Not gonna lie, this week’s theme had me a bit flustered because what the actual hell – tall buildings? At first I was completely lost, and to be honest, I’m still a little lost but I think I have three movies that sort of represent tall buildings. Like, I would have loved to include movies that focus solely on tall buildings but I just, these movies have just epic scenes featuring tall buildings – that’s all I got, guys, sorry!
1. MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – GHOST PROTOCOL, 2011
Nobody can deny that Tom Cruise is a crazy mofo. And no, I’m not talking about all that couch jumping activity which he has now thankfully left behind, I’m talking about the fact that he does his own stunts. Which is fine I guess if his stunts weren’t crazy as hell! So, when you’ve got yourself the tallest building in the world and the craziest action movie mofo alive, you are in for a treat! Also, the movie itself is pretty darn good as well, like, not as good as Rogue Nation, but it definitely restored my faith in Tom and his action star skills. I might not agree with his personal choices, but I do love how he dedicates himself to action sequences.
2. SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE, 1993
It was a matter of time when a Tom Hanks (this post is all about Tom it seems) classic was included in one of these lists and I guess it’s time to include his one of two romantic comedies with Meg Ryan – Sleepless in Seattle. A movie that has received a lot of references in popular culture throughout the years, the movie has a very important ending which features an important tall building in New York. It’s no Eiffel Tower but I think it’s just as romantic.
3. ATTACK THE BLOCK, 2011
Alright, so I’m cheating a bit but not really because Attack the Block does feature a tall building – filled with apartments! The movie is a alien horror movie that surprised the hell out of me when I watched it and it’s full of unexpected humour as well as a few proper scares. And in case this doesn’t sell you on it, it’s written and directed by Joe Cornish – man who penned Ant-Man.
THIS SERIES IS CREATED BY WANDERING THROUGH THE SHELVES
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Ghost Protocol is popular today! I haven’t seen that one, but I have seen the other two.
Oh, that’s nice, I think it means I got the theme after all! 😀
I’m not a fan of Tom Cruise but I love the fact that he does his own stunts. And yes, Ghost Protocol is pretty good, my favourite of the franchise after Rogue Nation.
I didn’t like him either, like he seems weird, and like I wrote, I don’t like his personal choices in life but I do like his movies. Edge of Tomorrow was such a great surprise from him, and the revival of the Mission: Impossible franchise has him on my go-to action guys list at the moment. His movies seem to pack the action and the sophistication, not sure how The Mummy will turn out though.
I didn’t enter this week because I drew a complete blank on this topic!! But Sleepless in Seattle is a great pick, ahhh I love that movie
Oh I was the same way but then I just started to think of movies that had tall buildings in and it was a bit easier, though I do think this topic is a bit tricky. Next week’s theme though, man, it’s another difficult one for me, since I have to have 6 movies now! 😀
The only Mission Impossible film I’ve seen is the first and I hated how they bastardized the show, plus in the main I detest Cruise, so I never watched any of the sequels including this one but it is popular today.
Haven’t seen Attack of the Block but I love Sleepless in Seattle. It works its conceit so well that it seems that Hanks and Meg Ryan have spent the entire movie together not just that last scene. Terrific supporting cast as well.
I know what you mean about having a bit of a struggle to come up with three exclusively dealing with tall buildings. In two of mine the height of the building plays an intrinsic part but the third it just serves as its setting.
The Towering Inferno (1974)-It’s the grand dedication ceremony for the world’s tallest building, The Glass Tower a 138 story skyscraper in San Francisco and the party is being held on the top floor loaded with movie stars, politicians and the building team in attendance. But trouble’s abrewing when architect Doug Roberts (Paul Newman) arrives back in town to find that corners have cut and the wiring for the building is substandard. He’s right to be worried since when a small fire breaks out on the 81st floor it spreads quickly trapping the guests while the fire department works feverishly to save them. One of the big three Irwin Allen disaster films of the 70’s, along with Airport and The Poseidon Adventure, this was an enormous hit on release with an amazing cast of some of the biggest stars of the time-Steve McQueen, Faye Dunaway, William Holden, Fred Astaire, Robert Wagner, Robert Vaughn and Jennifer Jones (in her final film) plus dozens of recognizable performers in smaller roles.
