Topic: The “This’ll be shit, I reckon” thread

[El Unicornio, mang]

Actually, I just remembered Motherless Brooklyn was a pretty good recent one that he's in. Although he dies after about the first 5 mins.

[mothman]

At one point he was up there with Sly’n’Arnie in the action movie pantheon, but he’s fallen harder and faster than they ever did. His recent choices would have Dolph Lundgren saying “Mate.”

[greenman]

At one point he was up there with Sly’n’Arnie in the action movie pantheon, but he’s fallen harder and faster than they ever did. His recent choices would have Dolph Lundgren saying “Mate.”

I'd say part of the issue is though Willis's original run of success lasted longer, I think you could class him as a "star" who'd had a decent hit ever few years until at least the start of the 2010's were as Sly went into a dip by the late 90's and had a partly nostalgia based revival a decade latter.

He basically seems to have stopped giving a fuck about quality after that and became a B-level Nick Cage who at least throws in an interest oddity every so often and livens up bad/medicore films. I wouldn't be surprised if Die Hard 5's shitness had a lot to do with Willis taking home a large part of the budget and caring little about quality.

I'm guessing there is significant earnings to be made with these direct to streaming/disk like action films even if they make little impression with most of the public.

[mothman]

Oh yeah, I doubt he’s working for peanuts. Although... I wonder, is there some law of diminishing returns to contend with in his situation? As in, the longer he makes these DTVs for relatively small amounts compared to his A-list days, the more his bank ability decreases until one day he’s the new Craig Bierko or, worse, Alex Reid?

Maybe the best he can hope for is to be the next Malcolm McDowell. Who has willingly appeared in some complete rubbish, but then continues to appear in some great arthouse films and turn in the odd character-actor supporting role. Willis should get onto that.

[SteveDave]

It would be nice if a good Bruce Willis film was still possible

I stand by the remake of "Death Wish" because it was hilarious.

"Who are you?"
"Your last customer"
BANGBANGBANGBANGBANG

And this is a great last shot of any film...

[dissolute ocelot]

Surrogates from 2009 was quite good. But yeah, his recent CV is laughably bad

Surrogates is worse than the similarly themed Gerard Butler film Gamer. I'm honestly sad this thread hasn't named a good Willis film since 12 Monkeys.

[St_Eddie]

I'm honestly sad this thread hasn't named a good Willis film since 12 Monkeys.

The Fifth Element (1997)

The Sixth Sense (1999)

The Seventh Pickle (2000)

Unbreakable (2000)

Moonrise Kingdom (2010)

[A Hat Like That]

At one point he was up there with Sly’n’Arnie in the action movie pantheon, but he’s fallen harder and faster than they ever did. His recent choices would have Dolph Lundgren saying “Mate.”

Had a peek. There's still good stuff until 2012 (Looper, Cold Light of Day, the first RED is fun) and he's at least enjoyable in the GI Joe sequel. But since then its ALL direct to video stuff other than Death Wish. Which, reader, I enjoyed.

His mid-00s stuff has some gems - 16 Blocks is really enjoyable.

[mothman]

Exactly. Before I looked myself, I’d been thinking that the good films you cite were much longer ago, and then being struck by how long it has been since he did anything good. The best part of a decade since then? That’s not a good scoresheet.

[Dusty Substance]

Cruella (2021).

I mean, it *might* end up being a subversive cinematic classic - Stranger things have happened.

But, fucking hell, the trailer looked like a joke from The Onion.

[Gulftastic]

No film will ever fit this thread better. None.

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/feb/23/robbie-williams-biopic-film-greatest-showman-director-michael-gracey

[Shameless Custard]

I genuinely really enjoyed Surrogates! It's pretty nonsensical, but it's a fun daft little sci-fi

[dissolute ocelot]

No film will ever fit this thread better. None.

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/feb/23/robbie-williams-biopic-film-greatest-showman-director-michael-gracey

Look forward to the scene where he fights Gary Barlow to the death atop some attractive Stoke-on-Trent industrial architecture, red bricks flying, Barlow weeping, inappropriate jokes about their waists.

[olliebean]

Thunder Force (2021)

Melissa McCarthy, directed by Ben Falcone, so... yeah.