War, CIA, FBI, NSA, Conspiracy
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- DirectorStephen ReynoldsStarsJonathan GoodRoger CrossDaniel CudmoreUpon returning to work after recovering from an injury, a police officer discovers and attempts to turn in incriminating evidence of illegal activities against his fellow cops.
- CreatorMichael BrandtDerek HaasMatt OlmsteadStarsJason BeghePatrick John FluegerMarina SquerciatiFollows District 21 of the Chicago Police Department, made up of two different groups: the uniformed cops and the Intelligence Unit.
- DirectorJohn StockwellStarsNic NemethGlenn JacobsKatharine IsabelleWhen a madman kidnaps a young boy and rigs him with explosives, Ray defies his captain and takes matter into his own hands. Now he must beat the clock and save the innocent child.
- DirectorAdamo P. CultraroStarsSteve AustinMichael ShanksMichael Jai WhiteA training exercise for the LAPD SWAT Team goes terribly wrong when they find themselves pitted against two rival gangs while trapped in an abandoned Hangar, armed with nothing but blanks.
- DirectorDavid AyerStarsKeanu ReevesForest WhitakerHugh LaurieAn undercover cop, disillusioned by the death of his wife, is implicated in the murder of an officer and must struggle to clear himself.
- DirectorDavid AyerStarsArnold SchwarzeneggerSam WorthingtonTerrence HowardMembers of an elite DEA task force find themselves being taken down one by one after they rob a drug cartel safe house.
- CreatorWill BeallStarsBill PaxtonJustin CornwellKatrina LawTV follow-up to the 2001 film 'Training Day' about a rookie cop partnered with a corrupt officer.
- CreatorPeter M. LenkovAlex KurtzmanLeonard FreemanStarsAlex O'LoughlinScott CaanTaylor WilyWhen Steve McGarrett returns home to Oahu to find his father's killer, the Governor offers him the chance to run his own task force: Five-0.
- DirectorAllan UngarStarsDominic PurcellCody HackmanSaul RubinekFormer SWAT leader David Hendrix and hard-partying movie star Brody Walker must cut their ride-along short when a police training facility is attacked by a team of mercenaries.
- DirectorDavid J. BurkeStarsMorgan FreemanKevin SpaceyJustin TimberlakeUpon discovering a den of corrupt policemen, a fresh-faced journalist makes shaky allies in a jaded reporter and investigator for a powerful district attorney.
- DirectorJean-François RichetStarsEthan HawkeLaurence FishburneGabriel ByrneA police sergeant must rally the cops and prisoners together to protect themselves on New Year's Eve, just as corrupt policeman surround the station with the intent of killing all to keep their deception in the ranks.
- CreatorJames DeMonacoStarsSteve CirbusDonnie WahlbergMichael HyattA group of military veterans, who recently returned home from serving in Iraq, band together to pull off a major bank heist.
- CreatorChristopher LeeJohn EdwardsStarsRodger CorserCallan MulveyNicole da SilvaThey are trained to be smarter, tactically superior and technologically advantaged - Melbourne's answer for a cutting edge trend in policing worldwide.
- CreatorCraig SilversteinStarsRon LivingstonRosemarie DeWittGina TorresA pair of hostage negotiators try to resist their budding attraction to each other.
- CreatorAnn DonahueCarol MendelsohnAnthony E. ZuikerStarsGary SiniseCarmine GiovinazzoHill HarperForensic scientists and investigators of the New York City Police Department unveil the circumstances behind mysterious and unusual deaths.
- DirectorScott MannStarsRobert De NiroJeffrey Dean MorganDave BautistaA father is without the means to pay for his daughter's medical treatment. As a last resort, he partners with a greedy co-worker to rob a casino. When things go awry they're forced to hijack a city bus.
- DirectorRichard DonnerStarsBruce WillisYasiin BeyDavid MorseAn aging alcoholic cop is assigned the task of escorting a witness from police custody to a courthouse 16 blocks away. There are, however, chaotic forces at work that prevent them from making it in one piece.
- DirectorHerman YauStarsAndy LauWu JiangJia SongWhen a terrorist who specializes in explosives takes hold of an underground tunnel, he threatens to kill hostages if his demands are not met.
