Languish.org

A celebration of Bruce Willis' career, the common-man action star, who also managed to make many interesting films on the side of his well-known actioners. What's your favorite film of his? Looking back at the body of his career, he had a hell of a run.

Since nearly everybody is going to vote Die Hard, I allowed 2 votes per user, to get some diversity.

For me it's Die Hard + Pulp Fiction. I also love Looper, one of the few last films that felt like blew up my brain. I used to be a huge fan of both Sixth Sense/Unbreakable, but I sort of feel they haven't aged that well (they're still outstanding films).

Pulp Fiction is obviously great but  Bruce Willis' story is the weakest thread there.

Went 12 Monkeys. For it is awesome. 5th Element is also something special though.

Voted Fifth Element over Pulp Fiction because I don't see Pulp Fiction as "his movie."  It's Samuel L. Jackson's movie.

Woops, clicked Pulp Fiction by accident.  :hide:

I checked his IMDB page to refresh my memory. Jesus Christ he hasn't done many memorable movies.

I despise 5th element. French people should not be allowed to direct sci-fi. Just look at Alien 4 FFS.

Quote from: Tamas on March 31, 2022, 03:39:33 AMI despise 5th element.

 :wacko:

5th Element is awesome campy fun.

I remember loving The Big Blue, but I don't know what I'd think if I watched it today. Generally I'm not a huge Luc Besson fan. His movies often have something good in them, but are flawed.

Anyway, I went with the predictable options and picked Die Hard and Pulp Fiction, his most iconic role and his best movie.

Other movies I could have been tempted to vote for in the poll were the 3rd Die Hard, which is IMO extremely good (but the McLane vote has to go for the 1st one), 6th Sense for a much more understated performance in which he gets to surprise us all, 5th Element (as previously mentioned, awesomely campy fun) or Moonrise Kingdom (loved his role as a bit of a parody of his action film persona, with a surprisingly soft side).

I'd have included Death Becomes Her in the poll as well, for a show of his comedy chops. The Whole Nine Yards is also quite fun, but not that much.

I shall show my lack of taste by voting for "Red" as the second choice on the poll after "Die Hard".

Other choice from the list might have been 12 Monkeys but its been a long time since I've seen it.

12 Monkeys and Fifth Element. Two of my favourite films.

And Tamas is a philistine :P

Die Hard and Fifth Element. Well, maybe not best, but definitely favorite in case of 5E. Not sure how much acting was involved in that, or if Willis just ran with his normal persona reacting to the ridiculousness of the movie. :D

Quote from: Tamas on March 31, 2022, 03:39:33 AMI despise 5th element.

Why do you hate fun?

Die Hard and 5th Element, yup.  Those movies wouldn't have been as good as they were without him.

Quote from: Syt on March 31, 2022, 06:56:11 AM

Quote from: Tamas on March 31, 2022, 03:39:33 AMI despise 5th element.

Why do you hate fun?

I used to really like it, but the last time I caught it on TV, it tired me. If going with first impressions then yeah I loved it.

That's fair, tastes change.

No love for Looper????

Moonlighting of course.

Quote from: Berkut on March 31, 2022, 08:49:43 AMNo love for Looper????

It says "favorite" movies and you can only pick two. If you can pick Looper over all but one of the others listed, then something may be wrong with you.

Yeah, Looper would've been my third choice.

Unbreakable and Fifth Element for me. As others have said, I don't consider Pulp Fiction to be a "Bruce Willis" movie. I had a hard time not picking Die Hard.

The thing with Pulp Fiction, while it is not a "Bruce Willis" movie, it is hard to imagine a better casting for his role than him.

Quote from: celedhring on March 31, 2022, 02:26:05 AMA celebration of Bruce Willis' career, the common-man action star, who also managed to make many interesting films on the side of his well-known actioners. What's your favorite film of his? Looking back at the body of his career, he had a hell of a run.

Since nearly everybody is going to vote Die Hard, I allowed 2 votes per user, to get some diversity.

