Die Hard 4.0 with granny

I mentioned in the main blog that I was taking my grandmother to see Die Hard 4.0, as an early birthday present for her. She is a huge Bruce Willis fan and an action addict. "All those mooshy, romantic movies I can watch on TV. If Im going to the theater, I want to watch something with a little action and speed to it." She is a tiny woman of age and she loves car chases and explotions on film.

-So Die Hard was a natural choice. I also wanted to watch the movie again, as I was a little disappointed by the picture quality of the theater I watched it in last time. I was also surrounded by 15 year old boys with cellphones, and since I got free tickets anyway, it didnt bother me to spend a few bucks/kroner on this one. -After all, how else will Bruce Willis get paid? Poor guy needs a few extra bucks.

Anyways, to make a long story short; the movie still rocks! I picked up on a few more jokes this time around, and I still love John McClanes reaction to "special agent Johnson". You probably have to be a big Die Hard fan to pick up on that one...but look for it next time you watch it. -Its priceless. From his expression it looks like he already knows things are going to turn out bad, just by the fact that there is a Agent Johnson there....in charge. Granny loved it too. She couldnt stop gushing about it once we got out of the theater. And when I told her most of the stunts were actual stunts and not done on computers, she smiled from ear to ear, and told me that "Bruce Willis does most of his stunts, you know. Ive read about it!" She also said it was the most action packed movie she had ever seen him in, and I cant disagree. Ironically enough, the movie is PG13...doesnt look that way. Its kind of a relief not to have to deal with all the blood...although it was a little unusual to watch a John McClane with such clean language...He usually cuss more. But thats ok. It works anyway, and granny loved it...Which was all that mattered last night.

I knew I could count on granny.

16 Blocks

I just found an old draft that I have written, without publishing. So I just figured I should complete it. I havent seen this movie in a while now, but I still remember it pretty well. Anyway, here's what I originally wrote:

This is one of those movies I've been waiting a loooong time for. I knew about it when it was being shot in Toronto...Yes the story takes place in NYC, but they filmed it in Canada...Not that that is such an incredible piece of information, but I figured I should slip it in there somehow.

Ive been a fan of Mos Def since 'The Italian Job' and who didnt like him in 'Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy'. I figured this had to be a good one. Bruce and Mos in the same flick.-you cant lose.
I have to admit Ive seen this movie twice in the theater. The first time I was dead tired after a long day at work, and I really shouldnt have gone in the first place, but I was too impatient to wait another week...So I didnt really pay enought attention to get the story straight...and I was a little disappointed. Therefore I decided to watch it again, and Im glad I did! I liked it a lot better the second time around. The story (which isnt that hard to follow in the first place) made more sense and I could pick up more details. I noticed the audience started giggling a bit during Bruces first scene..I think a lot of them were surprised to see him as a chubby, pale, limping alcoholic without any sex-appeal what so ever. -And a horrible mustache...not very sexy. It wasnt Bruce...and thats what I love about this man. He can play any role. I hope (and believe) that we will see more of this Bruce in times to come, -although I have to admit Im excited about Die Hard 4...

Anyways, Mos Def plays a petty criminal that has to be transported from police custody, by detective Jack Mosley (Bruce Willis) to the courthouse, which is, yes you guessed it, 16 blocks away. This would seem like an easy enough task, but it will appear to be difficult when a certain group of people want the character of Mos dead...If you really want a longer synopsis than that, you should stop by imdb.com and read it there, cause thats all I am going to say about it.

This could easily be a Die Hard movie, as you have a lot of the same ingredients; a cop who doesnt want to be in the situation he is in, who is an alcoholic and generally pissed at the world, a number of badguys who wants him and his sidekick dead, and no outside help from anyone else. What differentiates this movie from a Die Hard movie is Jack Mosley. He seems to have given up on everything, he is in bad shape, he is tired of life and the trademark humor you find in John McClane of the Die Hards, is nowhere to be found. Jack is certainly not John McClane, although you can find some of the same courage in the two.

Seeing Bruce in a role like this really opens your eyes (if they weren't open already) to what a great actor he is. Ofcourse I already knew this, but to those of you who havent made an opinion about it yet, you really should watch this movie. Mos Def is also shining, much thanks to Bruce who chooses to stay somewhat in the background. I had only seen Mos Def in 'The Italian Job' and 'Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy' before, and I liked him in both. Now I can add this to my "+ list" and 3 out of 3 is pretty good for a fairly new actor (of films anyway).

