FAST X Speeds onto Bluray

Jeri Jacquin

Charging toward 4K and Bluray from director Louis Leterrier and Universal Pictures Home Entertainment is the next story in the Fast and Furious franchise with FAST X.

Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) is happy with son Brian (Leo Abelo Perry) and wife Letty (Michelle Rodriguez), Roman (Tyrese Gibson), Tej (Chris Bridges), Han (Sung Kang) and Ramsey (Nathalie Emmanuel) take on a mission in Rome. It is only when Cipher (Charlize Theron) knocks on Dom’s door does he hear that there is no mission in Rome and that the crew is being set up, but by who?

Racing to Rome to warn the crew, it immediately becomes clear (because he makes it clear) that a man named Dante Reyes (Jason Momoa) wants to destroy everything in sight. Tearing through the streets, Dom and Letty are trying to stop a huge metal bomb that is heading straight toward the Vatican. Dante has a grudge against everyone who he feels responsible for his father’s death. He has also decided to take everyone that means something to Dom, especially his son.

But he isn’t your ordinary psychopath, Dante has stolen Cipher’s technology and is using it against Dom taking the groups money and resources as well. If that isn’t enough, Agent Aimes (Alan Ritchson) of the Agency has taken over for Mr. Nobody and wants Dom as well. Running everywhere to avoid Aimes and find Dante, Dom enlists the help of brother Jakob (John Cena) to help protect Little B.

After being arrested in Rome, Letty is taken to a black site where she meets Cipher. Tess (Brie Larson) has decided she is going to do what her father, Mr. Nobody, would do and helps plan the women’s escape. Dom returns to Rio de Janeiro to confront Dante and meets Isabel (Daniela Melchior) Elena’s sister who races cars. It is just another weapon for Dante to use against Dom and he has no problem using it.

Dante has made clear what his intentions are when trying to kidnap Little B, Dom realizes that there is only one way to stop all this – the Fast way!

Diesel as Dom brings the family back together once again. He is spending more time with Brian and Letty and letting the team take on missions. But when Cipher lets him know that the latest mission is a set-up, he has no choice but to try and save them. Diesel’s Dom has mellowed a little bit but he still makes it clear that he can drive a car better than anyone. It is when Dom is forced to make life choices that Diesel shows the grit and determination of this character.

Momoa as Dante is clearly a man with a magazine rack full of daddy issues. It is as if Momoa was let off a psycho chain and allowed to just have fun with this character. Being disgusted with what this character is trying to do, it is hard to maintain indignation when Momoa’s performance is making me laugh! Dante has evil intention and everything is done with flair and dramatic effect and Momoa lives for every moment of it.

Rodriguez as Letty jumps into the fray with Dom and it gets her put in a very, very solitary place but she gets a chance for some payback with Theron as Cipher as the two exchange punches and quips. Perry as son Brian is caught up in adult mayhem and sees up close and personal the life his father has been leading. Larson as Tess sees how the Agency has done the group wrong and decides if they are not going to right it, then she will.

Gibson, Bridges, Kang and Emmanuel continue on with missions given as only they can. Gibson and Bridges argue and scuffle like brothers from start to finish. Kang watches from the sidelines with his very interesting snack choices but there comes a time when he has to face a man he has been avoiding. Emmanuel is the babysitter but is also tech savvy and keeps track of what Dante is doing.

Cena as Jakob gets to spend quality time with Little B and teaches him the ropes, probably in ways no other kid would expect. There is the return also of other characters from the FAST AND FURIOUS franchise that will end up being seen in FAST XI (I’ve already named it see?).

The opening scenes with Paul Walker were lovely as well.

Other cast include Jordana Brewster as Mia Toretto, Gal Gadot as Gisele Yashar, Dwayne Johnson as Luke Hobbs, Joaquim de Almeida as Herman Reyes, Scott Eastwood as Little Nobody, Luis Da Silva as Diogo, Pete Davidson as Bowie, Meadow Walker as the flight attendant, Rita Moreno as Abuelita Toretto, Jason Stratham as Deckard Shaw and Helen Mirren as Queenie.

