Turbo

ANIMATED, FAMILY

He's Fast. They're Furious.

8.5 out of 10 | Movie or DVD

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Rated: PG Some mild action and thematic elements
Release Date: July 17, 2013
Runtime: 1 hour 36 minutes

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Director: David Soren
Writers: Darren Lemke, Robert D. Siegel, David Soren
Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Paul Giamatti, Michael Pena, Samuel L. Jackson, Luis Guzman, Bill Hader, Snoop Dogg, Maya Rudolph, Ben Schwartz, Richard Jenkins, Ken Jeong, Michelle Rodriguez, Mario Andretti, Mike Bell

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SYNOPSIS:  A freak accident might just help an everyday garden snail achieve his biggest dream: winning the Indy 500.

REVIEW: David Soren has had his hands in the creation of Shark Tale, Madagascar videos and television shorts, and Over the Hedge. Now he hits the big time as the director for an animation bout a snail who dreams of speed. Building a shell for the slug is Jack the Giant Slayer scribe Darren Lemke and Big Fan writer Robert D. Siegel, focusing on a little snail that could.

Theo (Ryan Reynolds, The Croods) is a normal garden variety garden snail. He dreams of going fast, following in the footsteps of his idol and legendary Indy car driver Guy Gagne (Bill Hader, The To-Do List). His brother Chet (Paul Giamatti, Rock of Ages) tries to get Theo to stop thinking about speed and to start thinking about what all other snails think about - tending to the garden and harvesting tomatoes. When an accident makes Theo reassess his slow life, he finds himself injected with nitrous oxide which gives him super speed. Both Theo "Turbo" and his brother are found by a taco seller named Tito (Michael Pena, Gangster Squad) who dreams of making his and his brother Angelo's (Luis Guzman, The Last Stand) taco stand successful. When Tito finds out about Turbo's speed, he and the snail decide to enter Turbo in the Indianapolis 500 race to gain exposure and acclaim!

Dreamworks has a knack for creating unique and interesting animated stories. While Disney Pixar seems to have started to rely on sequels like toy story and spin-offs like the upcoming Planes, dreamworld has dazzled with their recent efforts. Turbo is no exception. Taking a story of a snail that wants to race seems absurd, but they make a great story out of it anyway.

Turbo has a silly cast of characters, especially when dealing with snails. Even though turbo has NOS speed, that doesn't stop other 'need for speed' snails from slithering out of the woodwork. Led by Whiplash (Samuel L. Jackson, The Avengers), Turbo encounters Smoove Move (Snoop Dogg, Starsky and Hutch), Burn (Maya Rudolph, The Way Way Back), Skidmark (Ben Schwartz, The Other Guys), and White Shadow (Mike Bell, Kung Fu Panda 2). All of them are decked out in racing strips and tail fins. Joining the snails are a human cast of characters that seem to have move faith in a turbo-charged snail than Theo's own brother. Tito recruits the other owners in the starlight plaza, including auto mechanic Paz (Michelle Rodriguez, Fast and Furious 6), hobby store owner Bobby (Richard Jenkins, Killing Them Softly), and nail stylist Kim Ky (Ken Jeong, Despicable Me 2).

The animation is dazzling, on par or better than the raceway created on Disney's Cars. From the grooves in the track, to the camera work around and under the other Indy cars, to the discarded tire rubber 'pebbles' on turn four, Turbo does not disappoint. No where near photo realistic, Turbo lets the snails and their human counterparts take on their characters with their voices. The snails are cute and loveable, each with an unique look. The streak trail that Turbo leaves behind is a character all its own, allowing Turbo to speak to Tito in pictionary format when the snail needs to get his point across.

When you are a snail that dreams of speed, you are an outcast from the rest of the snail world. When dreams come reality, Turbo still finds himself a loner until he meets other snails that share his racing vision. At the end of the day, though, Turbo must rely on his own heart and spirit - not turbo-charged speed - if he is to get the job done.

Turbo is a fun ride for kids and adults. Silly, well-rendered, and having a great story of heart and of following a dream, this film will get your motor running.

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Fast and Furious 6

ACTION/ADVENTURE

Full Throttle

8.5 out of 10 | MOVIE, DVD

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Rated: PG-13  Intense sequences of violence, intense sequences of action, language, mayhem throughout and some sexuality
Release Date: May 24, 2013
Runtime: 2 hours 10 minutes

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Director: Justin Lin
Writers: Chris Morgan, based on the characters by Gary Scott Thompson
Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Vin Diesel, Luke Evans, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, Elsa Pataky, Jordana Brewster, Sung Kang, Tyrese Gibson, Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges

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SYNOPSIS:  Agent Luke Hobbs enlists Dominic Toretto and his team to bring down former Special Ops soldier Owen Shaw, leader of a unit specializing in vehicular warfare.

REVIEW: Justin Lin has been integral with the further development of the Vin Diesel and Paul Walker franchise. He has been with the film series since Tokyo Drift, and with help from writer Chris Morgan, has revitalized the fast car-centric series into a fun, highly anticipated summer series.

Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel, Riddick) is living a life of leisure with his pal Brian O'Connor (Paul Walker, Takers) after their successful $100,000,000 heist. Mia (Jordana Brewster, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning) and Brian have just had a baby. Roman (Tyrese Gibson, Transformers: Dark of the Moon) is jet-setting with lovely ladies, a Learjet, and vouchers to Monaco casinos. Tej Parker (Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges, New Year's Eve) is playing with his gadgets and enjoyed his money down in Rio. Han (Sung Kang, Bullet to the Head) and Gisele (Gal Gadot, Knight and Day) are evading the law in the Pacific Rim. And Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson, Snitch) is dealing with a new international threat in the form of a new crew of car driving criminals. Tracking a man named Owen Shaw (Luke Evans, The Raven) across four continents, Hobbs is no closer to apprehending him or his criminal ring. When Shaw slips through his fingers again, Hobbs hunts down Dom and offers him and his crew a deal of full pardons if they joined forces with him and help track down Shaw. Only when Dominic sees a photo of a much alive Lettie (Michelle Rodriguez, Resident Evil: Retribution) does he think to take the job. Shaw seems to be always one step ahead in his pursuit to steal components from military convoys and installations. Shaw is all about precision and Dominic is all about family. The question is which code of conduct will prevail in the end?

The sixth in a series that started on as just drag racing thieves and cops against criminals has turned into a powerhouse franchise. Vin Diesel and Paul Walker lead a returning cast that fans have grown to love and root for. And with the success of Fast Five and the certain success of Fast and Furious 6, Universal has already greenlit the seventh entry into the film series. Director Lin and writer Morgan, both with the franchise for the majority of the films, know what the fans want and know how to keep pushing the characters further and introducing new situations for the crew to get themselves into and out of.

With Diesel back in the driver seat, he leads his crew of misfits against an international threat that may be more than they can handle. They're not going against the cops, the feds, or drug dealers this time. Shaw is a consummate professional with a leash around federal agencies and the best criminals and vehicles money can buy. Dominic, Brian, and the crew may have an edge against everyone they dealt with in the past, but this time they seem to be outmatched at every turn.

All the actors have a great shorthand with their characters and with their interaction with other characters in the film. They seem to slip right back into the skin and the cars that the character love so much. Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson returns as Hobbs, the federal agent in hot pursuit of Dominic and Brian in Fast Five. The last thing he wants to do is get in bed with Toretto, but Shaw's exploits have left Hobbs no choice. Evans' portrayal of Shaw is cold and calculating - like a precision timepiece or finely tuned engine. He brings a cool and calculating savvy as the villain, better then the druglords and lowlifes that have come before him. 

If you are going to see a fast and furious film you have an expectation of fast cars, hot women, and a little campiness. Fans of the franchise will not be disappointed. Coming in at 130 minutes, Fast Six spends most of its time burning rubber on the streets of exotic locations and setting up the crew to try and take down their most competent and evil nemesis yet. The drag races and car chases are supercharged, the close combat amped up, and Dom's crew's uphill battle against the antagonist an unsure assurance of victory.

Because there's so much action and speed some of the more tranquil moments seem slow in comparison. That's not to say that those moments are bad, only that they seem somewhat out of place after chase scenes in fights that seem to last for 20 minutes. Some the dialogue is silly and campy but it's what we've come to expect from this cast of characters. 

Filled with the adrenaline-fueled chases and sequences that franchise fans will love, and bringing back most of the characters we've come to love, Fast and Furious 6 will be a supercharged good time.

Just like the Fast Five epilogue showing Hobbs staring at a grainy photo of Lettie being alive, be sure to stay for the first part of the credits at the end of the film for a sneak peek of what's in store in Fast and Furious 7.

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Battle: Los Angeles

Some Substance, All Spectacle

Director: Jonathan Liebesman

Writer: Christopher Bertolini

Stars: Aaron Eckhart, Ramon Rodriguez, Michelle Rodriguez, Bridget Moynahan, Ne-Yo, Michael Peña

image from moviewallpaper.com

RANT: Ran into my friend, Justin, at Planet Fitness the other day. Little did I know that he creates YouTube videos ranting about the issues of the day - whether they be politics, popular culture, or personal observations. You can check his work out at www.justintimeradio.com. Lots of discussion about Charlie Sheen these days. Give him a try!

SYNOPSIS: As meteors splash down in the oceans along various coastal cities around the world, a retiring staff sergeant is called back into duty to lead a platoon of men against an alien invasion of Los Angeles.

Director Jonathan Liebesman and writer Christopher Bertolini bring the masses the latest in alien disaster movies. As with most American disaster flicks, New York and Los Angeles become the primary targets. In this case, New York was already overrun, so this film focuses on the destruction of Los Angeles by the onslaught of vicious militaristic alien forces.

For a paltry reported $70 million, the audience is treated to a variety of popcorn favorites. Aliens running a beachhead onto southern California beach sands, firing on fleeing civilians. Heavily armed marines running into the smoky fray, unloading on every extra-terrestrial in their rifle sights. Viewing downtown Los Angeles in fiery ruins, the epitome of a post-Volcano event.

