Tag: Danny Trejo

BAD ASS (2012)

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Directed By: Craig Moss

Written By: Craig Moss and Elliot Tishman

Cinematography: John Barry

Editor: Jim Flynn 

Cast: Danny Trejo, Harrison Page, Patrick Fabian, Ron Perlman, Charles S. Dutton, Joyful Drake, Chris Spencer, Craig Sheffer, Richard Riehle, Winter Ave Zoli

A Vietnam veteran who becomes a local hero after saving a man from attackers on a city bus decides to take action when his best friend is murdered and the police show little interest in solving the crime.

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will be the first to admit this film and it’s sequels for the most part are guilty pleasures there bee movies, but they have a lot of heart and truly seem to want to give the audience entertainment as they respect them.

this film is a fun takeoff of the viral video of an elderly senior citizen, who gets tired of a bunch of young punks, harassing others and ends up in self-defense beating them up 

How this film begins truly showing the origins of the lead character and shows us his strength and attitude as well as getting a community behind him

So that when the main storyline starts, we already know what he is capable of as he tries to figure out an avenge the murder of his best friend in the investigation taps into a conspiracy 

This film rely heavily on comedy but definitely has plenty of action in a while not the greatest of Scripps or believability or direction. This film does have its charms and it seems to have a lot of heart, especially in the right place and wants to please fans not only the genre, but the type of film that it is. 

As this is the type that would definitely go straight to home video back in the day now it would be straight to streaming and plays off like a bee movie with big names to get funding and have an audience and least this film earnest and provides the chance to play a leading role Which passes amicably

Again the film has a recognizable supporting cast who seemed to be here more in cameos, but by the end, you just can’t help, but like the film, despite its weaknesses as it’s just a fun movie, even when it takes itself serious, it manages to be entertaining and fun.

As long as you go in knowing it’s a no-brainer and just seeking entertainment and fun I think you’ll enjoy this film that surprises you a bit with it’s resourcefulness and lives up to its title kind of vigilante revenge film. While also filling in the boxes of an action film, even having a light romance by the end.

Essentially gaining all the things that he always wanted, but was never granted.

Grade: C+

BAD ASS 2: BAD ASSES

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Written & Directed By: Craig Moss

Cinematography: Paul Marschall 

Editor: Clark Burnett 

Cast: Danny Trejo, Danny Glover, Patrick Fabian, Andrew Divoff, Ignacio Serricchio, Jaqueline Obradors, Jonathan Lipnicki, Sarah Dumont, Loni Love, Charlie Carver, Dante Basco

Frank Vega teams up with grumpy old agoraphobic Bernie Pope to kick ass and clean up the streets of L.A.

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Like most sequels this is pretty much more of the same only bigger and unfortunately batter in terms of quality as even though it seems to have taken its time this film feels rushed, and if the original was a revenge tale vigilante this one is the same now it’s also a comedy as bad ass has a partner who is slowly dying who seems to join him only for that reason.

Similarly, these films when they have sequels also get a bit dumber so this one is a little more flashier than the first film as expected definitely has more guns.

This one is definitely more comedic and has a slightly bigger budget as the villain poses more of a threat, and uses kind of the same excuse to get away with his crimes as in lethal weapon to the infamous diplomatic immunity clause 

As in the first film, he fought against a corrupt government in street gang now bad ass find himself going up against pretty much a whole cartel and it’s leader who is a international politician again police or any authorities hands are tied so it’s up to him and his partner this time played by Danny Glover 

Who is a ladies man which leads to some hilarious scenes as again this film seems more camping played for laughs than the first time. It’s still a fun ride, but it definitely starts to stretch the plausibility faster like most seems to partially throw away the events of part one to a certain extent , so that it fits more into a different narrative that allows for again him losing someone close who was like a son and setting up a side romance story for him

The villains are still over the top and ridiculous though a little higher echelon as far as the budget is concerned with Andrew Divoff playing the villain who seems like a more polished version of the same villain he played in A LOW DOWN DIRTY SHAME.

