Tag Archives: Jackie Chan

Best Crime Dramas of 2017 (10+1list)

Best Crime Dramas of 2017

written by Souranath Banerjee

Best Crime Dramas of 2017: Crime rate always been a problem but crime movies a treat to watch! Crime emerged as such an essential plot in almost every film that it eventually created its own separate genre, dramas based entirely on crimes.

Cool Crime Dramas always give us a certain insatiable rush, the bigger the crime the better, the chase and excitement more intense than ever.

And here we have a list of the Best Crime Dramas of 2017. Enjoy!

10. Logan Lucky

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPzvKH8AVf0

Crime-DramasChanning Tatum and Adam Driver – two brothers along with their sister  Riley Keough plans a robbery but they need the help of a convicted safe-cracker (who else than Daniel Craig) to finally get their plan into action.  

Directed by Steven Soderbergh, a surprisingly refreshing crime drama, a heist story with enough comedy to make you laugh at regular intervals.

9. Atomic Blonde

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8USk21Lt0f4

Crime-DramasThe backdrop being the Cold War – deadly and sensuous Charlize Theron, an undercover MI6 agent lands in Berlin to sniff out double-agents and also investigate the murder of a fellow agent.

James McAvoy, John GoodmanToby Jones, Sofia Boutella – a brilliant cast all at their best.

Ace stuntman turned director David Leitch has some of the best action sequences in the film!

8. Shot Caller

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQxjyRr9k2E

Crime-DramasAn accidental crime and then a prison sentence teaches a white-collar business professional new ways of survival. And pretty soon his lessons come handy.

Written and directed by Ric Roman Waugh, this one is a perfect crime drama with brilliant performances including Jon Bernthal, Lake Bell, Emory Cohen.

A much underrated movie definitely worth your time.

7. Brawl in Cell Block 99

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hfAExhHTMM

Crime-DramasVince Vaughn is back – not in some romcom but with a tough-guy-role in this cool and violent crime drama.

A drug dealer who goes to prison after a sore deal and realises that he has landed in the midst of a battleground!

Directed by S. Craig Zahler, this action drama has extreme violent scenes that can be disturbing for some people.

6. Good Time

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrR-SbCRgCU

Crime-DramasA heist gone wrong but that’s not the only thing that doesn’t go according to the plan. In order to save his mentally challenged brother a thug has the misadventure of his lifetime in one night span!

Directed by Benny Safdie and Josh Safdie, a rollercoaster ride of intense drama and Robert Pattinson breaks away from his Twilight zone and gives a super cool performance.

5. American Made

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEBIJRAkujM

Crime-Dramas‘The gringo that always delivers’

The biography of Barry Seal who was started his career as an ordinary pilot but soon recruited by the CIA and later worked for none other than Pablo Escobar.

Directed by Doug Liman, and Tom Cruise playing the lead this is one of the most crazy twisted crime drama and very much based on real events!

4. The Foreigner

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=om9YCk7ufHs

Crime-DramasAn act of politically-motivated terrorism takes away his daughter’s life and now as a father he will do anything to bring justice to the people involved in the act.

Directed by Martin Campbell, a cool crime drama – both emotional and intense.

Surely the best thing that happened for Jackie Chan and Pierce Brosnan in recent times. 

3. Wind River

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zN9PDOoLAfg

Crime-Dramas‘You don’t catch wolves looking where they might be, you look where they’ve been.’

A young Native American woman gets murdered and a veteran tracker decides to help the police track down the guilty. A chilling revenge drama based on actual events.

Brilliant performance by Jeremy Renner along with Elizabeth Olsen and Graham Greene. Written and directed by Taylor Sheridan, probably the best crime thriller of the year!

2. John Wick: Chapter 2

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGk2EfbD_Ps

Crime-DramasKeanu Reeves is back as John Wick, the man whose car and dog you better don’t mess with! 

This is the second instalment of the superb 2014 action thriller John Wick, and this time it’s even more raw, brutal and action packed.

Directed by Chad Stahelski, this is the savage saga of what happens when you put a bounty on John Wick’s head!

1. Baby Driver

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9YZw_X5UzQ

Crime-DramasEvery successful heist ends with a thrilling car chase and Baby, the young getaway driver is there to guarantee your safety!

Super cool performances by Ansel Elgort, Jon Bernthal, Jon HammEiza GonzálezLily James and finally Jamie Foxx and Kevin Spacey stealing the show.

Directed by Edgar Wright, a crime drama intertwined with classy soundtracks – racy and stylish.

and (The ‘+1’ film is not necessarily the best but certainly the most innovative one. A must watch)

+1. Detroit

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5h7Kgo-zeI

Crime-DramasThe brilliantly authentic portrayal of the 1967 Detroit riots – the largest Rase-riots in the history of United States particularly focusing on the Algiers Motel incident where a certain group of cops gone rogue and responded to a complaint with extreme retribution!

All over superb performances, raw and real, acclaimed director Kathryn Bigelow‘s latest – a brilliant fact-based crime drama!

Similar Interest: Best Thrillers Of 2016

Similar Interest: Best Hollywood Movies of 2017 so far

Similar Interest: Best of 2017 you may have missed

Poster courtesy: www.impawards.com, www.imdb.com.

Best Kung Fu films ever made (10+1list)

Best Kung Fu films ever made.

written by Souranath Banerjee

Kung fu or wushu are chinese words that refers to the age old tradition of Chinese Martial Arts.

