Life is what happens when you are making other plans~ John Lennon
An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind~Gandhi
The time is always right to do what is right~ Martin Luther King Jr.


Showing posts with label sci-fi movies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sci-fi movies. Show all posts

Sunday, May 31, 2026

The One (2001)

A sci-fi film starring Jet Li, Carla Gugino, Delroy Lindo and Jason Statham

Summary

-Set in a world of Multiverses, where everyone has a version of themselves, two Multiverse agents track down a rogue criminal killing alternate versions of himself, to become stronger. The only thing stopping him from becoming "The One" is a humble LASD office










Cast

-Jet Li: Gabe / Yulaw / Lawless

-Carla Gugino: T.K. / Massie Walsh

-Delroy: Roedecker / Attendant

-Jason Statham: Funsch

-James Morrison: Aldrich / A World Inmate #1

-Dylan Bruno: Yates

-Richard Steinmetz: D'Antoni

-Harriet Sansom Harris: Nurse Besson

Did You Know?

-In the scenes where Jet Li appeared to be fighting himself, this was done with a stuntman with a similar physical build to him. The stuntman's face was painted green with CGI dots so Jet Li's face could digitally replace it later

-Jet Li uses two particular styles of kung fu here. For Yulaw, the "evil" one, he uses what is called Xingyi Quan, or "Mind-Form-Fist". It's seen as a very linear style meant for offense. Gabe is seen using what is called Bagua Zhang, or "Eight Trigrams Palm". This is known for open palm fighting, with circular footwork. Both styles are considered two of the three main styles of Chinese kung fu, with the third being Taiji Quan (Tai Chi)

-The 2001 TV program Scrubs is filmed at the North Hollywood Medical Center - the same "University Medical Center" featured in this movie, where Gabe is going to get his MRI 

-In the film's initial shootout, the guns used by the LAPD in the Anubis Universe were M4A1 carbine assault rifles equipped with an M26 Modular Accessory Shotgun System. At the time, the M26 was a relatively new experimental shotgun being developed by the United States Army by C-More Systems. It was not available to the public. These were prototype weapons being used and were loaned to the film set by the C-More Systems company. It was done under a promotional agreement that required them to be returned to the company after production was completed

-Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson was initially supposed to have the main role, but he had made plans to star as The Scorpion King in the 2001 film The Mummy Returns. At the time, this film was listed as Untitled Sci-Fi Project. When Jet Li came in, it was retitled The One

-When Yulaw is driving around in a car he had stolen, he is fiddling with the radio, trying to find music. The 4th song he comes to is "Sinner" by Drowning Pool. When the film was released in Asia, it was changed to Linkin Park's "Forgotten"

-Jason Statham and Jet Li would appear together once again in films such as 2007's War, 2010's The Expendables, 2012's The Expendables 2 and 2014's The Expendables 3. Jet Li would play a character called Yin Yang

-Both Jet Li and Carlo Gugino had movies come out the same year before signing on to do this one. Carla Gugino starred in Spy Kids while Jet Li starred in Kiss of the Dragon

-When Delroy Lindo's gas station attendant character calls the police, after reporting violence, he describes the appearance of one of them as "a Chinese man". All he would know is that the person in question was of eastern Asian appearance. The attendant was trying to guess whether the man was Chinese or Japanese and assuming that he was Chinese, as the larger population instead of a general description

Monday, August 4, 2025

Movie Cameos by Musicians

Sometimes musicians will appear in a movie just for fun or other reasons. It's fun seeing your favorite musician appear in a movie you happen to be watching. According to MSN.com page YardBarker and writer Jeff Mezydlo, here are 25 movie cameos by musicians

1. Alice Cooper in Wayne's World

-Fans of his music love his cameo in Wayne's World. If they have seen this movie, and they see Alice Cooper, they are almost automatically required to start quoting the movie. Doing what Wayne and Garth do, bowing down shouting "We're not worthy! We're not worthy! We're scum! We suck!" Fans are also incredibly surprised at the historically accurate and even hilarious delivery of information of the Milwaukee area

2. Huey Lewis in Back to the Future

-Unless you know what Huey Lewis looks like, you'll watch the movie and completely miss him. The funniest moment in the Back to the Future series is when Marty and his band, The Pinheads, are playing a hard rock, almost Van Halen-like version of the Huey Lewis & The News song "The Power of Love." It's done during a Battle of the Bands contest and one of the judges is...Huey Lewis. He tells them that they are "just too darn loud."

