Bruce Willis - good movies vs bad movies

Metal Vendetta · Post by **Metal Vendetta** » Sun Dec 02, 2007 3:42 pm

I saw Planet Terror the other night, and aside from "it has a girl with a gun for a leg in it" I didn't really know what to expect. I was therefore very pleased when about five minutes into the movie, up pops Bruce Willis wearing an army uniform. For me, Bruce is usually an indication that a movie will be pretty damn good, if not watchable at the very least. So, kind of inspired by Karl & Brend's Die Hard discussions over in the Futurama thread, Bruce has been in some of my favourite movies of all time, obviously...but how many bad ones has he been in? Any real turkeys? Best/worst performances?

Hound · Post by **Hound** » Sun Dec 02, 2007 4:29 pm

A lot of people seem to hate Hudson Hawk, but personally I love it!

Brendocon · Post by **Brendocon** » Sun Dec 02, 2007 4:31 pm

Hrm. Good question. I've just perused his IMDB page and, aside from a few personal opinion judgement calls, of the films I've actually seen very few stand out as dreadful.

Armageddon is obviously contentious, but hardly the worst film ever made. Lucky Number Slevin seems to be one that certain people despise but I really enjoyed. 16 Blocks is... not rubbish.

The middle two Die Hard films I think I covered in t'other thread. They're certainly not rubbish even if they're not my personal favourites.

I've never really known what to make of The Fifth Element. I'm conflicted on the subject. Sin City too, to a lesser degree. But that's nothing to do with him... more to do with the amount they crammed in kinda underlining how shallow and formulaic Miller's work can get. But stylish to the Nth.

12 Monkeys is obviously superb. Still not seen Unbreakable or the Sixth Sense, tbh.

Thought Planet Terror was great fun, too. In a completely silly "kick back and enjoy" way. Sayid taking balls! Rico as an Awesome! Aah, the joy of the trash film.

So yeah... BW cropping up does tend to bode well.

Post by **snarl** » Sun Dec 02, 2007 4:50 pm

Who doesn't like luck number slevin?

Thats a great film. ignorant ****s.

Planet Terror is good stuff.

I thought Death Proof was absolute *****.

Post by **Best First** » Sun Dec 02, 2007 7:38 pm

Slevin is quality.

I watched Die Hard 4 on a plane recently and to be honest i thought it was great fun.

HOWEVER

I imagine The Kid is probably crap.

Also i think Striking Distance is a right clunker, if its the one i think it is (boats, SJP)

Post by **spiderfrommars** » Sun Dec 02, 2007 8:04 pm

Before the credibility that Pulp Fiction gave him, he was in a fair few inconsequential action films inbetween his Die Hard outings.

And there's plenty I'm not in a rush to see that he did after. Hart's War, Bandits, Tears of the Sun, Mercury Rising, The Siege, etc.

And the Whole Nine/Ten Yards films weren't too hot.

Color of Night might be one of the worst films ever.

Good thread!

Obfleur · Post by **Obfleur** » Sun Dec 02, 2007 8:14 pm

He's the best at playing a washed up cop/whatever.

IronHide · Post by **IronHide** » Sun Dec 02, 2007 9:13 pm

I think you're all overlooking his greatest performance....

The voice of Mikey from the Look Whos Talking movies.

Honestly though. Last Man Standing is one of my favorite Bruce movies. Watched it a couple nights ago along with the Die-Hard Trilogy, Last Boy Scout and Lucky # Slevin. Felt the need after renting the new Die Hard

Post by **Best First** » Sun Dec 02, 2007 9:47 pm

http://www.film.com/dvds/story/thebestb ... 6/15236189

Metal Vendetta · Post by **Metal Vendetta** » Sun Dec 02, 2007 11:48 pm

The Siege is worth a look if only for the "could it happen here?" vibe, particularly as it was made pre-9/11, and Bruce is easily one of the best things in it as the initially reluctant but latterly gung-ho general.

