Fast and Furious 6 (2013)

When it’s over, what a rush. Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and Brian Conner (Paul Walker) regroup with the crew to stop a terrorist (Luke Evans) and to save Letty (Michelle Rodriguez), who has resurfaced after being presumed dead.  In return for their services, Dom wants full pardons for his crew from CIA Agent Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson). Two words that make this sixth installment so exciting – Justin Lin. He is incredibly fast and furious in his direction as demonstrated in the last four installments - The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, Fast and Furious, Fast Five, and now Fast and Furious 6. He knows the characters and the genre, and brings it full-throttle on the screen with all the action, sexiness, and style that has made the series so popular. There are some great stunts involving a tank, a cargo plane, and of course, cars (more than 30 different models and makes). The stunts defy gravity and are all over the top, but they work, and in an unbelievable way, they offer the illusion of realism. Lin directs these sequences with pure NOS. He holds nothing back. Well shot. Well executed. Well edited. Action does not only come in chases and explosions, but hand-to-hand combat, and there’s plenty of realistic choreography to make the fights believable, especially between Letty and Agent Riley (Gina Carano). There are some serious fighting between the two tough women, making the fight scenes between the men pale by comparison. Evans is terrific as the ruthless villain, Shaw, and holds his own up against Dominic, proving that a well-cast villain bumps up the value of the film. The returning cast pick up where leave off in Fast 5. Roman (Tyrese Gibson) and Tej (Ludacris) play off each other, offering up some of the best one liners in the film. Mia (Jordana Brewster) is back playing mother to baby Jack Conner, and even though she has limited screen time, she represents the poker chip in Shaw’s pocket. Han (Sung Kang) and Gisele (Gal Gadot) are still together, and I am disappointed that their relationship takes a turn. I think the two deserve more, but who knows? Anything can happen in Fast and Furious 7. In this installment, Hobbs and Dominic work together instead of against each other. They are partners in an unconventional way, blurring the fine line between law and crime, and it looks like a beautiful friendship may be brewing. Lastly, Brian meets fatherhood, and a new set of responsibilities come with the job. Fast 6 feels like it comes full circle, ending where it started back in 2001.

My rating: 4 out of 5

A Good Day to Die Hard (2013)

When it’s over, Die Hard is dead. John McClane (Bruce Willis) goes to Russia to bail his son, Jack (Jai Courtney), out of jail, only to discover his son is an undercover CIA operative. If this film is a taste of films to come, then the franchise is defunct. If this film represents the passing of the baton to a younger McClane, then, the baton has fallen. Three things plague this film – the script, the acting, the location. The story simply disappoints, because it is without a true villain for John to go head to head with. The dialogue is dry, and all the Die Hard humor and sarcasm I remember from previous films have vanished. Even the famous line synonymous to Die Hard, “Yippee ki yay,” is misused, being inserted into the wrong scene at the wrong time. John is alone when he says this. He doesn’t even have a weapon when he says this. He says this while starting a truck. That line is written into the film just for the sake of it. Willis defines John McClane, and he is so good at playing this hard-edged cop, so why the poor portrayal in A Good Day? The acting is bad throughout, from all cast members, and this is not from a lack of money, since there’s plenty of destruction onscreen. I am guessing, the poor acting has more to do with the script and direction than the actors’ abilities. I am bewildered by the location the film takes place in. Why Russia? There are too many movies showing Russia as the baddie. The Middle East is becoming overused. So, why not North Korea? More important, why leave the USA? Why deviate from the location that made the Die Hard films famous? I am shaking my head, sad to see this once entertaining franchise go down the drain.

