Fast and Furious – Franchise Catch Up

Posted on June 24, 2021 by ashleymanningwriter

Up until last weekend I hadn’t seen any of the Fast and Furious films, other than Hobbs and Shaw. They had never appealed to me. And even though I enjoyed the spin-off I didn’t dive into the main series. Seeing the trailer for the 9th one in the cinema, I decided to watch all of them. After watching them I’ve written a short initial thought on each one. These were written after watching the film, and not knowing what was coming next and haven’t been edited or added to in any way, so these are my initial thoughts from as soon as the film ended.

If you’re interested in the series and feel intimidated by the amount of films, or maybe you’re just interested in my thoughts as a newcomer to the series, I hope you enjoy.

The Fast and the Furious

I didn’t expect much from this one. I didn’t want to watch it when I was younger and didn’t really know what to expect. I was surprised to find a decent undercover cop/crime story about underground racing and robbery. It’s entertaining as hell with a great set piece later in the movie with the truck heist that goes wrong. It’s filled with tension and thrilling to watch. The music is almost laughable with how early 2000s it is. Really cements itself it that time with the soundtrack, especially since it includes Limp Bizkit. The ending is poor, without much resolution. I don’t know if they planned on more films at the time, but it doesn’t feel finished. Hopefully, the sequels will tie up those lose ends. Overall better than I expected and wish I’d seen it a lot sooner. 

2 Fast 2 Furious

Replays a lot of the beats of the first film. Entertaining but not much else. Forgettable. At some points it feels almost like a straight-to-video release. The racing at the start looks really poor. New characters is a nice plus but missing characters from the first one. Nothing spectacular.

Tokyo Drift

From the opening scene you have a lot of misogyny. Women are nothing more than meat prizes to be won. The only female characters that get any screen time are used as prizes in the races. The plot is unbelievably stupid. It gets better when the plot moves to Tokyo, but it’s still really poor.  The racing looks a lot better than the 2nd one, but it’s still not a very good film. Takes itself way too seriously to be fun and entertaining.

Fast and Furious

I’m surprised the franchise survived the last 2 films and didn’t just disappear. Michelle Rodriguez is back, which is good. But she dies very early on in the film, which isn’t. Paul Walker’s character who I still haven’t learnt the name of, is an FBI agent now? Re-instated? When was he with the FBI, wasn’t he with the LAPD in the first one? Why did they re-instate him. He’s not very good at keeping to the law. At least the characters from the first one are back. These feels like the first actual sequel to the first one, but it’s just not very good. It feels long and is boring in places. It might be because I’m binge-watching these though. A massive improvement on the previous 2, but I did enjoy the first one quite a bit and none have stood up to it just yet.

Fast 5

The prison bus break out at the beginning of this one is just insane. So over the top and I’m pretty sure they just straight up murdered most people on the bus. This is where things get crazy. The films have been ramping up from the 2nd one, but this is where they go off the rails. Insane stunts and a lot less of a focus on racing. This is a heist film and it works. The best sequel and a rival for the first one as the best of the bunch so far. The Rock is also in this one, and you just can’t go wrong with him. The actual heist at the end and driving through the streets with the bank vault tethered to their cars is both stupid and entertaining.

Furious 6

Again it’s ramped up. This time the gang is in London, working for the US government to help take down an international criminal. The stunts are crazier, there are more laughs and more of The Rock, what’s not too like? Letty somehow survived her death in the 4th one. The explanation makes little to no sense, but at least we have her back. It’s not as good as the 5th one, but still entertaining to watch. Good ending as well that sets up the next one. There isn’t really much to say about this one, it’s more of the same style as the 5th one and it works well. 

Fast and Furious 7

This is my favourite so far. It’s beyond insane with how over the top it is. It’s funny as hell. This feels like a Mission: Impossible film. The stunts are ridiculous with some of the most outrageous set pieces imaginable from parachuting cars to driving between buildings. It also have some nice quiet moments. I’ve grown to like all of the characters and the send off to Paul Walker is perfectly and tastefully done. The Rock is put on the bench for most of this film, hospitalised by an explosion in the opening act. In his place is Kurt Russell, with no complaints from me. This is also where Jason Statham joins the cast. At this point, the cast list is massive. Highlight is The Rock flexing his arm out of a cast when he’s back in the game for the final act. I had a smile on my face for the majority of this one. It’s stupid, dumb fun with likeable characters that we’ve spent a long time with by this point and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. One more to go.

Fate of the Furious

These films get crazier and crazier with each instalment. This one starts with a race where Dom’s car is in flames by the end of it and ends with the gang outrunning a submarine. Again this feels closer to a Mission: Impossible film than the first Fast and Furious. The Rock and Jason Statham are really funny and bounce off each other perfectly. It’s no wonder they got their own spin-off series after this one. I think this one may be the funniest. Statham rescuing a baby while taking out a group of terrorists is brilliant. I still think that number 7 is my favourite, but this one is a thrill-ride all the same. Now it’s time for number 9 in the cinema.

