Con Air (1997)

I’m not exaggerating my opinion when I say that Con Air is a revelation. I dug it when I saw it in theatres, and I LOVE it now. The inmates are a wonderfully strong and quirky crew of personalities, which is good because they have to shoulder the majority of the screen-time. Cage is incredibly subdued, but he makes it work with the slightest little hints of Cage-yness bubbling up around the seams. There’s some great visual symbolism on display and Buscemi steals the show as a breathing piece of philosophical social commentary. Like NEVER’s Kyosui, the flamboyantly gay character isn’t degraded for who he is and is relied upon the same as the others. I can’t say that it’s enjoyable cheese, because I genuinely believe it’s a well-made action movie with something to say. 

It’s quality.

4 Bruised, yet Bona Fide, Birthday Bunnies out of 5

Nutted by NEG.

Falling Down (1993)

Michael Douglas has had enough of traffic jams and heat waves; enough of the guy in front; enough of the screaming kids in the bus on the adjacent lane; enough of the bastard fly that’s buzzing inside his oven-like car with the crappy air-con as if it owns the place. Michael Douglas has had enough, period. It’s like having a paper cut the entire length of his body.
The character is an average Joe with a shorter fuse than most, but everyone should be able to relate to his pains on some level because we've all had a day go from bad to worse to cataclysmic.
Beneath the black humour is social commentary on how the little guy gets swallowed up by the system. It's more exciting than it sounds.

4 weapon upgrades out of 5