SMURFS features an all-star voice cast including Rihanna, James Corden, Nick Offerman, JP Karliak, Daniel Levy, Amy Sedaris, Natasha Lyonne, Sandra Oh, Octavia Spencer, Nick Kroll, Hannah Waddingham, Alex Winter, Maya Erskine, Billie Lourd, Xolo Maridueña with Kurt Russell and John Goodman.
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Mark Wahlberg and Kurt Russell are the heroes of the piece as their salt of the earth characters rise to the occasion and help to prevent a more serious loss of life through selfless heroism. The action is suitably claustrophobic as the isolation of the out-to-sea oil platform plays into the disaster.

Berg’s decision to focus on the accident on the oil rig and reduce the ecological disaster that was cased by the oil leak to a small footnote at the end of the film robs the experience of some of its intensity. It was the worst oil spill in US history and the 4.9 million barrels of crude oil that leaked caused irreparable damage that is still felt to this day.

As an action film, Deepwater Horizon succeeds as Berg and his cast are very adept at this style of film. The experience could have been heightened though by the inclusion of the some of the real world aftermath of this huge disaster.

Rob Hudson
www.facebook.com/roadshow

His new film is another period piece (that makes three in a row) and plays out like a longhand love letter to his past. The Western is set almost exclusively in one room and is dialogue heavy to the extreme. That it works so effectively at it’s almost three hour running time is a testament to his skill with words and his utilization of the right mix of actors and actions. The violence is extreme in the few moments that it occurs and gives the film its rightfully earned R rating.

Tarantino’s films have always rewarded fans of the medium and the new work is rife with references to his earlier films (Red Apple anyone?) and nods to directors he appreciates (Alfred Hitchcock is first to spring to mind). He also revels is doing things his way, so I can’t see even a power couple like Bob and Harvey having the ability to pare back the extended running time.

Investing time in a QT film is always a safe bet because even if you don’t like his work, he creates film dialogue like no other. Discussing his films with your friends after the screening can be almost as much fun as the viewing itself, so sort yourself out after your mandatory trip to spend time with the Part 4 repeat and settle in for a generous treat of a film both time and content wise.

Rob Hudson
www.facebook.com/roadshow

Now that Dom and Letty are on their honeymoon and Brian and Mia have retired from the game—and the rest of the crew has been exonerated—the globetrotting team has found a semblance of a normal life. But when a mysterious woman (Oscar® winner Charlize Theron) seduces Dom into the world of crime he can’t seem to escape and a betrayal of those closest to him, they will face trials that will test them as never before.

From the shores of Cuba and the streets of New York City to the icy plains off the arctic Barents Sea, our elite force will crisscross the globe to stop an anarchist from unleashing chaos on the world’s stage…and to bring home the man who made them a family.

For Fast & Furious 8, Vin Diesel is joined by a returning all-star cast that includes Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Nathalie Emmanuel, Elsa Pataky and Kurt Russell. In addition to Theron, the series welcomes newcomers Scott Eastwood and Oscar® winner Helen Mirren. The film is directed by F. Gary Gray (Straight Outta Compton) and produced by returning producers Neal H. Moritz, Michael Fottrell and Diesel.
www.fastandfurious.com

Mark Wahlberg and Kurt Russell are the heroes of the piece as their salt of the earth characters rise to the occasion and help to prevent a more serious loss of life through selfless heroism. The action is suitably claustrophobic as the isolation of the out-to-sea oil platform plays into the disaster.

Berg’s decision to focus on the accident on the oil rig and reduce the ecological disaster that was cased by the oil leak to a small footnote at the end of the film robs the experience of some of its intensity. It was the worst oil spill in US history and the 4.9 million barrels of crude oil that leaked caused irreparable damage that is still felt to this day.

As an action film, Deepwater Horizon succeeds as Berg and his cast are very adept at this style of film. The experience could have been heightened though by the inclusion of the some of the real world aftermath of this huge disaster.

Rob Hudson
www.deepwaterhorizon.movie

His new film is another period piece (that makes three in a row) and plays out like a longhand love letter to his past. The Western is set almost exclusively in one room and is dialogue heavy to the extreme. That it works so effectively at it’s almost three hour running time is a testament to his skill with words and his utilization of the right mix of actors and actions. The violence is extreme in the few moments that it occurs and gives the film its rightfully earned R rating.