David Morse is excellent as well. He is hard to dislike no matter what role you see him play. He has something very soothing about him that makes him very believable. If I ever met him, I'll bet I would believe whatever he had to tell me, whether it was true or not. He just has that quality.

I for one hope to see more movies like this by Bruce, and I cannot wait for 'The Brazilian Job' with Mos Def...if it happens that is. -And I assume the title relates to 'The Italian Job' and not the somewhat personal type of waxing...

Die Hard 4.0

"Die Hard 4.0" is what I first heard this movie was going to be called. Then they changed it to "Live free or die hard". I have to admit I like the first title better, and I was happy when I found out that they would keep that very title here in Europe. Probably because most people over here wouldnt get the connection to New Hampshire's state motto (Live free or die). But I find the 4.0 title to be much more intelligent and with a much better reference to the plot of the movie. "Die Hard 4.0" is a title that instantly makes you think of computers. And I personally dont think you need a patriotic title like "Live free or die hard" to get patriotic. Heck Im Norwegian and even I feel the patriotism with just the two words:"Die Hard". Ofcourse you cant expect every movie-goer to be the kind of Die Hard-nerd that I am. So I will forgive them for the somewhat dull choice of title.

Anyways! Enough about the title. I finally got to see this movie...a movie I have been waiting for since 1995. Not only did I get to watch it on premiere night, I got to watch it for free! Uhuh! I entered a contest and won two tickets, and whats even better, my boyfriend won two tickets in the same contest, so we got to bring some friends with us. I cannot remember the last time I was this jacked up about a movie. Come premiere day and I could hardly sit still. -And I knew having these high expectations were bound to get me disappointed. But I just couldnt help myself. Die hard has been special to me since I first saw Die Hard 2 (which was the first one I watched) and that was much thanks to my grandfather who recommended it to me. He was a huge fan of action movies, and the Die hards will always remind me of him. There is something about John McClane and his attitude that just works. He is impossible to dislike, and so are the movies. -In my opinion anyways...but then again, this is my blog and my opinion is pretty much what its based on. So I would guess it is ok.

After the admission of being a huge fan of the Die hards, and that I was more excited about this movie than I have been about any movie in a long time, I guess my review of it is one hundred percent biased and totally irrelevant for any one out there who is looking for a serious, objective review. So I am not going to give one. I will however say that watching the previous 3 Die hards before watching this one, did in fact ruin the experience a littlebit. It took me a while to get into the "Die hard-mode", simply because John didnt quite look like John to me at first. The previous 3 movies happen over a course of what...7 years? So John looks the same in all of them. He is also wearing the same kind of clothes in all of them, and the same hairdo. In the first scene of Die Hard 4.0, you see a bald (which is a very good look btw) John in a leather jacket, talking quietly and looking rather serious. It certainly helps to have his now grown-up daughter there, who really looks like the little girl who played Lucy in the first movie, to set the time line. But I would say its not untill about 20 minutes into the movie that you really recognize John McClane. Or atleast thats how it was for me. Im thinking if I hadnt watched the previous 3 movies first, I wouldnt have been so set on Johns appearance or attitude, which would naturally change over the course of an additional 10 years since Die Hard with a vengeance.

Either way, it became pretty clear after said 20 minutes that this is definitely John McClane, and this is without doubt a Die Hard movie. Its so great to finally see an oldfashioned action movie again. Real stunts. Real action. Ofcourse its all a little "over the top" as my friend pointed out to me. But that is the whole point. That is Die Hard, right? I didnt know I had missed John McClane so much before I watched this movie, and I for one really do hope they make another one. This is a series of movies and a character I can watch over and over again for pure pleasure. Once in a while its great to watch a movie that serves everything on a silver plate. No serious thinking, no confusion. Just Die hard. Just action. Just John Ma-fucking-Clane.

The plot is good, although the main villan could have been more frightening, and the humor is dark and wonderful. I would actually say that this movie is far funnier than the previous 3. So I guess my conclution is; go see it for sure. And if you are one of the few people left in the world who hasnt seen the previous 3, it doesnt matter. You might actually benefit from it. Besides, after having watched this one, you're gonna go out and get the previous ones on DVD anyways...