"Dio you really want to do this?"
August 20, 2020 12:55 PM Subscribe
The Pleasure of Watching Charlize Theron Throw a Punch. "It’s not just that Theron throws her punches with force and precision, or executes her stunts successfully; this is not a matter of a capable action star hitting her marks. Watching Charlize Theron fight has become one of the singular pleasures of contemporary American cinema, as close as we’re going to get to the endorphin rush of watching Gene Kelly dance, or Judy Garland sing, or Charlie Chaplin pantomime."
Wait, we're unable to watch old Gene Kelly, Judy Garland, or Charlie Chaplin movies any more? Were all of them suddenly lost in a fire and I didn't hear about it because 2020 has been such a shitshow already?
posted by Johnny Assay at 1:33 PM on August 20, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by Johnny Assay at 1:33 PM on August 20, 2020 [1 favorite]
She's fantastic, it's definitely at a point right now that if she's in an action movie I'm very excited to see it and will see it in theaters if possible. Atomic Blonde was fantastic, specifically because of what she brought to the role. I really like the Old Guard as well, and excited to see if that becomes a series.
posted by Carillon at 1:33 PM on August 20, 2020 [10 favorites]
posted by Carillon at 1:33 PM on August 20, 2020 [10 favorites]
ok... i'll watch them
posted by growabrain at 2:04 PM on August 20, 2020
posted by growabrain at 2:04 PM on August 20, 2020
Charlize fights sensually.
posted by seanmpuckett at 2:10 PM on August 20, 2020 [7 favorites]
posted by seanmpuckett at 2:10 PM on August 20, 2020 [7 favorites]
Can we get... Charlize vs Yeoh?
posted by selfnoise at 2:29 PM on August 20, 2020 [12 favorites]
posted by selfnoise at 2:29 PM on August 20, 2020 [12 favorites]
This is the point at which I feel compelled to mention that Atomic Blonde is getting a sequel, because, even though I'm writing those words, it gives me pleasure to see them.
posted by Halloween Jack at 2:31 PM on August 20, 2020 [24 favorites]
posted by Halloween Jack at 2:31 PM on August 20, 2020 [24 favorites]
So there's two things I do with actors and actresses I like:
- in case I ever meet them in person, I have one in the chamber for a very early or embarrassing role. 'Mr. Clooney, hello. Do you ever miss E/R? No, not that one, the one with Elliot Gould.' 'Wow, Nicole Kidman. Nice to meet you. Loved your work in BMX Bandits.'
For Mevrouw Theron, it's "You were really great in Mighty Joe Young. Hey, what was up with everyone's eyebrows in the 90's?"
- Nicknames. Like Elizabeth 'Betty' Shue. Amy 'Fred!!' Acker. Or Jennifer 'Box Office Poison' Connelly.
In this house, Charlize Theron is simply known as...'Big Charlie'.
Possibly because she made such a powerful first impression, absolutely TOWERING over Lois Lane, in that white body suit.
Big Charlie has been wrecking shop for over 20 years!
Also beloved is this little snippet about how to walk like a Disney evil queen. "Shoulders down, neck long, then just think MURDER; and walk.
posted by bartleby at 2:39 PM on August 20, 2020 [11 favorites]
- in case I ever meet them in person, I have one in the chamber for a very early or embarrassing role. 'Mr. Clooney, hello. Do you ever miss E/R? No, not that one, the one with Elliot Gould.' 'Wow, Nicole Kidman. Nice to meet you. Loved your work in BMX Bandits.'
For Mevrouw Theron, it's "You were really great in Mighty Joe Young. Hey, what was up with everyone's eyebrows in the 90's?"
- Nicknames. Like Elizabeth 'Betty' Shue. Amy 'Fred!!' Acker. Or Jennifer 'Box Office Poison' Connelly.
In this house, Charlize Theron is simply known as...'Big Charlie'.
Possibly because she made such a powerful first impression, absolutely TOWERING over Lois Lane, in that white body suit.
Big Charlie has been wrecking shop for over 20 years!
Also beloved is this little snippet about how to walk like a Disney evil queen. "Shoulders down, neck long, then just think MURDER; and walk.
posted by bartleby at 2:39 PM on August 20, 2020 [11 favorites]
To quote my own Fanfare review of Old Guard: "Charlize Theron kicking ass and killing fools is one of my favourite film genres".