Final Thoughts

I had always put off seeing these films. They never appealed to me when I was young and the first few came out. I don’t care about cars or racing. I turned my nose up at them to be honest. It was only when I saw the trailer for the Hobbs and Shaw film that I started to take notice. That film is great, even though it could be 20 minutes shorter. After hearing that the later films in the main series are just as crazy, I was tempted. Then seeing a trailer for number 9 in the cinema, made me want to give them a go. I wish I had earlier, I was missing out.

The first one is genuinely a good film. Number 2 is dumb, fun and forgettable. 3 and 4 are not as good, and to be honest can probably be skipped. 5 is where the series really gets into gear and then it becomes insane stunts and high octane action from there on out, out-doing themselves with each subsequent film. I’m a big fan of the Mission: Impossible films, with their insane stunts and this is more of that. The biggest difference is that instead of Tom Cruise, F&F has a whole cast of likeable characters that I care about after spending so much time with them.  

If you are tempted to give them ago, I would recommend it. If you’re into big budget, dumb but seriously entertaining action films, then F&F is worth your time. They are not mind-blowing films, but seriously good popcorn films and sometimes that’s exactly what you need.

Posted in film reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou – Film Review

Posted on June 23, 2021 by ashleymanningwriter

Director: Wes Anderson

Starring: Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Willem Dafoe and Cate Blanchett

Rating: ★★★½

Both Wes Anderson and Noah Baumbach have made some very melancholic and depressing films. They often deal with tough themes such as death, middle age and aspirations and often in a very detached way. When they first joined together, they co-wrote The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. A melancholic film about their usual themes, presented in Anderson’s usual style and mixed with Baumbach’s detached hopeless feeling that he would later develop further in The Squid and the Whale and Margot at the Wedding. That’s not to say that Life Aquatic isn’t a funny comedy-drama, as it most definitely is, it just presents a darker side of life in a way that only Anderson and Baumbach can, with an abstract tone, quirky music and a great cast.

Steve Zissou is a documentary film maker, who hasn’t made a good film in 5 years. On his latest documentary his best friend is eaten alive, and Zissou doesn’t even capture the creature that did it on camera. People don’t believe him and think his film is fake, his career has stalled and the lust for life has gone. At the premiere for the film, he announces part 2, where he is going to track down the creature that killed his friend and enact revenge. He then meets Ned, who claims to be his son and invites him to join his crew, along with a journalist who is writing a hit piece on Zissou.

This is a film about being lost. The crew on Zissou’s ship are an odd bunch of people from various backgrounds with no real experience. Ned claims to be Zissou’s long lost son but isn’t sure. Zissou himself is dealing with the loss of success, meeting and connecting with his potential son and lost youth. He regrets not having a son with his current wife. He wonders where his talent has gone, and he is grieving for the loss of his friend. It’s a very downbeat film, that is presented in an abstract way.

Anderson’s style of filmmaking is evident all of this film. From the cast of familiar Anderson faces to the way the camera moves in very intentional ways, with every shot being very exact. When we first see the ship, and several more times throughout, we are guided room by room with the camera moving between walls, as if the ship has been cut in half and we can see the cross-section. It gives an almost dreamlike quality to the way the story is presented further distancing us emotionally from the characters, in the same way that Zissou is distanced from life. His lust for the story has gone, and he has been hallowed out to formulaic set pieces.  Gone is the wonder in his earlier documentaries that we only see glimpses of, here we are presented with a man who is past his prime and he knows it.

To add to the dreamlike quality is an excellent soundtrack, mixed with strange ambient electronic music that sounds akin to demo loops on a keyboard and a long list of David Bowie songs covered in Portuguese on an acoustic guitar. Nothing on the Belafonte feels real, as if the manufactured documentaries, filled with scripted moments have seeped out into Zissou’s real life. As the audience we can see that Zissou’s life is starting to lose the distinction between documentary and reality.

The film also has some insane moments. They are attacked by pirates, who Zissou fends off in one of the strangest shoot outs on film. They rescue another captain who has been kidnapped in a daring raid that is bizarre. It feels like we are watching Zissou’s last great adventure through the eyes of a child, specifically Ned who spent most of his own childhood looking up to and admiring Zissou.

Throughout this strange tale is some amazing performances. Bill Murray, as always is great. During the late 90s and early 2000s he played a string of great middle-aged characters lost in their way and his portrayal of Zissou joins his roles in Rushmore and Lost in Translation to cement himself as more than just a comedian, but a good dramatic actor as well. His character holds the emotional weight of the film. Willem Dafoe is also excellent as the child-like character, who sees Zissou as a father. He brings a much-needed comedic relief to the overbearing weight of time suffocating life.

