The Great Debate returns to Last Movie Outpost, as once again the halls of our institution ring with the sound of arguments.
Lately, while doom-scrolling these endless reams of “content” across several streaming services, a full satellite TV package, and the internet in general, I frequently find myself just giving up and instead simply going back and rewatching older movies that I remember enjoying from my past, but haven’t seen for years.
You know what? I am enjoying it immensely! The other night, completely out of nowhere, I decided to rewatch Con Air for the first time in nearly two decades and it was simply magnificent. I mean, it was dumb as a bag of rocks, but it was still a damn good time chugging beers on the couch and letting it completely entertain me.
A few nights after this, while following the same MO, I stumbled across Unstoppable.
Again, I hadn’t seen it since it was first released on DVD, so I settled in to watch it. Unstoppable is based on the real-life CSX 8888 incident, telling the story of a runaway freight train and the two men who attempt to stop it. It was the last film directed by Tony Scott before his untimely demise. It stars Chris Pine and the great Denzel Washington.
With Tony Scott dialing down his crazy, experimental feeling visuals from Man On Fire, but still deploying his great eye for action, I began to marvel at what genuinely feels like some kind of masterclass in economical action movie making. With the soundbar cranked right up, on the indecently sized television I have at home, it was experiential.
I was joined on the couch by my two kids, attracted by the huge noise, who were then completely gripped by the spectacle. Again and again, my overriding thoughts were “When did this movie get so damned good?” and “This movie is way, way better than it has any right to be!”
Shortly after that, I thought “This gives me an idea for an LMO debate!”
So once again my functional alcoholism and couch potato Saturday nights provide Last Movie Outpost with more content. Thanks, liver! So here we go Outposter, your turn:
What movies are way, way better than they have any right to be?
Strap in, Outposters, as you make your case for movies that may have been previously underappreciated.