The Whole Nine Yards I think suffered from coming out the same year as Meet The Parents, but I'd take Chandler over Stiller any day and, well, to be perfectly honest, I'd take Bruce over De Niro. It's not his best movie by a long shot, but I enjoyed it, and I watched Ten Yards on the plane over here and it wasn't bad at all.

Slevin has become one of my favourite movies of recent times - outstanding performances all round and it benefits from a couple of repeat viewings. Really quite good fun, and one of the few Bruce films where he's not the best thing in it...that accolade here falls to the double act of Kingsley/Freeman, who are spectacular. I think the reason the film suffered commercially was because of its name - not many people went to see it at the cinema because they thought they wouldn't like it. From what I hear, it's become a cult classic on DVD though.

Checking out his IMDB, there's quite a few I've not seen, but will probably track down - 16 Blocks, Hostage, Alpha Dog, Hart's War - and annoyingly Death Proof has been stuck at 94% for the past two days, so I can't compare it to Planet Terror. I managed to get an entire season of Deep Space Nine in less time and unbelievably, Abducted by the Daleks has more seeds

Post by **snarl** » Sun Dec 02, 2007 11:58 pm

Woah, Death Proof is at 94%? I have far more interesting chats with my mates...

Admittedly, my mates don't include a women with a horses face but really great arse and set of tits.

Still, IMO on the basis of that 94%, the human race is ****** to ****. Either that or my finger aint on the pulse as much as I think it is...

I think its safe for my psyche to assume I'm right and that there are a lot of people that need to be hunted down, forced to dig their own grave then shot dead...

Metal Vendetta · Post by **Metal Vendetta** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 12:05 am

snarl wrote:Still, IMO on the basis of that 94%, the human race is ****** to ****. Either that or my finger aint on the pulse as much as I think it is...

I think its safe for my psyche to assume I'm right and that there are a lot of people that need to be hunted down, forced to dig their own grave then shot dead...

94% downloaded, as in incomplete, not 94% good...though you are right, there are a lot of people that need to be hunted down, forced to dig their own grave then shot dead.

Post by **snarl** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 12:15 am

Seriously, just stop oit and delete.

I tried to watch it several times, I swear I fell asleeo each time. It's just some birds getting pissed and talking rubbish at a bar.

Planet Terror is a film and a half, if I was Robert Rodriguez I'd be thinking "[composite word including 'f*ck'], why is my movie carrying this pile of style over substance cack"?

I'd probably have offered Quentin out over it.

Metal Vendetta · Post by **Metal Vendetta** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 12:50 am

So basically you're saying, don't bother with the other 6%?

After all, I don't think anything's gonna top Sayid and his jar of balls...

Post by **snarl** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 12:51 am

I seriously wouldn't.

Download the Burbs or something.

Brendocon · Post by **Brendocon** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 8:34 am

Death Proof's better the second time round. The first half of it is indeed just chicks yakking in less-than-normal-QT quality.

But then they all die horribly and it gets better.

... is that a spoiler?

Metal Vendetta · Post by **Metal Vendetta** » Tue Dec 04, 2007 5:09 pm

Brendocon wrote:Death Proof's better the second time round. The first half of it is indeed just chicks yakking in less-than-normal-QT quality.

But then they all die horribly and it gets better.

... is that a spoiler?

Eh, I'm struggling to see the point of this movie at all. Snarlos was right, I shouldn't have bothered waiting for the download.

Brendocon · Post by **Brendocon** » Tue Dec 04, 2007 5:33 pm

I don't think it's rubbish. I don't think it's particularly good. It thinks it's smarter than it is. Tarantino seems to have lost the plot / people talking balance somewhat. But whilst I was bored stiff in the cinema, it was marginally more fun the second time... m'eh.

I mean, I get that it's meant to be trash... but how far does that excuse stretch?

Post by **spiderfrommars** » Tue Dec 04, 2007 6:04 pm

I'm working through the Die Hard movies at the mo (before I watch my brand new copy of the fourth film).

Classics, I tells ya.