3. Billy Idol in The Wedding Singer

-Billy Idol poked fun at his slightly addicted past by appearing in The Wedding Singer, chugging a bottle of liquor. Since the film took place in the 1980s, it was easier for Idol to poke fun at himself. He blew minds of people as he assisted Robbie (Adam Sandler) in trying to win over Julia (Drew Barrymore) while en route to Las Vegas, where Julia is in a rush to get married to her fiancee Glenn

4. Bruce Springsteen in High Fidelity

-This film centered around a record store clerk wanting to get back in touch with former loves. He could describe it as being like a Bruce Springsteen song. The singer made an appearance in the film

5. Tom Petty in The Postman

-Tom Petty plays the Bridge City Mayor in this film. Both Kevin Costner and Tom Petty had a fun exchange between each other, showing respect for each other's work in their fields. Kevin Costner says "I know you. You're famous." And Tom Petty returns with "I was once. Sorta. Kinda. Not anymore."

6. Michael Jackson in Men in Black II

-The iconic singer made an appearance in the second installment, as an agent named M, reporting to Chief Zed

7. Tom Jones in Mars Attacks!

-This Tim Burton-directed spoof on alien movies from the 1950s had an array of stars in it. Yet the most talked about appearance was that of singer Tom Jones. He manages to survive the Martian attack in Las Vegas while ending the movie with his most iconic hit "It's Not Unusual"

8. Jack White in Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story

-In this film, starring John C. Reilly, Jack White plays Elvis Presley. Despite his screen time being short, he was able to make perfect use of his time by imitating the slight slur of The King and even the karate moves, which added humor

9. Tom Waits in Domino

-This film centers on a young bounty hunter named Domino Harvey (Keira Knightley), while Waits plays someone known only as "Wanderer". It's a small role, but it makes a big impact

10. Keith Richards in Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End

-The Rolling Stones rocker appeared as Captain Teague, Capt. Jack Sparrow's father. He's almost immediately recognizable except for the obvious pirate costume. He played Captain Teague, keeper of the Pirate Codex (the pirate code)

11. Lemmy Kilmister in Airheads

-Motorhead fans will know this name and face anywhere. If they have seen the film Airheads, they can immediately spot their hero in the crowd. Brendan Fraser plays Chazz, a vocalist and bassist for The Lone Rangers. He admits his real name is Chester and that, while in high school, he was a geek. This enables the crowd to start letting out revelations from the crowd themselves. Even Lemmy proclaimed he was "editor of the school magazine."

12. David Bowie in Zoolander

-While there were quite a few musician cameos in this film, the one that stood out for a lot of people was iconic musician David Bowie. He was playing himself, after judging the "walk off" between Ben Stiller, who played Derek and Owen Wilson, who played Hansel

13. Snoop Dogg in Half Baked

-He has shown himself to be versatile in many ways, such as film, TV and music. One of the more popular moments was when he appeared in the film Half Baked, where he was shown smoking with Thurgood (Dave Chappelle) and Brian (Jim Breuer)

14. Pearl Jam in Singles

-Not only did Seattle rockers Soundgarden and Chris Cornell appear in this film, fellow Seattle rockers Pearl Jam did too, since the movie was about the growing "Seattle Sound". The then lineup of Eddie Vedder, Jeff Ament and Stone Gossard played themselves, but were part of the band Citizen Dick, fronted by Cliff (Matt Dillon)

15. Kanye West in The Love Guru

-This is one of Kanye's more interesting film moments. It came in the form of the 2008 Mike Myers film. He wears a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey, next to Mike Myers, who is also wearing one. Kanye also yells "I love hockey"

16. Flea in The Big Lebowski

-The Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist was also in this film. His character was also said to be a nihilist, and he took a bowling ball to his stomach thanks to Walter Sobchak (John Goodman)

17. Aimee Mann in the Big Lebowski

-Aimee Mann is the vocalist for 80s era band Til Tuesday. She's also their bassist. She's most noted for her appearance in the film The Big Lebowski. She played a German nihilist girl who gave up her pinky toe in the kidnapping scheme

18. Phil Collins in Hook

-This is one of the more well known ones. If you're familiar with the band Genesis, then you'll know who Phil Collins is and know what he looks like. He's almost instantly recognizable except for a mustache and glasses as he plays a police detective named Inspector Good who is investigating the disappearance of Peter Banning's children

19. Chris Cornell in Singles

-This 1992 film tells the story of single life and the now blooming Seattle music scene, featuring some of the biggest names in grunge. Soundgarden was part of that scene. Cornell was the man inspecting the speakers that Matt Dillon's character installed in a car. While the scene didn't end as expected, it's still interesting for fans of Soundgarden

20. Blink-182 in American Pie

-Not only did the band contribute music to the soundtrack, they also appeared in the film. It was the then lineup of Travis Barker, Mark Hoppus and Tom DeLonge. They appeared in the scene where Jim (Jason Biggs) tried to pick up a foreign exchange student named Nadia, played by Shannon Elizabeth in his bedroom

