October 2012 ~ action a go go

As our loyal readers may know here at ACTION A GO GO we are TOP 10 list crazy. For the uninitiated, well, we are TOP 10 list crazy. In honor of the new Bond flick SKYFALL coming out November 9^th and directed by (Oscar winner!) Sam Mendes we are going to try and go full throttle James Bond in the lead up. If you have any suggestions, please let us know in the comments, but to start off we are going to list the best car chases in Bond movie history according to ACTION A GO GO.

Now, Bond movies hold a special place in movie history and play by their own rules. They go from the somewhat Plausible (modern fair like GOLDENEYE (1995) and CASINO ROYALE (2006) and the totally out there (MOONRAKER (19790 and the other CASINO ROYALE (1967) so nailing down the best of the best from the best of the rest can be tricky. So we are judging this on Bond qualities, and not necessarily quality. Just putting that out there.

If you disagree, or want to add your own list in the comments, please do. We want to have fun with this one!

So get ready...cause here comes some awesome car chase action!!!

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GOLDENEYE 1995 (Opening Sequence)

One of the best Bond movies of all time, GOLDENEYE features one of the best opening car chase scenes ever. While the stakes are pretty low Bonds breakneck drive to impress the psychologist next to him and the sultry femme fatale (played by Jean Grey, I mean , Famke Janssen) driving a Ferrari reintroduces Bond's smooth side to a whole new generation of fans. Also, he's in the classic Aston Martin DB/4. Sweet!

QUANTUM OF SOLACE 2008

After the Pierce Bronson era of Bond started to veer off course Daniel Craig was enlisted to bring new life into the series as everyone favorite secret agent. Quantum Of Solace is his second outing, and it opens with a bang. A stunt driver was injured during filming and a big brouhaha was made over the scenes intensity. The rest of the movie is a bit too Jason Bourne esque and lacks bond qualities, but this opening is one for the ages.

THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN 1974

One of the most definitive Roger Moore era Bond films and also one of the best, THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN is an orgy of awesome from beginning to end. It also has one of the craziest car stunts ever pulled off. Check out the full scene below.

TOMORROW NEVER DIES 1997

This is the second outing for Pierce and one of his better ones, TOMORROW NEVER DIES features one of the most action packed chase scenes that is also one of the most technically advanced. During the chase Bond is in the back of a BMW 7 Series driving with his cell phone while all hell is breaking loose in a German parking garage. Check out the full scene below!

GOLDFINGER 1964

Again, one of the best Bond films that also set the bar pretty high for every action movie to follow. Featuring the Aston Martin DB/4 that screams British class and is forever tied to the Bond legacy, it is a riot of bullet fire and Bond car tricks that make it a joy to watch every time. It also has those sly comedic moments that lighten things up just enough to remind you that you should just sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride.

DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER 1971

While not all that technically advanced this car chase features a brutal red Mustang Mach 1 in a fantastic police care chase through Vegas. It's a pure, old school car chase with a wild (but flawed) car stunt at the end. It's a fun trip back in time and definitely one of the best car chases ever, never mind where it stands in Bond film lore.

THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS 1987

The Dalton films are a unique breed among the Bond Cannon. They lack the old school charm of the Connery films and the crazyness of the Moore films, but make no mistake, they are solid, entertaining movies with an understated charm all their own. THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS car chase typifies this. It puts Bond in a modern (for the time) Aston Martin V8 Vantage Volante with all the tricks. Lazers, rocket power, the works. All used while evading the local police. It's fun, crazy, but still keeps you guessing. Check it out below!

GOLDENEYE 1995 (TANK CHASE)

GOLDENEYE gets special treatment today, as it is filled with great moments throughout. And it should be celebrated, as it brought Bond back from obscurity and gave the franchise legs for the last two decades (and beyond). This tank scene did plenty to make that happen. From the editing to the cinematography to the stunts, it's just a jaw dropping scene that is well done enough to be believable. It should be higher on the list, and if it was from any other series it would stand out more, but here we go. Number 3. Enjoy!

DIE ANOTHER DAY (2002)

An awful movie by itself, I was going to write this off and not even include it on the list. But then I watched it. Man, the rest of the movie is bad, but this car chase scene takes Bond chases to a whole new level. It's got an Aston Martin, a Jaguar, missiles, machine guns, and ejector seats!!!! It's everything you ever loved about Bond and then some. It's just a shame it doesn't come in a better wrapper. But whatever. Check out the scene below. It is amazing....

THE SPY WHO LOVED ME 1977

We went all around the world for this one, but once watched it's clear to see how this chase scene takes the cake when it comes to James Bond Car chases. It goes from land, to air (pretty much), then to sea. It's just all over the place but manages to pull it all off with a panache that is unique to James Bond, and in particular the Roger Moore era of Bond. Oh, and never mind the fact that the featured Lotus Esprit looks like a futuristic rocket.

