Fast and Furious 7

Sexy ladies. Macho cars. Awesome drivers. Great action. Heartfelt story. Family and brotherhood.

I am a lover of great action movies. Put some fascinating action scenes in a movie with a solid story line and I am definitely in. Fast and Furious 7, though, is more than that. It is a fitting tribute to a good guy called Paul Walker. I am not sure if they meant to end the series this way but I think anybody who has watched can’t help but be moved about how this group of people came to bond together and create a solid relationship with each other. The chemistry they have really shows onscreen and it would be hard for die-hard fans to move on if this is going to be the last film. (Update: There are talks that they’ll be back for an 8th movie. Pfft.)

A lot of people have been emotional about this movie, especially the ending. Why won’t they if they couldn’t help but feel the love, the friendship and the brotherhood stars Vin Diesel and Paul Walker shared with each other? It was definitely devastating when Walker got killed in a car accident more than a year ago. Everyone was shocked and saddened by the terrible news. I guess these emotions were felt by the people behind the movie, and that is why they put a lot of effort in each scene. More importantly, they made it heart-tugging.

I can only imagine how those who have been faithfully watching the series since the start reacted to FF7. I’m a fan of the film even though it’s not the best of the best action movies there is. But even though I have only watched a few in the series, I can tell that this one’s got a lot more heart than the rest. It still lived up to the action expected from it, from the wild car action sequences to the impossible human stunts that they do. The story might get a little absurd but it’s all art of the fun that is known in FF films.

Fast and Furious 7‘s movie rating by the pondering movie fan: 4 out of 5

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Avengers: Age of Ultron (movie review)

I have enjoyed the first Avengers movie better than this sequel, but one can tell that there’s a certain level of maturity that the Age of Ultron has shown. The characters were given more depth, the cast displayed a great deal of chemistry, the vsual effects are ultra-cool and the story has had a good and smooth flow. The writers were able to weave through the rich story of these Avengers and along the way; one can tell each one is going to have a thoughtful, or even good, ending.

Also, there’s still this good humor that Joss Whedon is able to instill in every part of the movie. Whether during a light moment or a heavy one, a lighthearted line or a funny gesture brings lightness to a rather heavy story.

Needless to say, the Marvel movie is every bit packed with action. Other action movies would be shy they’re called action movies because this one doesn’t stop from bringing in the goods. The action scenes are consistently thrilling! I especially love the slow-motion group battle scenes sort of montage. I can’t help but say that the movie’s the best action movie since the first Avengers! Sorry, Bryan Singer, but Joss Whedon seemed to have the real magic when it comes to bringing comic characters into real great live action films. My most favorite comics/ cartoon of all time is none other than X-Men but its movie versions don’t come really close (except to the first X-Men film) to the greatness that is The Avengers.

Let’s talk about Joss Whedon. The director and self-proclaimed comic lover has come a long way since his Buffy The Vampire Slayer days. He’s become one of the favorites in Hollywood and I think that statement in itself is an understatement. Huge projects such as The Avengers and its sequel were given to his hands and thank goodness because he’s able to execute these stories well and turn them into two of the most enjoyable comic movies ever. I love what he did with the series and I can’t seem to wait for the next installment.

Age of Ultron binds the original Avengers team to ultimately eradicate Hydra. They were successful in destroying the enemies’ base but a mysterious artifact that they have taken has unleashed Ultron, which took over  Iron Man’s computer intelligence, Jervis. Ultron acquired the skill of controlling some of Iron Man’s metallic armors, weapons and robots. Complicating matters is the presence of twin mutants, Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver, who hold key roles in this movie. Will the Avengers be able to stop the onslaught that Ultron is brewing to take over the world?

If you haven’t watch this movie yet, it’s not too late. The money and time you will spend watching it is worth it.

Avengers: Age of Ultron‘s movie rating by the pondering movie fan: 4.5 out of 5