My rating: 1.5 out of 5

Pitch Perfect (2012)

When it’s over, a musical comedy that hits all the right notes. There is a Glee/High School Musical/Hairspray feel to it and plenty of great singing renditions of songs, past and present, accompanied by exciting musical numbers. Beca (Anna Kendrick) is an aspiring DJ who gets talked into joining a female a cappella (singing without instruments) group, The Bellas, at her first year of university. At first, uninterested and unmotivated, Beca soon realizes the group of quirky women are good for her soul. Rebel Wilson plays Fat Amy, but really should be named Rebel Amy, since Fat Amy steals the show, with her “I don’t care what my size is, because I can sing,” attitude. The dance numbers and competition routines bring out the rebel in Fat Amy, and I cannot help, but cheer her on. Anna Camp portrays Aubrey, who is the leader of The Bellas. She is the catalyst, bringing tension between characters, because of her headstrong ways and her refusal to deviate from the a cappella’s traditions. Brittany Snow stars as Chloe, who is stuck in the middle of tradition and change and possesses a singing handicap. Kendrick can sing, and who knew the Twilight alumni had such talent. She brings a hip-hop style to Beca that makes you want to get up and dance. The women come together, bringing their strengths and their flaws, to try and beat out their rivals, The Treblemakers, in a national competition, led by Jesse (Skylar Astin), who has eyes only for Beca. There’s swooning, there’s catty behavior, and lots of laughs. If you are a music lover and enjoy romantic comedies, this film is for you.

My rating: 4 out of 5

Robosapien: Rebooted (2013)

When it’s over, the film is like window shopping.  You see the merchandise, but you don't get to explore them, touch them.  You see elements of bullying, friendship, and family, but you don't get to embrace the themes, because the film moves so quickly, it completely misses the emotional depth of these elements. After finding a broken robot named Cody in a dumpster, Henry (Bobby Coleman) decides to put the metal parts together and make it his best friend. But, their friendship is tested when Cody regains his memory and seeks out his creator, who is on the run from a corrupt businessman. The film feels like a mixture of Spy Kids and ET, but doesn’t have the appeal or intelligence of either. The acting is noticeably forced, making the film plummet further. The only pro to this film is that you can leave the room and let the kids watch it on their own. It is completely child friendly. There is no deliberate violence (only comedic action) or bad language or inappropriate behaviour.  This is hard to find today, even in family films. Young children will like the idea of a robot being a child’s best friend and adults will like the idea of having a robot that can renovate their house in one day, plus detail a junkyard car. Quite unlikely in the real world. The lightheartedness is just that - light. So light, it evaporates from my mind.   

My rating: 2 out of 5

Cosmopolis (2012)

When it’s over, Robert Pattinson’s character, billionaire Eric Packer, is highly concerned that his prostate is asymmetrical, and the journey to try and discover just exactly what that means begins, amongst other bizarre things. Here is another strange film from Writer/Director David Cronenberg, and “strange” doesn’t quite begin to explain how I perceive this film. I am pretty much confused throughout the film, and bored at times. It’s dreamlike style of dialogue and visual direction lulls me into a “sleep with one eye open” state. I have not read the book by Don DeLillo, but maybe if I had before going into this film, I might have gaged a better understanding of the events. The film takes place in one day in a custom designed limo traveling through the streets of Manhattan. Eric is on his way to get a haircut, but is constantly interrupted by individuals who pull him into somewhere deep within himself, that he does not completely understand. The film, like Eric, is detached and unfeeling, which is delivered through the speedy monotone dialogue, which sound like gibberish, since they do not mean anything, or at least, anything I can relate to in the film. The only thing I get from the dialogue is a sense of “I’m not sure what I’m talking about or what I want to do with myself” attitude, which could be exactly what Cronenberg is trying to convey as displayed in a scene where Eric shoots his hand, so he can understand and feel pain. Eric represents the filthy rich, the people who have done everything and have everything, and don’t know what else to do with themselves, because they are numb, oblivious to all that’s around them. For example, there is one scene where the limo drives through a riot. The limo is jumped on and spray painted, but Eric does not notice or acknowledge the violence outside the vehicle. The ending is a question mark, leaving the viewer to decide what happens, and I feel this is a poor ending to a very unrewarding journey. At least, let me have the satisfaction of seeing what happens. I do not recommend this film, unless you are a die-hard Cronenberg fan and crazy-in-love for Pattinson, but be warned, you will find no elements of Twilight's Edward in this film. Pattinson is completely transformed.   

My rating: 1.5 out of 5