The Musk Rat is back in the news as Tesla takes a dive this week. That and John gives us some much awaited Sam Bankman-Fried news as his sentencing is sentenced. Plus a lightning round of Highway to the Hellhouse, right here on Zero Credit(s).
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Live long enough to die a hero or become a villain, that’s what they say and boy if they aren’t right. We’ve gone some disheartening news about Fast and Furious and some hilarious but disparaging news about the ever increasing use cases for AI. That and less, right here on Zero Credit(s).
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What if we told you that the first Fast and Furious movie was not the first Fast and Furious movie, but an even older entry in the franchise, not only exists, but haunts the very electromagnetic spectrum waves that inhabit our internet? Well it’s true, buddy, and buckle up, cause this is a wild and crazy ride of 1950’s values. Directed and starring John Ireland, this movie is…something. Let’s explore it together, right here on Zero Credit(s).
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In 2020, a man had a vision. Car go space? Justin Lin was assigned the task and boy, does he ever technically deliver. But is the 9th installment of this time-honored franchise a good entry into the official canon of American muscle cars? Only time will tell, folks. Only time will tell. Until then, here’s our hastily rendered opinions based on vague memories and feelings of sitting in a theatre without the ability to take notes!
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In late 2018, several men and women had a vision. What if characters from one movie could appear in their own movie, separate from the series of movies they’re from? I mean, is that possible? So these men and women gathered some scientists and filled them with nitro to develop the world’s first ever spin-off of that time honored, wholly American muscle series: Fast and Furious (Cinematic Universe). The result is a 2 hour plus octane-to-the-brain thrill ride filled with more muscles than muscle cars and a whole, lot, of, ice, cold, ass, whopping. Whooping? No. Hobbs and Shaw is a movie directed by David Leitch (Deadpool 2, John Wick) and written by Chris Morgan (like 90% of the FFCU) that stars FFCU alums Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham reprising their titular characters Luke Hobbs and Deckard Shaw. Vanessa Kirby (Jupiter Ascending? Oof, sorry Vanessa) gets thrown in for good measure.
Does this movie earn its place in America’s favorite fast-car based franchise? Let’s find out and put the muscle to the road. The street always wins. Vroom.
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In 2017, a series had a vision. To bring an end to everything it had been building for the past 16 years. That series was the Fast and Furious Cinematic Universe and this is that end. With a new director in F. Gary Gray and the same ole Chris Morgan blood pumping through its veins, this movie sought to be what no other FFCU movie could be. Somewhat decent. We’ve seen the highs, the lows, and the lower lows, but for the first time we experience the upper middle. Characters emote more than they ever have before. Enemies become quipping, babysitting friends. And Roman fulfills his destiny. All of these moments and more, we discuss in this Supplemental Reading as we bid the FFCU adieu.
Until next time, friends. See you in 2019.
Music
Summon the Rawk Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
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In 2015, Justin Lin had a dream, to direct other movies. So another man stepped up to fill the void he left. That man was James Wan. Famed director of the Saw series and The Conjuring. A veteran of horror movies joined the FFCU to create a monster of a movie with a plot so convoluted, you might as well saw off your foot to get free from it. All your favorite names appear in the opening credits, just to get cameo treatments as this movie has little to do with them. Oh and don’t even get me started on the camera work, the lack of finesse in cutting between cuts, and the overall botched dialogue. Look, it’s a rough ride. But there are some redeeming qualities. I won’t spoil them here. Or anywhere else. Just listen and watch or watch and listen. You’ll see/hear for yourself.
Music:
Summon the Rawk Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
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In 2011, a man had a dream. A dream to create the best action/car/heist movie of all time set in Brazil, using an already established franchise and characters people already knew. Unfortunately, Hannah Barbara would not give up the rights to Speed Buggy, so Justin Lin had to fall back to The Fast and Furious Franchise instead. For fun, he brought along Chris Morgan, writer of the previous film, for a lark and knocked the entire movie out of the park. It’s all here. Everyone you’ve ever loved. All the cars you kind of tolerate. And even new friends and foes in the form of Dwanye Johnson, aka the only thing missing from the previous movies. Buckle everything up. It’s five types of fast and it’s all for you.
Music:
Summon the Rawk Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
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In the gone-by year of 2006, famed director Justin Lin was a virtually unknown, untested director with nothing but a name and a dream. A dream to unite the passion of American and German film while exploring the third, unrelated culture of Japan through the eyes of a piece of wood masquerading as a person. Justin Lin set out to see this dream become a reality and to answer a question. What happens when the stakes are raised so high, you have to leave the country? To answer this question, he made a movie. He cast a piece of wood as the lead and taught that piece of wood to turn, wait for it, in a car. Whereas America is known for its wide open roads with no turns whatsoever, Japan has to practice a discipline known as the economy of space by inventing the turn. And the Japanese people have been turning for centuries, if not eons. So what happens when we take an American piece of wood, stick it behind a tricked out super car, and put it on the world famous Japanese turning roads?
Art.
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