Category: Action films

Really Awful Movies: Ep 231 – One Tough Bastard

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One Tough Bastard, aka, One Man’s Justice is yet another three-word lunkhead action film. And boy, is it a hell of a lot of fun. Starring one of our faves, Brian Bosworth, this one involves a corrupt FBI man (Savak) who is overseeing an illicit weapons trade, procuring arms from corrupt US Army types.

Bosworth (as John North, as good an action name as we’ve heard), is a drill sergeant. And we see how much ass he kicks in, what else? A MONTAGE, BABY! Action movies NEED montages like fish need water.

His wife and child are shopping at a local store, where inexplicably, there’s an arms deal afoot outside. His wife witnesses the shady doings, and the bad guys blow her, and the daughter, to smithereens. They also shoot North, who comes in to help, putting a couple of slugs in his chest.

In true action form, North convalesces…and gradually regains health in order to track down the no-goodniks who killed his family.

However, the true star is Savak, who coos wonderful zingers and handles a pistol with aplomb. He cuts a totally ridiculous figure too, with hair straight from Interview with a Vampire, and even sports a fatuous nose-ring.

One Tough Bastard is hilarious, asinine fun…and even features the rapper formerly known as MC Hammer as a two-bit junk dealer.

Really Awful Movies: Ep 216 – Shotgun

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Shotgun Jones!

This is a 1989 action flick directed by Addison Randall. It’s got absolutely everything that’s required for mindless action fun: helicopters, dirty cops, shady witnesses, ruthless henchmen, by-the-book bosses, men on fire, cocaine kingpins, cannons, ladies of the evening, you name it.

Shotgun Jones and his partner Max (one white, one black a la Lethal Weapon, to which the flick is oft-compared) are hunting down a “basher” in downtown Los Angeles. A “basher,” according to lingo, is someone’s who’s rough with prostitutes. He’s more than rough. He’s killed a few. He’s announced by ear-piercing Eddie Van Halen-style guitar histrionics.

Shot in 2 weeks (and you can tell), Shotgun is one delicious set piece after another. There are head-spinning lines like “she was just another hooker.” “She was your SISTER!” and “the air in here…it smells.” As we mourn the passing of Steven Bochko, this is as far removed from a quality police procedural as humanly possible.

One cop is by the book, the other does things his own way. Their superior cuts them slack while chastising them, and there’s a very odd police lineup where the witnesses all gather together to compare notes!

Hilariously inept, and as fun as any action films you can find, join us as we discuss Shotgun!

Really Awful Movies: Ep 211 – Death Wish

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On this episode of the Really Awful Movies Podcast, a by no means rigorous semi-defense of the popcorn muncher/crowd pleasure Death Wish. 

Co-host Chris, explains his surprising positive review of the reboot in a discussion with Jeff (who has not seen the Death Wish remake).

Usually, we both watch a movie and discuss it. This time, Jeff was off hanging out with legendary rock stars in New York City (you’ll have to guess which one as we’re not disclosing it) and wasn’t able to catch the film on the big screen.

Doesn’t matter. We talk Eli Roth, easily the…um….4th best “Roth” after rocker David Lee, author Philip, actor Tim…so yeah.

Jeff is not big on Eli, Chris is wholly indifferent but not AS down on him.

Death Wish (the 1974 original) we hold in very high regard. The tale of a quiet, introspective family man-turned-vigilante was polarizing, but ultimately a pretty intriguing and interesting (not to mention action-packed) offering.

In the Death Wish remake, Paul Kersey is no longer an architect…he’s an ER doctor. Is this a good or bad deviation from the original? We discuss….

Also, the 2nd Amendment? Yay? (Chris) or nay? (Jeff).

We talk about Bruce Willis, our love…you could say our die-hard love-affair with his body of work…and the political climate for the release of a movie that unabashedly champions guns.

And finally, your genial hosts talk about their relationship with CryptTV, a co-venture of Roth’s that is a social media site meant to bring together horror lovers from across the globe. Does it?

Lots to discuss on this episode of the Really Awful Movies Podcast.