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has just added an amazing film to their library and making it available for us to all experience and re-experience in our own home theaters. There are films of every genre available from scary to drama to family films. For more of what they have to offer please visit www.uphe.com.

MOVIES ANYWHERE gives viewers the ability to download the Movies Anywhere App. With that you can view films by downloading or streaming to your favorite device using a Digital Code. For more information on Movies Anywhere please visit www.MoviesAnywhere.com.

Bonus Features include scene breakdowns with Director Louis Leterrier, a look into this installment’s fast cars and global locations and more all-new featurettes.

FAST X is just that, fast! Going from one spot to another with car chases and car races is everything the franchise is known for. Diesel’s character has mellowed with each film and that’s to be expected with any repeating character. More and more Diesel maintains the belief in family and readily accepts anyone who wants to be part of it all. The thing about family is – you don’t mess with it!

Each destination the crew goes there is a piece of the franchise history ending up in Rio having a street race that leads to adding to an ever-growing Toretto family. From one stop to the next, the story intensifies as Momoa’s character has no problem making each bang bigger and more destructive.

FAST X is filled with an all-star cast and this review could go on and on but, I’d rather everyone experience this film for themselves. Put the pieces together and learn who to trust and where the story is going to curve next. That is what this franchise has done, taken us all over the world with action, speed and thrills.

In the end – this time, it is dangerously about family!

F9: The Fast Saga Speeds Toward Bluray

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to 4K Ultra HD, Bluray, DVD and Digital Code from writer/director Justin Lin and Universal Pictures Home Entertainment comes the next installment of a franchise that rides in with FAST & FURIOUS 9.

The story of the Toretto's becomes even more clear as Dominic and Jakob are part of the pit crew to their father Jack's racing career. An accident, a fight lands Dom in prison and a realization to his father's death is what brings about the two brothers having a falling out.

Now, Dom (Vin Diesel) is raising little boy Brian with Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) in the quiet life away from everyone and everything. That is until Roman (Tyrese Gibson), Tej (Chris Bridges) and Ramsey (Nathalie Emmanuel) come knocking on their quiet life. It seems Cipher (Charlize Theron) is at it again and Mr. Nobody's (Kurt Russell) plan has been shot down.

What is worse, Dom suspects that brother Jakob (Jon Cena) is involved. Finding the plane wreckage, they are looking for a device called Ares that can hack into any system with ease. They also meet up with Dom's sister Mia (Jordana Brewster) and they discover they need to go to Tokyo.

Joined by Han Lue (Sung Kang), the team make their way to Edinburgh, and London to meet up with Sean (Lucas Black), Twinkie (Shad Moss) and Earl Hu (Jason Tobin). Han lets them know that his ward Elle (Anna Sawai) is the thing missing to make Ares work. Looking for the other half, the gang also learns that Jakob is full of tricks.

Dom is not able to stop Cipher and Otto from launching Ares, but he and the crew know how to stop it - it’s just going to take a little ground work and a big of space to get the job done.

Diesel as Dom is back and bad with more to his story. With each film, we are given bits and pieces as to why Dom is, well, Dom and as the family expands - so does the pains of the past. With Diesel's character, it is all about family, doing what's right and making sure the bad guys do not get to close to his family. Cena as Jakob is straight faced, tries to avoid the word 'family' but also realizes you cannot avoid the past.

Rodriguez as Letty is actually the one who jumps at the chance to straight things out. Her character is strong and very, very capable of handling whatever the guys want to throw her way. Emmanuel as Ramsey is another strong female character who is tech savvy and calm as a cucumber - even when things go crashing and speeding by. Brewster as Mia joins Dom when she realizes that Jakob needs to be dealt with.

Gibson and Bridges are roman and Tej who are trying to keep it together but sometimes you have to look up and boldly go, well, you get it.  is taking care of someone special for more than the obvious reasons. Sawai as Elle can handle herself but there is a reason everyone seems to want her, and she has to keep her cool and does absolutely that.

