The (Fabulous) Fast and Furious Five

What guy doesn’t love fast cars and pretty women? You want that and car chases in a movie? Why not watch any 007 –James Bond or the classic Taxi?(I reference the 1998 French movie here and not the TV Show.) What makes Fast and Furious such a successful movie franchise? Is it the street racing? The illegal thrill? Taking into account that the first movie came out in 2001 after a reboot of Gone in 60 seconds in 2000 ; originally from 1974 you could say that it came from this but that can’t be the only reason. The remake of Gone in 60 seconds with Nicolas Cage and Angelina Jolie didn’t exactly get raving reviews. Well one other major contributing factor to this could’ve been – and I am pretty sure of that – the success of the Computer and Video Game ‘classic’ Need for Speed. The first part of this particular gaming franchise hit the market 1994!

And of course the classic and always there love story is woven into every movie and the eye candy well we’ll get to that in the separate part discussions.

Part 1: The Fast and the Furious

Starring: Paul Walker, Vin Diesel and Michelle Rodriguez

According to imdb Taglines for this movie included

“If loyalties must be broken, If the lines must be crossed, do it fast, do it Furious”

and

“When the sun goes down, Another world comes to life”.

Both capture the movies story brilliantly but didn’t you also get a little Vampire/Werewolf and other creatures chill with the latter? Yes, todays media world is practically overflowing with these creatures and the people creating the line were referencing the underground racing scene but I could also imagine another movie with that tagline. A movie about two creatures of the night. But that’s besides the point.

The Fast and the Furious is at it’s core about an undercover cop who infiltrates the street racing scene and learns that they aren’t all bad guys. He falls in love and his conflict gets bigger. In the end he even lets the guy get away. Vin Diesel and Paul Walker created, with their acting, two characters and a believable if yet unstable ( built on lies) friendship.

Part 2: 2 Fast 2 Furious

Starring: Paul Walker, Tyrese Gibson and Cole Hauser

This was the movie for Paul Walker. Due to contracting issues Vin Diesel wasn’t in this one and so the plot was pretty much about Brian O’Conner (Walkers character). O’Conner gets caught on having his friend Dom letting escape at the end of the last film and he gets a chance to, well lets say redeem himself. He has to infiltrate a drug distribution ring and as luck will have it he has to win a street race to get a job as a currier in the ring. At his side is an ex-con (also a friend…. he seems to have a lot of cons in his circle) and one of my favorite quotes in the whole movie stems from this ‘friend’:

“You always get in trouble over a girl!”

 The girl causing the trouble in this movie is the fabulous Eva Mendes, who plays Monica Fuentes, an undercover cop already inside the drug cartels inner circle.Overall a good movie but without Vin Diesel the movie isn’t as good as the first. (Sadly)

Part 3: The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift

Starring: Lucas Black, Zachery Ty Bryan and Bow Wow

The first movie in the franchise with technically no involvement by actors form the first two films. I have to say technically because SPOILER ALERT Vin Diesel has a cameo in the last scene as a street racer. We assume as his character Dom Torreto but it is never said. With the movie, like the title suggests we left the US and went to Japan where apparently street racing is the latest fun activity too. I have to confess I was confused when I read who was starring in this. I had never heard about Lucas Black before and Zach Bryan is always going to be one of the kids from Home Improvement for me and Bow Wow is more famous for his music. But I got to admit his acting career isn’t shabby.  I for one was also confused by the age the character are supposed to have. Does anyone know?

Over all I didn’t think this movie was perfect, it was entertaining but it could’ve been a stand alone only named Tokyo Drift.

Part 4: Fast and Furious

Starring: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez and Jordana Brewster

God I remember quite vividly when we read about this movie for the first time and when we saw the tagline

“New Model. Original Parts.”

We were giddy and planned the trip to the theater in advance. Way in advance.

