Like I Said, We Hongry - Embrace the Magic of the "Vin-less" Years

"What'd you expect? You didn't just play with fire, you soaked the matches in gasoline"

When you look at the birth of this franchise it's clear that having it end up where it has is a total miracle. After the huge success of the first movie a sequel seemed like a no brainer, but there was one problem, Vin wasn't going to come back. He opted out of 2 Fast 2 Furious in favor of launching his xXx franchise, thus launching Paul Walker to the front and center. Vin wouldn't return to the series for the next two movies, but don't let that get you down, they are arguably the two silliest and most enjoyable films to wear the Fast title.

I'll never forget when 2 Fast 2 Furious hit theaters back in 2003. It was the summer between seventh and eighth grade, so you can imagine how big of an event this was for all my friends and I, all of us die hard fans of the original. We went to the movie with a crew of at least ten kids and it was a God damn riot. We were cheering and hollering, and when they drove that car into a boat in the final sequence we were over the moon.

When we got back to my house after the movie we began racing whatever we could find. Bikes, skate boards, scooters, whatever two people could race each other on we did it in the street outside my house. For a bunch of twelve year olds this movie was the world, so I was saddened to learn so many hate this, or at least find it the low point of the series, to which I highly disagree.

Revisiting this for the millionth time this week I can clearly see now why some are turned off to this movies charm, but I'll never understand it. The absence of Vin is almost never felt in this movie due to the brilliant casting of Tyrese as our favorite Roman Pierce. He has more charm and charisma in his pinky than anyone else to touch this franchise and it explodes all over this movie.

One of my favorite aspects of the first two Fast movies are the cars. They serve as a wonderful time capsule for the early 2000's when these silly kit cars were all the rage, and 2 Fast is the peak of it all. Brian's green Evo and Roman's purple Eclipse are tricked out to the gills in a way only acceptable in 2003 and man, they are gorgeous. Bring it all together with the opening race and the massive spill of street racers in the final chase and this movie features some of the most memorable designs in the franchise.

This, along with the next movie, are often criticized for their unconventional approach to sequels and for their lack of the main "family" story. On the surface, this is fair, but when you really look back on these two movies both are crucial to the further development of the series. This goofy one-off story where Brian and Roman pad their pockets with some stolen cash is massively important in that it establishes Brian as a full force criminal now. Yeah, he'll comply when he has too, but this story makes it clear he now operates on the other side of the law. Also, this movie brings both Tyrese and Ludacris into the franchise, so you have to love it.

Despite the rocky start to the series, these movies have always made money. So even though there was no clear path for the story to take after 2 Fast it was obvious they had the audience for another. Enter Justin Lin and the beginning of the rest of this franchises life, and also it's bastard black sheep Tokyo Drift. The movie starring neither Vin or Paul Walker and the one that has received more "what the hell" comments than any other Fast film. It's wacky, bold, and just a really fucking cool movie.

For a while after its release this was seen as the movie that "almost" killed the franchise due to its massive departure from the first two movies storylines. However, what seemed like a quick turn around on a new fad (drifting) actually ended up being possibly the most important story of them all. Despite Lucas Black not becoming a series regular this film has influenced the rest to come in more ways than most are aware of.

Before we get into all of that though, I just need to gush about this wonderful piece of cinema. I told you my friends and I were gonzo for the last movie, so you know we were there opening weekend for The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, and from that opening needle drop in the credits I was completely hooked. Featuring some of what I believe to be the best car chases/races, and character moments of any of them, this has been and always will be one of my favorites in the series.

Lucas Black is cool in the lead role, though he sticks out even more these days as the most American American who ever America'd. It's in the supporting roles that this finds its voice. Bow Wow is fantastic as Twinkie, the other army brat in town who has a knack for hustling and Brian Tee is great as D.K. Where Tokyo Drift makes its mark though is with the casting and introduction of Sung Kang as Han, the coolest mother fucker to ever see the screen in a Fast movie.

What is there to say about Han other than he was so damn good, and so beloved in this movie that when the franchise continued on with Justin Lin they back tracked the timeline just so they could bring his character back (after foolishly killing him off). He doesn't give a shit about anything, he let's this young American punk wreck his car just so he can get a peak at his character. He's also the coolest snacker to ever see a bag of chips, seriously, we should all be aspiring to be more like Han.

