What's Next On My List? Oscar

Growing up I was a big fan of Sylvester Stallone. I still am, but he had to be put on hold, as one can't only watch action movies. Even though, many of us do. During the winter break, however, I caught up on a couple of old favorites and new movies I hadn't gotten around to yet! And it was the best time I have ever had :D I am telling you, they key to world peace are Stallone movies! So welcome to the first #StalloneMonth, and, not the last!

"- Angelo, not in front of the help!

- Trust me, he is no help!"

I have left this to be the last review in this month of Stallone movies, because this is my absolute favorite movie of all time and I have no idea why people don't like it! You'll see why in a minute.

Oscar

A period piece set in the 30's during the prohibition: Angelo "Snaps" Provolone is a gangster who promises his father to become an honest man. The events take place on one day from morning to noon. Provolone is woken up by his accountant who wishes to marry his daughter.

He's go only one daughter Lisa, but these two have never met before. We soon find out that the accountant, Little Anthony, is actually dating someone who only claimed to be Provolone's daughter. But Lisa is already determined on leaving the house, so she pretends to be pregnant to be wed anyway. Noon approaches, and Provolone tries to get back the money his accountant tried to steal from him, while being watched by the police, another gangster and expecting bankers for lunch. Little Anthony manages to get Lisa to fall in love with Dr. Poole, Provolone's elocution teacher, and he also gets back his love, Theresa. In a final twist Provolone finds out that he is the father of Theresa, as her mom was his childhood love who disappeared when they were just teenagers. In the end he realizes that he is better as a gangster than an honest man.

"- Congratulations on your daughter marrying Bruce Underwood.
- Oh, I'm afraid there has been a slight change father, she is now marrying an Italian boy: Anthony Rossano.
- That's all for the better! Nothing like a big Italian wedding! Anthony Rossano!
- Well, forget Anthony, she is not marrying him anymore.
- What?!
- Well, that's a shame! But she is young. Someday she'll find the right one.
- She's found the right one.
- Who?

- Dr. Poole!
- Dr. Poole?!
- Hello!
- Get back in the room!
- Looks like a nice young man.
- Why is she marrying Dr. Poole? She barely knows him!
- She barely knew the chauffer too!
- Don't drag out Oscar in front of the father!
- Who's Oscar?
- Why isn't she marrying Anthony?
- Because Anthony is marrying Theresa!
- Who's Theresa?
- Look, it's really very simple, but I ain't got time to explain it, I gotta call Norah.
- Who's Norah?
- Our maid.
- Ex-maid.
- Now you fired the maid?
- No, she quit to marry Bruce Underwood!
- When did that happen?
- I don't know! Somewhere between my vest and my pants.
- This is all very confusing."

This movie came out the year I was born and it was a favorite in TV and they had re-runs almost yearly and sometimes even more often. I know the dialogue by heart - both in Hungarian and English - and I still laugh my ass off every time. The movie is based on a play by the same title. The story, as you have read, is a running back and forth of our main character between the members of his family. There are jokes everywhere, and the best part of the whole story is that the viewer knows everything and they are even given and extra twist in the end by making Theresa Provolone's daughter!

In the end the best part is the fact that everyone gets what they deserve. The other gangster will no longer be a threat as they are arrested. The detective who tried to get Provolone gets to make that big arrest. Lisa not only gets out of the house, but with a great man who loves her. Little Anthony gets back Theresa, and the four share their wedding at the house. And my favorite part: The bankers turn out to be huge assholes. And that was the cherry on top of the cake, the gangster is truly the most lovable character in all of the play!

"This day has been an emotional roller coaster."

I love Stallone in this movie and to be honest with you I think he is a terrific actor! I was only six and I didn't understand why he doesn't have more movies like this, why always action movies? And now I get it... they probably got a couple of bad reviews from people who didn't think he could pull it off, but you have to see this movie now! Look at the facial expressions, how he plays with his voice, and his chemistry and interactions with the other actors? Magnificent. I cannot imagine this play/movie without anyone else but Sylvester Stallone. It is my favorite movie of all time!