- DirectorAlan YuenStarsAndy LauChen YaoKa-Tung LamA storm is heading to the city, and with it comes another occurrence so destructive, it vows to bring down everything it touches. A crew of seasoned criminals led by the notorious Nam (Hu Jun), armed with high-powered weapons, pulls off another smooth and violent armored car heist in broad daylight in a crowded street. Whoever tries to get in their way, they will show no mercy. This puts the police force to shame and humiliation. A hardboiled senior police inspector Lui (Andy Lau), hot on the trails of Nam and his tight crew, determines to put an end to this madness that causes the lives of innocent people. But he soon comes face to face with the cruel reality that the usual police tactics are too futile to send these armed thieves behind bars. Extreme crime requires extreme justice, even if it means crossing his moral line. Tou (Lam Ka Tung), an ex-con desperate to leave his criminal past behind, volunteers to be Lui's snitch in exchange for a fresh start with his girlfriend Bing (Yao Chen). But little does he know what hellish situation he's getting himself into.
- DirectorJohn HillcoatStarsCasey AffleckChiwetel EjioforAnthony MackieA gang of criminals and corrupt cops plan the murder of a police officer in order to pull off their biggest heist yet across town.
- DirectorSheng DingStarsXiaosu LingNailiang JiaKevin LeeThe story centers on the Chinese Special Police Unit, from their hard training to their first mission.
- DirectorChristian GudegastStarsGerard ButlerPablo SchreiberO'Shea Jackson Jr.An elite unit of the LA County Sheriff's Dept. and the state's most successful bank robbery crew clash as the outlaws plan a seemingly impossible heist on the Federal Reserve Bank.
- DirectorPeter BergStarsMark WahlbergLauren CohanIko UwaisA small team of elite American intelligence officers, part of a top-secret tactical command unit, try to smuggle a mysterious police officer with sensitive information out of Indonesia.
- DirectorDenis VilleneuveStarsEmily BluntJosh BrolinBenicio Del ToroAn idealistic FBI agent is enlisted by a government task force to aid in the escalating war against drugs at the border area between the U.S. and Mexico.
- DirectorJosé PadilhaStarsWagner MouraAndré RamiroCaio JunqueiraIn 1997 Rio de Janeiro, Captain Nascimento has to find a substitute for his position while trying to take down drug dealers and criminals before the Pope visits.
- DirectorJosé PadilhaStarsWagner MouraIrandhir SantosAndré RamiroAfter a prison riot, former-Captain Nascimento, now a high ranking security officer in Rio de Janeiro, is swept into a bloody political dispute that involves government officials and paramilitary groups.
- DirectorTimothy Woodward Jr.StarsTom SizemoreMischa BartonTimothy Woodward Jr.A non-stop, race against time action packed thriller that follows an elite SWAT Team as they try to stop a domestic terrorist from killing innocent hostages and destroying the city of Los Angeles. With 24 hours left on the clock, the team must rely on their instincts and unique skill set to stop the attack and bring justice.
- DirectorStefano SollimaStarsBenicio Del ToroJosh BrolinIsabela MercedThe drug war on the U.S.-Mexico border has escalated as the cartels have begun trafficking terrorists across the US border. To fight the war, federal agent Matt Graver re-teams with the mercurial Alejandro.
- DirectorDavid HueyStarsOlivier GrunerRebecca FerrattiGerald OkamuraIn Los Angeles, a special police force must stop terrorists with nuclear capabilities.
- DirectorDaniel MillicanStarsLou Diamond PhillipsYancy ButlerTom WrightWhen millionaire businessman Ted Billings (Glenn Morshower) double-crosses his partners in a weapons deal, he decides to hire some protection. Billings enlists mercenary-for-hire Eugene "Vash" Vasher (Lou Diamond Phillips), and soon Vash is fighting off assaults on his boss from all sides, but he doesn't even like Billings, who has a hidden agenda. Among the shoot-outs and chases, Vash forms a bond with Emily (Yancy Butler), Billings' chief of security and Vash's former flame, who's not all that she appears to be.
- DirectorScott WindhauserStarsMichael Jai WhiteQuinton 'Rampage' JacksonTom BerengerA strung out hostage negotiator plays a dangerous game of cat and mouse with a cornered bank robber who is hell bent on getting out of the bank and humiliating the negotiator in the process.