The whole scene manages to capture everything is special about the whole Bond series, and because of that it is Number 1.

PS....Here are two of the new Bond Girls...maybe we'll THAT sort of list coming on? Yeah, who are we kidding, it's coming. In the meantime here are Naomie Harris and Berenice Marlohe...boom!!!!

LOOPER (Directed by Rain Johnson, 2012) is not what you are expecting. It’s not what the previews tell you it is. And that is a very good thing. This movie takes deliberate wrong turns and messes with expectations in the best ways possible and is the best at doing that since another movie starring Joseph Gorden-Levitt came out. That film was INCEPTION (2010) directed by Christopher Nolan.

This time he’s starring, and he does a great job of carrying the movie.

He plays Joe, a former street rat turned specialized assassin going about his business in the year 2044. 30 years in the future (2072) they invent time travel but it is immediately outlawed and only used by criminal organizations to transport victims to the past because it is impossible to dispose of a body in 2072 without law enforcement catching on. So loopers basically wait for victims to show up, shoot them, and dispose of the body. When they have done enough they (unknowingly) kill their future selves and enjoy 30 years of retirement. This get’s turned on its head when future Joe outwits young Joe and goes on a rampage to stop “The Rainmaker”, a future super criminal taking everything over.

There’s a lot more too it than that. Trust me, there’s a bunch of reasons you should go see this movie.

WHAT’S ACTION A GO GO…

Oh man...I don't look like Bruce Willis at all....

Joseph Gordon-Levitt has been on a rampage these passed few years. Beginning with INCEPTION and culminating in this years THE DARK KNIGHT RISES and LOOPER (We’ll ignore PREMIUM RUSH…for now) this guy is becoming one of Hollywood’s go to action personalities. And it’s great. He gives a magnificent performance and carries two acts of the movie all by his lonesome. But this brings us to the rest of the cast.

If Levitt carries it, Bruce Willis as old Joe shines. There are scenes in this movie where he brings such emotional intensity and bravura to this role that a big ole OSCAR bell went off in my head. There’s a fat chance of that happening but Willis is getting better with age, much better, and he gives an amazing performance that solidifies this movie as one of the best of the year.

Never mind that the rest of the supporting cast is top notch. Jeff Daniels, fresh off the critical acclaim bus with NEWSROOM, steps out of his wheelhouse and plays and excellent future gangster in Abe. Emily Blunt is great as Sara, as well as Paul Dano as another looper named Seth. It all adds up to a collage of talent that LOOPER benefits greatly from.

The Sci-fi elements are as mind bending as the concept and create a movie that keeps you guessing throughout. And that’s the movies secret weapon. Just when you think you know what’s going on and who to root for it makes you second guess yourself and makes you questions what a good guy is in the first place. This happens on both a physical level and emotional. Physically, for example, characters can leave scars on themselves that tell their future selves where to go, or when to keep an appointment. It’s as freaky as it sounds, and the concept is taken farther than you can believe.

On an emotional level these characters are trying to hold onto things, or people, and what they do to keep time the way they it was or change an outcome can be driven by love, greed, or hate depending on who is pulling the trigger. It’s simply mind bending.

Last but not least this movie benefits from a hard R rating and excellent action. The action in this film is intense and serves the movie well. It has a deliberate western feel, with revolvers and shotguns featured. These can be slow but pack a powerful punch. Of course other future weapons show up but this stylistic choice affects the tone of the movie and actually slows the pace at just the right times. And it’s brutal. Oh so brutal.

It’s top notch stuff that will give you more than you bargained for. Hat’s off to Rain Johnson(THE BROTHERS BLOOM (2008), BRICK (2005)) to a movie well done.

WHAT’S ACTION A NO NO….

Well…this one’s going to be little thin…

This is a great movie, but there are some problems. Every movie featuring time travel raises the same questions, from THE TERMINATOR(1984) to TIMECOP (1994). How does anybody go back in time and change ANYTHING and get the desired outcome?

Here we see Emily Blunt as Sara, lost in a see of plot holes...

Of course LOOPER plays with this, but ultimately you’ll be scratching your head and second guessing the plot. I had one huge problem from the get go. (POSSIBLE SPOILER) If these guys immediately kill whoever shows up and don’t know who they are AND get rid of the body, why do they need to die in 30 years? They have no info and can’t be traced by the cops. What’s the point? (END OF POSSIBLE SPOILER).

Anyway, stuff like that, and worse, show’s up that undermine the experience. But that’s it really. Besides that the movie is an excellent experience all around that lacks flaws.

THE VERDICT…

Wow, it's time to go see LOOPER...like now...

Go see it. Some people have touted it as “action Sci fi” of the decade, but I wouldn't go that far. At least not yet. Nevertheless, it’s great, I enjoyed it, and will see it again. And here at ACTION A GO GO that is the highest praise we can give.