Watch it? Please do! Let's change that imdb rating ;)

This was #StalloneMonth. I plan another one this year to talk about the classics, Rocky and Rambo of course, and some other flops that now have a special nostalgic place in our hearts! Until the next item on my list!

_ _ _ _ _ 

Angelo 'Snaps' Provolone - Sylvester Stallone

Sofia Provolone - Ornella Muti

Aldo - Peter Riegert

Dr. Thornton Poole - Tim Curry

Anthony Rossano - Vincent Spano

Lisa Provolone - Marisa Tomei

Roxanne - Linda Gray

Connie - Chazz Palminteri

Lt. Toomey - Kurtwood Smith

Theresa - Elizabeth Barondes

Nora - Joycelyn O'Brien

100,000 VIEWS!

It is truly a dream come true :) Thank you everyone!

What's Next On My List? Tango & Cash

Growing up I was a big fan of Sylvester Stallone. I still am, but he had to be put on hold, as one can't only watch action movies. Even though, many of us do. During the winter break, however, I caught up on a couple of old favorites and new movies I hadn't gotten around to yet! And it was the best time I have ever had :D I am telling you, they key to world peace are Stallone movies! So welcome to the first #StalloneMonth, and, not the last!

The shower scene. We all watch this movie because of the shower scene.

Tango & Cash

Ray Tango and Gabriel Cash are two detectives who work separately to bring down the smaller layers of a drug operation only to reach the head that feeds it. However, the man in charge of the operation wishes them gone. He orchestrates a plan that leaves them accused of being dirty and getting pay-offs from other dealers.

Tango and Cash plead guilty to avoid further prosecution, only to find themselves in a prison which the prisoners rule. They almost die, but manage to escape and from the outside they bring down the people who tried to murder them as well the drug lord who orchestrated all of it. Their image appears in the newspaper as having become clean and there is a small implication that Cash starts to date Ray's sister Katherine, whom they save in the end from the clutches of the drug lord.

This movie was fun for the fact that it had an unusual pairing - at least in my opinion - but they made it work. I loved every minute of it: I laughed, I almost cried at some points, it was very exciting and adventurous. You know that they are the two main characters, so they won't die in the middle of the movie, still, you fear something bad could happen. Getting me excited about the faith of the main characters is something I rarely encounter nowadays. And I find that strange, because nowadays you know that people just kill off anyone they want, and yet I care less. Maybe because of that very reason. In a 90's movie entitled Tango & Cash, it is most likely that they will not kill off neither Tango, nor Cash, still I found myself very worried. And it was a good feeling because the movie got me engaged! I wish more movies were like that.

That having been said, it is a fun movie, little twists here and there and great acting if you ask me. Not to mention the inclusion of a shower scene where you can clearly see our leads naked from behind. Oh 90's... how I miss you! Make sure you check it out!

Until the next item on my list!

_ _ _ _ _ 

Raymond Tango - Sylvester Stallone

Gabriel Cash - Kurt Russell

Katherine Tango - Teri Hatcher

Yves Perret - Jack Palance

Requin - Brion James

What's Next On My List? Assassins

Growing up I was a big fan of Sylvester Stallone. I still am, but he had to be put on hold, as one can't only watch action movies. Even though, many of us do. During the winter break, however, I caught up on a couple of old favorites and new movies I hadn't gotten around to yet! And it was the best time I have ever had :D I am telling you, they key to world peace are Stallone movies! So welcome to the first #StalloneMonth, and, not the last!

My sister really loved this movie and she wanted me to see it, but it took us sometime to get around to it. Of course, major twist in the end, and for her it was fun that I didn't know - I guessed, but still - while she knew what was going to happen. Watching 90's movies with her is a lot of fun! She looks at my facial expressions instead of the movie :D

Assassins

Robert Rath is an assassin who decides to quit the game, but his targets are being killed before his eyes by a young newcomer named Miguel Bain.