Plaza Suite (1971)-Three act Neil Simon comedy based on his stage success all takes place in Suite 719 of New York’s Plaza Hotel. Each vignette stars Walter Matthau in different roles with three different leading ladies, Maureen Stapleton, Barbara Harris and Lee Grant in tales of a marriage in crisis, an assignation and a long married couple whose daughter has locked herself in the bathroom moments before her wedding downstairs. None are bad but the first and third are the strongest.
Fourteen Hours (1951)-Robert Cosick (Richard Basehart) is at the end of his rope and has decided to commit suicide by jumping from the ledge of the 15th floor of the Roosevelt Hotel high above the city. As police officer Charlie Dunnigan (Paul Douglas) tries to reason with him calling in both his girlfriend (Barbara Bel Geddes) and his mother (Agnes Moorehead) the event turns into a sideshow lasting 14 hours. Quite similar to the recent Man on a Ledge but a better film this was Grace Kelly’s screen debut in a small role.
I think Cruise has done better with Mission: Impossible in his latest two since the CGI and technology has just added to his excellent stunt work in my opinion. Don’t like the guy either but can’t deny that the man has an eye for action sequences.
Attack the Block is a weird one, I recommend to give it a try because for me it was a surprisingly great little movie.
There is also High-Rise which focuses on a tall building and the entire movie focuses around it but I hated the movie, I hated it so much that I didn’t even want to mention it in a negative way in this post!
I hated High-Rise too!! God it was loathsome.
Horrible.. just.. ugh, don’t really want to spend any time thinking about it.
I really liked Attack the Block. Mostly because it is SO London.
I wouldn’t know 🙁 … but I believe you! 😀
Personally, I prefer Ghost Protocol to Rogue Nation, by a pretty wide margin. Either way, they’re still the two best in the franchise as I didn’t have much use for the first three movies.
Somehow, I’ve never seen Sleepless in Seattle. Bad blogger, I know.
Glad to see Attack the Block getting lots of love this week. It’s a great, little film.
I think I like Rogue Nation too but then again, I think both movies are pretty strong indeed!
I was surprised to see Attack the Block so much, but pleasantly surprised of course!
That Ghost Protocol scene is so memorable precisely because he did it himself. That is really brave. He is insane but the fact he did it – I respect that
He is a little crazy.. but when it comes to stunts, I’ll that take that crazy any day!
We match on MI! Love it. Sleepless in Seattle totally crossed my mind before I decided to go full Tom Cruise. Great picks!
I loved your full Tom Cruise list! So I’ll forgive you for not including Sleepless in Seattle. 😀
Nice picks! Tom Cruise’s stunts are always pretty unforgettable, but I don’t know how he’ll top that climb on the Dubai tower.
He will.. just wait, he was on Graham Norton and he says the next MI will have a stunt that has been in talks for years or something. He was being very cryptic about it so I think it’s some crazy ass stunt! Maybe he’ll jump out of space?!?!?! Because at this point, I expect him to go all the way up there for a stunt. 😀
I haven’t seen the horror film which I probably will skip since I freak out quite easily but we match with Ghost Protocol. Sleepless in Seattle is a great pick and one could have picked the other 2 which this was a remake-Love Affair with Jean Arthur and Charles Boyer and An Affair to Remember with Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr
Well, I’m not a fan of horror either but it is more like a thriller horror, with a hint of comedy because I only remember the fun parts of it.
I’m not familiar of the movies Sleepless in Seattle is a remake of.. I’m very unaware of classics like that, I’m horrible!
Attack the Block for the win! I think I actually didn’t mind Ghost Protocol but I never made it through Sleepless in Seattle.