The first part of the movie was and is confusing. Dom is back in the states? How? (SPOILERALERT Watch the end credits!) He is stealing trucks with his crew. Somehow Brian O’Connor now is  a FBI agent but his boss(es) don’t really trust him. (They gave him a car and had him put a tracker in it! Watch what happens when he has to kill the GPS chip to not get his cover blown! [Quote from his supervisor(?): “He is running!”] Yeah right!) As per usual Walker’s character has to infiltrate some street racing drug smuggling group to do his job and just as trouble will have it Dom is there too. Yeah Letty sadly had to die for that to happen but still Dom is back and wants revenge. He blames Brian for her death, because she worked for him when she got killed. The drug lord who killed Letty is the same the two now drive for. (Yes I know the story is lame and predictable!) What is fun to watch again is that the two knuckleheads have to work together and well trust in each other to survive and the struggle they portray was believable to me! Finally back with our favorite speed limit breaking guys we loved this movie and can only say WATCH IT! Oh and honorary mention for Laz Alonso. He was one of the drivers in the mexico dessert thing (The pussie!) He know stars in Breakout Kings as a Marshal who is working with convicts to catch escaped prisoners.

Part 5: Fast & Furious Five

Starring: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker and Dwayne Johnson

The original Title for this movie was and is Fast Five but I kind of prefer that too but for the sake of keeping the titles in one theme lets go with Fast&Furious Five, okay?

The first movie in which Paul Walker’s character is not on assigment on the wrong side of the law (well where is the wrong side when the supposed bad guys are the movies heroes?). Dwayne  Johnson as an FBI agent is hot on their tail but he is not the only one! So it is a fast paced movie in which our favorite speeding duo has to escape two ‘hunters’. In the end even the romance heavy subplot gets an end. Yes she is pregnant. (Although I am asking myself when they had time for that to happen?)

Part 6: TBA

There are rumors around that a sixth part is in the making. If and when it hits this review will get updated and reposted.

 

And now it is up to you. What did you think of the movies? This review and do you  want to see a sixth part to this? Sound off below.

ALIAS–A five year mystery puzzle

From the pilot, which was more of a short movie, this show has produced many Question marks and with them captivated viewers. ALIAS combines the strong female spy with a sensible young woman and throws in a heavy mystery plot. Although throwing in isn’t exactly the right word for the mystery plot, revolving around a DaVinci and Nostradamus  like Italian inventor and philosopher named Milo Rambaldi.

The pilot set the ground work for Sydney Bristow’s (Jennifer Garner) mood and motives for the upcoming seasons. Together with her the viewer slowly uncovers the secrets and truths in the world of ALIAS. Sydney has more than one life changing moment in the pilot. First she gets proposed to only to find her now fiancé dead (murdered) in the bathtub then she finds that her father, who she thinks works with Airplane parts, really is a double agent for the CIA inside SD-6. SD-6 is Sydney’s employer but she thought it was a secret branch of the CIA. This all is wonderfully summarized in Sydney’s voice over at the beginning of each episode.

My name is Sydney Bristow. Seven years ago I was recruited by a secret branch of the CIA called SD-6. I was sworn to secrecy, but I couldn't keep it from my fiancé. And when the head of SD-6 found out, he had him killed. That's when I learned the truth: SD-6 is not part of the CIA. I've been working for the very people I thought I was fighting against. So, I went to the only place that could help me take them down. Now I'm a double agent for the CIA, where my handler is a man named Michael Vaughn. Only one other person knows the truth about what I do, another double agent inside SD-6. Someone I hardly know - my father.

 

 

The absolute magic about this voice over is that Jack Bristow (played by Victor Garber) turns exactly when she talks about the man she hardly knows -her father. The cutting here is brilliant. After Season 2 this Voice over was dicontinued and in its place aired the all known 'Previously'!

Over the course of all five Seasons the mystery that presents itself is Milo Rambaldi. It seems that only is Sydney part of his Nostradamus -like prophecy but also her family and close friends somehow play into the puzzle. May it be that they are part of the prophecy or wanting to uncover his secret message or his way to eternal life.

I can only recommend this show for people who like to remember trivia because when you know more you can enjoy plot twists more that otherwise just seem ridiculous e.g. the double resurrection of Irina Derevko (Lena Olin).

What is your opinion on ALIAS and this post?
[The post will get changed aka longer just wanted to give you a peek.]