Miguel, however, mistakes another woman for their target and Robert flees with her, Electra, and with her helps he gets the money he needs to retire. Electra was supposed to sell a disc with classified information, and Robert wishes to sell that disc to secure his retirement and divide the profit with Electra. Knowing that Robert himself has killed an ex-assassin who wanted to retire, he is sure that Miguel will try to take him out the same way as he's got a fascination with history. With Electra's help Robert goes after Miguel and the two go up against each other. Robert wins and he heads off with Electra and the money they got from selling the disk.

It took me a lot of time to get around to this movie, which I am sorry about because I liked it very much. What can I say? You can see a pattern. I will talk about movies I didn't like too, no worries, I am, however, transported to a happy place when I see Stallone and even his bad movies have a charm to them!

And in this case I don't even have nostalgia goggles on, as I have seen this only last month! My absolute favorite scene is when the two are in a taxi, divided by bulletproof glass and they talk about what is going on. It is clear that Miguel is sent after Robert by the same person who gives the latter his assignments. Who that is, however, remains a mystery till the end. A famous game of chess is referenced and in the scene where they are sitting in the taxi cab it feels like they are having a standoff in the game. I also enjoyed how different the two characters were. They are different men to begin with, of course, but the job has done something to Robert that Miguel has not yet experienced. The latter still does it for the thrill - the former on the other hand has experienced nothing else in his life and he is tired of it. Miguel is also, let's say insane, hyperactive would also be a word for it, but the biggest problem is probably the fact that he doesn't seem to understand that he is actually killing. This, of course is the base of his character, nothing wrong with it, but it shifts the scale toward Robert. So much so that this assassin becomes a hero in the end for the viewer. Which, I think is a fantastic concept! Great writing!

Watch it? Definitely. It's a very thrilling and entertaining action movie that pays attention to its characters. And it is very smart. You can guess the twist, I didn't give it away for a reason: if you do guess it, you will feel smart, if you don't, you will love that the movie tricked you! Great cast with a great story!

Until the next item on my list!

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ 

Robert Rath - Sylvester Stallone

Miguel Bain - Antonio Banderas

Electra - Julianne Moore

What's Next On My List? The Specialist

Growing up I was a big fan of Sylvester Stallone. I still am, but he had to be put on hold, as one can't only watch action movies. Even though, many of us do. During the winter break, however, I caught up on a couple of old favorites and new movies I hadn't gotten around to yet! And it was the best time I have ever had :D I am telling you, they key to world peace are Stallone movies! So welcome to the first #StalloneMonth, and, not the last!

Oh this one is a favorite! Everything you need to know about the 90s is right here in this ninety minute awesomeness staring everyone who's career has since plummeted BIG time!

The Specialist

Ray and Ned are two bomb makers - specialists - who worked for the CIA before they parted ways. Now, on an assignment in Miami Ray decides to help a woman named May who wishes to get the killers of her parents taken out. Ray excepts, but we find out that May was previously hired by Ned to get Ray out of hiding. The latter completes the mission and meets May in person. They are tracked by Ned, but in a building explosion they are able to get away from him and kill him. As a last token, Ray kills the man behind the hit on May's parents.

Well, this movie is fun. I'm pretty sure bombs don't work that way, but hey, I'm not an expert. To me it is a bit hard to believe that someone could get so revengeful that they are able to sleep with the man who murdered their parents... but that's just my childish heart. The worst thing about this movie wasn't even the fact that I couldn't relate to May's methods, but the fact that those v-neck shirts looked awful... I don't know who dressed Stallone in this movie, but everyone was wearing beautiful tailored suits, black and white with other colored shirts, classy all around, and he was wearing these horrible v-necks, which was very 90 but still...

That having been said, I really love this movie because of the villains and the layer of twists. The plot seems easy in the beginning than you begin to see that every character has a very good motivation for their actions and it is very entertaining. I re-watched it just a couple of days ago and even I forgot about some of the scenes and I was simply amazed. It is a very smart movie and it truly tries to surprise and, in my humble opinion, it does that perfectly! And, it if all wasn't enough, it's got a great soundtrack, and I hope you know what I'm thinking about - if you don't, you are not a 90's kid and you have no idea what you missed!