Black and Moss along with Tobin give us three characters that add a spark that I enjoyed. Clearly, they live in a world all their own, but their world is about to become more infinite!

Other cast include Helen Mirren as Queenie Shaw, Thue Ersted Rasmussen as Otto, Cardi B as Leysa, Don Omar as Santos, Shea Whigham as Stasiak and Michael Rooker as Buddy.

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has just added an amazing film to their library and making it available for us to all experience and re-experience in our own home theaters. There are films of every genre available from scary to drama to family films. For more of what they have to offer please visit www.uphe.com.

MOVIES ANYWHERE gives viewers the ability to download the Movies Anywhere App. With that you can view films by downloading or streaming to your favorite device using a Digital Code. For more information on Movies Anywhere please visit www.MoviesAnywhere.com.

Bonus Features include: Director’s Cut, Theatrical Version, Gag Reel, F9: All In, Practically Fast, Shifting Priorities, Justice for Han, A Day on Set with Justin Lin, John Cena: Supercar Superfan, and Feature Commentary with Producer/Co-Writer-Director Justin Lin.

F9: The Fast Saga is everything the FAST AND FURIOUS franchise has come to be known for. There are fast cars that let the drivers have some fun behind the wheel, fantastic stunts that make driving like a maniac look thrilling and a villain that seems to always be just a car length away from being caught.

This time, the gang are jumping around the world to find answers, unexpected surprises, realizations, secrets that had to be kept and all of that does not stop them from doing what they do best.  Leaving the end open is another trait of the FAST & FURIOUS franchise and with the sly escape of Cipher, Dom and the gang is not going to let it all go so easily.

In the end – the fast family forever!

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY Vol. 2 Lands At Home

Jeri Jacquin

Finally arriving on 4K Ultra HD, Bluray, DVD and Digital is our favorite heroes as writer/director James Gunn, Marvel Studios and Walt Disney Pictures bring GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY Vol. 2!

Zipping through the galaxy once again being heroes, Peter Quill aka Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Drax (Dave Bautista), Rocket (Bradley Cooper) and Baby Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel) are helping Ayesha (Elizabeth Debicki) keep their power source from being stolen.

After an epic saving, their reward is the one thing Gamora has been wanting – her sister Nebula (Karen Gillan). On their way out the door, Rocket can’t help but grab a few power capsules thinking no one will miss them.

Not even out of range, Ayesha and her people attack Quill’s ship and they may not get a chance to jump through space. That is until an unusual craft assists them right before they manage to escape only to crash land tearing up the ship. Moments later, the same craft lands as Ego (Kurt Russell) and Mantis (Pom Klementieff) introduce themselves.

Shocking Quill a tad is the announcement that Ego is his father. Trying to explain everything, Ego convinces Quill to come with him where all will be revealed. Taking Drax and Gamora, Rocket stays behind to repair the ship and babysit Nebula.

Also looking for the guardians is Yondu (Michael Rooker) as Ayesha makes it known she wants them all. Even that goes into chaos when Yondu and Rocket come together to put a traitorous band in its place.

Landing on Ego’s planet, it is a beautiful place and the story of what happened between Ego and Peter’s mother Meredith is explained. Peter also learns that he is the son of a god with powers he can call upon. Gamora knows there is something not right about it all, especially with Mantis seemly secretive.

As the story begins show its true meaning, Peter is joined by Gamora, Rocket, Yondu and Nebula along with Baby Groot to set things right again but not without great cost.

That’s not about to stop the Guardians!

Pratt as Quill has this role down to perfection. He covers everything from a hero to a kid needing to know who his father is and everything in between. With his Guardian family he knows they accept him for all his idiosyncrasies and the penchant for his mixed tapes (which we all are!). I just love watching Pratt go for it every moment he is on screen and listening to everyone cheer for their favorite Star-Lord.

Saldana as Gamora is keeping her emotions in check with Quill and even more so with a sister who is driving her crazy. Trusting her instincts about everything she gang is going through, it becomes clear that the history with Nebula is something that has always needed to be talked about. Oh sisters – they can hate each other but one good brawl always sets things right.

