Tag: action

That dog’s a real hero, you know that? “Top Dog” (1995)

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directed by Aaron Norris
© 1995 Live Entertainment. All Rights Reserved.

Chuck Norris didn’t die. He killed the life! An absolute icon of action films, known for being undestroyable. I’ve never been a big fan of action films, but I do believe Chuck Norris deserves to be appreciated for his work and that is why I’d like to dedicate this post to him. However, the film I’m recommending today is not that popular and also not of the best quality, but I thought I could show you Chuck in a different shade. I mean, maybe not entirely different, because he also plays a cop, Jake Wilder, but this time he has an unusual companion – Reno, a brave dog. At first, Jake isn’t thrilled about working with such a hairy guy on four paws, but Reno will soon prove his competences. So there’s a cop and a dog against neo-nazis. And I guess you know who wins this battle since it’s an action/comedy from the 90s. It’s not surprising or spectacular from the technical point of view, but I actually like Chuck Norris here. He seems… a bit more delicate than in his other roles. Maybe it’s because of the dog right beside him, but I kind of felt like watching a family film with several non-PG-13 scenes where men need to shoot each other. Except that – you may watch it with a hot cocoa and marshmallows. Of course, I have to praise the most outstanding performance by Reno, who was actually played by two dogs. Digby and Betty both created the character of a brave policedog and I hope they got a lot of high-quality snacks for that. Also, there’s a challenge for you – try to distinguish which scene is played by Digby, and which by Betty. If you succeed, please contact me – I’ll personally congratulate you. This film doesn’t have good ratings, but it is a cute element in Chuck’s cinema experience, so I’d like to share it with you. And I bet that heaven is now very well protected.

My rating: 5/10
S.

Permission to hug? “Zootopia 2” (2025)

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directed by Jared Bush & Byron Howard
© 2025 Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

As I promised, here’s my recommendation of “Zootopia 2”. If you haven’t seen the first film, you may check out my previous post and perhaps watch both parts together. Although, if you decide to see only the second film, you’ll still understand everything there, because the characters are introduced to us again and the story is not really connected to the previous one. But if you haven’t seen the first part, you may find my post a little spoiler, so just so you know. In this film, Judy and Nick (Ginnifer Goodwin & Jason Bateman) are work partners at the police department, but even though they managed to succeed last time, they are still very different from each other, which causes lots of problems. During one mission, Judy spots a shedded snake skin, which seems unreal, because there haven’t been any snakes in the city of Zootopia for years. However, the more they investigate the case, the more probable it becomes that there is, in fact, a snake somewhere here. Since they are considered a threat to the community, Judy and Nick must find it before anything bad happens. And soon, those two might realise that nothing is that obvious and simple… Intrigued? I hope so. What I definitely loved about this part is that it doesn’t stand out from the first one. If you watch them together, I bet you can’t really say they were made 10 years apart. The jokes are still there and I actually liked the main plot twist, because, again, the filmmakers take stereotypes and crush them into tiny pieces. I have to say I’m not a big fan of modern children’s animations, because they seem too complicated and, in fact, tiring to me. I get it, now, younger generations expect everything, everywhere, happening all at once. But it would be nice to see more animations like “Zootopia”, because there are still adults who like watching such films and we feel discriminated. On behalf of millenials, please, keep making such animations! Thank you in advance. Besides, in what other film you may watch a gazelle singing with the voice of Shakira? That’s a very unique experience.

My rating: 7/10
S.

What Do You Call A Three-Humped Camel? “Zootopia” (2016)

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directed by Byron Howard & Rich Moore
© 2016 Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