- DirectorAmariah OlsonObin OlsonStarsVing RhamesLuke GossMischa BartonWhen the daughter of veteran 911 call center operator Pamela (Mischa Barton), and her estranged husband Jeremy (Luke Goss), a Senior Police Officer, is kidnapped and held hostage, they are left desperate, with no choice but to follow the kidnapper's rules: send messages through dispatch for all police and fire units to scatter to remote locations throughout the city where they are met with chaos. Not knowing who or why, the one thing they do know is if they fail to discreetly collaborate with one another - they will be solely responsible for facilitating the biggest crime in the city's history. Now they must race against the clock to make the choice of their lives - save the city - or save their daughter.
- DirectorChristian GudegastStarsGerard ButlerJordan BridgesEvin AhmadPlot unknown. A sequel to the 2018 film 'Den of Thieves'.
- DirectorClark JohnsonStarsMichael DouglasKiefer SutherlandKim BasingerA Secret Service agent is framed as the mole in an assassination attempt on the President. He must clear his name and foil another assassination attempt while on the run from a Secret Service Protective Intelligence Division agent.
- DirectorBenny BoomStarsGabriel MachtRobert PatrickCarly PopeDetroit PD borrows an LA SWAT leader as instructor for 2 weeks training of their SWAT team. After a real SWAT action, a madman with special skills, obsessed with revenge, is released on bail.
- DirectorTony GiglioStarsSam JaegerAdrianne PalickiMichael Jai WhiteA SWAT compound comes under fire from an international terrorist who relentlessly and violently pursues a mystery man who was apprehended by Seattle SWAT after a raid went horribly wrong.
- CreatorShawn RyanAaron Rahsaan ThomasStarsShemar MooreJay HarringtonDavid LimFollows a locally born and bred S.W.A.T. sergeant and his team of highly-trained men and women as they solve crimes in Los Angeles.
- DirectorRobert KurtzmanStarsSean Patrick FlaneryJoe PantolianoCarmen SeranoA police officer with a painful past returns home to help the FBI track down a mastermind assassin.
- CreatorDavid MametStarsDennis HaysbertRegina TaylorAudrey Marie AndersonA secret US military group conducts covert operations across the world, facing several life-threatening situations during their missions.
- CreatorDavid McKennaKen RobinsonStarsBenjamin BrattAunjanue Ellis-TaylorDennis HopperMajor Jim Tisnewski, until recently an active special forces commando, takes up a Pentagon job as assistant of US Army colonel Eli McNulty. He must now learn to battle the Pentagon way against politicians and careerist officers who often oppose what makes operational sense. On occasion, Jim returns to his team or otherwise interacts with his former mates, especially Bobby Wilkerson. Jim also develops a triangle relationship with a CIA agent, his lover, and Pentagon lawyer Samantha 'Sonny' Liston, who has a crush on the hunky officer-gentleman.
- DirectorDavid AyerStarsJake GyllenhaalMichael PeñaAnna KendrickShot documentary-style, this film follows the daily grind of two young police officers in LA who are partners and friends and what happens when they meet criminal forces greater than themselves.
- CreatorWill BeallStarsStephen DorffYara MartinezBrian Van HoltDeputy Bill Hollister, a career lawman who is very comfortable kicking down doors but utterly lost in a staff meeting, becomes acting sheriff of Los Angeles County when the sheriff drops dead.
- DirectorMassimiliano CerchiStarsMichael ParéBai LingMichael WainwrightChaos reigns in Los Angeles when three criminals, led by a psychotic mastermind named McMasters, takes over a police station and threaten to kill everyone in it unless a large ransom is paid. FBI special agent Roger Kinkaid (Michael Pare') uses his extensive knowledge in a bid to outwit the criminals and save the hostages, but one question remains: even if they get their money, how can they possibly escape?
- CreatorAlper CaglarStarsAhu TürkpençeSerkan ÇayogluEmir BenderliogluTasked with risky missions across Turkey, members of a special-operations police unit confront danger and tragedy both on the field and at home.
- DirectorFlorent-Emilio SiriStarsBruce WillisKevin PollakSerena Scott ThomasWhen a family is held hostage, former hostage negotiator Jeff Talley arrives at the scene. Talley's own family is kidnapped and Talley must decide which is more important: saving a family he doesn't even know or saving his own family.
- DirectorTony GiglioStarsJason StathamRyan PhillippeWesley SnipesTwo cops, a rookie and a grizzled vet, pursue an accomplished bank robber.
- DirectorSteven C. MillerStarsBruce WillisChristopher MeloniDave BautistaWhen a bank is hit by a brutal heist, all evidence points to the owner and his high-powered clients. But as a group of FBI agents dig deeper into the case - and the deadly heists continue - it becomes clear that a larger conspiracy is at play.