I'll admit, my love of the character clouds my judgment here because it's obvious Justin Lin's introduction in this movie is what truly turned this series around for the better. He came in and not only helped find a path for the story to take, he elevated the filmmaking. Tokyo Drift is where the races become something much more than just a quarter mile drag on a city street. Between the opening race in the housing development (my favorite) to the final drift in his classic Mustang, this movie is amping up the car action in every way it can.

The Fast & Furious movies, especially the early ones, have always boasted great soundtracks that are always representative of the time they were made. None, however, matches the majesty of the Tokyo Drift soundtrack. The inclusion of Japanese pop music is one of my favorite little treats of this film that I believe only adds to its greatness. Seriously, if nothing else go and listen to this music again, it's ridiculously fun.

In the more recent years, since the series has found its greater purpose, and since Han has returned, more and more people have come around to this movie. I often call it the "Halloween III" of these movies, due to its black sheep status and not having either of the two leads of the franchise appear in it. Well, not until the end at least, that Vin cameo had my theater roaring. I just hope it's growing popularity gets them to somehow bring Han back...again.

What at the time looked like two weird, unconventional sequels have been shown with time to have been more logical than most thought. Half through solid franchise planning and the other half through clever improvisations on the story they have now found their crucial place in the overall arc. Though Vin is always missed, and the absence of Brian will never be easy, these two movies have grown lives of their own that none of us expected them too after their initial release. If you've never given these a shot because of these things, or weren't sold on them the first time around give them one more shot. I think a lot of you will be surprised to see what they have going for them now that we have eight Fast & Furious movies.

As always, thanks for reading and I am Zach Who Watches Movies. You can find me anytime on twitter @ZachWWMovies, smell ya later!

(Movie Review) Free Fire - A Ton of Bullets and A Lot of Laughs

Free Fire (2017)

Action, Crime, Comedy

Directed By: Ben Wheatley

With franchise culture at an all-time high, and every movie seemingly having to connect to something else, it feels wonderful to see a movie that is just simple. No crazy plot twists, no overcrowding, no complex story beats, just pure and simple fun. That is exactly what Free Fire, the latest from Ben Wheatley is. What could have easily been some highbrow crime movie is instead a ninety-minute action packed laugh riot that stars one of the most impressive casts of the year.

It's 1978 and two gangs arrive at an abandoned warehouse in Boston to make a deal. The Irish want guns for their war back home and the sellers simply want to get rich. The deal doesn't go over as smooth as they'd hoped, however, and before they know what's happening they find themselves in a bloody shootout for the guns and the cash. It is an hour and a half of dirty, bloody, violent, hilarious action that feels more authentic than most movies of its kind.

Wheatley's style is unique making all of his films divisive, it seems film geeks either love him or hate him. This should be no different, though it is his movie that most appeals to general audiences, its simplicity may turn away some of his older fans. He's not trying to do anything profound here, he just brought together an incredible cast, gave them a simple story, and let the bullets do the rest.

Armie Hammer, Sam Riley, and Jack Reynor are stand-outs here. Though the rest of the cast is impressive in its own right with great performances from the likes of Brie Larson, Cillian Murphy, and Michael Smiley, it's these three that make the movie as entertaining as it is. Armie Hammer has more swagger in this movie than a pimp on a Saturday night and his interactions with most of the other characters are wildly funny. Sam Riley plays a pivotal role as Stevo, a junkie with a big mouth and man does he play a wonderful piece of shit. 

Jack Reynor was my personal favorite, I found his character to be the only one in this scenario that you could feel bad for in anyway, thus putting me on his side right out of the gate. He's also funny as hell and strikes great chemistry with Armie Hammer, give these guys a buddy movie! They all spend most of the film in the dirt, covered in bullet wounds yet each of them manages to find a way to be remembered. 

Often times when a film tries to do "period piece on a budget" they forget that aesthetic isn't the only key to telling a decade's old tale. These characters have to walk and more importantly talk like they are from the times the are portraying. This is something that struck me early on in this flick, not only do they all look wonderfully 70's in their fashion, but they are scripted just as they should be. The entire story takes place in an abandoned warehouse, yet it is undeniably a 70's set movie.

