Franchise Retrospective- The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift and Fast & Furious

The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006)
Starring: Lucas Black, Bow Wow, Sung Kang
Directed by: Justin Lin


After 2 Fast 2 Furious underwhelmed fans of the Fast and Furious franchise, the creative decision was to try and distance itself from the previous installments. Give the fans something that feels a little fresher, while still maintaining the name of Fast and Furious. Because of that, we got The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift. This one is considered by many to be one of the more forgettable entries, since it has the least to do with the main characters in the entire franchise, but I can't say that it's unwatchable. It served as a window into a world that domestic audiences won't be fully familiar with: the world of Tokyo and drifting. Hm, an action film about street racing that feels fresh and introduces an underground following to a fresh audience. Why does that sound so familiar? Well, maybe this was a better way to bring fans of the original back than we initially thought. But the big problem was that the name Fast and Furious was on it and people were disappointed that Vin Diesel and Paul Walker weren't at the forefront of it. In fact, test audiences were so-so about the final product, that the studio shoehorned a last-minute cameo from Vin Diesel at the end of the film to connect some of the dots. As a kid, I remember that cameo being the selling-point of many commercials for the film, so you can only imagine how disappointed viewers were when they showed up for Vin Diesel, only to get him in the very last minute.

But really, I think the newer characters and elements are intriguing because it feels like a clean slate. You can explore these characters in the length it would take for a stand-alone action film. So, if you treat it more like a spinoff or a stand-alone film, it works a lot better than if you were to watch it in comparison with the rest of the films. This may change in time, however, because the character of Sean, played by Lucas Black, is set to be in the future sequels starting with Fast 8. Plus, the character of Han, played by Sung Kang, has been a staple of the franchise since Tokyo Drift, so we could see this film get more relevancy with the franchise if they decide to revisit the world created here.


Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Final Verdict: The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift is certainly interesting in expanding the universe and giving the audience a look at a whole new driving world. I'd go as far as to say this can actually be pretty underrated. If the fans could have had the mindset to survive a film without Dom or Brian, we probably could've had more interesting sequel concepts like this.

The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift and movie images are copyrighted by Universal Pictures


Fast & Furious (2009)
Starring: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Jordana Brewster
Directed by: Justin Lin


Tokyo Drift wasn't the sequel that was going to bring fans back to the series. Being original is nice, but if you want your fans back in this day and age, you need to play up to the nostalgia. Fast & Furious did this by bringing back the original cast. Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, and Jordana Brewster were all brought back for a sequel that would return the franchise to its truest roots. Thankfully, the studio didn't think Justin Lin was the problem and they brought him back as director. He has a good style to his filmmaking and knows how to tell a good story and work with his characters. That's something this franchise has really been able to thrive on once you get passed the action and the cars. Seeing these characters back on the big screen, with an opportunity to dive deeper into their motivations and growth is definitely an exciting concept for the franchise's biggest fans. Which is definitely a strong positive, since one of the film's biggest negatives is how transitional it feels for the remainder of the films.

Fast & Furious starts with this intense tanker truck action sequence that is so suspenseful and visually appealing, that the film has no real chance of topping that for the remainder of the film. It's like they started the film out with a scene that would normally be the climax and then said "Oh shoot, we still have to give another hour and a half of movie!" They really dealt their best hand early with that scene, but I can't deny how awesome it is. It's easily the best opening scene to take place in any of these movies so far, but it's proof that it can be a bad thing when a film starts off on too high a note.


Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Final Verdict: Fans should be able to appreciate seeing their favorite characters back together on the big screen, but the final product leaves something to be desired. It's worth checking out for the opening scene with the tanker truck robbery, but be warned that the remainder of Fast & Furious may be a little slow to get through.

Fast & Furious and movie images are copyrighted by Universal Pictures

Franchise Retrospective- The Fast and the Furious and 2 Fast 2 Furious

The Fast and the Furious (2001)
Starring: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez
Directed by: Rob Cohen


This week, The Fast and the Furious celebrates its 15th anniversary since its original release. Wow! 15 years and 6 sequels later (with 3 more on the way), what a landmark for the modern action film. But actually, re-watching this, you can really see how the tone and direction changed over the course of these movies. Nowadays, they're heist films with an emphasis on cars, but back then, it had a larger focus on the street racing element. While the concept wasn't 100% brand new (essentially Point Break with cars instead of surfing), it was some of the other things that made this story stick out. The attention to loyalty and family that our main characters share really made this seem a little less one-dimensional than your typical action flick. It's still popcorn entertainment, but it gives the audience a little more depth they can latch onto. Even if direction switches to heist films as the sequels progress, that message of family is what has kept a lot of the fans coming back. We like that sense of morality and honor these characters have for each other and we want to see what kinds of twists and turns they endure as the sequels go on.