- DirectorStephen ReynoldsStarsAdam CopelandJulia BensonC.J. Perry BarnyashevAn FBI agent (Copeland) shoots, but not fatally wounds a dissident gunman. His interrogation reveals many pieces to a plot which threatens the city.
- CreatorGary GlasbergStarsScott BakulaRob KerkovichCCH PounderFollows an NCIS team that investigates criminal cases involving military personnel in The Big Easy, a city known for its music, entertainment, and decadence.
- CreatorBenjamin CavellStarsDavid BoreanazNeil Brown Jr.A.J. BuckleyThe lives of the elite Navy SEALs as they train, plan, and execute the most dangerous, high-stakes missions the United States of America can ask.
- CreatorBrandon MargolisBrandon SonnierStarsJessica AlbaGabrielle UnionDuane MartinThe spinoff series of Bad Boys films focuses on drug enforcement agent Sydney Burnett, now working for the Los Angeles Police Department.
- CreatorMartin GeroStarsSullivan StapletonJaimie AlexanderAudrey EsparzaJane Doe is found in Times Square with no memory and mysterious tattoos on her body.
- CreatorShane BrennanStarsChris O'DonnellDaniela RuahLL Cool JNCIS's covert operations team go undercover to investigate cases involving terrorism and National Security.
- DirectorLes MayfieldStarsSamuel L. JacksonEugene LevyMiguel FerrerSpecial Agent Derrick Vann is a man out to get the man who killed his partner, but a case of mistaken identity leads him to Andy Fiddler, a salesman with too many questions and a knack of getting in Vann's way.
- DirectorMike McCoyScott WaughStarsAlex VeadovRoselyn SanchezNestor SerranoAn elite team of Navy SEALs embark on a covert mission to recover a kidnapped CIA agent.
- DirectorSylvester StalloneStarsSylvester StalloneJason StathamJet LiA CIA operative hires a team of mercenaries to eliminate a Latin dictator and a renegade CIA agent.
- CreatorJulie McGauranSarah SmithDave WarnerStarsDaniel AmalmGigi EdgleyKatherine HicksDean Gallagher and Chase are brothers. Competitive alpha males, they argue over everything, agree on nothing, but defend each other from outsiders no matter what. They're also members of the elite RESCUE Special Operations Unit.
- CreatorJennifer JohnsonStarsKelli GiddishCole HauserJesse MetcalfeA team tracks down fugitive criminals.
- DirectorChristian SesmaStarsLuke GossBokeem WoodbineDanny TrejoA group of hard-up bounty hunters must survive the night in a desert motel against a horde of savage cartel killers as they realize their fugitive, a mysterious Chinese woman, is much more than she lets on.
- DirectorKevin BrayStarsDwayne JohnsonAshley ScottJohnny KnoxvilleA former U.S. soldier returns to his hometown to find it overrun by crime and corruption, which prompts him to clean house.Similar production values and police acting outside the law while talking smack to the various villains.
- DirectorKeoni WaxmanStarsSteven SeagalSteve AustinMichael ParéTwo former black ops operatives are required to transfer two female convicts to a prison. While on their way, unknown assailants attack them.
- DirectorMike ElliottStarsDiane NealJodelle FerlandDevon SawaThe new female warden of a high-security prison faces challenges when an inmate puts up a bounty to anyone who can break him out of jail.
- CreatorChris MorganStarsRamón RodríguezJay HernandezRZAAs kid, Ryan Lopez got connected to gang boss Javier Acosta. He's now detective in LAPD's Gang Task Force. While secretly passing info on to Javier, he's a good cop 95% of the time.
- DirectorJohn HerzfeldStarsMatt NablePeter StebbingsOmari HardwickThe Special Investigation Squad, an elite secret police force, hunts down criminals in the streets of Los Angeles.
- DirectorLee TamahoriStarsNicolas CageJulianne MooreJessica BielA Las Vegas magician who can see into the future is pursued by FBI agents seeking to use his abilities to prevent a nuclear terrorist attack.
- CreatorDonald P. BellisarioDon McGillStarsDavid McCallumSean MurrayMark HarmonFollows the Major Case Response Team (MCRT) from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), as they get to the bottom of criminal cases connected to Navy and Marine Corps personnel.