If she doesn't show up in a John Wick film the universe is truly a cold and uncaring place.
posted by slimepuppy at 2:43 PM on August 20, 2020 [16 favorites]
If she doesn't show up in a John Wick film the universe is truly a cold and uncaring place.
posted by slimepuppy at 2:43 PM on August 20, 2020 [16 favorites]
she should show up in john wick as her atomic blonde character, because atomic blonde and the john wick movies definitely definitely definitely are in the same cinematic universe
posted by Reclusive Novelist Thomas Pynchon at 3:21 PM on August 20, 2020 [9 favorites]
posted by Reclusive Novelist Thomas Pynchon at 3:21 PM on August 20, 2020 [9 favorites]
"Steven Seagal’s standing in the world of martial arts is a debated topic"
“I have no problem talking shit about him because he’s not very nice to women, so fuck you,”
For anyone who’s seen Charlize Theron in the 2017 action thriller Atomic Blonde..In Being Andy can purportedly fight in a variety of styles and disciplines, Charlize had to train in ancient and modern fighting techniques—Judo, Danbe, Aikido, Savate, Boxing, Silat, Arnis, Kali, May Thais, Krav Maga, Kempo, Pankration, Kickboxing, Jang Soo Do, Kendo, Kajukenbo, Wushu, and Kung Fu."
posted by clavdivs at 3:39 PM on August 20, 2020 [2 favorites]
“I have no problem talking shit about him because he’s not very nice to women, so fuck you,”
For anyone who’s seen Charlize Theron in the 2017 action thriller Atomic Blonde..In Being Andy can purportedly fight in a variety of styles and disciplines, Charlize had to train in ancient and modern fighting techniques—Judo, Danbe, Aikido, Savate, Boxing, Silat, Arnis, Kali, May Thais, Krav Maga, Kempo, Pankration, Kickboxing, Jang Soo Do, Kendo, Kajukenbo, Wushu, and Kung Fu."
posted by clavdivs at 3:39 PM on August 20, 2020 [2 favorites]
bartleby, I've always wanted to ask Jeff Goldblum what it was like shooting Earth Girls Are Easy, because in retrospect it was a dry run for the rest of his career. Also starring Geena Davis!
posted by q*ben at 4:09 PM on August 20, 2020 [4 favorites]
posted by q*ben at 4:09 PM on August 20, 2020 [4 favorites]
It's been a while since I watched Atomic Blonde.
Do they do that ridiculous move where the female protagonist whips her herself up onto the shoulders of whoever she is fighting, wedges their head between her thighs and somehow leverages them into doing a full flip?
It seems to have become the signature move of a lot of female fight scenes.
If you want to watch a woman kicking ass in a more realistic way, check out Gina Carano in Haywire.
Not as showy as some fight scenes, but it also doesn't have 110lb women tossing around 250lb men like they are made of feathers.
posted by madajb at 4:39 PM on August 20, 2020 [2 favorites]
Do they do that ridiculous move where the female protagonist whips her herself up onto the shoulders of whoever she is fighting, wedges their head between her thighs and somehow leverages them into doing a full flip?
It seems to have become the signature move of a lot of female fight scenes.
If you want to watch a woman kicking ass in a more realistic way, check out Gina Carano in Haywire.
Not as showy as some fight scenes, but it also doesn't have 110lb women tossing around 250lb men like they are made of feathers.
posted by madajb at 4:39 PM on August 20, 2020 [2 favorites]
🎶 so hurry home early / hurry on home / KiKi Layne on a plane is fighting Charlize Theron 🎶
posted by Fiasco da Gama at 5:16 PM on August 20, 2020 [3 favorites]
posted by Fiasco da Gama at 5:16 PM on August 20, 2020 [3 favorites]
I have no idea why I'm stuck with her role in Devil's Advocate, that I cannot conceptualize this Theron. head asplodes etc
posted by infini at 5:22 PM on August 20, 2020
posted by infini at 5:22 PM on August 20, 2020
She also lands one very satisfying punch in the remade Italian Job. Sounds like I need to watch Atomic Blonde.
posted by janell at 5:26 PM on August 20, 2020
posted by janell at 5:26 PM on August 20, 2020
I'm tempted to go back and rewatch the stuff I've forgotten.
Like Sweet November. I must have procured a small velvet bag of 100 Muni tokens for a reason.