Free Fire is hardly the first movie we have seen of its kind, good old fashioned "shoot em' ups" have been around since the days of the classic western, but he infuses it with an attitude and kind of humor that makes it feel fresh. Though the violence is often and brutal, he's not showing us anything new or even that audacious, but he continually surprises us with the humor. Take for example a scene between Armie Hammer and Jack Reynor's characters where they get into a fight. It's an expected turn in the story at that point, but Wheatley finishes it in the last way you'd think. It's a brilliant, hilarious moment that is a perfect embodiment of what he is trying to do here.

With the social landscape rapidly changing bullet heavy movies like this have come under some scrutiny for potentially "fetishizing" gun culture. I personally don't think a film where a bunch of people who are trying to buy guns and end up being picked off one by one with said guns to be anything more than a cautionary tale. Bullets hurt and this movie wants you to not only know that but feel it as well while these people are continually crawling through the dirt only be shot, again and again, its agonizing. 

I'll always applaud a movie for getting right into it without wasting way too much time on setup and character introduction. Free Fire gets all of that out of the way in the first ten minutes and from there continues to be a non-stop piece of action cinema. It may not be as profound as his previous work but it also offers up more pure entertainment value than any of it as well. This a simple movie made for us to spend ninety minutes having a blast in the theater, embrace it. 

As always, thanks for reading and I am Zach Who Watches Movies. You can find me anytime on twitter @ZachWWMovies, smell ya later!

(Movie Review) The Fate of the Furious - All Reality Has Been Left Behind, Thankfully

The Fate of the Furious (2017)

Action, Crime

Directed By: F. Gary Gray

Despite the many changes this franchise has taken over its sixteen years of life, there have always been constants. The most important of them all, as everyone surely knows, is family. This is the idea that has grown to be the center of the franchise and take it from street-racing Point Break rip-off to high stakes action sci-fi. Now eight movies deep they decide to finally show us what happens when Dominic Toretto betrays his one true belief, family. This proves to be a totally serviceable plot to get the gang back together, driving cars, shooting guns, and blowing things up in The Fate of the Furious (seriously though, what's going on with the naming of this franchise, it's bonkers).

Now living his dream life with Letty (Michele Rodriguez) in Cuba, Dom (Vin Diesel) gets sucked back into the life by a mysterious cyber-terrorist named Cipher (Charlize Theron). They have no idea why, but Dom has decided to betray his family for her and destroy all that he has claimed to love. When it becomes clear to them he's turned the team realizes they're the only ones who can stop him, and they will do it by any means necessary. This 'Cipher' is more dangerous than anyone they have come up against before and it's going to take a lot of horsepower to take her down.

There was a lot of pressure on this movie to prove to its fandom that it can keep going in the absence of one of its fundamental characters. The loss of Paul Walker was a tragedy, one that many believed should have stopped this series in its tracks. They pressed on regardless and whether you like it or not an eighth movie is here, and if you ask me, they handle his loss as well as anyone could. There are only two moments where you feel the lack of Brian in the story and that's when the film specifically calls attention to it.

They don't erase his influence on the film or ignore that his character exists, but they also don't keep reminding you that he's gone. What they do instead is push some of our favorite members of the team into more defined roles. Guys like The Rock's Hobbs and Jason Statham's Deckard Shaw get a real chance to shine and become the highlight of the movie. Their characters get to do some really unexpected things that will surely be problematic for some fans, but for those who can embrace what's going on, it's an absolute blast.

There are some interesting decisions made in the story, not all of which pay off. With Dom betraying his core value it's hard not to spend a decent chunk of his scenes just being angry with him for doing it and even once it is explained why you're never truly satisfied with it all. Charlize Theron is also totally wasted as the villain, she's one-note and given basically nothing to do. As I said, the plot is serviceable but, it gets us into some of the most ambitious, jaw-dropping mayhem we've seen the team in yet. It's easy to forgive a boring plot when everything that is going on around it is so damn fun and ridiculous.

One of the other slightly awkward jobs this movie found itself having to do was retconning, the paths they take the story and its characters down force the movie to delete and rewrite some franchise history. This mostly pertains to the Hobbs/Deckard relationship which is sure to be the most talked about aspect of this film. Especially because, at times, this movie feels like it has way more focus on these two guys than it does Dom, it feels like an attempt to maybe find a new Brian to help keep the series going. 