- DirectorSidney J. FurieStarsDolph LundgrenPolly ShannonDonald BurdaFrank Gannon, a veteran cop, is being hunted by his fellow police officers after they learned he has betrayed the brotherhood and exposed to the feds wide scale corruption of the LAPD. He has one day left to prove his case and survive.
- DirectorMartin ScorseseStarsLeonardo DiCaprioMatt DamonJack NicholsonAn undercover cop and a mole in the police attempt to identify each other while infiltrating an Irish gang in South Boston.
- DirectorR. Ellis FrazierStarsAidan QuinnAndy GarciaMario Van PeeblesCharlie swindled $10 billion from investors. He manages to slip away from FBI in LA but is spotted in Tijuana. FBI's not alone. Mexican and Russian gangsters want him, too.
- DirectorJohn LuessenhopStarsChris BrownHayden ChristensenMatt DillonA group of bank robbers find their multi-million dollar plan interrupted by a hard-boiled detective.
- DirectorErik MattiStarsAnne CurtisBrandon VeraVictor NeriAn anti-drug enforcement agency stages a massive drug bust in the slums of Manila.
- DirectorPeter BergStarsJamie FoxxChris CooperJennifer GarnerA team of U.S. government agents are sent to investigate the bombing of an American facility in the Middle East.
- CreatorMark EllisStephanie MorgensternStarsHugh DillonAmy Jo JohnsonDavid PaetkauThe missions and trials of a Toronto police tactical unit.
- CreatorJames DuffStarsMary McDonnellG.W. BaileyTony DenisonThe Closer (2005) spin-off series, which follows Captain Raydor of the Los Angeles Police Department.
- CreatorJames DuffStarsKyra SedgwickJ.K. SimmonsCorey ReynoldsDeputy Police Chief Brenda Johnson runs the Priority Homicide Division of the LAPD with an unorthodox style. Her innate ability to read people and obtain confessions helps her and her team solve the city's toughest, most sensitive cases.
- DirectorNicholas KendallStarsElisabeth RöhmChandra WestWoody JeffreysAn FBI agent must negotiate with a woman holding a hospital hostage in order to get her hands on an experimental drug.
- DirectorNorma BaileyStarsTom Everett ScottNatasha HenstridgeRena SoferMany people are left dead when a man known only as "The Digger" opens fire in a train station. A hand written letter is the only clue.
- CreatorJeff DavisStarsKirsten VangsnessMatthew Gray GublerA.J. CookA group of criminal profilers who work for the FBI as members of its Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) using behavioral analysis and profiling to help investigate crimes and find the suspect known as the unsub.
- DirectorKoon-Nam LuiFrankie TamStarsPhilip NgVanness WuAndy OnUndercover police Wu teams up with unlikely allies in order to fight a major drug dealer and take down a drug smuggling ring.
- DirectorAlan MakAnthony PunStarsYihong DuanXuan HuangYueting LangAn undercover police officer attempts to take down a drug trafficking syndicate from the inside.
- DirectorDante LamStarsHanyu ZhangEddie PengBaoguo ChenInspired by the true story known as the Mekong Massacre--two Chinese commercial vessels are ambushed while traveling down the Mekong River in the waters of the Golden Triangle, one of the largest drug-manufacturing regions in the world. 13 sailors are executed at gunpoint, and 900,000 methamphetamine pills are recovered at the scene. Upon discovery, the Chinese government immediately sends a band of elite narcotics officers led by Captain Gao Gang (Zhang Hanyu) to the Golden Triangle to uncover the truth behind the murders. Tea field owner and Golden Triangle-based intelligence officer Fang Xinwu (Eddie Peng) joins the investigation. After it is discovered that the drugs seized on the Chinese ships had been planted by the henchman of a notorious drug cartel leader named Naw Khar, the governments of Thailand, Laos, Myanmar and China launch a joint task force to apprehend the criminal. The road to justice is, however, paved with dangerous and deadly obstacles.
- DirectorBenny ChanStarsChing Wan LauLouis KooNick CheungA devastating dilemma changes the fate of three cops when an undercover operation against a notorious Thai drug lord goes horribly wrong.
- DirectorHerman YauStarsAndy LauLouis KooMichael Kiu Wai MiuA wealthy businessman tries to take down a drug kingpin that he used to work with, while a policeman tries to find justice without breaking the law.