Or that kidnapping movie with Courtney Love and Kevin Bacon.
posted by bartleby at 5:48 PM on August 20, 2020
Like Sweet November. I must have procured a small velvet bag of 100 Muni tokens for a reason.
Or that kidnapping movie with Courtney Love and Kevin Bacon.
posted by bartleby at 5:48 PM on August 20, 2020
A “Charlize Theron kicks everyone’s asses” movie with John Wick is exactly what I need.
I need like, three:
Movie 1. They meet and have a common goal that ends in John Wick double crossing Charlize’s character.
Movie 2. They have a global duel whipping each other’s asses mercilessly ending in a Pyrrhic victory on both sides at great personal loss yet with another common enemy (possibly involving a dog)
Movie 3. They have to reconcile and become an ass whipping team again, movie ends with cliffhanger stalemate that insinuates they are going to turn against each other again, but maybe not?
That’s what I need y’all.
posted by noiseanoise at 6:05 PM on August 20, 2020 [6 favorites]
I need like, three:
Movie 1. They meet and have a common goal that ends in John Wick double crossing Charlize’s character.
Movie 2. They have a global duel whipping each other’s asses mercilessly ending in a Pyrrhic victory on both sides at great personal loss yet with another common enemy (possibly involving a dog)
Movie 3. They have to reconcile and become an ass whipping team again, movie ends with cliffhanger stalemate that insinuates they are going to turn against each other again, but maybe not?
That’s what I need y’all.
posted by noiseanoise at 6:05 PM on August 20, 2020 [6 favorites]
old guard kicked ass
posted by lazaruslong at 6:16 PM on August 20, 2020
posted by lazaruslong at 6:16 PM on August 20, 2020
Not as showy as some fight scenes, but it also doesn't have 110lb women tossing around 250lb men like they are made of feathers.
The recent Harley Quinn movie did a surprisingly good job with this -- the ass-kicking women in that movie use leverage and weapons and inertia in order to do damage that they wouldn't be able to do in a straight up fight. And they do it covered in glitter. It's not realistic violence by a long shot, but I appreciated the nod to the fact that the women were women.
posted by jacquilynne at 6:27 PM on August 20, 2020 [8 favorites]
The recent Harley Quinn movie did a surprisingly good job with this -- the ass-kicking women in that movie use leverage and weapons and inertia in order to do damage that they wouldn't be able to do in a straight up fight. And they do it covered in glitter. It's not realistic violence by a long shot, but I appreciated the nod to the fact that the women were women.
posted by jacquilynne at 6:27 PM on August 20, 2020 [8 favorites]
It's been a while since I watched Atomic Blonde.
Do they do that ridiculous move where the female protagonist whips her herself up onto the shoulders of whoever she is fighting, wedges their head between her thighs and somehow leverages them into doing a full flip?
The answer to this question is not as compelling as wondering why you don't just watch Atomic Blonde to find out. I mean, Charlize Theron isn't Gina Carano, because few women, even action actresses, are former MMA fighters with 7-1 records. (The sole loss, a TKO, was to Cris Cyborg.) But Theron puts in the effort and suffers for it, as witness her list of acting-related injuries. (Funny how, when you read or hear about an actor suffering for their art, it's almost always some humblebragging dude.)
posted by Halloween Jack at 8:52 PM on August 20, 2020 [7 favorites]
Do they do that ridiculous move where the female protagonist whips her herself up onto the shoulders of whoever she is fighting, wedges their head between her thighs and somehow leverages them into doing a full flip?
The answer to this question is not as compelling as wondering why you don't just watch Atomic Blonde to find out. I mean, Charlize Theron isn't Gina Carano, because few women, even action actresses, are former MMA fighters with 7-1 records. (The sole loss, a TKO, was to Cris Cyborg.) But Theron puts in the effort and suffers for it, as witness her list of acting-related injuries. (Funny how, when you read or hear about an actor suffering for their art, it's almost always some humblebragging dude.)
posted by Halloween Jack at 8:52 PM on August 20, 2020 [7 favorites]
2 Days in the Valley is worth a re-watch. Trust me.
posted by valkane at 8:59 PM on August 20, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by valkane at 8:59 PM on August 20, 2020 [2 favorites]
not gonna lie i mainly wanted to watch atomic blonde because i heard there was a car chase with trabants, rather than because i wanted to watch charlize theron punch kick stab and shoot people.
i think it just hadn’t yet sunk in for me that charlize theron in almost anything is just as awesome as charlize theron in fury road.
