Saturday, June 08, 2013

Review of the Week: Fast & Furious 6

0 comments Posted by Katina at 8:00 PM

The phenomenon that is the Furious franchise came as somewhat of a massive shock to me as I got to the cinema on Thursday night...


Then the audience were in fits of laughter for half of the film - I didn't find it all that amusing, but on asking two teenage boys afterwards and them saying it was awesome, I understood just a little bit. I think people have really gotten to appreciate the characters. I get that about LOTR or even Harry Potter and Twilight - but still, these guys?...

Anyway, I got through it. And it was alright.

Fast & Furious 6 (M)
FAST cars, flash women and some pumping beats count for a lot of men’s biggest viewing pleasures at the cinemas, and nothing seems to have quite had as big an effect on the big screen in recent years as the Fast and Furious franchise, now stretching 12 years and six films.
While the series has made a couple of jumps in the story’s overall timeline, the basics for the latest addition to the series is knowing that Dominic (Vin Diesel), Brian (Paul Walker) and their crew are international criminals after a heist in Fast Five (2011), and they’ve suffered through the death of Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) in fourth film Fast and Furious (2009).
This slice of the Furious pie gives flashbacks to these events for those supposedly few in the cinema not in the know - but while that’s sorted, you may be still pondering how Letty comes back from the dead. Yes, a prodigal cog in the wheel returns.
Dominic is coerced into helping Diplomatic Security Service agent Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) when he discovers Letty is alive. He and his ‘family’ must try and track down Shaw (Luke Evans), who destroyed a Russian military convoy.
You could say credit’s due to returning director Justin Lin and writer Chris Morgan, in that they don’t let the story get in the way of some action and intense car chases. After all, by this point the franchise is well and truly for the fans. And they don’t disappoint.



sehartv.com

Said car chases threaten to bury the story as a whole, but the appreciation for the sense of family that increases throughout the films results in character development surprising to those outside the Furious fan sphere.

The crew have all found some sort of contentment after the last film; that is obvious enough. But like any hothead who can’t resist a thrill-seeking escapade, they can’t sit still. They’re not a group that claim to be reformed, but they were meant to be done and got back in the game. That’s what some will do for family.
The cast, which also includes rapper Ludacris, Tyrese Gibson and Sung Kang, are given some incredibly cringy lines which attempt to put across some form of slapstick comedy. Thankfully, the action is plentiful and slick; one car chase was practically ripped right out of The Dark Knight trilogy.
This instalment will please fans as it continues the family story, but at 130 minutes it’s a long ride. It gives the fans what they want and doesn’t build unnecessary expectation - oh, except for a post-credits scene they’ll wet themselves in excitement for.

Rating: 3/5
*Published in the Daily Liberal (Dubbo), Western Advocate (Bathurst), Parkes Champion Post and Midstate Observer (Orange) from Saturday 8/6/2013

MISSED LAST WEEK'S REVIEW? See what I thought of The Great Gatsby.

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Tuesday, June 04, 2013

Romantic horoscopes: Katina says no

0 comments Posted by Katina at 8:28 PM

My horoscope was bullshit today.

Pushing the argument of the validity of horoscopes aside, any day when they turn to the subject of love/companionship I usually baulk - purely because it's not relevant.

Today's was something along the lines of that I'm about to enter a new phase centred on love and that today in particular I may meet someone uncommonly interesting.

I left for work knowing exactly how my day would pan out and being pretty certain that it wouldn't involve meeting anyone new, let alone interesting.

I ran late for work, again, and didn't really care. The day was as average as any other day.

I was on a normal sub-editing shift, stumbled across two potential stories I couldn't chase because of said sub-editing, had slices of the Finnish apple pie I finally made for lunch (because I like my decadence and money's tight before pay-night tomorrow - and it tasted fabulous), read up on some Adelaide and Sydney news and did more sub-editing. Blah.

I did step outside to sit in the sun for half an hour and read Empire but that's as far from the workplace as I got. Chance of interaction with a stranger: minimal. I also went to a Relay For Life meeting (as I'm on the volunteer committee), and now I'm about to watch the soccer. Day over. Eventfulness: zero (unless the Socceroos win).

***

The point is really to say that giving me any form of excitement in this department through predictions hiding in the stars is unwise. Even if worded as nicely as it was today, I'd rather wake up to read something that's actually going to give me purpose to get through the day. Not crap that points out the everlasting lack of romanticism within my existence.

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