The real elements that hold the film together are Vin Diesel and Paul Walker as Dominic Toretto and Brian O'Conner. Those two were instant bros on-screen and I love seeing them rise to superstardom in this film. And that's the modern value of this film: a time capsule to humble beginnings. From the soundtrack consisting of Ja Rule and Limp Bizkit, to the painful CGI, to the hip lingo, this movie was really a product of its time. If you enjoy things from the early 2000s, then this is a fun nostalgia trip. But if you're grading it based on the cinematic and critical value of this franchise as a whole, The Fast and the Furious needs to have a few points deducted. For this series, I'm nostalgic so I'll give it a little leeway in the final rating.


Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Final Verdict: 15 years later and it's obvious The Fast and the Furious hasn't held up well over time. It's very much a product of the early 2000s, but it has a charm to it that I can't ignore. Give it a watch if you want to see how one of today's most prolific action franchises got its start.

The Fast and the Furious and movie images are copyrighted by Universal Pictures


2 Fast 2 Furious (2003)
Starring: Paul Walker, Tyrese Gibson, Eva Mendes
Directed by: John Singleton


The first sequel in this franchise proved to be a minor speed bump (pun intended) in the grand scheme of things, but it's a good learning experience. In 2 Fast 2 Furious, we were able to be introduced to some series regulars like Roman Pearce, played by Tyrese Gibson, and Tej Parker, played by Ludacris. These two go on to form one of my favorite bromances in the franchise, but that isn't really established here. In this film, Tej is off in the background being that guy who orchestrates the schemes and Roman is the one serves as Brian's partner in crime for this adventure. Brian and Roman aren't a bad pairing, but they aren't Dom and Brian. Naturally, they gotta try something different if they wanted to see some potential in a franchise, but this gamble wasn't too thrilling. Majority of fans were really missing that chemistry that the cast from the first film had, something that was definitely lacking to a certain extent. The fact that a lot of the supporting cast from this film doesn't show up again in any of the other films. Just kind of makes getting to know these characters feel hollow in retrospect.

Director John Singleton definitely had the idea to make a cool movie, but I think he lost sight of what the real theme for this series is. For Singleton, it was the cars, representing style. For most fans, it's the concept of the family, which represents more of a substance. That's what 2 Fast 2 Furious really lacks: substance. The first Fast and Furious movie was a revolutionary action movie for its time period and this one just felt like another car movie. In the opening race, you can see the characters racing are decked out in head-to-toe gear that color coordinates with their cars. You didn't see too much of that in the first film. It was more underground, with a bit of grittiness to it. Here, the film's style is way too colorful for its own good and lacks all kinds of subtlety. If you have a great time making a film, more power to you. These films definitely look like a blast to make, but I'm looking for things that really hold up in all the films when you go through them marathon-style like I am. In the case of 2 Fast 2 Furious, little actually held up.


Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Final Verdict: To say that the second film in a franchise that currently has 7 entries is the lowest point for a franchise is unheard of, so take that as a minor positive. 2 Fast 2 Furious does introduce us to some important franchise characters like Roman and Tej, but the chemistry just isn't the same without Vin Diesel and company from the first film. This film was a lesson that in order to do one of these films right, you really needed to have both Diesel and Walker behind the wheel (pun intended).

2 Fast 2 Furious and movie images are copyrighted by Universal Pictures

Favorite Films of 2015: Inside Out

Inside Out (2015)
Starring: Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Richard Kind
Directed by: Pete Docter


I'm sure there's a lot of people wondering if I'm going to review Finding Nemo in preparation to see Finding Dory. The simple answer is...I'm not. At least not in theaters. The bank account can't allow me to see EVERY blockbuster movie this Summer, so I'll tackle that when it comes out on DVD most likely, along with a Pixar month. But, I didn't want this weekend for Pixar to go completely unmentioned, so I thought this would be a great opportunity to talk about the animated film everyone was buzzing about in 2015. At a time when Pixar's lineup feels like nothing but sequels and Disney's animation department is churning out hit after hit, along comes a reminder of just how innovative and magical Pixar can be with Inside Out. It took me about a month of it being in theaters before I actually got around to seeing it, to the point where there was an astronomical amount of hype attached to it. Everyone I knew was talking about how Pixar was back and this was one of the greatest animated movies ever. I couldn't argue with those claims after I saw Inside Out.

The concept of going inside someone's head to see how their emotions work is something we've rarely seen on film, let alone in an animated film. For this cast of emotions, Pixar assembled a hysterical cast of characters to bring the emotions of Joy, Sadness, Fear, Anger, and Disgust to life. The chemistry between Amy Poehler and Phyllis Smith as they voice Joy and Sadness is the real heart of this film. They work well together as polar opposites that find some common ground in the end. Of course it's the balance between joy and sadness that is the main theme of the film and is the forefront of a plot that can speak to adults and children today and let them know that it's healthy to feel many different emotions, rather than staying in one emotion all the time.