The film also plays with some tropes. We are presented with Ned approaching Zissou as a potential son, but he makes it clear that he isn’t sure. Instead of the usual tale of the son looking to take advantage of his famous dad, we see a dad who clings to his son, desperate for his approval. He takes his money, wants to steal his ideas. He desperately wants what his son has, youth.

There are some issues with this film though. It is definitely too long, at around 2 hours, there are moments where it starts to get boring. You aren’t always engaged when watching, which is just a shame. The story meanders about in places and there are some strands that aren’t given enough space. It would have been better to spend some more time with Zissou and his best friend. It never feels real that his friend dies. There isn’t much passion in the revenge and at some points it’s easy to forget that this is the driving force behind the plot. It can be argued that the lack of passion is the point of the film, but the lack of focus makes the film less engaging.

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou is a strange film. It’s very downbeat and melancholic, presented in a fun and quirky way. It’s not Anderson’s best film, but his style is very much cemented here. He would later go on to direct more of the wonderful and strange. Noah Baumbach would also go on to write more downbeat and realistic portrayals of the darker side of a mundane life. Life Aquatic is interesting, depressing and a little bit too long.

Posted in film reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Grand Budapest Hotel – Film Review

Posted on June 22, 2021 by ashleymanningwriter

Director: Wes Anderson

Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Tony Revolori, Adrien Brody, Jude Law, Bill Murray, Willem Dafoe, Saoirse Ronan, Tilda Swinton, Jeff Goldblum, Harvey Keitel, Owen Wilson and Jason Schwartzman

Rating: ★★★★★

You can immediately tell when you are watching a Wes Anderson film. His use of colour, music and a quirky tone is felt throughout all his films. The Grand Budapest Hotel is not an exception to this rule, from the opening minute you know this is a Wes Anderson film. It’s a charming, fantastical, whimsical, fairy tale of a story.

Just from the beginning, a young girl is reading a book by a monument to the author. The book is about the author’s meeting of the owner of The Grand Budapest Hotel who in turn tells the author a story about how he came to own the hotel. On top of this you are watching a film of the girl visiting the monument to the author to read his book. This should give you an idea of what type of film this is. It’s quirky full of charm and not meant to be taken seriously. Unlike so many films, this is self-aware and doesn’t want you to believe it is real. From the imbedded narrative to the fake scenery and miniature models that are used to tell the story, this is meant to be devoured like fine chocolate.

Without going into the main plot too much, Zero (Tony Revolori) is a new bellhop at the title hotel. He is taken by Monsieur Gustave H. (Ralph Fiennes) as his protégé to learn how to be the best bellhop he can be. One of the regular guests dies and they travel together, to her will reading, where Gustave H. is bequeathed a priceless painting. The family don’t like this and try to stop it at any cost.

The Grand Budapest Hotel is the ultimate Wes Anderson film. While with most of his films, there are flaws, from feeling too long or a cold and detached feeling from a character perspective, None of that on display here. What you get is a very funny and sweet story with a large cast of characters that are all wonderfully performed by an insanely large number of great actors, who are all giving their best. Willem Defoe is beyond sinister and unsettling as the private investigator/hitman hired by the deceased’s family and Ralph Fiennes is superb and makes a very horrible character extremely charming and lovable. Just to give 2 examples.

As with all Wes Anderson films, the eye to detail in every shot is superb. The colours are all vivid and add to the magical feeling of everything. The scenery is beautiful, and the music punctuates every scene with the feeling of wonder and oddity. It’s a very warm feeling film, that invites you into a strange world to tell a quirky story against the backdrop of a very real and horrible war. Each character is different and strange, with everything adding to the tapestry that is The Grand Budapest Hotel.

Before watching this, Moonrise Kingdom was my favourite Wes Anderson film, and while I still love that film, I think it’s now been replaced. The Grand Budapest Hotel is a perfect film and if you haven’t already, then watch it. Be whisked away into a fairy tale of murder, thievery and suspense.

Posted in film reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Quick Update

Posted on June 22, 2021 by ashleymanningwriter

It’s been a little while since I posted an update on here and just wanted to let everyone know what I’ve been up to. I have been uploading daily film reviews, which have gone down pretty well. Thank you for all of the feedback that I’ve received. I’m going to continue doing a review every day for as long as possible. I’ve got today’s ready and it will be going up later in the day.

I’ve also finally finished writing a short story, now titled ‘A Knock at the Door’. I started writing it last year, aiming for around 2000 words. It’s ended up being longer than that, at around 5000. I need to re-read it and edit it. To be honest I’m a little nervous about uploading it here. It’s very dark. A lot darker than I planned it to be. I will be uploading it either later this week or early next, with a warning that it’s extreme. I’m pretty happy with how it’s turned out. I’ve also started on a new short story, that is going nicely. The working title is ‘The Teeth Fairies’. So far around 300 words in. I’m not sure how long this one is going to be, but I know where it is going roughly. Much like the one I’ve just finished I expect it to change along the way. The ending for ‘A Knock at the Door’ changed as I was writing the final lines.