Watch it? If you don't think you should by now, I won't be able to change your mind. But I hope I do because you are in for a treat! And yes, I decided not to talk about the famous sex scene because, even though it is quite awesome, the movie is great without it as well :D

Until the next item on my list!

_ _ _ _ _ _ 

Ray Quick - Sylvester Stallone

May Munro - Sharon Stone

Ned Trent - James Woods

Joe Leon - Rob Steiger

Tomas Leon - Eric Roberts

What's Next On My List? Cliffhanger

Growing up I was a big fan of Sylvester Stallone. I still am, but he had to be put on hold, as one can't only watch action movies. Even though, many of us do. During the winter break, however, I caught up on a couple of old favorites and new movies I hadn't gotten around to yet! And it was the best time I have ever had :D I am telling you, they key to world peace are Stallone movies! So welcome to the first #StalloneMonth, and, not the last!

Less bullets coming from the main character, and yet still badass! Let's get to:

Cliffhanger

Gabe Walker is a hiker who fails to save the life of his best friend and colleague Hal Tucker's girlfriend. He comes back to the mountains after a whole year, and his ex Jessie asks him to help Hal with a rescue as there is a storm coming.

When they get to the distress call, they find out that they were called up by a group of terrorists who lost their money in three cases over the Rocky Mountains before their plane crashed in the trees. They force Gabe and Hal to help them find the cases, but Gabe gets away and keeps reaching the cases before they do. Jessie joins him when they don't hear from them for a couple of hours. The man leading the terrorists is Eric Qualen, who won't stop at anything to get his money. Knowing that Gabe is tracking them, he continues to try and stop him, kill him, blow him up in any way possible. The two go at it on a helicopter which falls into the valley with Qualen inside of it.

I really liked this movie. You know, when we get to my last review this month you'll see what my problem is, but I never got why America only likes Stallone in action movies... he is a really good actor! In this movie in particular he had a lot more dialogue and fight scenes than in previous ones. Of course, I will get to the emotionally deeper movies later on, but still, there was one movie of his that I am able to re-watch every single day, but it was flop in the US. Up to this day I don't know why. Stallone is one dreamy guy, let me tell you that and he wasn't so just in the 90's!

Either way, this movie takes a serious note but there was one thing that really bothered me. Gabe's character leaves because of the death of that girl and he was not persuaded to go back to these mountains for over a year! His ex tells him that the one guy we all know hates him is now up there on his own. He decides to go after him, even though 5 minutes earlier he admitted to not being in shape for climbing. I believe that it would've made more sense for him to get up there after hearing that his friend was in danger, rather than just showing up. Perhaps I am a sucker for cliches, still, I would've preferred it that way.

Watch it? Definitely. Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls starts with a parody of this movie, and if I am 100% honest, the latter was much more traumatic than this one! It's just 90 minutes of really cool adventure with beautiful sights (+ make it a drinking game! Drink every time you spot the stunt man!).

Until the next Stallone movie on my list!

_ _ _ _ _ _ _

Gabe Walker - Sylvester Stallone

Eric Qualen - John Lithgow

Hal Tucker - Michael Rooker

Jessie Deighan - Janine Turner

Richard Travers - Rex Linn

Kristel - Caroline Goddall

What's Next On My List? The Expendables Trilogy

Growing up I was a big fan of Sylvester Stallone. I still am, but he had to be put on hold, as one can't only watch action movies. Even though, many of us do. During the winter break, however, I caught up on a couple of old favorites and new movies I hadn't gotten around to yet! And it was the best time I have ever had :D I am telling you, they key to world peace are Stallone movies! So welcome to the first #StalloneMonth, and, not the last!