One of the aspects of these films that I think has audiences keep coming back is seeing more of an adult action hero, who isn’t necessarily invincible, but for the films purpose seems near invincible and using their smart and experience to win and figure things out as well as being budgeted so there’s no Too much over the top action sequences that make no sense and the film firmly planted tongue in cheek

As well as the lead characters really have nothing to lose, which is why they seem to be going out and willing to risk it. All it is a bee movie franchise is that is worth watching and checking in with each gets more ridiculous because there is another sequel to this film.

It’s nice to see characters who are used to playing supporting roles kind of get their day in the sun to play more leads and carrying over from the first film. It seems like this film also has an unnecessary. at least one unnecessary. 

That house these films is that the actors seem to at least be having fun which is infectious for the audience because they intern feel like the film is fun

If you are a fan of the first film. You should enjoy the sequel.

Grade: C

DORA AND THE LOST CITY OF GOLD (2019)

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 Directed By: James Bobin
Written By: Nicholas Stoller & Matthew Robinson
Story by: Tom Wheeler & Nicholas Stoller
Based on the television series “DORA THE EXPLORER” Created by:  Valerie Walsh, Chris Gifford & Eric Weiner
Cinematography: Javier Aguirresarobe
Editor: Mark Everson

Cast: Isabelle Moner, Eva Longoria, Michael Pena, Adriana Barraza, Eugenio Derbez, Benicio Del Toro (voice), Danny Trejo (voice), Temuera Morrison, Q’orianka Kilcher, Madeline Madden, Nicholas Coombe, Jeff Wahlberg, 

Having spent most of her life exploring the jungle with her parents, nothing could prepare Dora for her most dangerous adventure ever: high school. Always the explorer, Dora quickly finds herself leading Boots, Diego, a mysterious jungle inhabitant, and a ragtag group of teens on a live-action adventure to save her parents and solve the impossible mystery behind a lost Inca civilization.

This movie is for those who grew up on Dora and are now teenagers. So they make it the same way and to explain her kind of arrested development of sorts. It is explained that she has been growing up in the jungle. So regular civilization and especially high school and its rules and culture are foreign to her. 

This film comes across as cute mroe than anything else. As it offers plenty of danger but also plenty of fun and entertainment.

You know what type of movie you are going to get from the get-go. As this is a film more made for pre-teens that is the kid. If adventure films that have been missing for that audience that offer kids being heroes and while under adult supervision end up being mroe the wise ones.

This is like a modern-day Amblin film. Where there is the threat of danger even though you know there isn’t probably going to be any even for the fates of villains. 

Also, credit must be given to a film that has a psychedelic sequence that is animated. Where the kids trip out from mushrooms and a scene where two scorpions mate on someone’s head.  

What really puts the film in a high is having Benicio Del Toro steak the film With him voicing the character of Swiper the Fox. And Eugenio Debrez provides plenty of comedic Relief as the inept explorer helping Dora and her crew.

While the film has many callbacks to the original animated show that come off as Jokes most of the time. This is a nice wholesome and fun family film. That has little to no cynicism and is rather simple. 

Though would expect nothing less from Director James Bobin director of many modern muppet movies and shows. 

Grade: C+

3 FROM HELL (2019)

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Written & Directed By: Rob Zombie

Cinematography: David Daniel

Editor: Glenn Garland

Cast: Sherri Moon Zombie, Bill Moseley, Sid Haig, Jeff Daniel Phillips, Richard Brake, Emilio Rivera, Dee Wallace, Dot Marie Jones, Lucinda Jenney, Richard Edson, Clint Howard, Sean Whalen, Sylvia Jeffries, Kevin Jackson, Pancho Moler, Daniel Roebuck, Wade Williams, Richard Riehle, Tracey A. Leigh, Steven Michael Quezada, Danny Trejo, 

After barely surviving prison, the demented Firefly clan goes on the run, unleashing a whole new wave of murder, madness, and mayhem.

