Monday Movie Mania - F9- The Fast Saga

 Monday Movie Mania - F9: The Fast Saga continues the absolutely ridiculous car stunt/ travel/ save the world franchise that evolved from The Fast and the Furious initial movie. I've been along for every hour, every mile, and I've been entertained. I left Ray at the curb on these a while ago. He couldn't stand the inanity. He had too many, "but that couldn't happen...statements." I could just ignore the stupidity, or I didn't know any better. 

It's nutso. It's insane. The plot lines are crazy. Each one of the nine movies ups the ante. So what? It's summer brain candy.  I'm not even going to attempt to explain the story. We get some history, we get current "must save humanity", and we get a nostalgia nod to Paul Walker (RIP).  

Hey - I love Vin Diesel's voice - that growl. Michelle Rodriguez is badass. Tyrese, Ludacris, et al - just a fun cast. John Cena is Vin's brother...sure.... Cameo by Helen Mirren - priceless. Charlize Theron is back as Cipher  (love her). 

Saw it at a Saturday matinee on the big screen - the only way to go for pure summer movie mania. 

F9....get in gear and zoom. 

Movie Review Madness - Fate of the Furious

Fate of the Furious is the eight installment of the Fate car chase franchise. What the heck – we know what we are going to get. And we love it.  This movie is still in theaters (yes, this review is a tad late), but it’s fun to see on the big screen. I am a huge Vin Diesel fan and he does not disappoint. With a voice that sounds like a motor growling, he’s a surprise. Did Vin turn on the family group and join Charlize Theron (a sultry smart villain) in her plot to take over the world?  Say it ain’t so.

I won’t give it away.  But the gang works hard to figure out what the heck is going on, as a nuclear sub could be captured and used for evil.  Fast cars, fast computer connections, and a lot about family. That’s the key to the Fate story line. Oh yes – we have Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson using his Mojo to thwart evil. Kurt Russell, Tyrese, Ludacris, Michelle Rodriguez, and more. The gang is gathered and ready to drive

This is just fun over the top crazy and worth seeing on the big screen  Spring for the big tub of popcorn and zoom along for the stunts, the quips, and of course – the cars.

Movie Review Madness - Guardians of the Galaxy 2

Guardians of the Galaxy 1 was so refreshing and fun.  It’s tough to beat. Thus Guardians 2 is a bit much – plenty of excess, but still extra good hilarity and worth seeing in the theater. I am Groot, now with baby Groot (voice by Vin Diesel) is still an awesome tag line, no matter the dialogue.  Lots of plots, tons of action, and of course, the Star Lord (Peter Quill) himself, Chris Pratt, is ever more confident and handsome and cool as our leading man.  Zoe Zaldana’s Gamora returns as well as Rocket the raccoon (Bradley Cooper). She provides the hot, smart, and sexy. He’s our master of quips and irreverence.

Kurt Russell appears as Ego, Quill’s father. He’s a hoot – self-absorbed villain with a grand scheme to take over the world with his DNA. His wild planet is a feast for the eyes. There are plenty more plot lines and then teasers as the Guardians will fit into future Avenger story lines. Sly Stallone appears as a space thief. There’s a woman in gold who’s out to take over the world but is foiled by the Guardians for now. Teaser after teaser appears and it’s hard to keep track (I thought) of who is who.  But it’s still a bit tongue in cheek and raucous.  You won’t be bored or check your watch.

Big thumbs up. Pay for the big screen experience. Treat yourself to some popcorn and stay and stay and stay until the lights come up.  Groot as a teenager is a plus moment at the end.  Guardians of the Galaxy Part 2 has a great soundtrack and kicks off our summer cinema season.  Just have a blast.  We are all Groot. 

Movie Review Madness: Furious Seven

 

 

 

It’s Furious Seven for the franchise series – bigger bolder and crazier than ever. Can cars fly? Heck yeah. Can cars zoom through three buildings? Heck yeah. Is our team back together? Well, sadly we lose a few thanks early on to the evil Jason Straitham, who’s bent on revenge for his brother. This guy is rogue top skills former British service, and he’s unstoppable – or is he? We also have another terrorist faction in cahoots who’s out to get the mega chip/software program created by the elusive Ramsey.  And who’s managed to find and protect Ramsey? Our team. Does all of this sound incoherent? Sure – you have to see it to believe it.  