posted by Reclusive Novelist Thomas Pynchon at 9:25 PM on August 20, 2020 [6 favorites]
i think it just hadn’t yet sunk in for me that charlize theron in almost anything is just as awesome as charlize theron in fury road.
posted by Reclusive Novelist Thomas Pynchon at 9:25 PM on August 20, 2020 [6 favorites]
but also the trabant scene was frickin awesome
posted by Reclusive Novelist Thomas Pynchon at 9:25 PM on August 20, 2020 [4 favorites]
posted by Reclusive Novelist Thomas Pynchon at 9:25 PM on August 20, 2020 [4 favorites]
Haywire's fights were exceptional. I wasn't that impressed by The Old Guard's action, tho. I think Theron has an incredible presence and physicality, but The Old Guard editing did her a disservice. It's funny that Bailey talks about how Aeon Flux's rapid cutting hurt it, because I kinda think that's true for the vast majority of modern action films, The Old Guard very much included. Watch the plane fight again - they do the Marvel thing where they cut right as the blow lands for a lot of the punches and kicks, and it makes the fight feel weirdly weightless (Tony Zhou pointed this out for Marvel movies in an aside in one of his Every Frame a Painting videos about Jackie Chan, and now I can't unsee it). Compare it to Furiosa's fight against Max in Fury Road. Miller and Sixel do a much better job of holding the frame on their combatants and letting us see blows landing and the reaction to them. Atomic Blonde was also good about this, and the director even mentions the Chan influence in the video breakdown embedded in this article, and watching that right after watching the clip from The Old Guard again has me even more puzzled why people have hyped it up as a great action flick.
posted by protocoach at 9:26 PM on August 20, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by protocoach at 9:26 PM on August 20, 2020 [2 favorites]
I want to see Charlize Theron and Gina Carano fight each other in a movie, and wind up fighting side by side by the end.
posted by Mister Moofoo at 9:48 PM on August 20, 2020 [4 favorites]
posted by Mister Moofoo at 9:48 PM on August 20, 2020 [4 favorites]
I loved Atomic Blonde, but the fight scene I was hoping they'd show (more than a still) was the one in the stairwell.
posted by hypnogogue at 9:49 PM on August 20, 2020 [6 favorites]
posted by hypnogogue at 9:49 PM on August 20, 2020 [6 favorites]
Heroic Trio, Theron, Carano, Liu.
posted by clew at 10:09 PM on August 20, 2020 [4 favorites]
posted by clew at 10:09 PM on August 20, 2020 [4 favorites]
My favourite (non furiouso) Charlize is her spending the entire publicity tour for Huntsman absolutely destroying poor Kirsten Stewart who was obviously crushing hard. It’s pretty hilarious and I think she was a good influence in helping Stewart take this whole gig (and life in general) less seriously after having been on quite a short leash previously.
posted by J.R. Hartley at 10:24 PM on August 20, 2020 [8 favorites]
posted by J.R. Hartley at 10:24 PM on August 20, 2020 [8 favorites]
For Mevrouw Theron, it's "You were really great in Mighty Joe Young. Hey, what was up with everyone's eyebrows in the 90's?
It's been a while since I watched Atomic Blonde.
Do they do that ridiculous move where the female protagonist whips her herself up onto the shoulders of whoever she is fighting, wedges their head between her thighs and somehow leverages them into doing a full flip?
To quote my own Fanfare review of Old Guard: "Charlize Theron kicking ass and killing fools is one of my favourite film genres".
- Slimepuppy
Ditto. And suddenly I have an idea for her next two "killing fools" scene...
posted by happyroach at 11:55 PM on August 20, 2020 [2 favorites]
It's been a while since I watched Atomic Blonde.
Do they do that ridiculous move where the female protagonist whips her herself up onto the shoulders of whoever she is fighting, wedges their head between her thighs and somehow leverages them into doing a full flip?
To quote my own Fanfare review of Old Guard: "Charlize Theron kicking ass and killing fools is one of my favourite film genres".
- Slimepuppy
Ditto. And suddenly I have an idea for her next two "killing fools" scene...
posted by happyroach at 11:55 PM on August 20, 2020 [2 favorites]
I loved Atomic Blonde, but the fight scene I was hoping they'd show (more than a still) was the one in the stairwell.