This is actually what gave me the idea to start this review series, and you know these movies, there isn't much to say individually, but if you do a marathon like I did and you watch the three together, you won't be able to shut up! Let's crack them down:

The Expendables

Barney Ross (Stallone) is the leader of a team of mercenaries who get called in to eliminate a rogue CIA operative and a dictator. The team is called 'The Expendables' and they are made up of men seeking a purpose in life. Some of them grew up in war, others are soldiers. The team includes Lee Christmas (Jason Statham), Gunner Jensen (Dolph Lundgren), Yin Yang (Jet Li), Hale Ceasar (Terry Crews), Toll Road (Randy Couture) and Tool (Mickey Rourke) back at the base. They manage to stop the dictator, James Munroe (Eric Roberts) at his own compound.
I had no idea what this movie was going to be like and I was not at all disappointed! I enjoyed every second, every twist and the acting very much. The idea was to get a cast of old bad-ass action stars who fight a villain and it does that very well. There are jokes, a shit ton of bullets fired and there is even an emotional string in the movie that brings it all together. It is all in good fun! After watching it, I just couldn't wait to see more. One of my favorite movies, Staying Alive was directed by Stallone, so with him overseeing the project, I knew I was in good hands!

The Expendables 2

Ross' team finishes up a mission just to be called to action again by a man named Church (Bruce Willis). They have to retrieve a little black box from a wreckage, but they are ambushed by a man named Vilain (Jean-Claude Van Damme). The latter kills one of the Expendables, Billy the Kid (Liam Hemsworth), making the matter personal for Ross. The team goes in to stop Vilain from selling plutonium on the black market, helped by Trench (Arnold Schwarzenegger) - who owes them a debt - and Booker (Chuck Norris), a private mercenary who worked the case before them.
I loved the second movie because the dialogue was brilliant! Ross and Christmas keep going at it and it is hilarious! I might not have said this before, but I love these movies because they know that they are action movies and they don't try to be more than that! You know, that's why sometimes I just fall asleep during comic book adaptation - they are trying so damn hard to have some kind of deeper meaning, while, nobody cares! We want to see the action or the characters develop. And what this does is add in a couple of simple dialogues among the characters to make as fall in love with them and what follows is great action scenes, explosions one after the other with actors who you love! Bunch of old dudes coming together and clearly enjoying themselves while making something for us: What more do you need?

The Expendables 3

After saving an old member of the team, Doc (Wesley Snipes), the team hads to stop a bomb exchange only to be faced with someone they believed to have died years ago. The latter is Stonebanks (Mel Gibson), who used to be part of the first team, and Ross decides to go after him with a new team of youngsters, all of them recruited by Bonaparte (Kelsey Grammer): Thorn (Glen Powell), Mars (Victor Ortiz), Luna (Ronda Rousey) and Smilee (Kellan Lutz). When the team is captured Ross is rescued by Trench, they go home only to find a man named Galgo (Antonio Banderas) in their hanger, who begs for a job. When Ross tells him that it could be a one way ticket, he tells him that one way is better than nothing. The old team of Expendables stops them on the runway and lets Ross know, that he cannot push them aside on a mission of such importance. In a little country on the brink of war, the team has to escape a building rigged by C4 explosives while fighting a whole army. They manage to escape in a helicopter flown by Drummer (Harrison Ford), Church's replacement, along with Trench and Yin Yang, after Ross killed Stonebanks.
What can I say? This movie was the best so far. I just laughed my ass off and I really liked the soundtrack! And I'll be honest with you, Ford and Stallone in the same shot might be the single coolest thing that has ever happened on this planet! I want more of that please! I also enjoyed that the villains were actors who haven't been portrayed that way yet. If you look at all the movies from the 90's, really any of them could've been on each side of the coin. It's good fun, is what it is! Just go and watch them, will you?!

I checked imdb because I just loved the third too much, and there is a fourth movie coming and I swear, I am rarely this excited about a movie and I just can't wait! I know that it is a long shot, but I do have a list of actors who I would love to see in the next, like James Woods, Jean Reno, Jackie Chan and even Nicolas Cage - and please, please, please Kurt Russell :D Let's make it happen people!

Until the next item on my list!