The other three emotions are handled well. Lewis Black as Anger, Mindy Kaling as Disgust, and Bill Hader as Fear don't get quite as much screen time or development, but they get the job done with the amount of time they are given. Many of the film's most memorable scenes and lines existing when these 5 emotions are working together, so if there's a minor complaint I have it's that I wish we could have had more of the core emotions together, instead of split them up for the plot. But, there's a silver lining to split them up and it is in the character of Bing Bong, voiced by Richard Kind. Bing Bong is that awesome imaginary friend you used to have as a child and he steals the whole show. He's got so many great abilities and brings tons of laughs, but also brings the biggest amount of feels towards the end of the film. The tears flow out of me every time I watch it and I'm not really able to control it. It's almost a subconscious feel trip and that might be the point.

With Inside Out, Disney and Pixar took us deep in the mind of an 11-year-old girl and mapped out this complex universe. We look at the world of emotions, thoughts, dreams, memories, handling change, handling emotions, having a song stuck in your head, and ultimately looking at the things that makes a person who they are. It's a psychological plot that is played out like an adventure thanks to the animation, the set pieces, the humor, and the heart of the picture. The concept came from the filmmakers due to the experiences they had in their own lives with the families they were all raising and that definitely shows in Pixar's best movies. Emotion isn't a foreign concept to Pixar, so getting an entire movie dedicated to the concept of emotions and feeling was something they could really have a lot of fun with. And no surprise, it's a modern masterpiece. Keep delivering original ideas like this and focus less on the cash-grab sequels, and I'll gladly embrace the idea that Pixar is back to making the quality of animated films that I grew up with.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Final Verdict: Inside Out is easily one of the best animated movies in recent memory. Based on the concept, the themes, and the voice cast, this film is a cinematic event that every moviegoer should check out because it's sure to trigger a bunch of different emotions.

Inside Out and movie images are copyrighted by Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios

Favorite Films of 2015: Creed

Creed (2015)
Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson
Directed by: Ryan Coogler


We're nearly midway through with the year 2016 in movies and....it's been really underwhelming. The box office is tanking right now and the only real home runs I've seen is Captain America: Civil War and Deadpool. There's hopes Oscar Season will deliver and there's a few more entries in Summer Blockbuster Season that I'm looking forward to, but 2016 in movies can be summarized with a resounding "meh." I'm taking an opportunity with the lackluster summer movie schedule to go back to something I did last year: a recap session of my favorite movies from the previous year. Now that 6 months have settled, it's time to reassess which ones hold up with repeat viewings and stand out as our modern cinematic classics. For 2015, there was no film that stuck out to me more than Creed. I'm not even the world's biggest Rocky fan, but something about this grittier, updated version of the classic underdog story had me enthralled.

The core of this film's success is the chemistry between Michael B. Jordan and Sylvester Stallone. Being the illegitimate son of Apollo Creed, Adonis is a new character to this universe that gave Jordan the opportunity to take the reigns on this franchise in a way I was not expecting. He has many of Apollo Creed's traits, but he's not out there doing an impersonation of Carl Weathers. He's out there doing his own thing, while still carrying the weight of the last name Creed. That's a metaphor that works in both Jordan's performance and the actual motivations of the character of Adonis. Love when stuff like that works out. Jordan's been impressive in many of his roles, but this one left me hoping he continues to have performances like this, because this film showed we have a star on the horizon. As for Stallone, I'll go on record to say he was ROBBED at the Oscars this year. That man put everything he had in this performance and really woke up a lot of skeptics that have enjoyed ragging on his acting ability over the last few decades. Not since the first Rocky movie has he put on such an amazing acting performance and he had me in tears during many of his scenes. You see how much pain he is in, both physically and emotionally. He's lost everyone around him and is left fighting a different kind of battle that many of his fans might not be prepared to see. Stallone absolutely shines in this film and shows that after all these years, he still knows more about Rocky Balboa than anyone else and can bring new layers and depth to the character.

One thing that I think could get overlooked, but definitely deserves an ample amount of praise, was all the filmmaking techniques that go into making a film like Creed. There's so many scenes that you can just look at and listen to that make you go "wow, I would have never thought of constructing a scene that way." From shots of the gym, to the streets of Philadelphia, it's realistic, yet picturesque. Tying that in with a score that feels urban, inspirational, and original (only recycling iconic Rocky music during the final fight in a very creative and remixed fashion). There's one scene in particular that I must mention, showing the entirety of a boxing match without ever cutting and it's absolutely mesmerizing. I sat there in the theater and thought "that was genius," once I realized they hadn't cut. It's these last few years of movie reviewing that have really allowed me take a step back and deconstruct the film element by element, focusing in on what makes it stand out from the millions of films that previously existed. Some elements hold up stronger than others, but for Creed, the technical aspects play as important role to me as the cast, the story, and the directing.