Tarantino’s films have always rewarded fans of the medium and the new work is rife with references to his earlier films (Red Apple anyone?) and nods to directors he appreciates (Alfred Hitchcock is first to spring to mind). He also revels is doing things his way, so I can’t see even a power couple like Bob and Harvey having the ability to pare back the extended running time.

Investing time in a QT film is always a safe bet because even if you don’t like his work, he creates film dialogue like no other. Discussing his films with your friends after the screening can be almost as much fun as the viewing itself, so sort yourself out after your mandatory trip to spend time with the Part 4 repeat and settle in for a generous treat of a film both time and content wise.

Rob Hudson
www.thehatefuleight.com

Throughout the franchise each film has presented an automotive variant of an established genre. In order these have been: Point Break, buddy cop movie, crap movie, drug runner movie, heist movie, action blockbuster and with this last instalment, Mission Impossible. Furious7 is a long way from The Fast and the Furious, to be sure, but the transition has largely been successful due to the not inconsiderable charisma of Vin Diesel, the appeal of muscle cars and fast four pocket rockets, and the supremely outrageous but entertaining car-oriented action. Unfortunately, there’s still no Monaro or GTHO.

With the addition of Jason Statham, Kurt Russell and (to a lesser extent) Lucas Black from Tokyo Drift to an already distinguished headline cast, F&F is seriously heading into Expendable territory. In fact, the cast is so top heavy now that the Rock has to largely sit this one out! But fear not, he does feature in a significant way albeit in a smaller capacity.

As indicated in the final moments of Furious 6, F7 takes place directly after the events depicted in Tokyo Drift and appropriately revisits the conclusion of the Tokyo episode. Curiously, we are robbed of the drift match between Diesel and Black that was alluded to at the end of that film – a race we’ve been waiting 9 years to see! Alas it is not to be. (As a side note, as rubbish as Tokyo Drift is, it’s worth revisiting it in context of the series as a whole if only to revisit Han (Sung Kang) as a completion to his arc plot.)

The elephant in the room, of course, is Paul Walker’s death during (but unrelated to) the shoot. He was replaced in the film with a combination of body double (his sibling) and CGI. The result is completely successful and not once do you think that you’re not looking at the real Paul Walker on the screen.

Walker’s departure from this franchise (and this earth) is handled with the utmost of respect and elegance in a final tribute that will have the tears welling up. It adds an uncommon poignancy to what looks like will be the final film in the franchise – there’s no post credit suggestion of a sequel at the end of this one, folks.

At movie #7, Furious 7 is like visiting old friends – it feels like we’ve become part of Dom’s family ourselves. It represents the franchise at the top of its game in terms of action, charismatic performances from all involved, intricate plotting and bat shit crazy car stunts. This combined with the beautiful, heartfelt send off given to Paul Walker; Furious 7 threatens to be the best in the series. And if this is indeed the last of the franchise (notwithstanding some redundant “reboot” in the near future), it’s a great way to go out.

Stuart Jamieson
www.fastandfurious7.com.au

Actor Paul Walker’s passing back in the 2013 was a very sad moment and happened midway through the filming of F&F 7. It caused a number of delays while they rewrote the script. Walker was a very well established journeyman actor and was well liked by all who knew him. This plays out sombrely in the latest film as the series has always focused on a group dynamic and championed the virtues of being part of an extended family.

The filmmakers have done a good job of staying true to Walker’s established character in the series and have successfully integrated the existing footage of Walker into the new story lines. There are only a few instances during scenes of hand-to-hand combat where it becomes somewhat obvious that there is a stand-in double being utilized.

The story line this time out follows the set up from the final scenes of the previous edition in the series, where the brother of the big bad that the group has just dispensed seeks revenge. This new character is played by action star Jason Statham and he looks to be a more permanent addition to the cast. Statham continues his few words but big fists approach with effectiveness.

Even with the solemn vibe present, the latest Fast & Furious is still a joyous thing to behold as all the cast and crew gleefully disregard the laws of physics and common sense, as they pull no punches in creating one of the most extreme automotive action films ever made. It goes way beyond the suspension of disbelief mode and enters the pure fun zone with a dedication that is an absolute thrill to behold.

Rob Hudson
www.fastandfurious7.com.au