For me it's Die Hard + Pulp Fiction. I also love Looper, one of the few last films that felt like blew up my brain. I used to be a huge fan of both Sixth Sense/Unbreakable, but I sort of feel they haven't aged that well (they're still outstanding films).

Die Hard and Fifth Element.

Pulp Fiction is excellent, but I would not rate Willis as the lead, more like a lead, among others.

Quote from: FunkMonk on March 31, 2022, 08:33:24 AMDie Hard and 5th Element, yup.  Those movies wouldn't have been as good as they were without him.

OK, so using the metric of a movie that would have simply been a different movie without him, I would have to go with Die Hard.

My problem is that I just don't think Die Hard is nearly as great a movie as everyone else does. Probably because I just don't love that genre all that much as most people do....

I don't get the love for Die Hard.

I mean - it's a fine movie.  I'll certainly watch it if it's on.  But I don't get how it's any better than any of a bunch of 80s action movies.

I agree with the sentiment that Pulp Fiction is a great movie, but not really a Bruce Willis movie.

I apparently need to see Looper.  Actually given how I man-crush on Rian Johnson I really do need to see it.  But I haven't so I can't rank it.

I think that leaves me with Sixth Sense and 5th Element.  Which are both great movies.

I think it's that Die Hard is seen as the exemplar of the whole genre.

Quote from: Jacob on March 31, 2022, 11:47:32 AMI think it's that Die Hard is seen as the exemplar of the whole genre.

Yeah I think it's kind of an epochal film. Maybe there were bigger trends in place and there were other productions doing this, but I think it pivots the entire genre.

But to me it marks the shift from the 80s action (with a literal killing machine, Rambo, special forces guys etc) into 90s which is either those guys but retired or more normal people like cops or normal, non-special soldiers - plus a different style of wise-cracking (less Roger Moore with an Austrian accent, more Will Smith in Bad Boys). And I think a lot of that rests on Willis' performance.

Yeah, Die Hard is comfortably a top 5 Hollywood action film of all time (imho) and it set the framework of the genre for the 1990s and 2000s. It was incredibly influential, there was a time when people would pitch action films to studios as "Die Hard, but in [insert location]". And a lot of that rests on Willis' portrayal as McLane.

Die Hard being so good also has a lot to do with director Mc Tiernan, then at the top of his game.

Renny Harlin directed a good sequel and probably the best movie of his career.

After the sequel directed by Mc Tiernan, this movie series became irrelevant.

Quote from: celedhring on March 31, 2022, 12:12:47 PMYeah, Die Hard is comfortably a top 5 Hollywood action film of all time (imho) and it set the framework of the genre for the 1990s and 2000s. It was incredibly influential, there was a time when people would pitch action films to studios as "Die Hard, but in [insert location]". And a lot of that rests on Willis' portrayal as McLane.

I think that is fair - my beef with it is that I just don't think the "Hollywood action film" is generally nearly as AWESOMESAUCE as most people. 

I am probably just weird, because I don't get the love affair with super hero movies either.

I mean....as a genre, they are all utterly predictable and without any emotional weight at all. 

Quote from: Duque de Bragança on March 31, 2022, 12:28:12 PMDie Hard being so good also has a lot to do with director Mc Tiernan, then at the top of his game.

I actually think the best thing about Die Hard was Alan Rickman.

Die Hard is a bit different though.  It isn't just an action movie - it had an off beat wise cracking hero, which was ground breaking.  It had a sophisticated bad guy played by Alan Rickman (that alone sets this movie apart).  And then there were the action scenes.  Most movies that followed just had the action scenes with filler dialogue.

edit: you just beat me to it.

Quote from: Berkut on March 31, 2022, 12:32:04 PMI am probably just weird, because I don't get the love affair with super hero movies either.

I mean....as a genre, they are all utterly predictable and without any emotional weight at all.

The hill I will die on is that this is because no-one's shagging.