Which brings me to director Ryan Coogler. He really knew how to pay his proper respects to a boxing movie that many moviegoers grew up with as fans of (including himself), while also delivering a story that can be told on its own. He samples stuff from the Rocky universe like character types and story arcs, but makes it feel his own. There are themes that exist in Creed that don't exist in Rocky. Adonis must prove his worth not just for himself, but for his family's namesake. The romance between Adonis and Bianca doesn't carbon copy Rocky and Adrian, but is still told in an approach that should feel charming and familiar. It's a clever approach to reboots and remakes that I'm not sure many franchises would be able to pull off. Utilizing the previous events and characters to pass the torch to a new story and characters that will continue the legacy of that franchise's universe. If Creed is any indicator, the future of the Rocky franchise is in very good hands and I can't wait for a sequel.


Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Final Verdict: The strength of a movie can't just be measured on Academy Award nominations. Whether or not it's the best movie of 2015 is certainly up for debate, as there are other films that won more awards or made more money, but I don't care. For me, Creed had a story that spoke to me, the performances of the main two actors were incredible, the boxing scenes are exhilarating, and the underdog boxing story feels like it not only pays respects to Rocky but is able to evolve with a modern tone.

Creed and movie images are copyrighted by Warner Bros. Pictures

Franchise Retrospective- Rocky V and Rocky Balboa

Rocky V (1990)
Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young
Directed by: John G. Avildsen


It had been 5 years since the last Rocky film had come out and the tone had completely shifted since the beginning of the series. The first Rocky film was met with immense critical praise and even won the Academy Award for Best Picture. The rest of the films began to descend into cheesy and cliched sports movies, so you can imagine there was a desire to restore some credibility to this movie series. Rocky V is NOT the right way to do it. This is considered by many to be one of the absolute worst sequels in history and even Sylvester Stallone has given this film a rating of 0 out of 5 stars. Now, I think it's bad, but not THAT bad. There's still some redeeming qualities that a lot of people don't get credit for. The first one I think that's worth mentioning is the return to root format that this movie has. Thanks to some money issues, Rocky and Adrian find themselves back where they were when these movies were all starting. Rocky's back at the old gym and Adrian's back at the flower shop. With Rocky retired (for now...), he steps into the world of training the next big boxer. And that comes in the form of Tommy Gunn, played by real-life boxer Tommy Morrison.

That's the other thing I really enjoyed because it showed a contrast in styles. I understood how Rocky trained in boxing, but the business had changed by this point. I understood where Tommy was coming from the whole time and I honestly gravitated towards his side when Rocky stopped training him. I saw how he could become the villain. He let the idea of fame and fortune get the better of him and it boosted his ego, but he'll always remain in Rocky's shadow. Hence, the big climax of this film in a great street fight between Tommy and Rocky. No rules or referees for these two. Anything goes and it was a nice way to give the film a fresh type of fight we'd yet to see in this series. Overall, there's a lot of messy points with Rocky V but I still get some entertainment out of it in that "so bad, it's good" kind of viewing. Watch for laughs and you'll probably have an ok time.


Rating: 1 out of 5 stars

Final Verdict: Rocky V is not for many moviegoers. Even the most diehard of fans dislike this one, but I think it gets a bum rap. The return to roots is interesting and I actually really enjoyed Tommy Morrison as Tommy Gun. The street fight at the end is also a pretty big highlight for the series, so give it a watch if you know ahead of time that this isn't a quality film.

Rocky V and movie images are copyrighted by United Artists


Rocky Balboa (2006)
Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Milo Ventimiglia, Antonio Tarver
Directed by: Sylvester Stallone


The Rocky movies were a thing of the past in the new millennium and they didn't exactly have the proper sendoff it deserved. So, in the year 2006, Sylvester Stallone decided to bring Rocky from out of the shadows and tried for one more chapter in the series (for now...). Serving as director, writer, and returning to the big screen as the iconic boxer, Stallone gave us Rocky Balboa. And admit it, when you first heard this movie was getting made at the time...you laughed. Nearly everyone laughed. The idea of Balboa trying to fight one more time at his age was ludicrous. No one took it seriously, but I'm sure there were a lot of diehard fans of the movies that had hope. Hope that this was going to end these films right. And for the most part, it did. There's a few minor issues in the pacing and it can be a little talky at points, but it's still a solid effort to redeem the character of Rocky Balboa.

