and differentiate. With its jarringly quick music video cuts (you could call it MTV editing, if say, they still played music videos) and violence that takes its physics and biology from video games (people either don't get hurt nearly as much as they should, or they do and they bleed... a lot), what I like to call joystick action movies are movies you can watch with less then 50% of your brain power and still enjoy them. Mostly. Far and away your typical 21st century action movie, using that classic action template while adding technology, they are also naturally based off of video games, comics and cartoons for the most part (and otherwise come from the east and involve a large amount of wire-fu). In the early 21st century these were the main type of action movies used to create action stars to take over for Schwarzenegger, Stallone, Harrison Ford and Bruce Willis. Now they star Schwarzteneggar, Stallone, Harrison Ford and Bruce Willis (Live Free or Die Hard and Indiana Jones and the blah blah blah Crystal Skull).

The Matrix

Spider-Man (Iron Man, Batman Begins, etc.)

Men In Black

Crank: High Voltage

Transformers

aaaand... Watchmen (yes, Watchmen... Matthew Goode is pretty awesome, but he didn't do this movie any favors. Not ONE. Then again, neither did the various other things. See: giant blue penis, 99 Red Ballons, etc.)

Otherwise known as a Paul Greengrass film starring Matt Damon, docu-action is an action movie shot mostly, if not fully, with a hand held camera to give it that documentary feel. Docu-actions like to get right in there with shakey and blurry filmmaking. Docu-actions can be actions films but are for the most part not quiiite there. They can also have a "message", and if not, then at least a monster.

The Green Zone

Cloverfield

The Kingdom

Bourne Supremacy

Bourne Ultimatum

Action films are the kinds of actions movies that like to take themselves seriously (and you might ask, "Wait wouldn't that put The Kingdom in this section?" And I will answer: Jason Bateman). At least seriously enough to receive Oscar nominations (because suck it action comedies... that's why). Though these films may receive acclaim... there's just as much chance that you'll like an action film just as much as any old action movie. Films simply have more awards hype and a classy cinematographer (yeah, I said it Matthew Libatique, even if you're working on Iron Man 2... it's not Requiem for a Dream so you just aren't classy anymore).

The Hurt Locker

The Dark Knight

Inglorious Basterds

The Bourne Identity

Casino Royale

A final note. 21st century action movies will be going head to head with classic action movies of the 80's and 90's when The Losers (joystick movie) faces off against the The Expendables (featuring every older action star ever... and even some of the new ones)... but only in our hearts and minds because the Losers got moved from August to April. Hmmm.

Classic Action:

Joystick Action:

As you can see the generation gap also makes a difference of quality. At least within a trailer, and in terms of action movies that's all you need. Now... how to end this? Oh hey, speaking of SNL homages...