THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS (2001)

"I live my life a quarter mile at a time."

Paul Walker is a part-time undercover cop, part-time street racer and full-time busta.  His latest undercover assignment is to infiltrate the underground L.A. street racing scene and figure out who's been using their fancy Honda Civics to jack 18-wheelers full of electronics.  The suspects are a bunch of different ethnically diverse racing clubs, but we all know the guy who's really behind the robberies is that sexy bad guy with a heart of gold, Vehicle Identification Number Diesel.  He heads up a group full of reject racer dorks...you got the super smart nerd kid who's always nervous, paints his fingernails black and moves his fingers around a bunch; you got the muscle-bound lummox who swaggers so much he's not even allowed into stores because he knocks everything off the shelves; you got the bad girl female racer who wears giant shoes and has a permanent scowl on her face like somebody just unloaded a super gnarly, paint-peeling fart in her face; you got the guy who's so forgettable that everybody forgets that he even exists and, of course, you got Vin Diesel's bookworm, but still sexy younger sister who has the hots for the dreamy newcomer, Paul Walker.  It's awesome!

The story (the POINT BREAK of street racing) is important, of course, but not really.   The main appeal to TFATF is the impressive stunts, the crazy racing scenes and the cheesiness of the entire thing.  I love it.  It's an entertaining ride and so much fun to rag on while watching.  People should pay me to watch me watch movies.

Fast cars, goofy fashions, cringy dialogue, hot chicks, car wrecks, quick pace, good acting (you heard me!), Ted Levine, plot holes overdose, motorcycle drive-by, dated music.  It's a blast!

THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS is definitely not everybody's cup of energy drink, but if you're just looking for something silly and light-hearted to watch, then check it out. I watch it a few times a year.

If you need me, I'll be playing Gran Turismo 2 in my whip.  Which, the retail on...is more than you can afford, pal.  Ferrari.

Part 2 - 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003)
Part 3 - The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006)
Part 4 - Fast & Furious (2009)
Part 5 - Fast Five (2011)
Part 6 - Fast & Furious 6 (2013)
Part 7 - Furious 7 (2015)
Part 8 - The Fate of the Furious (2017)
Spin-off 1 - Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (2019)
Part 9 - F9 (2021)
Part 10 - Fast X (2023)

DAMIEN: OMEN II (1978)

"Damien Thorn is the Antichrist."

Seven years after the events of the first film, Damien Thorn is now 12-years-old and living with his wealthy aunt and uncle.  Life is pretty normal for Damien: friends, military school, loving adoptive parents...but all of that changes when he learns that he's the Antichrist!  I mean, that's kinda shitty when you think about it...he never asked to be the Antichrist.  Anyway, just like in the first film, Damien has a small army of secret protectors watching over him and, most importantly, that awesome pre-FINAL DESTINATION invisible force is still going around killing everybody in crazy ways.  The kills in this film are pretty wicked.  My two favorites were the raven ripping the woman's eyeballs out before she stumbles out into the road then gets launched by a truck and the dude getting cut in half in the elevator.  I re-watched both multiple times.

Right from the beginning, DAMIEN: OMEN II moves along at a brisk pace.  The acting is really good (William Holden and Lee Grant were both fantastic), the story is very interesting, great kills, nice photography.  Hell, the whole thing is enjoyable.  I watched it twice for this review.  One thing that kinda struck me weird was how Lance Henriksen's character never really went anywhere.  Also, the abrupt ending.  It almost seems like there was more to the original story that didn't make it to the screen.

Anyway, if you like the OMEN series, then Part 2 is mandatory.  I honestly like it even more than Part 1.  It's a great continuation of the story.  I did miss the demonic dogs though.  Who left the dogs out?!  Woof, woof, woof, woof, woof!

Part 1 - The Omen (1976)
Part 3 - Omen III: The Final Conflict (1981)
Part 4 - Omen IV: The Awakening (1991)
Remake 1 - The Omen (2006)
Prequel - The First Omen (2024)