For anyone who is cynical at the idea of seeing a man way past his prime having one last fight for redemption, this movie can really suck you in and make you a believer. And if you're TOO skeptical for that, there's still an emotional center for fans of a good story. We get scenes of Rocky and his son, and scenes where Rocky mourns over Adrian (who they killed off between films). On top of that, this movie goes right for the nostalgia and brings you back into a world that feels familiar for all fans of sports films. Rocky Balboa is a good story for those who believe in the phrase "age is but a number," and serves as a feel-good movie for the fans who were begging for Rocky to get that proper chance to go out like a winner with critics and fans.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Final Verdict: Call me a sucker for these movies, but I do enjoy Rocky Balboa a lot. It was the first film that introduced me to the story of Rocky and in contention with the rest of the series, it's one of its more triumphant entries. The age story is so compelling that it allows me to sit through some of the more boring scenes so I can get to something glorious that makes me feel like I'm returning to a movie world that feels familiar.

Rocky Balboa and movie images are copyrighted by United Artists

Franchise Retrospective- Reviews for Rocky II, Rocky III, and Rocky IV

Rocky II (1979)
Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young
Directed by: Sylvester Stallone


I think there are a lot of casual moviegoers that believe the first Rocky film ends with Rocky Balboa overcoming the odds and winning the championship belt. Well...that's NOT what happens. Hence Rocky II. This is the film that turned Rocky into an award-winning standalone film into a sports franchise. I actually really liked the first half of the movie, showcasing how Rocky blew through his fame and fortune, then having to struggle to make a living and support his family. It requires him to get back in the ring with Apollo Creed for the rematch. We get a lot of the stuff we had in the first film. The montage, Rocky being considered an underdog, and obviously a fight between Rocky and Apollo all feel familiar. But the film is able to pick up where it left off and builds upon it. The first film is one of the most iconic pieces of film to come out of the '70s and this film serves as the actions and reactions from that masterpiece.

Rocky II can certainly be considered one of my favorite movie sequels that actually continues a story told in the first movie. You could actually make the argument that Rocky and Rocky II could be observed as one giant movie/story. You've come to love this guy over the course of these two films, you see that he has a family starting up, and in a short period of time he has had to evolve after suffering the lowest of lows and achieving the highest of heights. You're rooting for him every second and it's all kinds of feel good when he's finally victorious. It's the kind of sports movie where the manliest of tears can be shed.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Final Verdict: Rocky II had a really tough act to follow, but I think it succeeded pretty well. Showing Rocky's struggle after going the distance with the champ was a really compelling story and the rematch provided the happy ending we all wanted. A great follow-up sequel.

Rocky II and movie images are copyrighted by United Artists


Rocky III (1982)
Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Mr. T, Burgess Meredith
Directed by: Sylvester Stallone


Two names come in mind when I think of Rocky III: Mr. T and Hulk Hogan. In this film, Rocky actually not only has a boxing match with Mr. T, but also has an exhibition boxing vs. wrestling match with Hulk Hogan (I know they have character names, but c'mon...you aren't going to see anything other than Mr. T and Hulk Hogan when you see them.). That's already kinda silly, but then he beats both of them?!?! WHAT?!?! Aside from that, we are given a number of things that had a huge cultural impact on the decade. Mr. T and Hulk Hogan are two for starters, but we also have the biggest contribution to the Rocky franchise: "Eye of the Tiger." That song is so etched in the history of the series that it's great to see it introduced here and actually used in as a theme and motivator for Rocky.

For actual scenes that advance this franchise, we have two. We have the *SPOILER ALERT* death of Mickey after Rocky first loses to Clubber Lang, and we have Apollo Creed of all people training Rocky for the rematch. Everything else in this film falls a little flat. The first two movies were dramas, etched in hardship and reality. This one feels more melodramatic and plays out more like a crummy soap opera that morphs into your generic sports movie. It's still not the worst Rocky film, but it's one that feels so incredibly underwhelming when you go through the marathon of this series.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Final Verdict: While it is the film that started the downward spiral in this franchise's quality, I will give Rocky III credit for introducing us to Mr. T, had some key franchise scenes, and features one of the greatest movie tracks of all time in "Eye of the Tiger." For that, the film gets a minor bump up in the final rating. But it's still really hard to follow Rocky and Rocky II with this one.

Rocky III and movie images are copyrighted by United Artists

Rocky IV (1985)
Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Dolph Lundgren, Carl Weathers
Directed by: Sylvester Stallone


Rocky IV is one of my personal favorite movies in the Rocky franchise, but I know as a film it's a mess. It's as cliched as it gets and essentially borrows the formula from Rocky III, but adds the Cold War into the main plot. The big significant moment in this film is the introduction of Dolph Lundgren as Ivan Drago, particularly when he *SPOILER ALERT* kills Apollo Creed in an exhibition match. This fuels the remainder of the film's plot but I think a lot of people forget just how traumatizing a scene like this can be for some viewers. The Rocky movies at the time was considered family entertainment, so there were a lot of younger viewers who saw a major franchise character essentially murdered in the middle of the ring. Holy Crap dude! My best friend is still traumatized by the events to this day and constantly battles on whether or not Rocky should have thrown in the towel.