It's very weird that the big genre has basically no love interest/romance storylines whatsover. But this may be because I grew up in the 90s when there was a lot - whether it was action movies always having a love interest, or the assortment of mid-budget thrillers that will probably only live on streamers now - all the erotic thrillers, political thrillers, John Grisham adaptations etc.

And maybe mainstream cinema was over-sexed but I find it really strange how chaste most big films are now.

Die Hard is a drama about a man trying to patch things up with his estranged wife interrupted by an action movie.

Quote from: Sheilbh on March 31, 2022, 12:43:53 PM

Quote from: Berkut on March 31, 2022, 12:32:04 PMI am probably just weird, because I don't get the love affair with super hero movies either.

I mean....as a genre, they are all utterly predictable and without any emotional weight at all.

The hill I will die on is that this is because no-one's shagging.

It's very weird that the big genre has basically no love interest/romance storylines whatsover. But this may be because I grew up in the 90s when there was a lot - whether it was action movies always having a love interest, or the assortment of mid-budget thrillers that will probably only live on streamers now - all the erotic thrillers, political thrillers, John Grisham adaptations etc.

And maybe mainstream cinema was over-sexed but I find it really strange how chaste most big films are now.

That was way too common yeah and annoyed me to no end. There always had to be a love interest no matter how irrelevant or unfitting it was to the plot.

"Welcome to our submarine Dr Genericberg. We are all set for our voyage to restart the earth's core. As you can see we are a professional navy crew of all men. And then there's Carol, the civilian journalist observer, who will be getting to know you intimitely."

Quote from: Sheilbh on March 31, 2022, 12:43:53 PM

Quote from: Berkut on March 31, 2022, 12:32:04 PMI am probably just weird, because I don't get the love affair with super hero movies either.

I mean....as a genre, they are all utterly predictable and without any emotional weight at all.

The hill I will die on is that this is because no-one's shagging.

It's very weird that the big genre has basically no love interest/romance storylines whatsover. But this may be because I grew up in the 90s when there was a lot - whether it was action movies always having a love interest, or the assortment of mid-budget thrillers that will probably only live on streamers now - all the erotic thrillers, political thrillers, John Grisham adaptations etc.

And maybe mainstream cinema was over-sexed but I find it really strange how chaste most big films are now.

Agreed and even more annoyingly it seems like they like to tease or have one character really into another one but it never goes anywhere. It's really boring.

I mean it is one thing to shoehorn it into a film where it doesn't belong and we don't need it in every film, but come on man. Romance is a big part of entertainment and it seems to be kind of gone now unless you enjoy Hallmark channel films or something.

I voted Die Hard and 12 Monkeys, but now I want to change my vote to 5th Element.

Quote from: Sheilbh on March 31, 2022, 12:43:53 PM

Quote from: Berkut on March 31, 2022, 12:32:04 PMI am probably just weird, because I don't get the love affair with super hero movies either.

I mean....as a genre, they are all utterly predictable and without any emotional weight at all.

The hill I will die on is that this is because no-one's shagging.

It's very weird that the big genre has basically no love interest/romance storylines whatsover. But this may be because I grew up in the 90s when there was a lot - whether it was action movies always having a love interest, or the assortment of mid-budget thrillers that will probably only live on streamers now - all the erotic thrillers, political thrillers, John Grisham adaptations etc.

And maybe mainstream cinema was over-sexed but I find it really strange how chaste most big films are now.

The rise of internet porn killed off interest in erotic scenes on the big screen.

I'm pleased by the lack of votes for Moonrise Kingdom  :P

(yes, one con argue he's a minor part of the film, but I just can't stand Wes Anderson films).

 :huh: Even Rushmore?

Quote from: celedhring on April 01, 2022, 01:49:07 AMI'm pleased by the lack of votes for Moonrise Kingdom  :P

(yes, one con argue he's a minor part of the film, but I just can't stand Wes Anderson films).

Boooooh!  :mad:

Moonrise Kingdom is a lovely film.

Quote from: Admiral Yi on April 01, 2022, 01:55:08 AM:huh: Even Rushmore?