The team dynamic is what holds this film together, without the long-established chemistry of the gang this movie could have easily fallen flat. I have faith that these men and women could carry just about any story they want just with their charm and charisma. Any time Ludacris and Tyrese share the screen magic is happening and a giant smile is plastered on your face. Couple this with some choice cameos throughout and you have a Fast movie that hits all the major buttons fans are looking for. 

It's not just more of the same, though. Continuing to build on the franchise F8 dives deep down a rabbit hole of absurdity in its action and execution. As with all of these films, there are moments where you have to pick your jaw up off the floor because you can't believe they did what they just did. Moments like when a giant wrecking ball takes out a small army of vehicles chasing them on their most recent job, or Tyrese driving a bright orange Lamborghini across a frozen body of water. It's all meant to make you go "holy shit" and have the best possible time doing so, in this sense the film totally succeeds. 

Though F8 does well in the absence of Paul Walker they still have major changes to make if they want to keep going from here. They may have done a fine job distracting us from focusing on the fact that he wasn't there, but it isn't enough to keep it going through multiple other films. They need to find someone to, in a way, replace the role the character of Brian played in this series. Dom can't be the heart and soul of the team, he's just the hard-edged fearless leader. This all just makes the ninth movie that much more interesting, if they can pull this transition off there is no telling how long this will continue on for. 

It's crazy to see how these movies have grown over the past sixteen years. It's a franchise like none we have seen before and it continues to find ways to stand out amongst the ever-growing crowd of action blockbusters. Though The Fate of the Furious decides to show us what happens when it's broken, this is still a "family" film through and through. It may not have everything needed to please the fans who hopped on after Fast Five, but it's got all the ingredients needed to make any long-time fan go wild. 

As always, thanks for reading and I am Zach Who Watches Movies. You can find me anytime on twitter @ZachWWMovies, smell ya later!

Winning is Winning - Looking Back at The Fast and the Furious (2001)

"You can have any beer you want, as long as it's a Corona."

This weekend the eighth installment in the Fast & Furious franchise hits theaters so you know what that means, it's family time. Throughout this week I will be revisiting the entire series in chronological order, so I thought it would be a good idea to re-evaluate these movies that have been in my life for 16 years now. That's right, The Fast and the Furious first hit theaters back in 2001 and I can remember it like it was yesterday. I, unfortunately, did not get to see this one in theaters, but I saw it almost immediately on home video and from the first viewing was totally in love with the family. 

At this point in time, the franchise has grown immensely in popularity and some would argue in quality as well, so it's always interesting to hear peoples opinions on the first three installments. They are vastly different from what we are seeing nowadays and for some, that's a bad thing but for me, it's the charm that drew me into this silly crime world. The goofy cars, the overblown machismo, and the homoeroticism are things that made me only love this movie more and watching it last night, that's still the case.

It's no secret that the first film served as an unofficial remake of the 90's classic Point Break, so I tried to view it through that lens watching it this time around. I only saw that movie a few years back so I revisited it the night before and it was with this watch that every major connection became clear. Some may cry "rip-off" but honestly, this is exactly how you do a remake and they should be praised for it. They took the barebones of the story and reworked it into something new that better represents the times. 

The Fast and the Furious doesn't just live in Point Breaks shadow though, they were sure to make the right changes to allow this to exist on its own. They were clearly successful in doing that as the movie spawned now seven sequels while the former never had one. One of those changes is that we are straight up praising the criminals here, we aren't just meant to understand why Brian doesn't want to blow them in we are meant to fall head over heels in love with their dynamic, and we do. 

It's fascinating to look at the characters in this movie now knowing where they have gone and having seen this movie countless times. Michelle Rodriguez as Letty is barely even a real person, she is playing an archetype that existed in a small period of the early 2000's, it's kind of incredible. Vin and Paul Walker strike their chemistry from square one and although their characters haven't changed much down the line it's fun to see them in the earlier days. 

What changed most for the two leads is the quality of their dialogue, now I'm not saying the spoken words in the newer movies are anything oscar worthy, but this first installment was really hamming it up. There is a line in this movie, I shit you not, where an FBI agent says to Brian "If you want time, pick up a magazine!". It's fucking incredible and we should be so lucky to have goofy movies like this one. 

