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Fast & Furious 6, a review by Dragonfire

Fast & Furious 6



After not being interested in these movies when they first came out, I've ended up seeing and enjoying most of them - I still have see the second and third movies.  Yes they are dumb action movies, but they are entertaining.  I don't watch them expecting strong plots, though the way all the movies are tied together and how the continuity is continued is rather impressive, especially considering some movies can't manage to keep one thing straight for one movie.

This movie picks up after Fast Five with Dom, Brian, and their crew retired and enjoying the good life.  DSS Agent Hobbs turns up wanting Dom's help in going after Owen Shaw, a man who is pulling off elaborate crimes using a crew of fast drivers.  Dom gets involved because Letty, who he thought was dead, is part of Shaw's team.  Brian and the rest of the team get together again while Mia stays home with baby Jack.

The plot isn't overly complicated, but it ends up working for the movie and it is entertaining.  It does tie up lose ends from previous movies while also stetting up another sequel with the short scene at the beginning of the credits.  A new potential bad guy is introduced and I think that villain has the potential to be awesome.  There is a lot of action throughout the movie.  It is usually cool looking, but a lot of it is very, very unbelievable.  One development sees like it is supposed to be a surprise, but figured it out long before the reveal in the movie.  It seemed very obvious to me, but evidently it surprised a lot of the people in the theater judging by the gasps of surprise.

The characters are mostly likable even though some of them aren't that developed.  Several of them say and do things that are funny.  Letty being back is ok, and there is an explanation for what happened with her.  I just don't like her as much, possibly because of how Michelle Rodrigruiez plays the part.  She is in a perpetual bad mood and has the expression to match.  I just find the other characters more likable.

Fast & Furious 6 does have some issues with believability and predictability, but it is still an entertaining action movie.  People that have liked the previous movies will probably find something to like about this one.



I did get a longer review posted on Epinions after seeing the movie in the theater.

Fast & Furious 6

(From Fast & Furious 6 on June 24th, 2013)

Four Times That Night, a review by Achim

Title: Quante volte... quella notte
Year: 1972
Director: Mario Bava
Rating: NR
Length: 83 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.78:1
Audio: Italian: Dolby Digital Mono
Subtitles: English

Stars:
Daniela Giordano
Brett Halsey
Dick Randall
Valeria Sabel
Michael Hinz

Plot:
For his sole foray into the sex comedy genre, Mario Bava delivers a swinging orgy of mod design, leering humor and daring late '60s erotica. American leading man Bret Halsey and former Miss Italy Daniela Giordano star in this Rashomon-inspired tale of a playboy and a virgin's first date that may or may not have included rape, nymphomania, lesbianism, and groovy inflatable furniture.

Extras:
Scene Access

I have yet to see Kurasawa's Rashomon (now rather sooner than later) to judge just how close this film was to it, but Bava's inspiration is undeniably clear ( only after typing this sentence did I realize that the cover blurb actually gives it away ). The same story is told from 4 perspectives (hence the title), with each one shedding a different light on how and why things happened. Saying much more about the plot would spoil it for first time viewer, so I'll stay away from that.

Bava starts out (again, as per cover blurb) in telling the story like a sex comedy which were so popular in Europe at the time. However, then the tone shifts and everything seems rather dark when the claims to her mother that she's almost been raped. Only when we head into the second telling of the events do we realize, that things may not be as they seemed and begin trying to put the puzzle together to find the truth.

I highly enjoyed the witty dialog, especially in the beginning; it fell partly flat in later parts The film is shot with some inventive camera work, giving the limited locations a sufficiently fresh fell throughout the film. It has not entirely aged well, but ignoring some signs of the times it was made in it's still much enjoyable today.



(From Mario Bava marathon on July 13th, 2009)

Tom's Buffy and Angel Marathon, a review by Tom

06. Sense & Sensitivity (1999-11-09)
Writer: Tim Minear (Writer)
Director: James A. Contner
Cast: David Boreanaz (Angel), Charisma Carpenter (Cordelia Chase), Glenn Quinn (Doyle), Elisabeth Rohm (Kate Lockley), John Capodice (Little Tony Papazian), John Mahon (Trevor Lockley), Ron Marasco (Allen Lloyd), Alex Skuby (Harlan), Kevin Will (Heath), Thomas Burr (Lee Mercer), Ken Abraham (Spivey), Jimmy Shubert (Johnny Red), Ken Grantham (Lieutenant), Adam Donshik (Uniform Cop # 1), Kevin E. West (Uniform Cop #2), Wilson Bell (Uniform Cop #3), Colin Patrick Lynch (Beat Cop), Steve Schirripa (Henchman), Christopher Paul Hart (Traffic Cop)

Sadly this episode is boring and rather stupid. I would have liked a better episode, when we have Kate Lockley in a bigger role.

Rating:



07. The Bachelor Party (1999-11-16)
Writer: Tracey Stern (Writer)
Director: David Straiton
Cast: David Boreanaz (Angel), Charisma Carpenter (Cordelia Chase), Glenn Quinn (Doyle), Kristin Dattilo (Harry Doyle), Carlos Jacott (Richard Howard Straley), Ted Kairys (Ben), Chris Tallman (Nick), Brad Blaisdell (Uncle John), Robert Hillis (Pierce), Lauri Johnson (Aunt Martha), Kristen Lowman (Mother Rachel), David Polcyn (Russ)

A fun episode. But I always had a little trouble with the way, that this series humanized the demons. In Buffy they always made it clear, that demons are evil and there is no question that they have to be killed.

Rating:

(From Tom's Buffy and Angel Marathon on April 4th, 2009)