Rushmore was ok, heck, I liked him a lot went he first broke through. My dislike of him is more a reverse acquired taste, so to speak, I feel he's always making iterations of the same movie and I ended being fed up. Father issues! Precocious girls! Vintage aesthetics! Frontal shots!

Quote from: Valmy on March 31, 2022, 08:07:20 PM

Quote from: Sheilbh on March 31, 2022, 12:43:53 PM

Quote from: Berkut on March 31, 2022, 12:32:04 PMI am probably just weird, because I don't get the love affair with super hero movies either.

I mean....as a genre, they are all utterly predictable and without any emotional weight at all.

The hill I will die on is that this is because no-one's shagging.

It's very weird that the big genre has basically no love interest/romance storylines whatsover. But this may be because I grew up in the 90s when there was a lot - whether it was action movies always having a love interest, or the assortment of mid-budget thrillers that will probably only live on streamers now - all the erotic thrillers, political thrillers, John Grisham adaptations etc.

And maybe mainstream cinema was over-sexed but I find it really strange how chaste most big films are now.

Agreed and even more annoyingly it seems like they like to tease or have one character really into another one but it never goes anywhere. It's really boring.

I mean it is one thing to shoehorn it into a film where it doesn't belong and we don't need it in every film, but come on man. Romance is a big part of entertainment and it seems to be kind of gone now unless you enjoy Hallmark channel films or something.

Counterpoint the 'will they/won't they, oh they will' is a bit tedious (though more so in TV) and sex scenes are generally a waste of time.

There has certainly be an abundance of movies in the past where female characters' primary function was to add eye candy and/or be the prescribed love interest and/or function as damsel in distress to motivate the main character's actions. Maybe there's been an overcorrection in mainstream movies, but I find it rather refreshing when sexually compatible characters aren't thrown into a relationship all the time and can rather stand as fleshed out characters on their own. The first and foremost question should always be: "Does this relationship add anything tangible to the narrative?" Same goes for sex scenes. Putting them in for the sake of it and not for a narrative purpose brings the forward drive of the story to a grinding (hah!) halt. I can appreciate the aesthetics of such scenes, but there are other venues to scratch that itch.

No mention of Hudson Hawke?  :huh:

My vote:  Moonlighting

Quote from: Syt on April 01, 2022, 03:11:34 AMThere has certainly be an abundance of movies in the past where female characters' primary function was to add eye candy and/or be the prescribed love interest and/or function as damsel in distress to motivate the main character's actions. Maybe there's been an overcorrection in mainstream movies, but I find it rather refreshing when sexually compatible characters aren't thrown into a relationship all the time and can rather stand as fleshed out characters on their own. The first and foremost question should always be: "Does this relationship add anything tangible to the narrative?" Same goes for sex scenes. Putting them in for the sake of it and not for a narrative purpose brings the forward drive of the story to a grinding (hah!) halt. I can appreciate the aesthetics of such scenes, but there are other venues to scratch that itch.

Well I agree we don't need bad romances. It just feels weird when there often isn't one, especially as often they will insert a lot of tension between two characters and just have it not pay off.

Quote from: garbon on April 01, 2022, 02:53:14 AMCounterpoint the 'will they/won't they, oh they will' is a bit tedious (though more so in TV)

True. Though counterpoint people in this thread are saying they loved moonlighting :P

Quoteand sex scenes are generally a waste of time.

Maybe, but it is not like mainstream movies had those anyway. But hey they are fun. Most of those big CGI action fights are a waste of time as well.

Romance plots in blockbusters felt so tacked on... can't say I miss them.

I'd say the lack of emotional stakes in blockbusters is a feature, not a bug. They are meant to be easily consumable.

You have to have some sort of love interest in male fantasy action adventure movies like Bond.

Quote from: Admiral Yi on April 02, 2022, 02:39:06 AMYou have to have some sort of love sex interest in male fantasy action adventure movies like Bond.

Fixed.  :P

Quote from: Sheilbh on March 31, 2022, 12:43:53 PM

Quote from: Berkut on March 31, 2022, 12:32:04 PMI am probably just weird, because I don't get the love affair with super hero movies either.