Cooper voicing Rocket is arrogant, guarded, hilarious and yet has a soft spot for all his guardian buddies. He may be a Guardian but he still has his old habits that need to be kicked. Diesel as the voice of Baby Groot, I mean really, what else can be said here about the awesomeness that is Groot. “I am Groot” – we’re done!

Bautista as Drax has a chance to really show serious comedy here although what he laughs at isn’t as funny until he laughs about it. He is the powerhouse the group needs and he doesn’t hesitate to stand up for his buddies. I love the scenes between Drax and Mantis. Klementieff as Mantis is endearing, sweet and giggly funny.

Debicki as Ayesha is clearly a woman who has anger and power issues. Gillan as Nebula tries to work on her anger issues but when you’ve been angry as long as she has, it’s difficult.

Rooker as Yondu brings his blue-ness back to irritate Quill and the gang. It is the scenes with Yondu and Rocket that are pretty amazing. This is a role that looks so easy for Rooker to play because he has a swagger that is distinctive and an attitude that would give anyone pause.

Russell as Ego is always a thrill to see. Nothing seems to be slowing this actor down and being the god/father to Quill finally gets to tell the whole story – and I mean the whole story. Russell gives us the charm and flashy smile to bring us into his world and I don’t mind visiting at all.

Other cast include Sean Gunn as Kraglin, Tommy Flanagan as Tullk, Laura Haddock as Meredith Quill, Chris Sullivan as Taserface and Sylvester Stallone as Stakar Ogord.

Marvel Studios has released sixteen films since 2008 in what is known as the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Marvel is built on a library of over eight thousand characters featured in a variety of media content for over seventy years. For more of what they have to offer please visit www.marvel.com.

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY Vol. 2 is a five tubs of popcorn out of five film. I mean seriously, would you expect anything less? I am not always on board to all things in the Marvel Universe but the Guardians franchise is definitely worth every second on screen.

This ensemble has brought a uniqueness that I enjoy with characters that are relatable with their flaws, awesome in their survival/fighting skills, care for one another, humor and how each one protects Baby Groot. Come on, you know that’s cute! The special effects are just amazing and add to the story instead of being used to just dazzle.

It must be said that the soundtrack for GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY Vol. 2 is just as frakken awesome as the first film. There is no way, absolutely no way to not tap a foot or even sing along because each song fits the scene perfectly. It adds to the fun as if the film needed any but I’ll take it!

I don’t know what you are doing this weekend but if it’s not seeing GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY Vol. 2 on Bluray, DVD and Digital HD then you must be in a coma! This film is funny, action packed, endearing, hilarious, and yes Baby Groot steals every scene he is in – I mean is that shocking? Hardly.

The Bluray, DVD and Digital HD include the Bonus Extras of Guardians Inferno Music Video – join David Hasselhoff and special guests for a galactic ‘70s disco dance party, and Hilarious Deleted Scenes, Outrageous Gag Reel.

Also Bonus Round: The Making of GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY Vol. 2 – A four-part behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film with The Director’s Chari with James Gunn, Reunion Tour: The Music of GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY Vol. 2, Living Planets and Talking Trees: The Visual Effects of Vol. 2, Showtime: The Cast of Vol. 2 and finally the Audio Commentary by director James Gunn.

In the end – you only get one chance to save the galaxy twice!

THE FATE OF THE FURIOUS Burns Rubber on Bluray!

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to Bluray & DVD from director F. Gary Gray and Universal Pictures Home Entertainment is the next installment when it comes to understanding THE FATE OF THE FURIOUS.

Dom (Vin Diesel) and Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) are in Puerto Rico with family and cars. Not there long before Dom has to put his foot to the pedal for the respect of family. Returning to the hotel, he is stopped by a woman named Cipher (Charlize Theron) who isn’t pulling any punches by letting Dom know that he will soon be working for her.

Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) goes from coaching his daughter’s soccer team to a job that gets him a nice stint in the slammer but Mr. Nobody (Kurt Russell) offers him a deal to stay out of jail. Backed up by Little Nobody (Scott Eastwood) on the deal, Hobbs refuses. Waiting in a cell across from Hobbs is his least favorite person Deckard (Jason Statham) as the two immediately begin to verbally spar.

It takes no time at all before Mr. Nobody gets Hobbs, Deckard, Letty, Roman (Tyrese Gibson), Tej (Ludacris) and Ramsey (Nathalie Emmanuel) in a room to tell them that Dom has gone rogue! They get the intel on Cipher but have no idea what they are up against as the game of cat and mouse begins. Letty doesn’t believe it but the mission is to stop him.

Dom knows he is hurting his woman and friends by working with Cipher but there is something they do not know and he can’t tell them. Every time the gang gets close, Dom has back up from Cipher and her muscle Rhodes (Kristofer Hivju) to elude them once again. That is until they all end up on the Barents Sea in the arctic for a showdown like nothing the gang has experienced before.

All of it to stop an anarchist and discover what made their leader go rogue!

Diesel as Dom returns to the hard and tough role that fans have loved about this franchise. Knowing that taking care of family, whether blood or otherwise, means taking each step carefully. His performance is totally spot on and the scenes with Theron are filled with tension that is amazing to watch from them both.

Diesel recently announced at CinemaCon that there will be a 9^th and 10^th installment of the FAST AND FURIOUS franchise. He told the audience, “We are proud of how we defied expectations with this series of films.” Of course the topic of Paul Walker came up and he said, “It was a hard decision to make the film without Paul but his legacy is in every frame we shoot. He was the concept of brotherhood! When I thought of going into the 8^th chapter, it was Paul that said ‘8 is guaranteed!’

Theron as Cipher is frakken brilliant as this character. She is smart, doesn’t take any guff and isn’t afraid of anyone – including Dom’s gang. In fact, this character seems to find great joy in staying many steps ahead of anyone trying to stop her from getting what she wants. Using Dom is her insurance policy and he is definitely a policy worth having. I love Theron every moment she is on the screen!

Johnson as Hobbs is bigger and bulkier than ever bringing a softer side to his character as a soccer coach. That also brings a big of comedy to his character and it really is quite funny. That being said, when the comedy stops – Hobbs gets to business and as much as he doesn’t want to go after Dom, he will and he will without hesitation.

Statham as Deckard is a mixture of hilarious, bad ass, softy and perfection in his interaction with Johnson’s character. This actor keeps getting better and better in the sense that he can be a tough in some roles that are scary and then amazing comedy as in the film SPY (which still cracks me up every time I see it) and now a mixture of both for THE FATE OF THE FURIOUS.

Rodriguez as Letty is dedicated to her man and there isn’t anyone that’s going to convince her otherwise. Although she helps Hobbs and the gang, she sees it more as saving Dom from something she doesn’t understand and not take him down. Emmanuel as Ramsey is the high tech gal who is working overtime to stay ahead of Cipher.

Gibson as Roman is back looking for the fastest and baddest looking car in the bunch. Ludacris as Tej works well with Emmanuel trying to discover how Cipher manages to do the unthinkable with the technology she has.

Russell as Mr. Nobody is smart and witty and I’d expect nothing less form him. I’m still amazed with the diversity of his characters and the fantastic way he portrays them. Eastwood as Little Nobody doesn’t yet understand how the gang works and soon learns that they have a way of doing things and it’s not always by the book.

I’m giving a shout out to Hivju as Rhodes. He is such a cool bad guy with the ability to give anyone crazy-eye. Then again this shouldn’t be a shock for anyone who is a Game of Thrones fan of his character Tormund Giantsbane.

Other cast include: Luke Evans as Owen, Elsa Pataky as Elena, Patrick St. Esprit as DS Allan and Janmarco Santiago as Fernando.

Universal Studios Home Entertainment has just added an amazing film to their library and making it available for us all to experience and re-experience in our own home theatres. There are films of every genre available from scary to drama to family films. For more of what they have to offer please visit www.uphe.com.

The Bonus Features exclusive to Bluray has The Cuban Spirit as the first major studio motion picture to shoot in Cuba in decades, the country’s effusive spirit permeates the making of the film, In the Family – In THE FATE OF THE FURIOUS family ties are put to the ultimate test and get an inside look at the family divide, Car Culture – It’s time to put yourself in the driver’s seat of the supercharged vehicles showcased in THE FATE OF THE FURIOUS.

Bonus Features on both Bluray and DVD include All About the Stunts – Go behind the scenes to witness how THE FATE OF THE FURIOUS accomplished the most epic stunts in franchise history, Extended Fight Scenes and Feature Commentary with Director F. Gary Gray. Also included is THE FATE OF THE FURIOUS Extended Director’s Cut with never-before-seen extended cut along with the theatrical release.

Want more? Well, I can help out with that as well. THE FATE OF THE FURIOUS will be available on 4K Ultra HD in a combo pack that includes the 4K Ultra HD Bluray, Bluray and Digital HD.

THE FATE OF THE FURIOUS is definitely a high octane ride from start to finish. Fans of the franchise aren’t going to be disappointed with the action, car chases and even an ice breaking submarine. It is fun, humorous, and even cute in a few places provided by the one and only Jason Statham, which just adds more fun to the film.

This is a large cast which keeps the intensity flowing and there isn’t much time to sit back and relax. Trust me when I say I’m leaving tons of details out because this is a film that doesn’t need everything put out there. Instead, it’s a film where everyone gets together and goes to have a good time so let’s not over think it.

This week order a pizza, calls friends and sit in your air conditioned living room and still get hot watching THE FATE OF THE FURIOUS on Bluray and see how much action the Furious can provide!

In the end – the ride isn’t over!

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY Vol. 2 Protects in Theatres

Jeri Jacquin

Finally arriving in a theatre near you are our favorite heroes as writer/director James Gunn, Marvel Studios and Walt Disney Pictures bring GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY Vol. 2!

Zipping through the galaxy once again being heroes, Peter Quill aka Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Drax (Dave Bautista), Rocket (Bradley Cooper) and Baby Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel) are helping Ayesha (Elizabeth Debicki) keep their power source from being stolen.

After an epic saving, their reward is the one thing Gamora has been wanting – her sister Nebula (Karen Gillan). On their way out the door, Rocket can’t help but grab a few power capsules thinking no one will miss them.

Not even out of range, Ayesha and her people attack Quill’s ship and they may not get a chance to jump through space. That is until an unusual craft assists them right before they manage to escape only to crash land tearing up the ship. Moments later, the same craft lands as Ego (Kurt Russell) and Mantis (Pom Klementieff) introduce themselves.

Shocking Quill a tad is the announcement that Ego is his father. Trying to explain everything, Ego convinces Quill to come with him where all will be revealed. Taking Drax and Gamora, Rocket stays behind to repair the ship and babysit Nebula.

Also looking for the guardians is Yondu (Michael Rooker) as Ayesha makes it known she wants them all. Even that goes into chaos when Yondu and Rocket come together to put a traitorous band in its place.

Landing on Ego’s planet, it is a beautiful place and the story of what happened between Ego and Peter’s mother Meredith is explained. Peter also learns that he is the son of a god with powers he can call upon. Gamora knows there is something not right about it all, especially with Mantis seemly secretive.

As the story begins show its true meaning, Peter is joined by Gamora, Rocket, Yondu and Nebula along with Baby Groot to set things right again but not without great cost.

That’s not about to stop the Guardians!

Pratt as Quill has this role down to perfection. He covers everything from a hero to a kid needing to know who his father is and everything in between. With his Guardian family he knows they accept him for all his idiosyncrasies and the penchant for his mixed tapes (which we all are!). I just love watching Pratt go for it every moment he is on screen and listening to everyone cheer for their favorite Star-Lord.

Saldana as Gamora is keeping her emotions in check with Quill and even more so with a sister who is driving her crazy. Trusting her instincts about everything she gang is going through, it becomes clear that the history with Nebula is something that has always needed to be talked about. Oh sisters – they can hate each other but one good brawl always sets things right.

Cooper voicing Rocket is arrogant, guarded, hilarious and yet has a soft spot for all his guardian buddies. He may be a Guardian but he still has his old habits that need to be kicked. Diesel as the voice of Baby Groot, I mean really, what can else can be said here about the awesomeness that is Groot. “I am Groot” – we’re done!

Bautista as Drax has a chance to really show serious comedy here although what he laughs at isn’t as funny until he laughs about it. He is the powerhouse the group needs and he doesn’t hesitate to stand up for his buddies. I love the scenes between Drax and Mantis. Klementieff as Mantis is endearing, sweet and giggly funny.

Debicki as Ayesha is clearly a woman who has anger and power issues. Gillan as Nebula tries to work on her anger issues but when you’ve been angry as long as she has, it’s difficult.

Rooker as Yondu brings his blue-ness back to irritate Quill and the gang. It is the scenes with Yondu and Rocket that are pretty amazing. This is a role that looks so easy for Rooker to play because he has a swagger that is distinctive and an attitude that would give anyone pause.

Russell as Ego is always a thrill to see. Nothing seems to be slowing this actor down and being the god/father to Quill finally gets to tell the whole story – and I mean the whole story. Russell gives us the charm and flashy smile to bring us into his world and I don’t mind visiting at all.

Other cast include Sean Gunn as Kraglin, Tommy Flanagan as Tullk, Laura Haddock as Meredith Quill, Chris Sullivan as Taserface and Sylvester Stallone as Stakar Ogord.

TUBS OF POPCORN: I give GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY Vol. 2 five tubs of popcorn out of five. I mean seriously, would you expect anything less? I am not always on board to all things in the Marvel Universe but the Guardians franchise is definitely worth every second on screen.

This ensemble has brought a uniqueness that I enjoy with characters that are relatable with their flaws, awesome in their survival/fighting skills, care for one another, humor and how each one protects Baby Groot. Come on, you know that’s cute! The special effects are just amazing and add to the story instead of being used to just dazzle.

I am purposely being vague about the film because I had such a fun time that I want everyone who sees it to have a great time as well. This is an event, truly, and groups of people should see the film together. Grab everyone and make it a movie night to remember.

It must be said that the soundtrack for GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY Vol. 2 is just as frakken awesome as the first film. There is no way, absolutely no way to not tap a foot or even sing along because each song fits the scene perfectly. Everyone in the audience during the screening was so into the music which made it all even more fantastic of a time.

I don’t know what you are doing this weekend but if it’s not seeing GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY Vol. 2 then you must be in traction! This film is funny, action packed, endearing, hilarious, and yes Baby Groot steals every scene he is in – I mean is that shocking? Hardly.

In the end – you only get one chance to save the galaxy twice!

THE FATE OF THE FURIOUS Revs Up Their Engines Once Again!

Jeri Jacquin

In theatres this Friday from director F. Gary Gray and Universal Pictures come the next installment when it comes to knowing THE FATE OF THE FURIOUS.

Dom (Vin Diesel) and Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) are on their honeymoon in Puerto Rico. Not there long before Dom has to put his foot to the pedal for the respect of family. Returning to the hotel, he is stopped by a woman named Cipher (Charlize Theron) who isn’t pulling any punches by letting Dom know that he will soon be working for her.

Hobbs goes from coaching his daughter’s soccer team to a job that gets him a nice stint in the slammer but Mr. Nobody (Kurt Russell) offers him a deal to stay out of jail. Backed up by Little Nobody (Scott Eastwood) on the deal, Hobbs refuses. Waiting in a cell across from Hobbs is his least favorite person Deckard (Jason Statham) as the two immediately begin to verbally spar.

It takes no time at all before Mr. Nobody gets Hobbs, Deckard, Letty, Roman (Tyrese Gibson), Tej (Ludacris) and Ramsey (Nathalie Emmanuel) in a room to tell them that Dom has gone rogue! The get the intel of Cipher but they have no idea what they are up against as the game of cat and mouse begins. Letty doesn’t believe it but the mission is to stop him.

Dom knows he is hurting his new bride and friends by working with Cipher but there is something they do not know and he can’t tell them. Every time the gang gets close, Dom has back up from Cipher and her muscle Rhodes (Kristofer Hivju) to elude them once again. That is until they all end up on the Barents Sea in the arctic for a showdown like nothing the gang has experienced before.

All of it to stop an anarchist and discover what made their leader go rogue!

Diesel as Dom returns to the hard and tough role that fans have loved about this franchise. Knowing that taking care of family, whether blood or otherwise, means taking each step carefully. His performance is totally spot on and the scenes with Theron are filled with tension that is amazing to watch from them both.

Diesel recently announced at CinemaCon that there will be a 9^th and 10^th installment of the FAST AND FURIOUS franchise. He told the audience, “We are proud of how we defied expectations with this series of films.” Of course the topic of Paul Walker came up and he said, “It was a hard decision to make the film without Paul but his legacy is in every frame we shoot. He was the concept of brotherhood! When I thought of going into the 8^th chapter, it was Paul that said ‘8 is guaranteed!’

Johnson as Hobbs is bigger and bulkier than ever bringing a softer side to his character as a soccer coach. That also brings a big of comedy to his character and it really is quite funny. That being said, when the comedy stops – Hobbs gets to business and as much as he doesn’t want to go after Dom, he will and he will without hesitation.

Statham as Deckard is a mixture of hilarious, bad ass, softy and perfection with his interaction with Johnson’s character. This actor keeps getting better and better in the sense that he can be a tough in some roles that are scary and then amazing comedy as in the film SPY (which still cracks me up every time I see it) and now a mixture of both for THE FATE OF THE FURIOUS.

Rodriguez as Letty is dedicated to her man and there isn’t anyone that’s going to convince her otherwise. Although she helps Hobbs and the gang, she sees it more as saving Dom from something she doesn’t understand and not take him down. Emmanuel as Ramsey is the high tech gal who is working overtime to stay ahead of Cipher.

Gibson as Roman is back looking for the fastest and baddest looking car in the bunch. Ludacris as Tej works well with Emmanuel trying to discover how Cipher manages to do the unthinkable with the technology she has.

Russell as Mr. Nobody is smart and witty and I’d expect nothing less form him. I’m still amazed with the diversity of his characters and the fantastic way he portrays them. Eastwood as Little Nobody doesn’t yet understand how the gang works and soon learns that they have a way of doing things and it’s not always by the book.

I’m giving a shout out to Hivju as Rhodes. He is such a cool bad guy with the ability to give anyone crazy-eye. Then again this shouldn’t be a shock for anyone who is a Game of Thrones fan of his character Tormund Giantsbane.

Theron as Cipher is frakken brilliant as this character. She is smart, doesn’t take any guff and isn’t afraid of anyone – including Dom’s gang. In fact, this character seems to find great joy in staying many steps ahead of anyone trying to stop her from getting what she wants. Using Dom is her insurance policy and he is definitely a policy worth having. I love Theron every moment she is on the screen!

Other cast include: Luke Evans as Owen, Elsa Pataky as Elena, Patrick St. Esprit as DS Allan and Janmarco Santiago as Fernando.

THE FATE OF THE FURIOUS is definitely a high octane ride from start to finish. Fans of the franchise aren’t going to be disappointed with the action, car chases and even an ice breaking submarine. It is fun, humorous, and even cute in a few places which just adds more fun to the film.

This is a large cast which keeps the intensity flowing and there isn’t much time to sit back and relax. Trust me when I say I’m leaving tons of details out because this is a film that doesn’t need everything put out there. Instead, it’s a film where everyone gets together and goes to have a good time so let’s not over think it.

This weekend, do just that! Grab friends, get a huge tub of popcorn and get ready for the ride that one THE FATE OF THE FURIOUS can provide.

In the end – the ride isn’t over!