I saw "the Road" yesterday, and it probably is the best post-apocalyptic film I've seen so far. There is still room for a better one, though. Honest and simple in the right way, it doesn't have any cheap dramatization or other commercial tricks intended to make it "easier". The only thing that struck me wrong was something that I very often don't like in movies, unnecessary background music. No Land For Old Men (also a good movie) doesn't do this, if I remember correctly.
It's also very, very depressing at points. The world it portrays, gray, dead forests and abandoned cities and roads, with very, very few survivors are much more disturbing and grim than a sunny, desolate desert, in my opinion. It is very near to my vision of an ideal post-apoc movie. I recommend it.
Mad Max 2 would come as a strong second, being a "good" action movie. It doesn't have anything unnecessary. It has a deep (although perhaps not very) level to it, too.
Haven't seen the first one yet, except for maybe the first 15 minutes, which didn't impress me much. Beyond thunderdome was bad, except for a few moments. The lost boys gang just felt a little too corny to me.
I had high expectations for Besson's Le Dernier Combat. It had some good moments to it, but all in all, it was a disappointment. Visually, it has some very good shots. It has also some original ideas (the muteness). The soundtrack, however, is poor, like in some other movies by Besson (Nikita). This is arguable, but they go against my own taste. I think they sound cheap, and not cheap in a good way. Just bad. Also, some other things provoke in it: some moments seem childish. But I think this is a theme of sorts for Besson, he often depicts the loss of innocense in his movies, which might explain some things. I've often tought that he chooses good themes (or themes that interest me aswell) for his movies, but somehow just more or less screws them up. Nikita is maybe his strongest movie, Le Dernier in 2nd place and Leon 3rd. I won't go into that now.
Omega man started well, but sort of descend into a mix of unintended comedy and low quality, overall crappyness. Not a good pa movie, or even a good movie at all. Same thing for it's newest rebirth "I Am Legend". It had some good moments in the start, but ended up being shitty and commercial.
What's wrong with Will Smith, huh? I haven't probably seen a single decent, "real" movie with him in it. The man has the iq of wittgenstein, he would be capable of making Kubrikian masterpieces, if he wanted to. The good thing is, he's a reminder and proof that pure, "raw" intellect does not make up for creativity and artistic vision when it comes to making something meaningful. At least "Ali" had potential.
I didn't like "the Postman" either. All the nationalism and overly dramatic and just shoddy dialogue ruins it.
Now, if zombie apocalypse qualifies, then "Day of the Dead" IS a good movie. It has many levels to it. I recommend it as well for anyone who hasn't seen it. Probably the only truly credible and GOOD zombie movie I've seen.
Talking about zombies, 28 days later begins very well. The shots of a desolate London are very, very good and atmospheric. When the army kicks in, the movie starts to go downhill, in my opinion. I won't spoil anything though. Same thing for the sequel, 28 weeks later, although the curvature from good to shitty is steeper, as in faster. It has a very strong beginning, but maybe just as equally a weak unfolding. What bothered me most where the cheap tricks that were meant to shock the audience with either some "saw"-like gorish, disgusting scenes or some other horrory ding-dong.
I guess waterworld is OK. I should really watch it again, but I liked the originality of the world. Nothing special besides that, maybe.
Even though hollywood-garbage seems to grow larger and appear increasingly often, there will always be the few good moviemakers that will do what they want, how they want it. A good portion of "good art" is not compromising one's vision. And having one, too.
Oh, and also, I'm watching the first moments of "Threads" right now, having learned about it just moments ago from previous posts in this thread. Looks promising! Nice symbolismsmsms, webs and all, yeah.
And fuck, I still wanted to mention that I'm looking forward to see a pa movie by Mika Kaurismäki (brother of Aki Kaurismäki, author of "I Hired a Contract Killer", "The Man Without a Past"). I'm told it's good, though I don't know it's title yet! Have to do some research in imbd.