- DirectorMichael BayStarsJohn KrasinskiPablo SchreiberJames Badge DaleDuring an attack on a U.S. compound in Libya, a security team struggles to make sense out of the chaos.One of the more mature work from Michael Bay. Doesn't take political sides at least not in your face kind of a way, and is almost devoid of clichés, you'd come to expect from his films. Characters and their relationships remain distant, but are realistic enough to not to cringe. 13 hours stays fairly true to the original book as far as I've read from various reviews and apparently deviates little from the main events that occurred in Benghazi. Just more explosions, because, well, Bay. And we wouldn't expect anything less from him, anyway.
Running time is 2h 24mins, but this was so well paced it felt almost like watching a TV episode. That's also partly due to body-count per minute, which would make Rambo (2008) almost jealous (almost).
Best: Fighting scenes could be straight from Tom Clancy games.
Biggest positive surprise: Casting of John Krasinski.
Warning: Testosterone levels may cause involuntary hair growth. Though this has its tear jerking moments, too.
7/10
Re-watch value: Some/very little, but only perhaps after you read more on the event or the book upon first viewing. Commentary may be interesting, but haven't checked on this.
Watch when: Don't know what to watch and bored and/or lack energy to invest emotionally into a movie.
Effect: Bit emotional, ambiguous. Googling mode. - DirectorPeter BergStarsMark WahlbergTaylor KitschEmile HirschMarcus Luttrell and his team set out on a mission to capture or kill notorious Taliban leader Ahmad Shah, in late June 2005. Marcus and his team are left to fight for their lives in one of the most valiant efforts of modern warfare.
- DirectorPaul GreengrassStarsMatt DamonJason IsaacsGreg KinnearDiscovering covert and faulty intelligence causes a U.S. Army officer to go rogue as he hunts for Weapons of Mass Destruction in an unstable region.One of the most intense pictures set on Iraq war, around the days when GWB gave his "Mission Accomplished" speech, which also made a brief cameo on TV in this. Green Zone is an adaptation of the multiple-award winning non-fiction book "Imperial Life in the Emerald City" by Rajiv Chandrasekaran, who is National Editor of The Washington Post.
You definitely don't need to read the book to enjoy the film - this stands completely on its own. It should be however noted that Rajiv has stated that he aimed to be as objective as possible and not to take any sides for or against of war in Iraq, but instead rather just examine how post-invasion occupation was handled.
Green Zone doesn't hold back an inch and goes headlong into action from the first second it starts. It keeps high gear all the way till the end and what little room you have to breath, use it. This is intense. Plot is not too complex nor contains major twists, but is interesting and characters believably crafted. Context is king here. It's all about the existence or rather non-existence of so called Weapons of Mass Destruction.
When Humvees roam in the roads of Baghdad city and you didn't know any better, you could swear you're looking at a real recorded events in 2003. And this wasn't even shot in Baghdad - for obvious reasons. Generation Kill (from the creator of The Wire), which was done two years prior to Green Zone, must've been a major inspiration as you could seamlessly edit scenes together from both. The fact that they used real Iraq war veterans in Matt Damon lead unit tells also a lot about dedication to details.
There is also a satisfying amount of power games, which didn't rely on typical archetypes of villains and allies, you'd come to expect. Instead plot around the conspiracy was pushed forward in short almost mundane scenes with subtle subtext and lingering undertones that left a mark in your mind, all thanks to an incredible performance by Matt Damon. Green Zone is ultimately an action-thriller with emphasis on action while real world debacle around WMDs give this serious weight.
Best: Realism, Intense action. Matt Damon.
Warning: Some may find hand held camera work annoying. It didn't bother me at all as action is so in your face all the time that you are quickly immersed completely. The dizzying effect rather matched perfectly the intensity of the scenes. In another words, what may be awful choice for some movie may suit perfectly other. It's all about the context.
Special nod: Journalist played by Amy Ryan (The Office, The Wire)
8/10
Re-watch value: Some. Doubly so if decide to read the book.
Watch when: You want more energy and clarity. Or after viewing Generation Kill or vice versa.
Effect: Satisfied, more energy. - DirectorRidley ScottStarsLeonardo DiCaprioRussell CroweMark StrongA CIA agent on the ground in Jordan hunts down a powerful terrorist leader while being caught between the unclear intentions of his American supervisors and Jordan Intelligence.Ridley Scott + strong plot + Leonardo DiCaprio + Russell Crowe in Middle East hunting a terrorist = Hidden gem of a movie from last decade. The fact that this is directed and produced by Scott, here just means movie doesn't overdo anything nor does it rely on any gimmicks. Strong performance all around. Real thanks to screenwriter and the novelist.