Absolutely! The whole sequence is incredible. I remember watching it and I kept repeating "It's still the same shot! She's still going!"
posted by like_neon at 2:14 AM on August 21, 2020 [1 favorite]
Absolutely! The whole sequence is incredible. I remember watching it and I kept repeating "It's still the same shot! She's still going!"
posted by like_neon at 2:14 AM on August 21, 2020 [1 favorite]
If she doesn't show up in a John Wick film the universe is truly a cold and uncaring place.
posted by slimepuppy at 2:43 PM on August 20 [14 favorites +] [!]
1. Absolutely. Though I don't think the timing quite works out (80's Berlin vs. Present day world) they absolutely should - but - I really like Keanu Reeves and I don't know how well he would fare opposite Charlize Theron who is a vaaaaaaastly underrated actor (imho).
2. For that matter, Halle Berry was awesome in the third J.W. movie and _she_ should team up with Theron in something.
3. My favorite Theron will always be (actually, not entirely true just - she was so good at it, so nonchalantly brilliant) is Rita in "Arrested Development." (I'll watch anything she's in.)
posted by From Bklyn at 4:25 AM on August 21, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by slimepuppy at 2:43 PM on August 20 [14 favorites +] [!]
1. Absolutely. Though I don't think the timing quite works out (80's Berlin vs. Present day world) they absolutely should - but - I really like Keanu Reeves and I don't know how well he would fare opposite Charlize Theron who is a vaaaaaaastly underrated actor (imho).
2. For that matter, Halle Berry was awesome in the third J.W. movie and _she_ should team up with Theron in something.
3. My favorite Theron will always be (actually, not entirely true just - she was so good at it, so nonchalantly brilliant) is Rita in "Arrested Development." (I'll watch anything she's in.)
posted by From Bklyn at 4:25 AM on August 21, 2020 [2 favorites]
Looking at that Theron/Stewart wacky dancing clip -- Charlize isn't performing for the host or the viewers, she's performing FOR STEWART and her glances at the camera let us in on it.
As far as I'm concerned, she's basically Galadriel but even closer to the edge of darkness (and sometimes dancing over it and back again). And we are blessed to share the planet with her.
posted by seanmpuckett at 4:39 AM on August 21, 2020 [6 favorites]
As far as I'm concerned, she's basically Galadriel but even closer to the edge of darkness (and sometimes dancing over it and back again). And we are blessed to share the planet with her.
posted by seanmpuckett at 4:39 AM on August 21, 2020 [6 favorites]
Though I don't think the timing quite works out (80's Berlin vs. Present day world) they absolutely should - but - I really like Keanu Reeves and I don't know how well he would fare opposite Charlize Theron who is a vaaaaaaastly underrated actor (imho).
I mean, she could just play a different role... Though I do like the cross-universe thinking.
I hope she's not underrated. Has an Oscar and a very successful career. In my mind she's one of the absolute stars of Hollywood and I've never not seen her elevate any film she's in. I think her and Emily Blunt are two of the best actors working and the fact that they've both done action is a nice bonus for fans of the genre.
posted by slimepuppy at 5:05 AM on August 21, 2020 [5 favorites]
I mean, she could just play a different role... Though I do like the cross-universe thinking.
I hope she's not underrated. Has an Oscar and a very successful career. In my mind she's one of the absolute stars of Hollywood and I've never not seen her elevate any film she's in. I think her and Emily Blunt are two of the best actors working and the fact that they've both done action is a nice bonus for fans of the genre.
posted by slimepuppy at 5:05 AM on August 21, 2020 [5 favorites]
I love everything about Atomic Blonde and it's one of my favorite action movies ever, but the moment I felt just the slightest shiver of doubt was when I thought "early 80s favorites probably wouldn't be playing in a really trendy club in Berlin in 1989."
posted by a Rrose by any other name at 6:41 AM on August 21, 2020 [3 favorites]
posted by a Rrose by any other name at 6:41 AM on August 21, 2020 [3 favorites]
Much more likely to have been an early form of house or industrial, I would have thought.
posted by bonehead at 7:52 AM on August 21, 2020
posted by bonehead at 7:52 AM on August 21, 2020
Monique Ganderton, Dayna Grant, and Julia Schunevitsch are the women this guy forgot to mention.
posted by Ideefixe at 8:25 AM on August 21, 2020
posted by Ideefixe at 8:25 AM on August 21, 2020
The music was the weakest part of Atomic Blonde for me; it kicked me out of immersion multiple times and we even commented on it as the credits were rolling. But that single shot fight? Holy shit I was just in fucking awe.
posted by seanmpuckett at 9:17 AM on August 21, 2020
posted by seanmpuckett at 9:17 AM on August 21, 2020
"It's still the same shot! She's still going!"
