Behind the Scenes

Get ready to vote people, we wanna know what you think is the coolest cut movie scene there is. Over the next couple of days we’ll put our favourites forward for your judgement, and after that we want you to decide which one gets the title. And don’t fret if you don’t see your own personal favourite on the list. Let yourself be heard and it will make the ballad box, if the people see it worthy. So to get the ball rolling, here’s my finest five.

This reminds me of a joke: Desperado (1995)
Filmed in the actual Corona Club in Acuna Mexico, This scene is one of my favourites from the Texan titan himself, Robert Rodriguez. It stars another of Hollywood’s highest rated directors, Quentin Tarantino as the “pick up guy”, Cheech Marin as the bar man, and two other gringos not worth a care. Upon having their credibility checked out by a seedy barman and his suspect friend on the phone, Quentin “pick up guy” Tarantino remembers a joke…..

Jedi Politics: Clerks (1994)
Directed by cult hero Kevin Smith, and starring Brian O’Halloran as Dante and Jeff Anderson as Randal, this scene, shot in the genuine Quick Stop that Kevin Smith himself worked in before this film sprung his name into Hollywood. It’s a debate on the political correctness of the destruction of the half finished death star by the “militant left-wing rebels” in George Lucas’ Return of the Jedi. Classic Kevin Smith dialogue at it’s very best.

Hip to be dead: American Psycho (2000)
From Christian Bale’s greatest performance to date, it’s next to impossible to choose just one scene! But for the combination of sinister humor and a funky soundtrack, the Paul Allen axe murder scene is my personal favourite. Orchestrated by Canadian born and not so known, Mary Harron, this silver screen classic allows Bale to delve into the superbly unstable and brilliantly homicidal mind of one of the greatest serial killers ever penned down, Patrick Bateman. And with that in mind, queue Huey Lewis & the news….

“You’re so fuckin’ money”: Swingers (1996)
Swingers is an essential piece of Hollywood history to anyone with any form of movie collection. It sums up the L.A “cocktail” scene of the early 90’s brilliantly. And it does so through the workings of two New Yorkers, Director Doug Liman and Writer/Actor Jon Favreau. The “money” scene is a clear fan’s favourite and the films most quoted. It’s one of Mike’s (Jon Favreau) only high points in the film. And the slick back and forth dialogue really puts you in the room. It’s believable, it’s real, it’s how we all want to sound…. “money baby”

Meet me in the lobby: The Matrix (1999)
The Wachowski Brothers action/sci-fi masterpiece was epic and groundbreaking on all fronts, but standing to the front has got to be the lobby scene with Keanu Reeves (Neo), Carie-Anne Moss (Trinity) and a whole host of unfortunate security guards. To say that Neo and Trinity merely walk in, wreck the place and make widows and orphans of enough people to occupy Limerick, you would be selling this scene brutally short. This bullet storm sequence is fluid from the start, the action is more like  a ballroom two-step than a military operation. With a dizzying use of still-cam shooting backed up by the heavy baseline from Propellerheads, your eyes are held steadfast to the screen. But don’t take my word for it, see for yourself! Larry and Andy, I salute you.

Come back tomorrow to see the Disgruntled one’s five-a-side!

Rising above the mainstream

Bored of the same old shoot ’em ups? Immune to defeat in Fifa? Gran Turismo 5 not fast enough? Then get your grubby mitts on a copy of Dead Rising 2. This Capcom classic has more craic than pete doherty’s bedside locker!

Set in Fortune city, a Las Vegas replica so far into a zombie pandemic that they’re used for sport. Step into the boots of Chuck Greene, ex motor cross champion and single father. To make things interesting, your daughter katey has been bitten by one of the 7,000 or so Margaret Thatcher look-a-likes roaming the city, and she’s in constant need of the drug “Zombrex” a sort of Calpol for potential brain munchers. Bless her. Oh and not to mention you’ve been framed for a massive terrorist attack on a stadium full of innocents.

But what’s new there? And better yet, who gives a flying fuck. This game ain’t about the missions, it ain’t about saving young Katey’s life, and it certainly ain’t about clearing Chuck’s good name. It’s about killing zombies. Dismembering them, maiming them, humiliating them, sticking them in wheelchairs and pushing them down stairs. Three words for this stress relieving laugh out loud must have….. Pure mindless banter.

This game genuinely packs the fun factor. Forget M16’s and AK’s, you can leave them at home with your Sponge Bob lunchbox. Chuck goes to work with an array of weapons that  Macgyver or B.A wouldn’t know how to use. Like a home made drill bucket. A harmless bucket made lethal with the addition of 3 hole boring Black and Deckers. Stick it on an undead’s head n watch the blood fly. And that’s just the tip of the hardware iceberg. The list is endless. Or at least very long.  How many games let you bomb around on a four year old’s bicycle dressed as Elvis with two chainsaws duct-taped to a kayak paddle? Case closed.

Still not convinced? See for yourself.