Tip: Requires undivided attention to follow the plot well.
Best: Dynamics between Roger (CIA Agent) played by DiCaprio and Hani (head of the Jordanian Intelligence), played by Mark Strong.
Special nod: Surveillance drones before they were a thing.
Fun trivia: Mythbusters covered the pivotal desert scene (as Dust Devil) from this film in Episode 180 - "Fire vs. Ice"
8/10
Re-watch value: Some, but not immediately.
Watch when: Want to preoccupy and clear your mind from mundane worries.
Effect: Clearer mind. More energy and focus. - DirectorKathryn BigelowStarsJessica ChastainJoel EdgertonChris PrattA chronicle of the decade-long hunt for al-Qaeda terrorist leader Osama bin Laden after the September 2001 attacks, and his death at the hands of the Navy S.E.A.L.s Team 6 in May 2011.
- DirectorStephen GaghanStarsGeorge ClooneyMatt DamonAmanda PeetA politically charged epic about the state of the oil industry in the hands of those personally involved in and affected by it.
- StarsAlexander SkarsgårdJames RansoneLee TergesenA Rolling Stone reporter, embedded with The 1st Recon Marines chronicles his experiences during the first wave of the American-led assault on Baghdad in 2003.A Marine Force Recon platoon during the invasion of Iraq
- DirectorAntoine FuquaStarsBruce WillisCole HauserMonica BellucciA Special-Ops commander leads his team into the Nigerian jungle in order to rescue a doctor who will only join them if they agree to save 70 refugees too.A Navy SEAL platoon in Africa. Starts a little slow, but picks up.
- DirectorTom CleggStarsSean BeanJamie BartlettKevin CollinsThis is the true story of the most highly decorated British patrol since the Boer war: an eight man SAS team inserted behind Iraqi lines during the Gulf War in January 1991. Their mission was to take out the scud missiles which Saddam Hussein was using to terrorize his enemies, as well as to sever strategic communication lines between Baghdad and North West Iraq. This top secret mission was called "Bravo Two Zero" and it was commanded by Sergeant Andy McNab. Of the eight who went out, only five returned. Dropped into "scud alley" carrying 210-pound packs, McNab and his men soon found themselves surrounded by Saddam's army. Their radios didn't work; the weather was brutally cold. And they had been spotted.A group of British SAS members are caught behind enemy lines in the first Iraq war. Based on Andy McNab's book of the same name.
- DirectorRidley ScottStarsJosh HartnettEwan McGregorTom SizemoreThe story of 160 elite U.S. soldiers who dropped into Mogadishu in October 1993 to capture two top lieutenants of a renegade warlord, but found themselves in a desperate battle with a large force of heavily armed Somalis.Mostly focuses on the Ranger groups during the Battle of Mogadishu, but the Delta Force element also gets a lot of screen time.
- DirectorClint EastwoodStarsBradley CooperSienna MillerKyle GallnerNavy S.E.A.L. sniper Chris Kyle's pinpoint accuracy saves countless lives on the battlefield and turns him into a legend. Back home with his family after four tours of duty, however, Chris finds that it is the war he can't leave behind.Great acting, but too many departures from the book and presumably actual events.
- DirectorLewis TeagueStarsCharlie SheenMichael BiehnJoanne WhalleyA battle-hardened SEAL Team set off on a mission to destroy a shipment of US-built Stinger missiles that have fallen into terrorist hands.A group of Navy SEALs tracking down a terrorist. The screenplay was written by former Navy SEAL officer Chuck Pfarrer, who has gone on to write more screenplays and a few novels. Pfarrer's memoirs 'Warrior Soul' is also a great read.
- DirectorAntoine FuquaStarsMark WahlbergMichael PeñaRhona MitraA marksman living in exile is coaxed back into action after hearing of a plot to kill the President. After being-double crossed for the attempt and on the run, he sets out for the real killer and the truth.
- DirectorJean-Jacques AnnaudStarsJude LawEd HarrisJoseph FiennesA Russian and a German sniper play a game of cat-and-mouse during the Battle of Stalingrad.
- DirectorJoel SchumacherStarsColin FarrellKiefer SutherlandForest WhitakerPublicist Stuart Shepard finds himself trapped in a phone booth, pinned down by an extortionist's sniper rifle. Unable to leave or receive outside help, Stuart's negotiation with the caller leads to a jaw-dropping climax.