Whaaaat? I never noticed that!
I never notice those things, which I guess is good since I'm lost in the movie world and not thinking about it being a movie.
posted by hypnogogue at 9:22 AM on August 21, 2020
Whaaaat? I never noticed that!
I never notice those things, which I guess is good since I'm lost in the movie world and not thinking about it being a movie.
posted by hypnogogue at 9:22 AM on August 21, 2020
> Absolutely. Though I don't think the timing quite works out (80's Berlin vs. Present day world) they absolutely should - but - I really like Keanu Reeves and I don't know how well he would fare opposite Charlize Theron who is a vaaaaaaastly underrated actor (imho).
can you really say for sure what decade the john wick movies are in? my sense (i might be wrong, it's been a while since i've seen the movies) is that deep down it's in a floating no-time, sort of like the archer series. i think that's what they were going for in the scenes where we see the organization using an array of information technologies from across the entire 20th and 21st centuries.
so it's not so much that atomic blonde is set in the 80s and john wick is set in the present day, it's more that atomic blonde is set in a decade and john wick isn't.
also keanu reeves is himself a vastly underrated actor. his style is so weird, but pretty damn effective. he's kind of like nic cage in that he's doing something different from what everyone else is doing... but whereas cage is big loud sloppy weird, reeves is understated precise weird. like, that scene at the end of the first(?) movie where reeves is like:
i'll kill them. i'll kill them all.
that is some acting, even though (or maybe because) it's not at all conventional.
after he turned down speed 2 he was sort of blacklisted for a little while until the matrix. and he turned down speed 2 to... play hamlet in a production in winnipeg. weird move, right? but those few reviewers who made the trek up north to see the production said that his performance was exquisite, like one of the best hamlets they had ever seen.
keanu reeves is a damned good actor and i will not hear anyone say otherwise. theron is a better actor than him, certainly, and with much more range, but if you put the two of them together in an action movie i am certain that reeves would be able to keep up.
posted by Reclusive Novelist Thomas Pynchon at 10:25 AM on August 21, 2020 [11 favorites]
can you really say for sure what decade the john wick movies are in? my sense (i might be wrong, it's been a while since i've seen the movies) is that deep down it's in a floating no-time, sort of like the archer series. i think that's what they were going for in the scenes where we see the organization using an array of information technologies from across the entire 20th and 21st centuries.
so it's not so much that atomic blonde is set in the 80s and john wick is set in the present day, it's more that atomic blonde is set in a decade and john wick isn't.
also keanu reeves is himself a vastly underrated actor. his style is so weird, but pretty damn effective. he's kind of like nic cage in that he's doing something different from what everyone else is doing... but whereas cage is big loud sloppy weird, reeves is understated precise weird. like, that scene at the end of the first(?) movie where reeves is like:
i'll kill them. i'll kill them all.
that is some acting, even though (or maybe because) it's not at all conventional.
after he turned down speed 2 he was sort of blacklisted for a little while until the matrix. and he turned down speed 2 to... play hamlet in a production in winnipeg. weird move, right? but those few reviewers who made the trek up north to see the production said that his performance was exquisite, like one of the best hamlets they had ever seen.
keanu reeves is a damned good actor and i will not hear anyone say otherwise. theron is a better actor than him, certainly, and with much more range, but if you put the two of them together in an action movie i am certain that reeves would be able to keep up.
posted by Reclusive Novelist Thomas Pynchon at 10:25 AM on August 21, 2020 [11 favorites]
Charlize had to train in ancient and modern fighting techniques—Judo, Danbe, Aikido, Savate, Boxing, Silat, Arnis, Kali, May Thais, Krav Maga, Kempo, Pankration, Kickboxing, Jang Soo Do, Kendo, Kajukenbo, Wushu, and Kung Fu."