In ancient China, Kung fu was first introduced as a method of self-defence and hunting, and was also a part of the country’s military training. Essentially a hand to hand combat system (with different forms and styles of fighting) but then again, certain classic Chinese weapons are often used as well.

Since long time martial art has been introduced in films for entertainment and such action films were very popular in China and in a few other Asian countries.

bruce-lee-posterBut only in the early 70s, the craze for kung fu films hit the west, and the person responsible for giving kung fu a world-wide recognition was none other than Bruce Lee.

Then there was Jackie Chan and Jet Li who prolonged the tradition. 

Nowadays, even in Hollywood action films like The Matrix TrilogyKill Bill, and The Transporter stylized forms of kung fu are extensively used and well appreciated by the audience. 

Listed below are some of the best Kung fu films ever made that can be enjoyed even if you are not a hard core action film lover.

Let’s kick start the list.

10. Kung Fu Hustle (2004)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-m3IB7N_PRk

kung-fu-hustle-posterDirected by Stephen Chow also known for films like Shaolin Soccer and The God of Cookery – this one is the most entertaining kung fu film.

According to Bill Murray this film is ‘the supreme achievement of the modern age in terms of comedy‘.

According to famous film critic Roger Ebert ‘Imagine a film in which Jackie Chan and Buster Keaton meet Quentin Tarantino and Bugs Bunny’.

9. Ip Man (2008)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhz4Jl6nf58

ip-man-posterA semi-biographical account of the most influential martial art master Grandmaster Yip Man.

The man who taught martial art to the world, he was also renowned as the teacher and inspiration of the legendary kung fu master Bruce Lee.

Directed by Wilson Yip, the film tries to be as real and authentic to the grandmaster’s life as possible. 

8. Come Drink with Me (1966)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1A6PnPZ6Gk

come-drink-with-me-posterDirected by King Hu, also known for films like A Touch of Zen and Dragon Inn started the modern trend of kung fu films.

This film is said to be the first Hong Kong martial art film which portrayed kung fu as pure entertainment and each ‘fight scene as art form’. 

This film has more historical value than than any other in this list.

7. Ong-bak (2003)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJvMhOkwH9I

ong-bak-posterTony Jaa, the face of the new martial art superstar gets his introduction through this film.

After an extensive four years training, Tony Jaa performed all his stunts by himself, no wires or CGI were used in the fight scenes.

Directed by Prachya Pinkaew, the film was a huge hit for it’s epic fight sequences and the extreme acrobatic stunts.    

6. The Raid: Redemption (2011)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6f6f_kfp1Z8

The-Raid-Redemption-poster1Directed by Gareth Evans, this is one extreme action-packed film, the best in the recent times.

The Martial Art used in this movie is Pencak Silat, which is the indigenous fighting style of Indonesia.

Iko Uwais and his fighting skills are simply awesome. If you like this film then The Raid 2 is also a must watch.

5. The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1978)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65GQtH6pzTY

The-36th-Chamber-of-Shaolin-posterChia-Hui Liu plays the guy who firstly gets beaten by the brutal Manchu clan; then he learns martial art and goes back to take his revenge.

Hence forth this learn-and-revenge plot has been done to death in numerous films.   

Directed by Chia-Liang Liu, this one is one of the kung fu classics.

4. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEaGsdiA0y0

crouching-tiger-hidden-dragon-posterYun-Fat ChowMichelle YeohZiyi ZhangChen Chang and Pei-Pei Cheng all together in this exclusive kung fu drama.

Directed by master director Ang Lee, the film was a huge success – the first foreign language film to earn over $100 million in the United States.

A story of passion, love, revenge and much more – an unique action film without any real violence!

3. Hero (2002)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srFhXDZhUZI

hero-posterDirected by Yimou Zhang, who is also famous for House of Flying Daggers and Curse of the Golden Flower.

The most expensive Chinese movie till date, epic fight sequences and visually the most beautiful film ever made!

Jet Li at his best along with Tony Chiu Wai LeungMaggie Cheung Ziyi Zhang and Daoming Chen

2. Drunken Master (1978)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQMNllz6aE0

Drunken-Master-PosterThe film that kick-started Jackie Chan‘s career and also portrayed his unique ability to combine kung fu with comedy.

Drunken Fist Kung Fu is a particular style of fighting that is highlighted in this film.

Directed by Woo-Ping Yuen, this was a landmark film that paves the path for the infinite comic-action films to be made ever since. 

  1. Enter the Dragon (1973)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tB-QGOChuQc

enter-the-dragon-poster1Bruce Lee, the legend of martial arts, the man who made kung fu movies a world wide sensation – this was his last film shot before he passed away at a young age of 32.

Directed by Robert Clouse, the film was a sensation and a landmark in action genre.

The ‘Hall of Mirrors’ sequence, the cave fight were Lee beats 50 people at a go, and then the unique steel hands of the antagonist Han were some of the highlights of the film. This one is one of it’s kind and a must watch for everybody.

and (The ‘+1′ film is not necessarily the best but certainly the most innovative one. A must watch).

+1. Burning of the Red Lotus Monastery (1928)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=012M83Me6us

burning-red-lotus-posterThe film that successfully introduced martial arts in cinema – it runs for 27 hours and thus it’s the longest film ever produced!

It was split up and released as 18 features between 1928 and 1931, of which Burning of the Red Lotus Monastery is one.

Directed by Shichuan Zhang, this Chinese film is considered as a classic and rightly so.

Poster courtesy: www.impawards.comwww.topchinesemovies.comen.wikipedia.org.