Battle: Los Angeles starts at the onset of meteor strikes in oceans around the world, just miles from coastal metropolitan areas. Then they take a step back to introduce the major military players that we will rely on to try and save the day. Most of the characters are bare bones - the cocky New Jersey boy Cpl. Nick Stavrou (Gino Anthony Pesi), the soon-to-be-wed Cpl. Kevin Harris (Ne-Yo), the too-fresh out-of-the-academy 2nd Lt. William Martinez (Ramon Rodriguez), and the gritty combat veteran staff sergeant Michael Nantz (Aaron Eckhart) who lives with the lost his entire team in a previous battle. I could continue with a dozen more caricatures, but all of that does not matter to me. Regardless of how shallow the character development may be, I still can empathize with any man (or woman) going onto the battle field to allow me my American freedoms - whether the threat is real or movie make-believe.

Battle: Los Angeles is a cross between Independence Day and Black Hawk Down. The entire film is taken to ground level with the soldiers in the field, with additional local and global footage to fill in a few story points. And with any classic alien invasion film where we are ill prepared and put back on our heels at the beginning, the resourceful eventually find a way to turn the tide.

Before writing this review, I heard a local station critic give his opinion and offering that the film was worth one wormy apple (out of four apples). He claimed going into the film that he wasn't expecting The King's Speech, and was prepared for a popcorn flick. I was also expecting a popcorn alien disaster popcorn flick, although our idea of the same thing seem to differ. The effects were decent to very good, the action was chaotic and close, the gunfire and aliens abundant. I wish I could have had a better look at the invaders, but I will settle for plenty of marine machismo - Oooorah!

Worth: Matinee and DVD

Butter Popcorn Meter

Machete

Just Talkin' 'Bout Machete!

[Danny Trejo, Michelle Rodriguez, Robert De Niro, Jeff Fahey, Jessica Alba, Steven Seagel, Don Johnson]

image from calitreview.com

RANT: Labor Day weekend comes and goes. A day trip to Hershey Park accented the official end of Summer. The in-ground pools can now be covered and the BBQs can be cleaned and put away. But we can always put on the pool heater and cook the steaks well into October. Just like film at the cinema, we can always keep Summer (and Summer movies) alive.

SYNOPSIS: Ex-Federale Machete is left for dead by drug cartel boss Torrez. 3 years later, Machete surfaces in Texas as a day laborer, faced with a $150,000 offer to assassinate Texas Senator McLaughlin, who is in favor of building a border wall and deporting all illegal Mexicans.

Robert Rodriguez and cousin Alvaro write and Robert Rodriguez and Ethan Maniquis direct the expanded trailer of the same name from the faux coming attractions between the Grindhouse films "Planet Terror" and "Death Proof". So well received as a trailer in 2007, Rodriguez contemplated making "Machete" into a full length feature. And here it is!

For fans of Tarantino and Rodriguez homage films like "Kill Bill: Volume 1" and "Grindhouse", "Machete" will become a welcome edition to those directors' canon of films. "Machete" is Mexploitation at its best! Of course, I guess I would have to find some other 1970s Mexican ass kicker films to put it against. That's okay though, because Shaft, Super Fly, and Black Dynamite ain't got anything on Danny Trejo.

Danny Trejo plays the title character with the classic 1970s tough guy flair. Never changing, Machete is a singularly driven hero archetype. As a ex-Federale, Machete is considered C.I.A, D.E.A. and U.S. Marshall all rolled into one. He pursues justice, even if he has to mow down a thug or two with a large swinging blade.

To match the charisma and machismo of Danny Trejo, Rodriguez has assemble a cadre of villains to confront and confound him. Steven Seagal stars as the mexican drug lord Torrez who kills Machete's wife point blank and stabs and leaves Machete for dead in a burning shack. Don Johnson stars as border vigilante Lt. Stillman, bent on eradicating the infestation that is the Mexican illegals. Recorded on the human hunting expedition with Stillman is Robert De Niro's Senator McLaughlin, anxious to put up a border wall between Texas and Mexico. Jeff Fahey stars as McLaughlin's aide Booth who is more devious than his boss.

Even though Machete is facing insurmountable odds, he is helped by the lovely ICE agent Santana (Jessica Alba), the Mexican underground Network and its leader Luz (Michelle Rodriguez), and his padre brother (Cheech Marin).

Ass-kicking is abound, classic 70s B-movie cinematographic slop cropping is evident, gratuitous nude scenes are expertly inserted at strategic moments (just ask Lindsey Lohan and her onscreen mother June, Alicia Marek) and almost everyone gets their just desserts of burrito justice. Although the story is pure schlock, the subject matter is surprisingly relevant.

Worth: Matinee and DVD (for the fans)

I am also trying out a new rating system shown below based on reader reaction to my somewhat complex monetary rating scale. I will give both ratings and see what kind of reaction I muster. A movie can receive up to 5 popcorn buckets. Why popcorn buckets? Because I am a slave to the thousand + calorie delight! Enjoy!