Recently, I’ve seen “Zootopia 2” and, while writing a post about, I realised that I haven’t recommended the first part on my blog. So today we’re moving back to 2016… wow. I can’t believe it’s been 10 years! It’s about time to create a post about it then. Some of you probably already know this animation, but for those who don’t, sit comfortably and enjoy the plot: Imagine a world without people. Awesome, right? Instead of them, we have animals, who can talk and do everything humans do. There, we meet Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin), a very ambitious little rabbit who wishes to move to the city of Zootopia and become the first ever bunny policeman. Or… police-bunny. I’m trying to be politically correct, ok? So, Judy is assigned to do rather basic boring stuff at work, but then things get complicated and she is given an urgent case to solve – but she must do it quickly. In order to succeed, she has to cooperate with Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman), a smart but rebellious fox. As we know, bunnies and foxes don’t really go together, but, surprisingly, those to make a great team. Will they manage to solve the case? It’s for you to see. Even though I was already an adult watching “Zootopia”, I enjoyed it very much. If you miss good old animations for children, then this one shouldn’t disappoint you. The characters are well-written, the plot is fun to follow and you may spot numerous jokes that are actually hilarious. Besides, I’m sure that you’ll love their sloth – because if you’ve ever been to any office, you’ll definitely have flashbacks. Fun fact, at first the filmmakers wanted to make Nick the main character, but then decided to switch roles with Judy, and I actually believe it was a great choice. Not only they created another inspiring female character (even if she’s not human), but also made Nick in the supporting role a more insteresting element of the whole story. Generally, the film is fast, entertaining and educational, so to me, it makes a very good animation. If you still haven’t seen “Zootopia”, it’s about time! Especially since I’ll be writing about the second part soon, so stay tuned.

My rating: 7/10
S.

Our lives are the sum of our choices. “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning” (2025)

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directed by Christopher McQuarrie
© 2025 Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

Am I the only one who feels the same way at the end of this year as Tom Cruise in that picture? Like… you’re helpless, there’s not much you can do, but you’re still hanging to that plane that is flying like crazy and there’s a big chance you’ll fall and crash your body in a hurtful way? Yep, that’s exactly what the end of 2025 feels like. It was definitely one of the worst for me and if 2026 has plans to be worse, I’ll gladly unsubscribe and get back to VHS kind of life. Do you even remember VHS? Or should I go dye my grey hair already? Anyway, the end of 2025 is also the end of Mission Impossible! Or is it? Well, it kind of gives the vibes of the final part, but you never know. And the ending says nothing specific, so I guess we will see. Anyway, this one is definitely not my favourite part of Mission Impossible, yet I couldn’t dislike it just like that – it’s Mission Impossible in the end. I adore this fast running Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise), the soundtrack, the special effects and Tom doing things I would never do unless you paid me as much as he earns. This film is the continuation of the story of “Dead Reckoning” and I guess it’s pointless to watch it without knowing the first part. I mean, the plot is already very complex, so at least watch the first one and have the idea who is whom. I have to say that I didn’t feel much engaged in the story itself and I believe “Dead Reckoning” was way better when it comes to the screenplay. However, it’s still thrilling, full of plot twists and action, so as a fan of Mission Impossible I wasn’t devastated – just slightly disappointed. I guess Tom focused too much on doing all the dangerous things to be remembered as the guy with huge cojones. Burning parachuting, diving, flying “off” the plane… I mean, yes, Tom, you are damn brave and I’m not even joking about it. Standing ovation for you there. But I wish they polished the screenplay a bit more so the film could be remembered also for the plot. But hey, isn’t it the best kind of film to end 2025 with? Full of plot twists, random dangerous actions and with a poor story to remember. Perfection if you ask me. Let’s hope 2026 will be more generous and we will finish it with a relaxing comedy. Or at least a documentary about koalas. Pretty please.

My rating: 6/10
S.

Is this what the end of the world feels like? “Sirāt” (2025)

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directed by Óliver Laxe
© 2025 BTeam Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