To cap it all off, the cars used this first time around are truly one of a kind and further this movie as an early 2000's time capsule. They are flashy and silly boasting bright colors and ridiculous custom decals that you'd never see on the streets today. Brian's orange Supra remains one of my all-time favorite movie cars because of it. Also, I think it goes without saying that Dom's old school Dodge Charger used in the final drag race is a true work of art. 

The races themselves are their own kind of fun when we actually get to see them. Most notably the first race where Brian loses his car, the stuff at "Race wars', and the final drag between Dom and Brian. This is where we get to see the racing through "NOS vision" and its a silly, yet effective visual trick they use to emphasize how fast they are moving. Speaking of, I couldn't count a number of times "NOS" is said throughout this film, just adding to its time capsule status. 

Watching this movie again, sixteen years after its initial release there is a lot to take in. First, Ja Rule cannot act and is, in fact, the worst (but in the best way in this movie) and second is that this franchise has come a ridiculously long way since its inception. The Fast and the Furious is only the beginning of what is one of the most unique film franchises ever to exist. Stay tuned for my thoughts on 2 Fast 2 Furious and Tokyo Drift, I can tell you I love them more than most and get hyped for The Fate of the Furious this weekend!

As always, thanks for reading and I am Zach Who Watches movies. You can find me anytime on twitter @ZachWWMovies, smell ya later!

(Movie Review) The Void - Practical Effects Are Cool

The Void (2017)

Horror

Directed By: Steve Kostanski & Jeremy Gillespie

I think it's safe to say that the days of overusing CGI in horror films is gone, practical effects work is back and in a big way. This is in large part due to the people who create these amazing effects taking the plunge and stepping behind the camera to direct. We've seen it recently with films like Deathgasm and Stung and now the latest from Steve Kostanski and Jeremy Gillespie, who come from a background in art and makeup, The Void. The film lives and dies by its effects work with the creepy crawly's taking center stage over plot and character. 

What looks like another dull night on patrol takes a turn for the worst when police officer Daniel Carter stumbles upon a severely injured man running out of the woods. He immediately takes him to the nearest hospital, which just so happens to be on the verge of closing down with just a bare-bones staff in place. He, along with the rest of the staff, quickly learn that whatever this guy was running from has followed them here and they aren't going to let them leave. All the while something evil is changing the people holed up in this hospital. 

Let's get the obvious out of the way, the effects work on display here is absolutely stunning. Drawing inspiration from all of your favorite eighties horrors like The Thing and The Fly they are doing some seriously incredible practical stunts. These guys know how and when to deliver an effects gag and for the most part, that's what this movie is. They set aside memorable characters and a coherent plot for the sake of gorgeous visuals. 

Though it ultimately holds this back from being an all-around great movie it also makes it immensely entertaining to watch. It's easy to get over undeveloped characters and plot when every few minutes we get another effect that blows our mind. Each different creature holds a wonderful design and they are easily the most memorable "characters" in the film. I'd seriously kill for a book of art on this, there is so much gorgeous imagery to take in here. 

While the gorgeous effects work kept me thoroughly entertained throughout I unfortunately never found a character or plot point to latch on to and allow myself to fully get sucked into this movie. It wasn't due to a lack of trying either, There just isn't any character that gets developed enough to the point where you legitimately care about them, and the same goes for the plot. Every time I thought I had a handle on what was going on they would introduce another half-cooked idea that spirals it back out of control. 

The Void also has a lackluster ending unfortunately that, at least for me, didn't leave any feeling of satisfaction. They brought together a bucket full of good ideas and threw a couple handfuls of them into the movie but they never found a way to truly bring them together as a whole. It's wearing its influences on its sleeve but it isn't bringing us anything new on top of it all. It's cool that you wanted to make a movie in tribute to the Carpenter classics and eighties effects work, but you have to bring something fresh to the table if you want to be remembered.

That's not to say this film won't have a shelf life. I may not remember any of the characters names or any of the major storylines down the road but I can surely say that plenty of the effects work and imagery in this film will stick with me for a long time to come. I love seeing more effects people stepping behind the camera, hell it's where Ridley Scott came from and he gave us Alien so I hope these guys get to make lots more stuff. This may not be a great horror film but it nails it where you want it to most and the effects work alone is worth the price of a rental.  

As always, thanks for reading and I am Zach Who Watches Movies. You can find me anytime on twitter @ZachWWMovies, smell ya later!