Vin Diesel is Dom – our strap shirt muscle bound leader with the voice growl as hot as the cars he uses. Paul Walker’s baby blues are still in the majority of the movie. He’s a family man now, married to Dom’s sister Mia, and he vows to come back to her after this mission. Michelle Rodriquez, our hot girl fighter/driver/Dom’s girlfriend, still has amnesia but maybe her memory will return. Tyrese and Ludacris still banter and use their mad skills. And then Dwayne Johnson (The Rock) survives the Jason beating, but organizes the Furious crew and roots from his hospital bed until he literally busts out of his casts to provide backup with one huge machine gun.  

The key to this movie is the cast chemistry – they truly look like they are having fun. The car chases, the fights, the destruction is over the top. This is nonstop action at movie making cinematic greatness. Furious Seven runs too long – I would have edited away at least forty minutes. Otherwise this is a mega popcorn treat. The final salute to the late Paul Walker at the end of the movie is well done and touching. Strap in for a crazy ride and yes, cars can fly.

 

Movie Review Madness: Guardians of the Galaxy

Guardians of the Galaxy is beyond awesome silly fun.  This is a Marvel misfit movie. What could go wrong in outer space will and it will be very amusing. Peter Quill as a young boy loses his mother. He runs out of the hospital and is sucked into space. Twenty six years later we see him, played by an awesome Chris Pratt, stealing an orb, living by a mixtape, and trying to get a nickname Starlord to stick. He’s a charming rascal.  In this chase for the orb, he encounters a green girl – Zoe Saldana – totally badass and her sister Nebula is worse. Rocket the raccoon (voiced by Bradley Cooper) is the brains behind any operation but he’s a creature with no scruples. Groot (Vin Diesel’s voice) is a walking tree. Dave Bautista voices a serious Drax who takes everything literally. Altogether they are a mess and yet they slowly conquer the fight against Ronin.  

In the early stages of the movie, don’t worry too much about all of the planets and leaders, etc. Concentrate on our self-proclaimed Guardians. They bicker and they are a mess and it works. This movie is hysterical as it kicks into high gear. Stay conscious of the winning oldie soundtrack – that’s the charm of this flick. Entertaining – this is a full bucket of popcorn and a large soda movie. Truly joyous – Ooh Ooh Child will never be the same.  

We are Groot.  That’s the motto. Watch the movie and join the club. Stay after the credits for a blip of an old joke.  Guardians of the Galaxy is summer movie magic.

Guilty Pleasure Movie Review

Fast & Furious 6 still has the zoom power. Crazy, over-the-top stunts fill this adrenaline rush of a great summer movie flick. Plot is loosey goosey, but c'mon you are watching for the hot guys, hot girls, fights, firepower, and stunt driving like no other. Dom (Vin Diesel - with the best motor growl of all - his voice) is drawn back into what he does best - assemble a team and get the bad guys. This time he's helping Dwayne (the Rock) Johnson (FBI) chase a terrorist seeking a final computer chip that could wreak havoc.

The team - Paul Walker bats his baby blues, Ludacris can hack computer systems like crazy, Tyrese flashes that smile and banters, and the rest bring brains and brawn. Part of the incentive is that Dom's (we think she's dead) girlfriend Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) is pictured alive and working for the terrorist, Shaw. Sure enough, she has amnesia and no clue who the guys are. She fights tooth and nail with Gina Carano (FBI), with Dom, etc but slowly is pulled to their side. Dom isn't going to lose her again.

Vin Diesel is the "lunkhead heart of this film" (EW 6/7/13). "Check your brain at the door and fasten your seatbelt". EW has it right. The Fast & Furious franchise is big, dumb, and smart all at the same time. Summer movie season kicked into NOZ overdrive. Don't spill your popcorn and drink.

V: Vice, Virtue, Vin, and Valium

#atozchallenge   V: Vice and Virtue lend themselves to great writing. Any scene involving gambling and alcohol can lead to the downfall of a character, and ultimately redemption. We can only hope the setting is exotic - Miami, Monte Carlo, or there's always Vegas.

Vices are sometimes only virtues carried to excess - Charles Dickens/Dombey &  Sons

I prefer an accommodating vice to an obstinate virtue - Moliere

I am stealing from author Roni Loren. She features Boyfriends of the Week and used Vin yesterday. Well, here's my V salute to Vin. Oh, he's SO not my type, BUT there's just something about him that conjures up vice and could lead to lack of virtue. His growl of a voice calls to my inner vixen. (And yes, the Fast & Furious movies annoy Ray to no end. I do not personally care about their lack of plot or inane car crashes. Paul Walker and Vin Diesel are fast and furious).
 
Valium - Think Valley of the Dolls, this popular antianxiety drug is a muscle relaxer and can be quickly abused due to fast tolerance development. Valium is often fatal when combined with alcohol and other drugs like barbiturates.