Chow Yun-Fat

You're going to have to do a little subtitle reading for our next entry in the Hall of Awesome but it's well worth it to experience Chow Yun-Fat at his best.  While yes Chow Yun-Fat has made many fine English films in America, his most awesome roles are guns blazing in a Hong Kong gangster movie. 

Chow Yun-Fat first hit international fame working with one of my favorite directors John Woo, and really it's easy to see why.  Charismatic, athletic, good looking, and charming Chow Yun-Fat has all the right characteristics for an amazing action star.  His body counts in films like The Killer, Hard Boiled and A Better Tomorrow would make any American action hero jealous, and he does it all with style and grace to boot.

Recommended Films:  The Killer, A Better Tomorrow I & II, Hard Boiled, Once a Thief, The Replacement Killers, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Curse of the Golden Flower, Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End

Lee Marvin

The next stop in the Hall of Awesome is a fairly new discovery for me, but one I'm thoroughly enjoying and wished I had discovered sooner.  Before Clint Eastwood, before Harvey Keitel there was Lee Marvin.  Lee Marvin was an old school badass who was equally at home playing the bad guy as he was the good.  Hell the man stared down The Duke himself John Wayne and held his own, now that's saying something.

Not only was Lee Marvin an on-screen badass he was one off screen as well.  Marvin served as a Marine sniper in the Pacific Theater during World War II, where he participated in the invasion of 21 islands until he was wounded in The Battle of Saipan.  Marvin received a medical discharge and was awarded a Purple Heart for his service.

Lee Marvin was a classic gritty tough guy.  Strong jaw, check.  Gravely voice, check.  Cold hard stare, check.  Swaggering strut, check. Lee Marvin had it all in spades, he practically radiated awesomeness on screen.  Unfortunately Lee Marvin is no longer with us, he died of a sudden heart attack in 1987, but his legend will live on in all the memorable roles that he played.

Recommended Films:
Point Blank, The Dirty Dozen, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, The Professionals, The Big Red One, The Killers (1964), Cat Ballou, The Spikes Gang.

Recommended TV:
M Squad.

Bruce Campbell

The first stop in the Hall of Awesome is none other than Bruce Campbell.  One of my favorite actors of all time because of his epic Awesomeness.  In his career he's fought hoards of undead monsters, he's been a steampunk cowboy, a mythic Greek thief, a womanizing retired navy seal, and has even been The King of Rock n' Roll while fighting and ancient Egyptian mummy.  These are just a few of the many great roles Bruce Campbell has played in his long and awesome career.

Bruce Campbell always kills the monsters, beats the bad guys, and of course gets the girl with a dashing, cocky charm that is simply irresistible.  He is the master of the one liner, delivering even the the cheesiest of lines with cool sincerity.  Bruce Campbell is both a tough guy "man's man" and an average Joe wrapped up in one.  He is an idealistic vision of what we would like to be while at the same time reflecting our faults and flaws.  Bruce Campbell truly is a working man's hero.


Recommended Films
Evil Dead 1 & 2, Army of Darkness, Bubba Ho Tep, My Name is Bruce, The Hudsucker Proxy, Man with the Screaming Brain

Recommended TV Shows
Burn Notice, The Adventures of Brisco County Jr., Jack of All Trades, Hercules:  The Legendary Journeys, Xena:  Warrior Princess

Welcome to The Hall of Awesome

Greetings friends and welcome to The Hall of Awesome.  You may be asking yourself at this point, "Self, what is The Hall of Awesome?"  If you're not, then why the hell are you reading this in the first place?

Imagine if you will a large building, but this is no ordinary building, this is a place of epic epicness.  Huge marble columns, towering arches, gold and precious gems line the walls, this is truly a place where giants dwell.  Inside this building is a room, and in this room there are innumerable monuments to the greatest badasses who ever graced the silver screen.  This my friends is The Hall of Awesome.

Unfortunately this place only exists in my head, but fear not you can visit it with me by reading this blog.  Each week I'll review one of these mighty badassess and explain how they got their place in The Hall of Awesome.  Since I am the tour guide we'll visit displays I want to see first and in no particular order other than my whim.  If you have any suggestions of people you'd like to see by all means let me know and I'll see if I can find them, this place is huge after all. 

I hope you all will enjoy this trip with me through the Hall of of Awesome, it should be fun.  Our first stop will of course be Bruce Campbell, which will be pretty obvious for those of you who know me.