When I heard of this film, I was sure it’s a family drama that may turn into a crime story or thriller. Obviously, I hadn’t seen any trailer (as always), so I entered the world of “Sirāt” totally unaware. Would I watch it again? No. But am I glad I had a chance to experience it? Definitely yes. At the beginning, we get to know Luis (Sergi López), a father of two. His older daughter has disappeared and the man cannot contact her anyhow. That is why he decides to travel to Morocco with his younger child Esteban (Bruno Núñez Arjona) and search for the missing girl. They meet people raving and enjoying electronic music there, and at some point Luis is told about another big raving party in a dessert, where he might actually find his daughter. Even though the journey to that dessert is difficult, the man and the boy are determined to give it a try. They join a group of ravers and hope for a happy ending. Will it be happy? It’s for you to see. I have to say I was reflecting on this film for a long time. The story itself isn’t anyhow complicated, but the hidden messages are quite hard to understand. At least while watching. I needed to think about it all for a day or two to create my own interpretation. There won’t be any spoilers here, at least not any significant ones: I’m mostly focused on the differences between Luis and the ravers. The man is terrified and hopeful to find his missing child, and he doesn’t agree to accept she might not want to be found or she might not be with us anymore. He wants to achieve his goal and nothing can stop him. The ravers, however, adapt to life in their own way – they might not be achieving their goals, but they focus on themselves and the present. Seems like a great way to live, right? Well, while watching the film I felt the director shows us those two opposite approaches to life in order to make us come to a conclusion that perhaps it’s good to compromise. Maybe something in the middle of the scale is the right choice. If I could say what this film is about in one word, to me it’s about balance. We need balance in our lives not to lose ourselves and cross the line, even unconsciously. But I was reading some reviews of this story and I feel like each person has a different reflection, which is amazing. It means this film is of good quality and different people might find something for themselves there. I encourage you to check it out as well.

My rating: 7/10
S.

No pain, no gain. “Novocaine” (2025)

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directed by Dan Berk & Robert Olsen
© 2025 Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

Hell yeah! That’s what’s I’m talking about! A superhero who flies? Boring. A superhero that is very fast? Lame! A superhero that’s huge and green? Cute, but nah. Let’s take a random guy with a rare disorder who makes use of it to save the love of his life. Yay! Welcome to “Novocaine”. We get to meet Nathan (Jack Quaid), who used to be called “Novocaine” when we went to school. Why? Because he cannot feel pain. At all. And in case you didn’t know, novocaine is the drug that doctors use to make you stay still during the procedure. Sounds fun not to feel any pain, right? Well, not really. It can also be dangerous, so Nathan has to be very careful and because of that his life has always been quite boring. Getting out of your comfort zone and trying something new seems like a chance to hurt yourself without noticing it. However, there’s a person who changes his way of thinking – Sherry (Amber Midthunder), a colleague working at the same bank. Those two have a great chemistry between each other, but they need to learn to be together – because he’s a very reserved introvert, and she’s a yolo extrovert. Unfortunately, one day their bank is robbed and Sherry is kidnapped by the criminals. At this moment, Nathan stops worring about himself and decides to save his girlfriend. And his annoying disorder may actually become quite useful. I had so much fun watching this film! We really needed such superhero, because those old ones are way too copy-paste, aren’t they? Nathan is adorably clumsy, yet clever and dedicated. That’s a character you simply cannot dislike. The story is simple, but the lines – hilarious! I don’t remember when was the last time I felt so hyped watching an action film. Even though I know sequels are usually worse than originals, I really hope for another part about Novocaine. No more to say – it’s probably the best action film made this year.

My rating: 8/10
S.

Revenge has never been sweeter. “Thelma” (2024)

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directed by Josh Margolin
© 2024 Magnolia Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

Don’t mess with grandmas! I mean it. They won’t only feed you till you can’t move – they can also fight criminals like pros! If you’re in need of good vibes, this comedy is definitely for you. We get to know Thelma (June Squibb), who’s a 93-year-old woman living alone and enjoying her retirement. She has a loving grandson, Danny (Fred Hechinger), who’s overly protective and always makes sure his grandma is fine. One day, Thelma answers a phone from Danny who says that he’s arrested and the woman has to send $10 000 to a certain adress to let him free. The woman panics and does it, but soon after she finds out that the caller wasn’t her Danny and she’s got scammed. Thelma is furious about the situation and asks the police for help, but they don’t even bother. And when people don’t seem to care, what do we do? Yes, baby, we do it ourselves! The brave granny decides to find the scammer’s address and visit them in order to get her money back. But how will an elderly lady like her actually manage to fight a criminal? Oh, you’d be surprised… I absolutely loved this comedy and the story about Thelma, because it gives positive vibes and shows how much power elderly people still have. We often see grandmas and grandads being pushed away from our everyday life as if they weren’t able to join us in numerous activities. Well, if you ask them to run a marathon, they may rather refuse, but so would I and I’m much younger. However, they deserve to be seen and included. And they have the right to catch the scammer that fooled them. As I said, I had a lot of fun watching this film, but I also find it important when it comes to picturing seniors nowadays. I wish for more productions like this one, so please – feel free to tell stories of brave and crazy grandparents who break the boring stereotypes! Cheers to Thelma and all the unstoppable seniors!