With the montages, the soundtrack, the anti-Russian hatred, the strange robot that Rocky gives Paulie for his birthday, Rocky IV serves as a HUGE product of the '80s and gives it a modern charm. You may not consider it one of the all-time great sports movies, but it is a fun time capsule of a different decade. I for one, can really enjoy cheesy films when I'm in the mood for it. Even though they're in a franchise, comparing the quality of Rocky and Rocky IV is really like comparing apples to oranges. They're different in tone and quality, but I like them both for different reasons. It really does depend on the mood and I saw this one during the right mood.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Final Verdict: Tons of '80s fun and worth a watch for all the cheese. Rocky IV is as cliched as they get but it's darn entertaining and the death of Apollo Creed is one of the most emotionally crippling deaths put on film. It's enjoyable, but far removed from the Academy Award caliber of the first 2 movies.

Rocky IV and movie images are copyrighted by United Artists

Command Center Commentaries: Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie

Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie (1997)
Starring: Jason David Frank, Johnny Yong Bosch, Blake Foster
Directed by: David Winning


It's that time again where I cross my TV blog with my movie blog. The only other Power Rangers film to take place so far (and yes, I know we have a Power Rangers reboot film on the way next year), Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie took place between the seasons of Power Rangers Zeo and Power Rangers Turbo. Yes, unlike Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie, this one takes place in continuity with the show and the budget reflects that. They're in spandex, not armor, and the film has a much larger scale in locations, and story ideas. That being said, this movie isn't treated with fond memories by many fans or causal moviegoers. It's straight out of the '90s with the idea of being extreme (or Xtreme, since that's how all words were written in the late '90s) and made a number of creative decisions between Zeo and Turbo that nearly killed any of the momentum previously created by the iconic Mighty Morphin Power Rangers series. So let's get a brief look at why Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie was the beginning of the end of the childhood memories Power Rangers had for many people.

Get a good long look at these 4 Power Rangers legends, because they take a back seat to our new Power Ranger. Justin, played by Black Foster, is a little kid who becomes the Blue Ranger after Rocky is injured practicing for a karate tournament. I really wish I was making that up. I think the showrunners thought this was a good idea because kids would look at Justin and live vicariously through him. The big problem is that the kids I knew at the time watching Power Rangers dreamed of growing up to become a Power Ranger, not become one at their current age. The Power Rangers are supposed to be role models for us to aspire to be and when you have one that is our age thrown into the mix, you begin to find him really annoying, almost like that kid in your class that has that really cool thing that you don't have.

When we last left the villains on Power Rangers Zeo, we were teased that Lord Zedd and Rita Repulsa were returning with a proclamation of "We're Back!" We get them in the form of a very small cameo "in favor" of some horrible villains that end up remaining with us for the remainder of Power Rangers Turbo. They're evil space pirates, led by Divatox. Divatox, played by Hilary Shepard Turner, is a HORRIBLE main villain. She is more obnoxious than Rita's ever was, nowhere near as menacing as Zedd, and doesn't have the resources that the Machine Empire had. The only thing that Divatox is remembered for is her outfit that knew how to accentuate her huge...tracts of land.

Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie was originally cut at 3 hours and probably would've told a more cohesive story in transitioning us from Zeo to Turbo. One thing the original cut would've had was a scene where Divatox is able to destroy the Zeo powers in a fight. That would have really helped boost her credibility and would've explained why these Rangers can't use their Zeo powers. Instead, their powers are "upgraded" from an ancient crystal to fast cars. This film was meant to show the transition between seasons and the transition doesn't really succeed on any level. The film can definitely be considered a failure and its no surprise how Power Rangers was never able to get another film release until recently. The only reason this film won't have a lower rating is because I do have fond memories of watching this on VHS over and over again when I was a kid. I didn't know better at the time, but I do now. This movie is junk, but it's Power Rangers and I'm a fan so I can't help but have a soft spot for even the junkiest of Power Rangers stuff from my childhood. Power Rangers seasons that came past my time are a different story, so don't be surprised when I'm harsher on later seasons than I am with those that came out when I was younger.


Rating: 1.5 out of 5 stars

Childhood nostalgia aside, I can't help but acknowledge that Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie is a step in the wrong direction. Having a kid become a Power Ranger, changing from ancient powers to cars, and the new villains don't really work well as stuff to be introduced in a pilot film for a new season of Power Rangers. Only check it out if you can't stand the transition from the last episode of Zeo to the first episode of Turbo and you need to know what happened.

Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie and movie images are copyrighted by 20th Century Fox

Marvel Mania 2: X-Men: Apocalypse

X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)
Starring: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Oscar Isaac
Directed by: Bryan Singer


It's been a week since I saw X-Men: Apocalypse in theaters and I really wanted to make sure I had my thoughts gathered before I talked about it. This is an X-Men film that was released to mixed reviews. Not overly panned, but not overly praised either. This was news that had been circulating a few weeks before I saw the film and since seeing it I can distinguish what the general impression is. Critics are bashing the film and most fans are saying the film was good. The result is a resounding "meh," so where do I stand being both a critic and a fanboy? While I can see the flaws of X-Men: Apocalypse, I can't help but be entertained with the film experience I had. I'm really enjoying the direction this new series is taking and with some fine tuning, we could be witnessing the definitive X-Men movie series for years to come. But let's go ahead and discuss some of the elements that critics and fans are both loving and hating.

Let's get a con out of the way by discussing probably the most disappointing aspect of the film. Oscar Isaac has been on an incredible roll lately, so anticipation was high when he was cast as Apocalypse. Early photos had people complaining about his appearance but I'd save my judgments until I saw the film. His origin story that opens the film is actually pretty unique, not feeling like anything we've previously seen in the X-Men movies. But once he's in his blue form, we don't really get to learn more about the guy. He just shows up, collects a member of his Four Horsemen, and then moves on to the next scene. This is the tricky issue to have when you have all-powerful beings as the bad guys in the films and I really hope the Marvel Cinematic Universe can learn from this when they finally do Thanos for Infinity War.

Speaking of the Four Horsemen, they aren't developed very well either. If you've seen the trailers, you know the Four Horsemen in this movie are Storm, Angel, Psylocke, and Magneto, but that's all we're pretty much given. They're just in the background, along for the ride, and are only important for action sequences. The big exception, of course, is Magneto. Michael Fassbender is the best thing this series of films have going for them and he's really cemented himself as one of my favorite actors in the modern era. You really feel Magneto's downward spiral in this film and you empathize with him more than ever. His story in this movie is heartbreaking to the point where you don't really blame him for wanting to help in bringing the end of the world.

But someone has to be there to stop the end of the world, and that's where the X-Men come in. The big gimmick for X-Men: Apocalypse is that we'd get to see younger versions of X-Men we had seen in the original trilogy. Tye Sheridan, Sophie Turner, and Kodi Smit-McPhee did great jobs at bringing young versions of Cyclops, Jean Grey, and Nightcrawler to life. These were incarnations that just felt right and they added a great dynamic to the team. With the returning X-Men characters, I liked that some of them were a bit more in the background to let these new characters thrive. Of course we got another show-stealing scene from Quicksilver, but characters like Beast, Havoc, and even Charles Xavier take a backseat numerous times so we can attempt to flesh out these new characters. The only returning character I have an issue with is Jennifer Lawrence as Mystique. She's way too much of a Katniss-type character in this film, isn't in her blue form for very long. (so much for "mutant and proud"), and really phoned in the performance with this one.

There's a lot to enjoy about X-Men: Apocalypse, but I can see where the criticisms are coming from. There is a large amount of setup before we get to the excitement, but it's important because we have so many characters to work with. I'd rather take an hour to get to know all the characters than rush through a movie and not care about the characters. On top of that, we are getting reintroduced to a lot of characters and scenes we've seen before in other X-Men movies, so there's a complaint of the lack of originality that comes with this. I think there's an amount of perspective that must be taken into that. Bryan Singer knows many of us have seen the X-Men movies, particularly the good ones, and recently reset the franchise in Days of Future Past. Because of that, this movie serves as a progression of that story and the introduction to a world we've been familiar with, just from a different point of view. I approve of the amount of fan service that comes with that, so I'll gladly sit through the alternative version of this world I've already been acquainted with. It won't be for everybody, but I was an X-Men fan that was very pleased with what I got from X-Men: Apocalypse.

In the post-credits scene, we see *SPOILERS* that the Essex Corporation has taken some of Wolverine's blood from Alkali Lake and put it in a briefcase. We can assume this is teasing the presence of Mr. Sinister as an upcoming X-Men villain but for what future film will he show up? What is he collecting various mutant blood for? For once, this was a post-credits scene for the X-Men movies that actually does have some open-ended questions heading forward. All we can do is wait and see what fate holds in store for this franchise.


Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Just barely missing in a few key areas, X-Men: Apocalypse still left me having fun. If you're looking for a game-changing comic book film, you may be disappointed. But if you enjoy the X-Men series as a whole and are going to the theater for some summer fun, you'll probably be entertained by this one just fine. Just expect it to be the lesser of the 3 movies we've received in this new series so far.