21. Gwen Stefani in The Aviator

-Former No Doubt vocalist Gwen Stefani appeared as Hollywood starlet Jean Harlow, who was the arm candy of Leonardo DiCaprio's Howard Hughes in this film, which told the story of the eccentric yet reclusive man

22. Anthony Kiedis in Point Break

-The Red Hot Chili Peppers vocalist gets a cameo as a surfer who jumps Johnny Utah (Keanu Reeves) at the beach showers. Kiedis and his friends get their punishment when Patrick Swayze's character Bodhi stepped in to teach them a lesson

23. ZZ Top in Back to the Future Part III

-In the last installment of the highly popular series, this is considered to be the worst of the three. There is one unique moment in the film. Texas rock legend ZZ Top was cast because director Robert Zemeckis was a big fan. They were the band playing at the party. They played a more country version of their song "Doubleback", which is from their 1990 album Recycler

24. Tom Waits in The Outsiders

-This was his earliest cameo in films. He appeared in the film version of the classic S.E. Hinton novel. He appears in the scene where Pony Boy Curtis (C. Thomas Howell) and Johnny (Ralph Maccio) are looking for their friend Dallas (Matt Dillion). Waits plays Buck Merrill, who opens the door of a bar

25. George Harrison in Monty Python's Life of Brian

-This member of The Beatles was a massive fan of Monty Python. It's easy to miss him, but if you have  a sharp eye, you can easily find him. Eric Idle of the comedy troupe contacted Harrison to see if he could assist the group in getting funding. Harrison agreed and it earned him a spot in the film

Friday, July 25, 2025

20 Films Where the Main Actors Were Outperformed by Supporting Actors

In films, people don't always remember the supporting actors or actresses, the people who had smaller roles than the lead people. Sometimes, those supporting people end up giving better performances than the main people. Thomas West, a writer for the MSN.com page Yardbarker, has put together a list of films where the supporting actors / actresses have outperformed the main actors / actresses

1. Thor

-Despite Chris Hemsworth playing the titular blonde Norse god, it was Tom Hiddleston's role as Loki who went above and beyond. His role as Loki was that of a bratty prince and demon of chaos. Despite the fact that Tom Hiddleston has other roles he's performed, he'll forever be known as Loki

2. Mad Max: Fury Road

-Charlize Theron is a versatile actress. She can do any role and manage to steal the show from the lead cast. In Mad Max: Fury Road, she plays Furiosa. She was such an iconic character that people often remember her more than the lead star, Tom Hardy, who played Max. She even got her own film, Furiosa

3. Back to the Future

-Out of all of the 1980s film characters, Marty McFly is arguably one of the most well-known. It's almost unheard of to try and imagine the wildly successful Back to the Future series without Doc Brown, played by Christopher Lloyd. His role as the wild scientist is loved by fans of the film series

4. I, Tonya

-This film tells the controversial story of ice skater Tonya Harding. Margot Robbie plays the lead role. But it's Allison Janney, who plays Tonya's mother, LaVona Golden, who appears to outshine everyone else. She's raspy voiced and cruel, she exudes power. She drives her daughter to outperform everyone else while also tearing her down at the same time. Because of this, it's clear why she won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress

5. Kingdom of Heaven

-Orlando Bloom was the main star in this Ridley Scott-directed film. He's the center point of the film, but it's Edward Norton, who plays King Baldwin of Jerusalem, that outperforms everyone else. His character is also known as the Leper King. Since he never reveals his face, he gives a performance just as powerful as Bloom's Balian of Ibelin

6. Aladdin

-It's without a shred of doubt that Robin Williams as the Genie that made Aladdin what it was. It was rumored that he threw the script away and improvised almost all of his lines. Despite the fact he is only in the middle to last half of the movie, it's his on screen presence that makes the film great. He combines warm sensibilities with slapstick comedy and humor and this puts the Genie on a shelf above some of the other side kick characters

7. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Philosopher's Stone in other parts of the world)

-Daniel Radcliffe might have been the star of the film, as the Boy Who Lived, but, without a shred of doubt, it was the late Alan Rickman who gave an amazing performance as Professor Severus Snape, head of Slytherin House and Potions professor. It's immediately clear tht Professor Snape detests Harry with the passion of a thousand suns. But, over the course of the next six films, the reason behind his dislike for Harry would get clearer. His initial performance in the first film showed there was more to him than meets the eye

8. Interview with the Vampire

-Technically, this would be Brad Pitt's film since he narrated it and also plays a vampire named Louis. His role is beat out by Tom Cruise, who plays Lestat. He struts across stage, as if he owns it, just as he does in the Anne Rice novel. There are times when Cruise seems to give a better performance than Pitt. It's hard to underestimate the power Lestat has over Louis and viewers