My rating: 7/10
S.

Like I’m born to be. “KPop Demon Hunters” (2025)

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directed by Maggie Kang & Chris Appelhans
© 2025 Netflix. All Rights Reserved.

I was avoiding this film for so long, but one day I gave up. It’s because I was too tired of everyone talking about it and playing its songs over and over. Kpop is not what I listen to and anime is difficult for me to watch (forgive me anime fans!), because everything’s too exaggerated for my European eyes. And how surprised I was when a film that was supposed to be just a background noise turned out to be one of the best animations I’ve seen in years. Yeah, I’m still shocked myself, but I’m more than happy to recommend it to you if you still haven’t seen it. We get to know a female Kpop band named Huntr/x – Rumi, Mira and Zoey (Arden Cho, May Hong & Ji-young Yoo). They are not only the most famous music trio with lots of fans, but also demon hunters. You see, in this world, demons steal humans’ souls and give them to their ruler Gwi-Ma. That is why we need such hunters like the girls to stop them and keep people safe. Everything goes well until a new band shows up – the Saja Boys, with their leader Jinu (Ahn Hyo-seop) – and their song “Soda Pop” becomes an absolute hit. At first, Huntr/x believe it’s going to be just a music bands battle, but it turns out the Saja Boys are undercover demons, who want to manipulate people using their popularity. The girls obviously cannot let it happen and they begin preparing an even bigger performance to win with the demon band. In the meantime, Rumi and Jinu start talking to each other in private and it seems like they have more in common than you could imagine. If you’re a grumpy adult (like me) who says “such animations are not for me”, then take a deep breath and play it. And I’m pretty sure you won’t be disappointed. First of all, I loved the animation style and how dynamic it was, yet not annoying like most anime productions I’ve seen. Second of all, the girls reminded me of “Totally Spies!”, a cartoon I used to watch as a child. Back then, it was a true hit and the girls had a similar energy to Huntr/x, which made me feel a bit nostalgic. Third of all, the songs are very catchy and impressive! For example “Golden” has become a true challenge for singers, because you need to be horribly talented to hit the right notes. I was vibing a lot while watching and I still listen to the soundtrack now. And last but not least, the messages coming with this film. I’m moved because to me this film is about acceptance. The girls are fighting some cartoon demons, but in fact, it’s just a metaphor of fighting our real demons, which “steal our souls”. They make us believe we’re not enough, we are not meant to succeed, we should hide our true self. Even though the main character here is Rumi and we get to learn about her personal issues, the two other members are dealing with their own demons too. And if thanks to this animation some children and teenagers change the way they see themselves for better, I couldn’t be happier. We really need such films. Especially younger generations do. So I’m crossing my fingers for sequels and I hope the meaningful messages keep reaching those who need them.

My rating: 8/10
S.

You never know when… “Final Destination Bloodlines” (2025)

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directed by Zach Lipovsky & Adam Stein
© 2025 Warner Bros. Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