I mean....as a genre, they are all utterly predictable and without any emotional weight at all.

The hill I will die on is that this is because no-one's shagging.

It's very weird that the big genre has basically no love interest/romance storylines whatsover. But this may be because I grew up in the 90s when there was a lot - whether it was action movies always having a love interest, or the assortment of mid-budget thrillers that will probably only live on streamers now - all the erotic thrillers, political thrillers, John Grisham adaptations etc.

And maybe mainstream cinema was over-sexed but I find it really strange how chaste most big films are now.

I'm not a big fan of superhero movies, but even to my fairly superficial understanding, don't superhero movies also on occasion have romance elements? I mean, Spider-Man has Mary Jane, Superman has Louis Lane ... do these no longer happen in the movies?

Quote from: Malthus on April 03, 2022, 02:49:32 PMI'm not a big fan of superhero movies, but even to my fairly superficial understanding, don't superhero movies also on occasion have romance elements? I mean, Spider-Man has Mary Jane, Superman has Louis Lane ... do these no longer happen in the movies?

I've not watched any of the recent Superman films because they all look awful and I hate Zack Snyder films :blush:

True on Spiderman - although it is very chaste, but that's appropriate for a teen romance. But I think that's just another way that Spiderman is the most relateable of the big comic book characters.

I think the hint of libido in the latest Batman film is part of why I liked it. But I can't think of anything in the Marvel movies. It seems weird to me - although as I say I grew up in the 90s which I think was possibly the most over-sexed decade of mainstream big films, so maybe that just warped me :lol: :ph34r:

Quote from: Malthus on April 03, 2022, 02:49:32 PM

Quote from: Sheilbh on March 31, 2022, 12:43:53 PM

Quote from: Berkut on March 31, 2022, 12:32:04 PMI am probably just weird, because I don't get the love affair with super hero movies either.

I mean....as a genre, they are all utterly predictable and without any emotional weight at all.

The hill I will die on is that this is because no-one's shagging.

It's very weird that the big genre has basically no love interest/romance storylines whatsover. But this may be because I grew up in the 90s when there was a lot - whether it was action movies always having a love interest, or the assortment of mid-budget thrillers that will probably only live on streamers now - all the erotic thrillers, political thrillers, John Grisham adaptations etc.

And maybe mainstream cinema was over-sexed but I find it really strange how chaste most big films are now.

I'm not a big fan of superhero movies, but even to my fairly superficial understanding, don't superhero movies also on occasion have romance elements? I mean, Spider-Man has Mary Jane, Superman has Louis Lane ... do these no longer happen in the movies?

They are there, but they're definitely way less prevalent than they were in prior decades. I think it's more a Marvel thing, though - but Marvel dominates so much that it kinda paints everything. I'd say the exception are the Spidey movies, but Zendaya is a big star nowadays and you kinda have to feature her prominently. But Thor*, Cap, Iron Man, etc... all had their romance plots fall to the wayside and now it's all about companionship and stuff. I suppose some bored critic will eventually come up with a brainy cultural essay about it.

*They are bringing Natalie Portman back for the next one, but they had pretty much ignored her after the first film and instead made it all about the relationship with his brother.

Characters in the MCU are by and large sexless Ken/Barbie dolls. As somebody said about those movies, "everybody is hot but nobody is fucking".

Quote from: The Larch on April 03, 2022, 07:19:40 PMCharacters in the MCU are by and large sexless Ken/Barbie dolls. As somebody said about those movies, "everybody is hot but nobody is fucking".

Wanda has (had) a sentient sex toy.

Quote from: PRC on April 03, 2022, 10:49:52 PM

Quote from: The Larch on April 03, 2022, 07:19:40 PMCharacters in the MCU are by and large sexless Ken/Barbie dolls. As somebody said about those movies, "everybody is hot but nobody is fucking".

Wanda has (had) a sentient sex toy.

That's a mean way to talk about Vision.  :P