Fast & Furious 6 - Thoughts

Being a huge fan of the Fast & Furious franchise, my decision to watch part 6 was a no-brainer. Over the years I've heard many self-proclaimed movie pundits make pompous comments about this series being dead, but the reality is very different. Starting just where the fifth installment ended, Hobbs reaches out to Dom, requesting that he reassemble his team to help capture an ex-military officer Shaw, and his crew of mercenary drivers, one of which being Letty; back in the flesh.

When the franchise started out, it clearly was all about the cars. Throw into the mix, the aftermarket upgrades, the hot women, and the tussle with law enforcement, and there you had it, Fast & The Furious. With the years and every passing installment, the series has slowly made a shift into the straight forward action movie space. While the cars are still around, there is always a sinister bad guy to outsmart. While this new formula does indeed work well, ensuring fairly high audience appeal levels, the car purists will have to be prepared to give up some. For one, the illegal street racing at night was not as awe inspiring or gripping as I remember it to be. Car enthusiast whining aside, the plot is interesting, the return of Letty is realistic, the action sequences are fun, and the overall package lives up to the Fast & Furious legacy. The custom made rides of Shaw’s crew seem invincible, and the tank is a welcome inclusion to the vehicle list of the franchise. Perhaps my single largest gripe is the stunt sequence in the closing moments of the action sequence on the bridge. Dom’s heroics cross the fine line of plausible extremes, and that for me was disappointing, as the series has managed to keep it breathtaking yet real for so very long. That said, Fast & Furious fans and action movie lovers will enjoy part 6, and like me will already be looking forward to 7.

If you thought Vin Diesel was great as Dominic Toretto and that the franchise had its hero, I think they decided to up the ante and make Dwayne Johnson, a.k.a. The Rock, part of the team. With Hobbs on-board the already impressive team becomes larger than life and unstoppable; the characters law enforcement background being an added bonus. Going a step further, this installment sees the addition of Riley, played by Gina Cerano of MMA fame. Though I’m yet to check her out in Haywire, her performance here is credible and tough as nails. Welcome back Letty, played by Michelle Rodriguez, who does a fab job of her base character from the first movie, with limited to no recollection of anything else. With the remainder of the usual crew, it’s not surprising that they've moved up their game from drug lord antagonists to military Special Forces.

It should come as no surprise that I couldn't wait to catch this one on DVD. I watched it in the theater  but in a less than state of the art multiplex. Video was good, picture being clear but not necessarily crystal. Sound was just about average, as the setup felt more old school, synonymous to a Dolby 5.1 home theater  Though we were seated ideally, in the middle and closer to the back, the positional sound seemed to originate in a less than seamless manner from specific speakers, with front to back transition seeming less smooth than desirable. After being spoiled with Dolby Atmos, this was a bit of a letdown, but only from a theater presentation setup perspective.  

My Recommendation: Watch It (Round 6... It's time to take on the Tanks)

Av: Spring 2013 - Thoughts

It’s been a while since I've reviewed music, but today I’m listening to something that’s certainly worth the mention. Instead of an album, were going to look at a mix, Av - Spring 2013, which is largely Progressive House. It’s new, and features some of the coolest new non-commercial tracks.

- Artist: Various Artists

- Mixed By: Av
- Album: Spring 2013
- Release Date: Apr 11, 2013
- Genre: Progressive House

Like any good speech, movie or piece of interest, it’s all about the opening, and the opening track of Av – Spring 2013 alone is guaranteed to leave you floored. Its perhaps one of the most likable and catchy tracks I've heard in the recent months, having a nice mixed mood that will make you feel comfortable even if you’re not into electronic music, while setting you up for more. Just 5 seconds into the mix, expect to be in love with its beachy calming mood. As it picks up pace, you will come across rhythm and beats that are reminiscent of the trance classic Three Drive on a Vinyl.

The first track transition starts around 6:30, and you can expect for it to be smooth and seamless. The second track has the more traditional chillout sound, and sounded like something I’m used to hearing. The track that kicks in at 15:46 is quite easy going and likable. Stay tuned and you’ll find the track at around 24:00 to be groovy, and don’t be surprised if you find yourself moving to the beats. At around 38:40 you’ll be introduced to some gentle vocal trance. While I have not covered all the tracks or gone into much detail, I’ll leave it to you to give it a listen and form an opinion. The mix closes at 44:31 on a pleasant note as the final track ends. If you’re in the mood for some relaxed Progressive House, you’ll enjoy Av - Spring 2013.

My Recommendation: Hear It (The opening track by itself makes it all worth it)

How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days - Thoughts

I recall seeing the trailer of this movie way back in 2003, and thought it sounded pretty fun. I do also recall receiving a DVD from a friend, several years later, which unfortunately was scratched and didn't play very well. As destiny would have it, I finally got around to seeing it today, with a friend who suggested it when we were at the video store.  In How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, an advertising exec takes on a challenge to sweep an eligible lady off her feet, and make her fall in love with him. Turns out that the lady he is set to pursue is working on a story of how to lose a guy in 10 days, with him being the test subject. The question is not so much who will win, but what if there really were such a thing as true love, and what if it happened to them in the midst of all the plotting and planning.

Before I bother getting into the details, if you like romantic comedies, that are quite romantic, then you’ll probably enjoy this one. The movie is light, has a cheerful mood, and is fun and upbeat. Pace is good and even at nearly 2 hours, it doesn't get boring. That said, if you think you’ll find the romance element and the silly games couples play annoying, then this one isn't for you. The plot is pretty straight forward, and some parts of the narrative setup are quite stereotype. The good thing is that this never becomes concerning or an issue. The plot twists are handled well, as predictable as they maybe. The emergence of the true love theme is very positive, and the way it develops through the course of the movie and is showcased in phases gently, is quite nice. The scenes around the time Andie spends at Ben’s place, with his family is a splendid display of this. If you’re looking for something fun, light, and entertaining, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days will work well. It’s sufficient to follow the movie loosely, thus making it suitable for an evening with friends over.

While neither Matthew McConaughey nor Kate Hudson are my favorites, I do have to admit that they do a fine job onscreen. Matthew McConaughey plays Ben Barry, out to bag a victory amongst peers in his office. He comes across as very determined, extremely motivated, and on the romantic front as a very genuine person. It’s hard not to appreciate the Ben character which he totally does justice to. Kate Hudson plays Andie Anderson, who is on her own little project to write a piece based on a 10 day experiment, that if accomplished successfully, would give her the autonomy to spread her wings as a columnist. Where she excels is the multitude of personalities she depicts, ranging from the genuine lover questioning her actions, to the nut job that is clearly off her rocker.

The disc I was sampling was a region 1 US DVD. The most noticeable thing about the picture was the lack of rich colors. I felt the need to bump up the color and contrast on the TV to compensate. Picture was by no means bad though, looking well beyond acceptable all through. Being a stickler for quality I’d have probably liked more definition in addition to richer colors. Sound was presented by means of a Dolby Digital 5.1, 6 channel soundtrack. I didn't really notice much positional sound, but that’s to be expected of romantic comedies, where the focus is more on scene transition music and general ambiance  Dialog through the center channel was quite good, and served the conversational aspects of the movie very well. 

My Recommendation: Watch It (The games people play… RoCo style)