I’ve also been watching a lot of films recently. Not just the ones I’ve reviewed and put on here. Altered States was something I didn’t write about, but I did enjoy it. A horror film from the early 80s about gene regression and sensory depravation. A mind-trip of a movie. I just didn’t get round to writing about it fully. It’s good and I would recommend.

I’ve been on a 1980s horror kick after making my way through In Search of Darkness. A 2 part documentary about 1980s horror. Each part is around 4 hours, and I’m currently half way through part 2. There has been quite a lot of interesting films, that I’ve never even heard of, so I’ve been searching them out. So a fair few of the reviews that will be coming will be from this period. Most have been disappointing, to be honest. They are dated, with poor effects and acting. Finding something like Altered States, or Road Games which I did write a review for, makes it worth it though. The documentary is also generally interesting as well. It has a lot of interviews with actors, directors, special effect guys from the time. If you’re into horror, especially from the 1980s then it’s well worth checking out.

Another thing I’ve been doing is watching all of the Fast and Furious films. I’ve never seen these before, apart from Hobbs and Shaw. I did like that one, but it was too long. I’ve been writing a short paragraph for each one after watching it. I know next to nothing about these films. So far I’ve seen 6 of the 8 main films. I should be watching 7 today and then 8 tomorrow, so will be uploading the post on Thursday. It’s just quick thoughts.

I’ve also been reading. I read Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King. Even though the story is incredibly well known, and I knew everything that happened without reading it, I still enjoyed it. King’s characters are always worth reading. I also read Ring by Koji Suzuki, which is the basis for the horror films. I did really enjoy this one. It’s absolutely a page turner. I was surprised at how different it is to the films, the video tape is still there, the death threat is. People do die, but the tape also gives instructions on how to survive. The problem with this is that someone has taped over it. It’s more thriller than horror in the book, but absolutely worth reading. There is a whole series of books in the series and I can’t wait to pick up the other ones.

As it had been a while, I just wanted to give a quick update on how things were going. I’m still writing. A short story will be coming very soon, but be warned it’s a little extreme. There will be a review uploaded today. I’m on a late shift, so probably around half 8.

Thanks for reading and until next time,

Ashley

Posted in Updates | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Fatherhood – Film Review

Posted on June 21, 2021 by ashleymanningwriter

Director: Paul Weitz

Starring: Kevin Hart, Melody Hurd, Alfre Woodard and DeWanda Wise

Rating: 3.5/5

After several delays and a move to Netflix, Fatherhood was finally released last week, just in time for Father’s Day. Directed by Paul Weitz (American Pie, About a Boy) and staring Kevin Hart in one of his most dramatic roles yet, Fatherhood tells the story of a suddenly widowed father who takes on the roll of a single parent. His family is in another state and instead of returning home he carries on with career, juggling work with fatherhood.

Based on the memoir ‘Two Kisses for Maddie’ by Matthew Logelin, Fatherhood is an emotional film to watch. The first 15 or so minutes expertly set up the story, switching between the lead up to Maddie’s birth, Liz’s funeral and the wake immediately afterward. After a caesarean section, Liz has a pulmonary embolism and suddenly dies, leaving Matthew to look after their new-born daughter alone. It’s heart-breaking to know that Matthew went through this in real life.

It’s incredibly sad and upsetting almost straight away. You don’t spend much time with Liz and Matt together, but you get a feel for who they are. This film wouldn’t be such an emotional gut punch if it wasn’t for Kevin Hart’s outstanding performance. Often known for his loud and in your face comedy (Scary Movie 3, Ride Along, Jumanji), here we get to see a softer side to him. He’s great in the film and really carries the emotional weight. Melody Hurd, who plays Maddie in the film, is also excellent and both portray a strong father-daughter relationship. Alfre Woodard, who plays Liz’s mum Marian, also gives an extraordinarily strong performance. What could have turned into a stereotypical mother-in-law character, is instead a sombre portrayal of grief.

Running at nearly 2 hours, Fatherhood does start to drag towards the end. It never gets boring, but it does feel like a long film. On top of that, while it is based on a true story, there is a lot of embellishments and changes to the memoir. That’s to be expected, but there are a few things that feel like we’ve seen them before. It’s fairly formulaic and follows the usual plot beats of some familiar comedies. It’s still funny where it needs to be and tugs at your heart when it wants to.

Fatherhood is a heart warming and funny comedy/drama. It follows a man struggling through grief while raising his daughter and it works. A very enjoyable film that shouldn’t be overlooked.

Posted in film reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment