Saturday, December 28, 2013

2013 Year in Review


The average person wakes up every morning to witless bosses, ridiculous requests, limitless bills, and random aggravation.  And when the work day is finally finished all you want is a few hours to watch porn, eat, sleep, and of course, ingest as much entertainment as possible.  Why entertainment?  Sometimes fondling a video game or zoning out to a great movie is the only way to quell the thoughts of how insipid life can be.  And with an entire year down the drain, it's easy to forget just what fantastic and/or terrible entertainment you sat through.  But not to worry my friends, P&P is here to rummage through 2013's landfill.  And no, we won't be touching subjects like Justin Bieber's thirst for whores, or Miley Cyrus' habit of licking dirty tools (not male anatomy, get your head out of the gutter).  We're here to shine a light on movies and video games: the real entertainment.
What?  You act like you never saw a girl that needs a little extra iron in her diet.

MOVIES:
No year is complete if trash didn't make its way to the theater, only to upset the popcorn shoveling mobs.  And this year was no different.  Whether movies flunked Plot Writing 101 or the acting just plain sucked, the turds of 2013 all fall in the same category: toxic waste. 

The biggest failure was…surprise…The Lone Ranger.  With a budget that could have fed a small country and such an iconic name [Johnny Depp] to anchor the film, Hollywood could not fathom what went wrong.  Hmm…could it be the story sucked?  Maybe Armie Hammer as the beloved ranger, running around hating guns and chasing after his brother's wife, just wasn't taboo enough to fill seats.  Or perhaps people are just sick of Depp playing the same role for the last decade.  Either way the movie bombed.  But not to be outdone, Jack the Giant Slayer and the Ryan Reynolds hit, R.I.P.D, weren't very far behind.  But Reynolds didn't want to stop there…the man stuck to his guns and delivered another turd which was in theaters almost the same time as R.I.P.D called Turbo.  Who could possibly hate an animated feature about a snail, who gets swallowed by a car engine and magically has the power to race in the Indy 500?

Despite popular belief, this is NOT a scene from the Pirates of the Caribbean series.

But all the box office blunders weren't just Ryan Reynolds' fault.  No.  Some movies, like The Mortal Instruments, tried to cash-in on the success of the Hunger Games and failed miserably.  Ender's Game saw better days, but that was only because everyone hates what the author of the book stands for, and because Harrison Ford's name doesn't carry the weight of Solo anymore.  Ford also had another stinker, Paranoia: a movie only a few vagrants and the film's extras went to see.  Ashton Kutcher rode the crap-wagon (there's a surprise) with Jobs, and the wonderful tag-team of Will and Jaden Smith delivered some of the worst acting and dialogue this year with After Earth.  But not all 2013 was a pile of dog crap.  No, there were gems too.

"Dad, people on the Interwebs say I'm a terrible actor."
"Don't worry son, as long as I'm around you'll always find work."
"Gee, thanks, Dad."

This year helped cement Matthew McConaughey as an Indie king with Mud.  Gravity floated into movie-goer hearts and Michael Shannon continued his great performances with The Iceman and Man of Steel.  The latter of which giving DC a kick in the pants to invigorate their franchises and tie them together, mimicking Disney.  Speaking of Marvel, they continue to spew comic-book movies out of their respectable asses, gracing the screen with Iron Man 3, which filled the biggest purse this year, and Thor: The Dark World.

Jenny Lawrence let her behind sway in two giant films: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and American Hustle.  Brad Pitt moved full steam ahead with zombies in World War Z and played second or third banana in 12 Years a Slave, starring Chiwetel Ejiofor (try to type that name with spell-check).  Simon Pegg and pal, Nick Frost, played drunken buddies in The World's End, and Tom Cruise fought himself in Oblivion.  (Guess you really can't get enough Cruise, even when he’s numbered in the thousands)  Despicable Me 2 and Monsters University brought in huge numbers, and the Fast and Furious franchise delivered their best film yet, with the sixth installment.  But what surprised us the most this year was Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal dishing out extremely, unbelievable performances in Prisoners.

"Damn...is that TV playing the remake of Karate Kid?  Jaden Smith couldn't act his way out 
of a paper bag, let alone play an Italian kid from New Jersey."

And not to undersell TV, this year saw the finale of two monster shows: Breaking Bad and Dexter.  Breaking Bad concluded with what people are calling "the most perfect" five seasons of television.  Walter White's exit from the last episode revealed some writers have the vision and balls to finish a show properly, whereas Dexter scrambled with his dead sister through a hospital, while everyone looked on.

"Don't worry Deb, I'm gonna kill you and then carry you out of a highly populated hospital 
for one last trip on my boat.  How's that sound?"

VIDEO GAMES:
What a year for joystick fondling introverts!  Not only did 2013 see the return of some beloved franchises, but the next generation of gaming is now underway.  The biggest name to roll out of the gate was of course, GTA 5, bringing all the lovely hookers, drug dealers, heists, psychos, and nutty family tasks you could handle.  Shame the story wasn't up to par.  But not to worry as a Playstation exclusive had you covered.  The Last of Us exposed gamers to the next evolution in gaming experiences, harnessing a story that made you fall for every character you met.

JRPG's had some love with Ni No Kuni, which delivered studio Ghibli to your fingertips.  But if it was a crazy story and beautiful visuals that you craved, then Bioshock Infinite’s ending had you covered.  Nintendo, sitting last in the console war—due to 90's graphics—birthed fun on the Wii U and 3DS with Super Mario 3D world, Animal Crossing: New Leaf, and the Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker.  Huge titles like Call of Duty: Ghosts had a quieter release, because of the next generation consoles or the fact that people are tired of Activision releasing the same game under a new name—every frigging year.  Speaking of every year, another Assassin's Creed (Black Flag) came out, this time shoving pirates in your face, and a little known woman, by the name of Lara Croft, rebooted her life in Tomb Raider—soon to be re-released on the new consoles.  DC threw Superman under the bus in Injustice: Gods Among Us, as the Devil May Cry stunned its fans with a new set of clothes and a fashionable haircut.

"Mr. Drippy, I have a question."
"What is it now, Bunting?"
"I get all this magic stuff, but what really throws me for a loop is...how do you blow your nose?"

Smaller games also had gigantic impacts this past year, making people praise their stories, or ideas, or controls, or even visuals.  Tearaway fell into the laps of Vita owners who yearned for more games, but they still had a hard time pulling P4G out of their system.  Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons surprised the populace, along with Rayman Legends and Guacamelee.  But it’s Gone Home that still has non-PC gamers scratching their heads and expelling vulgarity. 

Not to be outdone, mobile gaming had a few hits that made hardcore gamers somewhat accept the iPad in their homes.  Ports like Star Wars: KOTOR, GTA: San Andreas, and Xcom: Enemy Unknown helped two or three customers teetering on the fence, splurge on a tablet.  And let's not forget about a few originals: Republique, Oceanhorn, the Room 2, Deus Ex: The Fall, Device 6, and the king of mobile: Infinity Blade 3.  But it’s Telltale's the Walking Dead season 2 and the new Wolf Among Us that’ll have people talking until next year.

"Yo!  Don't fall asleep on my furniture while smoking.  You could burn this place down.  
Holy crap, I'm talking to a pig..."

THE FUTURE:
You may be the type of person who has played and watched everything on the list above and still desires more.  If that's the case, 2014 has you covered.  Enormous films are on the way:  Roboslop...whoops Robocop, Noah, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Transcendence, The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Godzilla, X-Men: Days of Future Past, Edge of Tomorrow, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Guardians of the Galaxy, Interstellar, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1, and hopefully the end of the Hobbit. 

If games are your thing, here's a few to stimulate your naughty bits: Final Fantasy 85 or 15 or 13 returns or whatever, Naughty Dog's next Uncharted, Infamous: Second Son, Destiny, Thief, The Order: 1886, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, South Park: The Stick of Truth, and finally...The Elder Scrolls Online.

"If you think this is cool, wait until you see what I can do on the way down."

P&P knows how much fun it is to dream about and crave the future, but never forget to always make the best of today.  See you next year.  
Happy New Year from Prose and Postulations!

Saturday, December 21, 2013

P&P's 10 Best Christmas Movies

You've survived the raging mobs on Black Friday.  Even punched an old woman in the face to obtain one of those next generation game consoles—maybe stole her shoes out of principal—and now you're anticipating the fat man in the red suit to shimmy down the chimney.  But wait!  Holy crap!  You forgot to get that special someone in your life a few stocking stuffers.  Well, nothing says, "I don't really give a crap about you," better than a Christmas movie on Blu-ray, or if you're really cheap—on DVD.  So, in the spirit of Christmas, P&P is proud to present our 10 favorite Christmas movies.  Each one holds a special place in our heart, so they're listed below in absolutely no meaningful order.

10. Home Alone (Comedy)


Eight year old Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) is accidentally left behind during the Christmas holiday, while his clown-size family, fly off to France.  Things get interesting when Harry (Joe Pesci) and Marv (Daniel Stern) decide to rob Kevin’s house.  Instead of baubles, the robbers find a kid capable of dishing out a beating with paint cans, feathers, and blow torches.

Family Rating: enjoy the movie with every one of your rug rats absolutely worry free.  No random curse words from Pesci here, just stupid family fun.

Manly Rating: aside from scenes with blow torches, spiders, and extremely long nails going through feet, your man will probably spend most of the movie scratching his nuts.

9. Trading Places (Comedy)


Billy Ray Valentine (Eddie Murphy) a con artist, who's willing to roll around, pretending to be legless for a few bucks, and Louis Winthorpe III (Dan Aykroyd) a smarty-pants investor, find their roles in society switched, when two dick-ish millionaires make a one dollar bet.

Family Rating: the kids will probably be enthused for a few minutes and then will go back to picking their nose and wiping it on the carpet.

Manly Rating: with money, hilarious jail scenes, and Jamie Lee Curtis playing a flashing hooker, the man of the house will definitely keep an eye out between beer chugs for at least a peek at Jamie's sweater-chickens.

8. Elf (Comedy)


Buddy (Will Ferrell), an overgrown retard, being raised at the North Pole by elves, just wants to find his real father in New York City.  After a short trek through some trees, Buddy finally finds daddy (James Caan) and begins to wreak havoc in his life and throughout the city.

Family Rating: Ferrell's buffoonery will keep the kids laughing throughout most of the film and probably even give them a few pointers on food etiquette.

Manly Rating: there is a PG shower scene with Zooey Deschanel, so there's that.  Just don't tell the hubby where it happens in the film and you'll keep his attention for close to an hour.

7. A Christmas Story (Comedy)


All Ralphie (Peter Billingsley) wants for Christmas is a Red Ryder BB gun, but asking Santa and his parents for it, proves to be harder than expected.

Family Rating: with BB guns, bullies, ridiculous kid outfits, sexy lamps, angry fathers, and fantastic voice-over by Jean Shepherd, there's nothing here that'll bore anyone.

Manly Rating: see Family Rating and focus on the BB gun and sexy lamp.

6. The Ref (Comedy)


Gus (Denis Leary) a low level thief is forced to take a crappy, bickering family hostage on Christmas Eve, and spends most of the movie telling everyone to shut the hell up.

Family Rating: if you want the kiddies to discover some choice words and a drunken Santa, then its best you put them to bed first, and then pop this in.

Manly Rating: what's manlier than a foul-mouthed Denis Leary with a gun and some duct tape?  Your man will enjoy the time Leary spends screaming, cursing, and taping people up, because in reality, that's really what every man wants to do to his own family during Christmas.

5. Just Friends (Comedy)


Chris Brander (Ryan Reynolds) a fat kid who left his home town for L.A. returns years later for Christmas as a good-looking womanizer and attempts to bed his high school crush, Jamie Palamino (Amy Smart).

Family Rating: the toddlers will have to be put down (in bed), but the teenagers will get a kick out of Reynolds running around making faces and kicking his younger brother's ass.

Manly Rating: hubby will be enthused because of the womanizer factor, and then there's also Amy Smart and Anna Faris to keep his attention throughout.  Oh, and the movie is damn funny at times.

4. Planes, Trains & Automobiles (Comedy)


Neal Page (Steve Martin) just wants to get home to his family in time for Thanksgiving, but will have to partner with Del Griffith (John Candy) an obnoxious, but lovable idiot, to do so.

Family Rating: the bigger kids will understand all the inside jokes, but the youngsters will spend most of the time probably breaking your balls.

Manly Rating: John Candy and Steve Martin…together…in a comedy?  No need to say anymore.

3. Gremlins (Comedy/Horror)


Billy Peltzer (Zach Galligan) accidentally unleashes hundreds of smoking, drinking, and movie-watching monsters on a town during Christmas.

Family Rating: perfect film to teach the children when fun needs to had, it should be had at the local bar for drinks, gambling, and smoking.  And then to end the festivities you should take in a movie…maybe Snow White?

Manly Rating: hubby will enjoy the Nazi cracks, people getting crushed by a bulldozer, and the tiny monster purée.  Ever wanted to know what happens when you stuff a Gremlin in the microwave for a few minutes?  You can bet your man does.

2. Christmas Vacation (Comedy)


The Griswold family led by Clark (Chevy Chase) attempts plans for Christmas.  Ridiculousness ensues.

Family Rating: doesn't matter how old you are, you'll find scene after scene hilarious in this classic Chase movie.

Manly Rating: see Family Rating and add thousands of Christmas lights and annoying in-laws.  He'll love it.

1. Die Hard (Action/Thriller/Comedy)


John McClane (Bruce Willis)—as if you didn't already know—tries to save his wife and other film extras, when Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) and friends take over the Nakatomi Plaza during a Christmas party.

Family Rating: nothing says family like taking out a group of terrorists, singlehandedly, using machine guns (Ho Ho Ho), explosives, chains, and duct tape (no wonder men use this for everything).

Manly Rating: ha…this needs no explanation.

Bonus Movie: Groundhog Day (Comedy)


When the holidays are all over, your stomach full of cookies, and your chest hurts from aggravation, nothing can quell those troubles better than laughter.  And nobody does it better than Bill Murray playing a weatherman named Phil, who finds himself living the same day (Groundhog Day) over and over again.

Merry Christmas from P&P!!!

Saturday, December 14, 2013

DVD Movie Review - Prisoners


Prisoners is the type of movie that will make your ass cheeks crawl to the edge of your seat.  With a firm grasp on suspense and tragedy, it's a film you won't stop thinking about.

STORY:
Keller Dover (Hugh Jackman) a simple contractor trying to make ends meet, lives his life by always being prepared.  When his young daughter and the daughter of his good friend, Franklin Birch (Terrence Howard), go missing, anger and desperation take over his life and the lives around him.  Sadness, torture, despair, affection, and survival ensue.

Due to Hugh's overwhelming sex-appeal, most women in the audience who rubbed against him,
didn't shower for days. 

THOUGHTS:
Prisoners is a fantastic film.  Climbing just over two and a half hours, the movie will breeze by, keeping you guessing and holding your breath until the end.  Not only is the story, dialogue, plot and tone of the film well executed, but the acting—whether from Jackman or anyone else in the cast—is tremendous.

But don't let the above words inspire you to run out and rent this film, because the premise isn't for everyone.  The subject of child abduction is hard to swallow no matter who you are, but being a parent will probably drop you into two categories: People that will relate to the anger and desperation exhaled by the main characters, and people who won't be able to stomach the movie at all.  If you have no problem watching a film that shows graphic torture scenes and people breaking down in the face of terrible tragedy, then Prisoners will keep you tense until the climax.

This movie contains psychopaths, the mentally disturbed, blood, victims, killers, abductions, and true life situations.  And it doesn't fear asking the tough questions and/or presenting the terrible consequences about any of the above.  What would you do if your child was taken?  What lengths would you go to get them back?  Can a strong family remain civil facing these circumstances?  And how much does this type of crime affect the law enforcement?  All these questions and more are presented through fantastic performances from the cast.

"Whoa, whoa...whoa!  Just because you're angry with me, doesn't mean you have the 
right to bring up the Prince of Persia."

Hugh Jackman, a.k.a. The Wolverine, shows you he's not just some adamantium-clawed one-trick pony.  Jackman is the film.  Hugh portrays Dover as a man who spends all his free time gathering provisions, and reciting a mantra throughout the story: "prepare for the worst, pray for the best."  But his calm loving husband/father disposition, deteriorates when his daughter disappears.  You'll see Jackman's character go through the gauntlet of emotions, ranging from sadness, to anger, and then to utter collapse.  And his added facial expressions and body language make you feel every mental state.

Jake Gyllenhaal is the other side to the movie, portraying the over-worked, desperate, Detective Loki, who's attempting to use everything in his power to find the little girls that have been abducted.  The movie makes you realize that cops or any law enforcement, have to remain neutral when working a case and must rely on facts.  But sometimes a case can push a person to the brink and Gyllenhaal holds nothing back in his performance.  He has a scene where he completely breaks down in front of the men in his precinct and it's something you'll never forget.

Paul Dano, who plays the accused child abductor Alex Jones, is another actor that shows remarkable skill in his role.  His scenes may be the ones some people opt to cover their eyes, but these parts hold the most remarkable acting in the film.  But let's not down play the rest of the cast who have minor, yet memorable moments:  Terrence Howard (Franklin Birch) is the heart broken father with a conscious.  Maria Bello (Grace Dover) plays the depressed wife and hysterical mother, while Viola Davis (Nancy Birch) represents the caring, yet stern matriarch in the face of tragedy.

"Cut!  Mr. Jackman, can we please do the scene one more time, WITHOUT you pretending 
to go into Berserker Rage."

MOTIVE:
The main characters all have the perfect motives for their emotions and decisions throughout the film.  But where motive really counts—the reason for the whole plot that's taking place—is where the writing falters somewhat.  And just a few lines of dialogue don't really help solve one of the major plot questions.  Does this hurt the film?  Not really, because the story is more about people trying to muscle through pain and their reactions to tragedy, rather than the abduction plot that's seems to fall on the back burner. 

EDITING:
There are a couple of scenes that don't finish on camera and instead just cut to black.  Whether this is due to the already long running time or intentional, it seems a little unnecessary.  You can fill in the blanks, but it would have been nice to see how the actors handled each of those situations.  And sometimes it's a climax that the movie decides to let you play out in your mind.  The cuts may feel a little cheap, but nevertheless, don't really take away from the story as a whole.

SUSPENSE:
There will be questions lingering around your mind the entire time you're watching this film.  And for each one, you'll never truly know if they'll be answered.  Prisoners uses this unpredictability to push the envelope and up the stakes as plot progresses.  This film becomes one of those stories that you'll retrace in your mind as soon as it's over, attempting to piece it all together by following the subtle clues.

"Man, these parents asking for Pee-Wee Soccer money...do not stop.  
Time to roll up the old window."

CONCLUSION:
Prisoners is without a doubt, a non-miss film for movie-goers who can handle it.  Heinous crimes and their terrible outcomes are played out in suspenseful fashion, using a superb cast to hold it all together.  It may be a tough pill to swallow, but if you're able to watch Prisoners, you'll see some of the best acting this year.  Sorry gents, if date night comes down to this or The Notebook (again), you might be in a tiny bit of trouble.


4 out of 5 stars (minus a star for slight miscalculations in motives and editing)

Saturday, December 7, 2013

DVD Movie Review - Fast & Furious 6


It's alright if you're looking at the title and thinking: "There can't possibly be any way the sixth movie in a series is good."  Well…for fans and veterans of the Fast & Furious franchise this film delivers exactly what the audience wants: more adrenaline fueled car stunts and more outrageous action.

"Listen, I appreciate the book, but you know I can't read...right?"

STORY:
Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) is living the life of a millionaire with a beautiful Spanish girlfriend named Elena (Elsa Pataky).  He's decided that nothing will bring him back into the world of stealing, murder, and reckless nitrous driving—except maybe a picture of his not-so-dead, manly ex-girlfriend.  When Dom realizes there could be a chance Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) is alive, he instantly sacrifices sex with his beautiful blonde and decides to get his merry band of misfits back together to help Hobbs (Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson) stop another crew of evil drivers.  Can Shaw (Luke Evans), the leader the evil driving team, steal enough military grade hardware to create a powerful bomb?  Not if Toretto's crew has anything to say about it.  Exotic cars, bikini asses, tanks, chick fights, harpoons, and 90 mile an hour mid-air catches ensue.

"Plus free buffalo wings for a year..."
"With sauce on the side."
"...with the sauce on the side.  That's the deal Hobbs, take it or leave it."

THOUGHTS:
The Fast & Furious franchise has been around so long, it's become a magical beast that cannot be stopped or killed by anyone.  But is that a terrible thing?  Not to its fans.  This film delivers on every note they're looking for and provides even more.  But probably the best part of the movie is its use of humor.  When you have a series of movies stick around long enough, they tend to become aware of themselves, relying on more humor than drama, and F&F6 is better for it.

THE CAST:
Vin Diesel and the late Paul Walker exceed the acting quota for the film, leaving the rest of the cast to just enjoy being in front of a camera.  Dwayne Johnson, aside from making Diesel look like a puny pimple, adds sarcasm, extreme size, and great facial expressions.  As if there wasn't enough testosterone already, Michelle Rodriguez is thrown back into the mix, just to fight the series newcomer Gina Carano (Riley) and beef up female brooding.  Carano, who could kick just about anybody's ass in real life, plays out more like a smiling wooden pole, fortunately she's used sparingly and her dialogue and scenes utilize her strengths.  And then there's the rest of the gang that fit into their characters perfectly, mainly using funny one-liners to progress the over-the-top plot.

"All I'm trying to say is your testosterone might be making me, and the rest of the guys look bad." 

SIXTH TIME’S A CHARM?
So why return?  Why give the Fast & Furious franchise anymore of your hard earned free-time and money?  One word: action.  You may think these movies have outstayed their welcome, but somehow those silly writers in Hollywood figured out a way to make the conflicts still fascinating.  Besides the ridiculous driving stunts and car chases with added flair, the fight scenes have stepped up to a new level that hadn't existed before. 

If you've ever wanted to watch two girls kick each other's asses, brutally, then look no further.  Carano and Rodriguez go head to head in a subway scene that just borders impolite.  Hair ripping, elbow punching, joint locks, and throwing each other into hard objects like brick walls and cement staircases is only a few of the things you'll be privy too.  Tyrese Gibson (Roman) and Sung Kang (Han) also have their fill during the same subway scene with a martial artist.  Basically, the two of them get their asses beat, packaged, and delivered right back to them.  But the humor that's dropped along the way is priceless.  (Speaking of Gibson, he and Ludacris have some of the best back and forth sarcastic remarks the film has to offer.)  Also, the Rock gets to fight a man-monster with a size almost matching his abnormality, and Vin Diesel gets to make a perfect Rodriguez touchdown catch.  A Tank makes an appearance to swallow on-coming traffic and cargo planes get taken down by harpoons and fast cars.

"Grrrr...rhawww!"
"Um, Miss Rodriguez, let's try that again, but maybe this time with a little less growling?"

"But how's the plot?"  You mean aside from the crazy premise of extreme drivers being able to take down a military convoy?  It's not that bad.  Is it Oscar worthy?  No.  But for the franchise, it tugs on all the right strings to keep the fans yearning for more.  Love story segments are sprinkled in between the action and humor, and each character's storyline progresses just enough to push the plot into the next movie.  "Wait...there's going to be another one?" But of course!
 
"I'm here to swallow your head.  Om nom nom nom."
"Can you please stop that?  It's getting old."

WHERE DOES THE SEVENTH MOVIE GO FROM HERE?
Into the depths of the sea, where car chases appear stagnant and Hobbs finally finds love with a mermaid; or perhaps into the sky, where Vin Diesel will meet an aging, but lovable Tom Cruise reprising his role as Maverick.  And now the whole team (plus Cruise) has to stop a missile headed for Metropolis, because Superman is nowhere to be found.  What?  It could happen.  Towards the end of F&F6, you won't know exactly where the series is headed, but you'll see who they added to the roster this time around.  And really, in Hollywood, he's the only guy after the credits role that'll make you say, "Makes sense." 
UPDATE: due to the tragic loss of Paul Walker, the filming of the seventh movie is currently on hiatus.

"Gina, like this.  How do you expect a career in movies if you can't walk with attitude?"

CONCLUSION:
As long as the Fast & Furious franchise keeps upping the stakes, people will continue to return.  The sixth installment adds witty dialogue, a few fresh faces, and a bigger Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson.  What else can you ask for?  Fast & Furious 6 shows that a tiny bit of acting here, a little dab of humor there, with a sprinkle of fast exotic cars on top—BAM—creates a whole new movie.  Will this installment bring new viewers to the series?  Maybe.  Maybe not.  But it sure does a fantastic job of keeping the old ones.

3.5 out of 5 stars (minus a star and a half for being repeated six times)