9. Schindler's List

-Ralph Fiennes can demand the attention of viewers without even trying. It's the same way with Schindler's List. He seems to be the very definition of Nazi horror as Amon Goeth, a ruthless man capable of unspeakable acts of evil and cruelty. He gives a face to the Holocaust and its horrors while Liam Neeson's portrayal of Oskar Schindler plays the kind hearted factory owner, trying to save as many souls as possible. It's Amon Goeth who holds the viewer's attention and it remains one of Ralph Fiennes' most iconic roles

10. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

-In regards to Rise of the Planet of the Apes, this film follows an ape named Caesar, voiced by Andy Serkis. He encounters humans after years of isolation. The character who gets the most attention is Koba, the lieutenant, voiced by Toby Kebbell. His character tries to overthrow his own friend. His character can be seen as tragic, someone damaged at the hands of humanity who will never see them as worthy of life or having equal rights

11. The Green Mile

-Despite Tom Hanks playing the lead role of head guard Paul Edgecombe, it's Michael Clarke Duncan who makes this film great. His portrayal of gentle giant John Coffey provides a heart and warmth to the film. He gives such an amazing performance in the film that when he is executed at the end, it's almost like losing a real family member, it's that devastating. This only serves as a testament to how good of an actor Michael Clarke Duncan is

12. Star Wars

-Initially, it seemed like the first film centered on Luke Skywalker. When Harrison Ford, as Han Solo, walks on to the screen, it becomes clearer that Solo will be the scene stealer. Harrison Ford was very much a movie star of the old-fashioned variety. Meaning he is good looking and sarcastic. This is the reason why fans love him in this series to this day. That no one else can do the role of Han Solo as good as him

13. Full Metal Jacket

-The Stanley Kubrick-directed Full Metal Jacket takes a strong, hard look at the Vietnam War. Much of the film focuses on Joker and Pyle, played by Matthew Modine and Vincent D'Onofrio. But, here to steal the movie is R. Lee Ermey as Gunnery Sergeant L. Hartman. This role seems almost tailor made to Ermey, a no-nonsense attitude, full of authority. It would often lead to him playing other military-related characters in the future

-As an interesting side note, he actually served in the United States Marine Corp for 11 years. He rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant and was able to make it to the rank of Gunnery Sergeant after serving two tours in Okinawa, Japan and 14 months in Vietnam. Unfortunately, injuries he sustained resulted in him being retired from the Marine Corps

14. 12 Monkeys

-This is one of those films that some people love and some people hate. The plot of the film centers on Bruce Willis playing a man named James Cole who goes back in time to find a cure for a terrible plague affecting the planet. It's Brad Pitt as Jeffrey Goines, however that outshines all the other cast. His character is a mental patient who is compelling, charismatic and psychotic, experiencing behavior that is strange and unpredictable

15. Skyfall

-Daniel Craig is now firmly entrenched in the James Bond 007 universe. Skyfall is one of the James Bond films Craig starred in. However, Javier Bardem as Raoul Silva manages to steal the light away from Daniel Craig. His calm, but menacing personality makes him a standout villain, especially because of his hate for Dame Judi Dench's M. He holds the viewer's attention as the villain, leading viewers to wonder what his next move will be

16. The Silence of the Lambs

-Based on the book by Thomas Harris, this film revolves around an FBI recruit fresh out of the academy named Clarice Starling who is put to the test of solving a series of murders by a killer known as Buffalo Bill. To get additional assistance, she seeks the help of calm, but psychotic former Dr. Hannibal Lecter. It's Anthony Hopkins playing Dr. Hannibal Lecter who everyone remembers. While he's not on screen for long, he exudes a powerful presence that makes him impossible to forget

17. The Dark Knight

-Heath Ledger played an amazing Joker. His version of Joker was far closer to the comic book than Joaquin Phoenix or even Jack Nicholson. Despite Christian Bale being the titular character, Heath Ledger steals the movie. Heath Ledger's Joker is far closer to the comic book. He is chaos wrapped in a human package

18. Bridesmaids

-This film focuses on Kristen Wiig's Anne Walker and Maya Rudolph's Lillian Donovan. This film allows Melissa McCarthy to flex her comedy muscles as she shines in every scene she features in

19. Die Hard

-Despite Bruce Willis being the main star of the film, it's Alan Rickman as a German terrorist named Hans Gruber who holds the attention of viewers. This film would not be what it is today without Alan Rickman. He's cool, calm and collected. He exudes a laidback, European persona and all of the villains in the following films of the series would never be able to measure up to him

20. The Fugitive

-This film allows Harrison Ford a lead role, but it's Tommy Lee Jones as US Marshal Sam Gerard who shines. He is pursuing Dr. Richard Kimble (Harrison Ford), who is on the run and trying to prove he didn't kill his wife. That a man with one arm did. Gerard is a man of honor, dedicated to his job and earns the respect of the audience, even though he has to arrest a man for a crime he didn't commit