Known for his explosive martial arts stunt work, Tony Jaa broke out in 2003 with Ong Bak: The Thai Warrior, which earned him international recognition and spawned two sequels. Most recently, he co-starred in the megahit Furious 7, duking it out with Paul Walker inside a speeding bus. This week, Jaa stars alongside Dolph Lundgren in the action thriller Skin Trade, and he took some time to share his Five Favorite Films with us, offering up five Certified Fresh choices that run the gamut from ’80s classics to epic blockbusters.
I love adventure and this was a near perfect adventure. The character of Harrison Ford was cool and amusing. He was part cowboy, part naughty boy, he was smart and the character was different and fresh. You had a sense of movies from the old days but done in a modern form. The movie had a great pace, it just kept moving. The sets and back drop were interesting and dramatic. I am a big fan of Spielberg and this was a great movie.
This is classic Bruce Lee and defined the martial arts movie genre for generations to come. Bruce Lee has a power and presence that will never be equalled. He was the first and this will never change. Enter The Dragon was really the first martial arts movie to break out internationally. Bruce had a fluidity and a look that was unique and very exciting to watch. The movie itself was not high budget, but everyone knows it and they never forget it.
I just like Michael J. Fox. Michael was perfect for the role, he was funny, he kept the story moving and his character was engaging and sympathetic. I was young when I saw the movie, and I loved the idea of time travel. I dreamed I could be in an adventure like that and go everywhere in my time machine. The special effects at the time were very impressive to me. As a kid I felt this was a real adventure and I am an adventure nut.
This is a classic Chinese style story and I enjoy that type of film. It appeals to Asian audiences, but this film appealed to audiences everywhere. It showed the best of what this type of film can be. The Director was brilliant, and the photography was really beautiful. The action was well choreographed and the cast did a great job. For this genre the movie really hit its target. When I saw this movie I imagined what it would be like to fly and do Kung Fu. Anything that sparks the imagination this well is exciting to watch.
Furious 7 (James Wan, 2015) 81%
Ok this is indirectly a bit of self promotion because I was in the film and it was my first international film which was always a life long dream. However the movie is total non-stop adrenaline. I got to know my fellow cast members well and really enjoyed the time I spent with them. Everyone was so nice and welcoming. Seeing my new friends on screen was both exciting and satisfying. They did a great job and the movie is epic. I was terribly sad when I saw Paul Walker on screen. Paul and I had become friends during the shoot and he was a genuinely wonderful person. My sadness was tempered by the fact that this movie was a great tribute to Paul. I think when it comes to a high energy movie it will be hard to top Fast and Furious 7.