Here we are. After a long trauma journey we finally reach the end. I mean, almost the end, because we already know that they’re planning another part… oh boy, I’m wondering how many more characters have to die so we could get the idea – Death always wins. Anyway, what’s going on in this part? We follow Iris (Brec Bassinger) and her husband attending the opening of the Sky View in 1969. It’s a fancy restaurant in a high tower, so you can see a nice view while eating your overpriced meal. During the event, Iris has a premonition that the tower is going to burn and kill everyone in it. However, this time the protagonist actually manages to save everyone, which makes a whole bunch of of people join the “dying team”. What next? We move 55 years later, where we meet Stefani (Kaitlyn Santa Juana), a granddaughter of Iris. So the woman not only survived that accident, but also had children who had children. You know what that means? No? Well, the only reason those guys are safe is because Iris is still alive. Stefani decides to meet with her grandma Iris (Gabrielle Rose) and learn about her story. The old woman tells the truth, but her granddaughter doesn’t believe her until Iris lets the Death kill her in front of Stefani. From that moment, the girl has to protect her family and make sure they stay safe. When it comes to the general idea, I actually appreciate it. Although it’s quite amazing to see Iris win with Death for 55 years while other characters die within days. But hey, it’s fiction, right? However, I think the film could have been more horrorish than comedic. I don’t know, but to me this newest part looks a bit like a parody of the whole series. Still, I appreciate the effort and bringing the story back in 2025. It was actually adorable to see William Bludworth (Tony Todd), the coroner known from every part of the film. He returns in this newest film and we learn about his past, which was a clever idea – I give a thumb up for that. So generally, I praise the idea, but not really the form. Yet, I’m glad we had a chance to remind ourselves about the series and traumatise new generations. Enjoy, kiddos! Thanks to this part, we might avoid any towers, weather vanes, vending machines, MRI machines, garbage trucks, lawnmowers and, which is actually a great joke made by the filmmakers, logs. Final Destination crews must hate tress, I swear… Anyway, that’s it folks! We’ve survived 6 films full of drastic scenes, creepy accidents and mysterious consequences. I really hope that you won’t forget about the series and may Death keep playing with us. Also, let’s cross our fingers for the 7th film not to ruin everything.

My rating: 6/10
S.

Death doesn’t like to be cheated. “Final Destination 5” (2011)

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directed by Steven Quale
© 2011 Warner Bros. Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

There’s a rule that the first film of a series is almost always the best, and sequels can be either okay or pointless. What if I tell you that the 5th part of Final Destination series is my favourite? Surprise surprise. How is that possible? Well, there are several reasons. The plot doesn’t seem to be anything new – again, we have a protagonist who has a premonition. This time it’s Sam (Nicholas D’Agosto) going on some company retreat with other colleagues. They’re about to cross a bridge and, as you might be guessing, the bridge is going to collapse. Sam survives and like every other protagonist tries to guess the order and save as many people as it’s possible, including himself. Doesn’t sound anyhow spectacular, does it? So why do I like the 5th film the most? First, it’s made in a similar way to the first film. If you watch all the parts one after the other, you may notice how the first film is much darker and mysterious, while next ones look like typical action productions. And in the 5th part they get back to the horrorish aesthetics, which I personally appreciate a lot. Second, this is the only film of the series during which I have to skip one death sequence. And that sequence is the eye surgery. I’m horribly sensitive when it comes to eyes and after watching this film I’ve gained a new trauma. Now I’m always anxious when I have to have my eyes checked… From the personal point of view, that’s a nightmare. From the horror filmmaker’s point of view, I’d say “great job”. And third… if you haven’t seen this part, please, I’m begging you not to read the rest of the post. Begging you! Because I’m about to discuss the ending and it’s an absolute cherry on top, so I don’t want you to miss the experience. So, SPOILERS are coming and please, read it only if you’ve seen the film. My third reason to love this part the most is the ending, which beautifully connects to the first film. I wasn’t expecting that at all, so it was a huge surprise and I simply love such. To me, the 5th film could have been the perfect ending of the series and I wouldn’t complain at all. It was the newest part, but also a prequel, so it made a perfect point about this whole game: Death will continuously win with us and it cannot be tricked. But… as you can see, 14 years later we get another part. One the one hand I was shocked and happy because I like this series very much, but on the other… could they make anything better than the 5th film? Well, my answer to that will be in the next post. In the meantime, let’s thank the 5th part for traumatising us about crossing bridges, visiting eye doctors, going to spas, using meat spits and, finally, reminding us about not flying. Anywhere, ever.

My rating: 9/10
S.