It’s understandable that this is a franchise that is popular. So while after THE DEVIL’S REJECTS one would suspect there would be no sequel. Here we find out the characters somehow survived the last film. Proving the success of that movie but also leaving this film with some pretty big shoes to fill.

Now the characters are serving life and lose another popular character. The film telegraphs itself with a reference to the movie DESPERATE HOURS to clue you in where it is going. So the first half plays on a variation of that. One escaped prisoner and an accomplice hold the warden’s wife and another couple hostage for the warden to breakout another prisoner. 

There are more requisite killings and implied rape rather than showing, but halfway into the movie realized this plays as more of the same. Which one would expect but the first two films at least tried to distinguish themselves and seemed to have reasoned. This film just seems to be ugly and showcasing brutality for the hell of it. The film realizes this a bit towards the middle then becomes a road picture that ends up featuring a stand-off in Mexico. Not before the film decides to show off these killers skills and let the guys have fantasy sex with willing females.

Some could argue it goes for realism. As the film stays grimy from head to toe, but also makes the Characters even the victims. Evil in their own way with intention. One can understand them not being innocent but in one scene does the warden have to do drugs and be revealed to be having an affair before eventually meeting his doom? Is it to show that the so-called straight-laced moral majority are just as dirty as those they preach against only they do their acts behind closed doors? Ok but as you are playing to an audience that already believes that. The sting just isn’t as sharp. 

The film for the few times it shows style still seems stuck on just trying to justify and dress up the requisite kills. While staying low brown it offering cameos to recognizable character actors.

It also seems like as each film seems to have a style of the past this more touches on the 1980s

As the film keeps all the ugliness that writer/director Rob Zombie seems to revel in and he can be a good filmmaker. When he seems to have more of a  passion for his material. What he is working on as at least with most of his movies he here is at least one memorable trait that makes them memorable. Here it seems more inspired than his last film 31 but still a placeholder more than anything. As we are left to bask in the carnage. Noticeably lower budgeted than the previous films 

The Motley Crue of horror movies what once might have been shocking and seen as breaking the rules cinematic outlaws now just seems familiar and a little out of touch but you still give a chance to as hoping to rekindle a flame or at least take a look back at the memorable times 

They all seem to have new chest tattoos 

Just feels like a NATURAL BORN KILLERS riff of serial killers on the run but not going too far and being written in a film Sam Peckinpah might have made as it turns into a western with a last standoff again 

Turns the ruthless savages into the heroes we are made to root for 

Grade: C-

MACHETE KILLS (2013)

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machetekills

Cinematography & Directed By: Robert Rodriguez
Written By: Kyle Ward
Story By: Robert Rodriguez & Marcel Rodriguez
Editor: Robert Rodriguez &  Rebecca Rodriguez 


 Cast: Danny Trejo, Mel Gibson, Charlie Sheen, Amber Heard, Demian Bichir, Michelle Rodriguez, Vanessa Hudgens, Sofia Vergara, Alexa Vega, Walton Goggins, Cuba Gooding Jr., Lady Gaga, Antonio Banderas, Tom Savini, William Sadler

During an operation of a Mexican Cartel, Machete Cortez and Sartana Rivera intercept the criminals alone, but another group arrives and a masked man kills Sartana. Machete is arrested, accused of killing his beloved Sartana and Sheriff Doakes hangs Machete. But the President of the USA Rathcock pardons and recruits Machete to kill the revolutionary Marcos Mendez that has threatened the USA with a missile with a bomb. Machete goes to San Antonio to meet the Miss San Antonio Blanca Vasquez that will be the liaison between Machete and President Rathcock. Then Machete goes to the brothel of Madame Desdemona to seek out the prostitute Cereza that is Mendez’s mistress. Machete meets Mendez and learns that his heart is connected to the missile and only the arm dealer Luther Voz is capable to disarm the bomb. Now Machete needs to bring Mendez to the USA in less than twenty-four hours and save his new country in a dangerous journey with betrayals.

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