Movies That Were Probably Made By a Spasm of Six Year-Olds on Acid: The Top 75 Action Films Poll Results Thread

ToD in tons of Saturday morning matinee fun, except when she's screaming and whining.

Is tons.

wait how is the main conflict resolved in raiders if not through action

tuomas

smh

smh

s1ocki otm, LOTS of action movies are more about fx and thrill rides and monsters than violent conflict resolution

ya i would say god melting everyone is a pretty action-y move on His part

also temple of doom is my least favorite indy

behind Crystal Skulls???????????????

i just assume that's like saying jedi is my least fave star wars - the new ones arent even in the game

haha i forget that exists

i think your definition is completely arbitrary. it's like saying a movie isn't a musical if the main conflict isnt resolved through song.

I don't think these are comparable; in musicals the songs are storytelling vessels, in action movies the action is the story itself. You can take the plot of a musical, change all the music scenes to regular ones, and it'd still be the same basic plot. That's not the case with action movies, the story can't be told without the action.

this is the first time i ever voted in a movie poll. i used to get kinda irrationally pissed at ilx movie talk. now i'm too old to care. time works magic.

― scott seward, Monday, February 13, 2012 2:05 PM (10 minutes ago) Bookmark

the existence of the old movie polls used to really bug me for some reason. i hated 'ilx list culture' for a long time. now idgaf

IT'S TOO LATE TO CHANGE THE NOMINATIONS, STOP TALKING ABOUT THIS NOW

XP

Indiana and Marion leave Cairo to escort the Ark to England on board a tramp steamer. The next morning, their boat is boarded by the Nazis, who once again steal the Ark and kidnap Marion. Indiana stows away on their U-boat and follows them to an isolated island in the Aegean Sea where Belloq plans to test the power of the Ark before presenting it to Hitler. Indiana reveals himself and threatens to destroy the Ark with a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, but Belloq calls his bluff, knowing Indy cannot bear to eradicate an important historical artifact.
Indiana surrenders and is tied to a post with Marion as Belloq performs a ceremonial opening of the Ark, which appears to contain nothing but sand. Suddenly, spirits, which resemble the Old Testament description of seraphim, emerge from the Ark. Aware of the supernatural danger of looking at the opened Ark, Indiana warns Marion to close her eyes. The apparitions suddenly morph into demonic creatures, and lightning bolts begin flying out of the ark, gruesomely killing Belloq and the Nazis. The fires rise into the sky, then fall back down to Earth and the Ark closes with a crack of thunder.

^ yes, i can see how this movie is all resolved via quiet conversation and knowing looks

the action isn't the story tho.

I don't think these are comparable; in musicals the songs are storytelling vessels, in action movies the action is the story itself. You can take the plot of a musical, change all the music scenes to regular ones, and it'd still be the same basic plot. That's not the case with action movies, the story can't be told without the action.

It would not be a musical, though, which is the point being made.

oh tuomas. you've done it again.

if tuomas' definition is arbitrary, its no more arbitrary than your def

my definition is a movie that contains copious ass-kicking action and is cool

remaking action movies sans action would be an interesting enterprise

raiders ends up just being about a mildly successful archeological dig

if tuomas' definition is arbitrary, its no more arbitrary than your def

haha i agree with t-dawg's definition but i think hes misapplying to 'raiders'

wait how is the main conflict resolved in raiders if not through action

The conflict is resolved by the bad guys not knowing the history of the object they're dealing with and getting themselves killed by it. The hero survives because he has that knowledge and uses it. The same basic thing happens in Last Crusade. They're both about historical myths, about uncovering secret information, following a trail of clues to find a mythical object, having the knowledge of what it does. That's why I think they're more adventure movies than action. The physical action isn't essential to the main plot.

can we move on

the action isn't the story tho.

This coulb probably be said about any action movie except maybe Crank. Plus also, Lost Ark was obv made to be a thrill ride on the screen.

Until omar comes back and gives us the next 10 movies, misplaced micro-analysis is probably all we have to look forward to.

i mean "physical action isn't essential to the main plot" can we move on

haha i agree with t-dawg's definition but i think hes misapplying to 'raiders'

― (_()_) (Lamp), Monday, February 13, 2012 2:24 PM (1 minute ago) Bookmark

yeah totes. i mean i think of it as an 'adventure' movie first but it is also definitely a balls-to-the-wall action picture

GOD KILLS THE NAZIS VIA ACTION, THUS RESOLVING THE PLOT

so... melting faces and torsos with holes burned in them aren't physical action?

one of my fave archeologogical movies for sure

BUT IF IT'S GOD, IT'S NOT *PHYSICAL* ACTION. UNLESS GOD MANIFESTS HIMSELF AS BRUCE LEE AND KICKS NAZI ASS.

so... melting faces and torsos with holes burned in them aren't physical action?

By this definition every horror movie would be an action movie too.

nic cage steals the decleration of independence

Indiana Jones movies remind me of Before Sunset in that physical action is not essential to the main plot

Indiana Jones movies remind me of Before Sunset

Something that has never before, and will never again, been said.

my main point of semantic disagreement would be that an 'action movie' also uses action to define or develop character - something the indy movies def do - in addition to the way action furthers the plot. like i guess you could argue that belloq opening the ark isnt an 'action scene' but i think its impossible to create and define that character of indiana jones w/o the films action sequences

but i mean i also think that the plot is p extensively driven if not 'resolved' thru action so

the ending of raiders is sorta weird for its non-action aspect of indy being tied up and not doing anything except turning his head away from the bright light

Some horror movies are also action movies, yes.

indiana jones 4 should have just been indy and karen allen running into each other at his book signing, going for a walk and taking stock of how their lives have changed

Any stringent definition of "action movie" is going to fail and be applied in a way that was not intended by the author of the definition.

poll of yr favourite movies about choosing a cup

Some horror movies are also action movies, yes.

I totally agree. My point was just that faces melting per se doesn't make an action movie.

It will also probably annoy me and some others here.

2 girls 1 grail

camera lingers over a dusty old whip hanging from a hook, roll credits

Indiana Jones 4, directed by Woody Allen

Anyway, I don't disagree that "action" is probably the secondary genre of all Indy movies, after adventure. But I tried to limit my ballot to movies where I felt it was the primary genre.

"so, indy, any wild motorcycle chases lately?"
"are you kidding me? I'm a tenured professor in the fucking aarp. That'd be ridiculous."

do you think the Bond movies are action Tuomas?

arent all movies a bit of an adventure when u really think abt it