Mai tai is a cocktail. Muay Thai is a martial art. Charlize Theron may have experience in both.
posted by delegeferenda at 10:40 AM on August 21, 2020 [2 favorites]
Mai tai is a cocktail. Muay Thai is a martial art. Charlize Theron may have experience in both.
posted by delegeferenda at 10:40 AM on August 21, 2020 [2 favorites]
Y'all DO know that Charlize and Keanu HAVE already worked together, right? Yes, it was a Manic Pixie Tearjerker. But rework the dialogue so it's Atomic Blonde helping John Wick destroy his handlers like she did, and set it in a Secret Tunnel instead of a boho flat kitchen and...?
posted by bartleby at 11:23 AM on August 21, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by bartleby at 11:23 AM on August 21, 2020 [1 favorite]
I was not really aware of Theron until Monster and her acting in that movie was the most amazing thing I had ever seen. I've been a fan ever since.
posted by emjaybee at 12:04 PM on August 21, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by emjaybee at 12:04 PM on August 21, 2020 [1 favorite]
The fight scenes are wonderfully choreographed but I can't help feeling a pang of sympathy for the random, interchangeable tac team members getting thrown into the meatgrinder of opponents who literally can't be killed and have years (decades? centuries?) of fighting experience.
posted by Standeck at 12:23 PM on August 21, 2020
posted by Standeck at 12:23 PM on August 21, 2020
Much more likely to have been an early form of house or industrial, I would have thought.
I think so. It's 1989 so right at the start of the rave scene. So industrial or eurodance or Belgian beat or acid house or techno. I like Atomic Blonde's soundtrack and I get why they wanted it all moodily post-punk, but a soundtrack closer to the actual period would've ripped, too.
posted by a Rrose by any other name at 1:31 PM on August 21, 2020
I think so. It's 1989 so right at the start of the rave scene. So industrial or eurodance or Belgian beat or acid house or techno. I like Atomic Blonde's soundtrack and I get why they wanted it all moodily post-punk, but a soundtrack closer to the actual period would've ripped, too.
posted by a Rrose by any other name at 1:31 PM on August 21, 2020
after he turned down speed 2 he was sort of blacklisted for a little while until the matrix. and he turned down speed 2 to... play hamlet in a production in winnipeg. weird move, right? but those few reviewers who made the trek up north to see the production said that his performance was exquisite, like one of the best hamlets they had ever seen.
Which may or may not have contributed to the existence of Slings and Arrows, which makes it even more of a contribution to Art and Mankind
posted by trig at 1:40 PM on August 21, 2020 [5 favorites]
Which may or may not have contributed to the existence of Slings and Arrows, which makes it even more of a contribution to Art and Mankind
posted by trig at 1:40 PM on August 21, 2020 [5 favorites]
>I think so. It's 1989 so right at the start of the rave scene. So industrial or eurodance or Belgian beat or acid house or techno. I like Atomic Blonde's soundtrack and I get why they wanted it all moodily post-punk, but a soundtrack closer to the actual period would've ripped, too.
Username relevant..?
This song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoLwgsx7hWA
Over this scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAXrcFBJXjM
Wooooo
posted by Cpt. The Mango at 7:00 PM on August 21, 2020
Username relevant..?
This song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoLwgsx7hWA
Over this scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAXrcFBJXjM
Wooooo
posted by Cpt. The Mango at 7:00 PM on August 21, 2020
> compare her fights, for example, with the kind of hyper-editing required to make someone like Neeson seem convincingly spry.
Little derail here, but I just wanted to point out the Theron is currently 45 whereas Neeson is 68. The difference in spryness between those two ages--differing by 23 years--is vast.
I'll just say that at 45, I felt like I was in my 20s. Now I'm not even halfway from their 68 and, alas, "feeling like I'm in my 20s" is a feeling long, long gone.
Nothing against either Theron or Neeson, but making a disparaging comparison between abilities of people nearly a quarter century apart in age is kinda dumb.
posted by flug at 7:08 PM on August 21, 2020
Little derail here, but I just wanted to point out the Theron is currently 45 whereas Neeson is 68. The difference in spryness between those two ages--differing by 23 years--is vast.
I'll just say that at 45, I felt like I was in my 20s. Now I'm not even halfway from their 68 and, alas, "feeling like I'm in my 20s" is a feeling long, long gone.
Nothing against either Theron or Neeson, but making a disparaging comparison between abilities of people nearly a quarter century apart in age is kinda dumb.
posted by flug at 7:08 PM on August 21, 2020
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I love The Old Guard unreservedly, and it's for exactly this reason.
posted by palmcorder_yajna at 1:22 PM on August 20, 2020 [7 favorites]