X-Men: Apocalypse and movie images are copyrighted by 20th Century Fox

Marvel Mania 2: X-Men: Days of Future Past- Theatrical Version vs. Rogue Cut

X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)
Starring: Hugh Jackman, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender
Directed by: Bryan Singer


It's not a secret that the X-Men movies have a complicated history with critics and fans. While there are a handful of bombs, there are a number of movies in the famed franchise that have been met with acclaim. Primarily, it's Bryan Singer's first two X-Men films and Matthew Vaughn's X-Men: First Class. So when it was announced that Singer was coming back to direct the next X-Men film, with Vaughn writing the story, expectations were high. Even more so when it was announced that it would be an adaptation of Days of Future Past and would bring together the classic trilogy cast with the cast of the newer movies. This was a comic lover's dream come true. A film about time travel, which brings two memorable casts together, and brought to life via the director that started this whole thing and written by one of my favorite modern storytellers. SIGN ME UP! I loved this film enough already when I first saw it in theaters, but then its release to Blu-ray brought about even more hype when an alternate version of the film, known as The Rouge Cut, hit shelves to arguably even bigger praise. So which version of X-Men: Days of Future Past do I prefer?

Of the new character additions, the biggest standout is Evan Peters as Quicksilver. He steals the whole show with an amazing sequence that needs to be seen to be believed. Around this time, Marvel had TWO Quicksilvers set to make film debuts. We had this version and the version played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We might have had to wait a year to see what Taylor-Johnson was going to do, but it was this scene in Days of Future Past that new we had our definitive Quicksilver right here.

The greatest draw for this movie is definitely the blend of the casts. We get the actors from the new series: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, and Nicholas Hoult. But we also have the return of some favorites from the original X-Men trilogy: Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellan, and Halle Berry. The one thing tying both universes together is a time traveling tale featuring Hugh Jackman as Wolverine. Just the mere concept of that is mind-blowing. I can tell you I never thought I'd see that on film when I saw those X-Men movies all those years ago. So this was a dream come true and I'm absolutely thrilled I was able to see this. However, if you saw the early trailers for this movie, you might notice a key player from the original X-Men movies missing in this little reunion.

The Rogue Cut of the film puts in a sequence that was cut from the theatrical, utilizing Anna Paquin's Rogue in a crucial subplot. On the surface, you might just think that this version has an extra scene added in, but you'd be surprised to know that there's a lot of footage added in. There's many alternate takes and deleted scenes that have been remastered and added in to make a smooth-flowing narrative. It offers an alternative perspective to this awesome story and has many scenes that build on the story from X-Men: First Class and offer a lot more development with the original cast. The Rogue scenes alone are worth checking out because they have moments that are darn near traumatizing to watch and it's a unique viewing experience to see how the two versions differ. Both versions are great, but I tend to lean towards The Rogue Cut just a little more.

As a final thought, I'll go ahead and summarize the lasting legacy X-Men: Days of Future Past will leave on the canon of the franchise. As a treat for the fans and a middle finger to the directors who ruined so many good X-Men movies, Singer gave us an ending that essentially hit the reset button on the timeline of events. I tend to look at it as though Singer and Vaughn had this agreement that the only X-Men movies that matter in their (and in turn, our) eyes are the ones that they are associated with. It caps off the events of Singer's original X-Men cast with an ending that allows them to ride off into the sunset, and continues the direction of these movies with the newer cast. Whether you're watching the Theatrical Version or The Rogue Cut, this ending can go down as a huge game changer that updates and reboots nearly the entire continuity of the franchise. It's like a clean slate for them and, as long as Singer is attached to direct, I'll be looking forward to the future of the X-Men movies, while also remembering the good films from the past.

In the post-credits scene, we cut to Egypt and we see *SPOILERS* Apocalypse and the Four Horsemen. This obviously sets things up for the next movie, but I can honestly say at the time my wife and I were freaking out in the theater. Things felt amazing. Bryan Singer was back, the terrible X-Men movies have been erased from continuity, and Apocalypse was on its way.


Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars for the Theatrical Version / 5 out of 5 stars for The Rogue Cut

Both versions of X-Men: Days of Future Past are a blessing to all fans of these movies. It continued the great story from First Class and righted so many wrongs from the previous films. Both versions are acceptable, just pick your poison. If you value the newer series, you'll probably find more value in the Theatrical Version. If you have more of a nostalgia for the original trilogy, then sit back and enjoy The Rogue Cut. Point is, you can own one or both versions of this amazing comic book movie.

X-Men: Days of Future Past and movie images are copyrighted by 20th Century Fox