Adam reviews the new action flick: Fast Five

Popularity: 7% [?]

Rated PG-13 – 2h10

It’s not that I didn’t like the Royal Wedding, it’s just that I needed something to wash the taste of it away and Fast Five is perfect for the job.

Somehow this movie franchise manages to keep itself from going into the ridiculous zone that most movies that hit three sequels go into. Maybe it’s the overdose of steroids injected into nearly every scene. Maybe it’s the muscle cars and the edge of your seat driving. Maybe it’s the ridiculous tough guy dialogue. This form of escapism still works for me.

This time, Dominic (Vin Diesel) and his racing buddy Brian (Paul Walker) find themselves in Rio de Janeiro, assembling a crack team of thieves, anxious for a big payoff in one final heist. Yes, that does sound like Oceans 11.   No worries about how they got here. You’re caught up within a minute of the intro credits. There’s a few twists; a pregnant girlfriend, a evil Brazilian power monger and Super FBI bad guy catcher Agent Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) on their tail.

The end credits warn you not to replicate the stunts you see in the movie. That’s good, because I considered jumping my Honda Civic off the side of moving train, then later dragging a gigantic bank vault attached to a wire behind it. Seems like something I could pull off.

Still, you can’t really pick apart the stunt work. Its one piece of a ridiculous pie that has hot chicks, reckless driving, muscle flexing and automatic weapons on the ingredient list. These are all good things. I’m just happy they pulled it all off with a straight face.

Another part of the reason that these super-charged movies work is because of the honor among thieves. When he’s not flexing his muscles, Dom is the patriarch of his band of bandits and his number one rule is family first. You’d think people willing to rob another person of millions of dollars would be more focused on the money. No, Dom raises his bottle of beer and says money will come and go, but his patched together family is more important.

A technical side note. In my opinion, this is not the fifth Fast and Furious sequel. There are five movies that bear a one form or another of the title: The Fast and the Furious (2001), 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003), The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006), Fast and Furious (2009) and Fast Five (2011).

Tokyo Drift featured neither Vin Diesel or Paul Walker, although Diesel had a cameo.  In 2 Fast 2 Furious, Diesel was absent. I say since muscle guys and muscle cars have to go together and since Diesel is the muscle, Drift and 2 Fast don’t count.

Then, calling this movie Fast Five wouldn’t really make sense, but who cares? Just drive the damn car fast.

Popularity: 8% [?]

Hope my day goes this good.

Popularity: 2% [?]

The question that might make you blush?

If you have one of THESE, chances are you’re embarrassed by it.

Here’s the incorrect answers:  Warts, pimple, mole, missing tooth, child

And the correct answer:  a Driver’s License Photo.

Popularity: 2% [?]

You used to stop at the gas station and only put a dollar or two in the tank.

A friend of mine snapped this picture yesterday.

Popularity: 2% [?]

 Fun name game!  How would William and Kate address their royal wedding invitation to you?  Start with Lady or Lord.  For your first name, pick one of your grandparents names.  Your last name is the name of your childhood pet hyphenated with the street you grew up on…my invite would be addressed to Lady Hazel Travis-Beaumont!  What’s your royal wedding guest name?

Popularity: 9% [?]

Thursday’s Brain Strain (insert plug here about Listen at 7:30am)

Women are four times more likely to do THIS than men.

Incorrect answers we got:  Cheating, Crying, Get a Facelift, Do the Grocery Shopping, Go on a Diet, Pay the Bills/Write the Checks, Say I’m Sorry, Do Laundry, Cook, Clip Coupons, Try on Clothes, Ask for Directions, Use a Credit card, Gossip, Bounce a Check.

Then we got the correct answer:  Shoplift.

Popularity: 2% [?]

I thought I had a tough task ahead of me last night.

I thought for sure my 10 year old niece would quickly get bored with a show that had no video games, no iPhone, no 3D technology and no special effects.

After both our eyes bugged out watching a Cirque du Soleil performer plunge about 40 feet onto a trampoline, then appear to run horizontally up a wall, I  knew I was wrong.

Cirque du Soleil’s Dralion show is at the Coliseum for a second show tonight.  The best way I can describe the show is that it’s impressive eye candy.  I was wrong about the special effects though.  These are live special effects.

The show includes pounding music, sometimes accompanied by a live band.  Working on the theme of earth, water, wind and fire, the show is split into a dozen or so 5-10 minute performance pieces that include acrobatics, dance, gymnastics and vibrant costume.  At times there is so much going on the stage, it was difficult to pick what to watch.

Stunning is a good way to describe most of the acts.  Woman contorting her body while doing a handstand on a 10 foot pole.  Extreme jugglers.  A jump rope pyramid. The list goes on, but I think they’re better witnessed than described.

A highlight was a five-person, twin-trampoline piece that merged artistry, anti-gravity and old fashioned fun just bouncing around.

Gotta love the clowns.  A personal treat were the clowns who fill in the gaps between the performances and work the crowd.  They are clowns in the sense that they provide the comic relief, but more or less look and dress like Charlie Chaplin.

One of the clowns made it down our aisle.  I happened to be sitting in an aisle seat, and was amongst about 10 people who were handed confetti from a sock that was in the clown’s pocket.  After presenting me with a handful, he gave the beard I’m working on a little happy face tug, like Grandma might.

We were unsure what to do with it, until he grabbed another woman from the audience to be his mock bride and it became clear that we were to throw the confetti and they walked down the aisle in a mime-style mock wedding. Nice interactive touch.

I’ve always thought there was plenty of beauty and art in dance form, but this show takes it to another level and makes it appealing. Simply said, this is brilliant family entertainment.

Popularity: 3% [?]

     Any chance you watched The Great Food Truck Race on the Food Network last year?  The food trucks started out in L.A. and they traveled to different cities together, set up shop and competed for local business.  The trucks had to buy their food locally, which was way cool.  The food ranged from burgers and hot pressed sandwiches to crepes and cajun.  Great show and they are casting for season 2 now. 

     It’s that time of year for sure.  The food carts are rolling out downtown in record numbers this year.   From barbecue to ethnic food (and comfort food too!), local businesses are competing for your dining dollar on a sidewalk near you.  Do you already have a favorite food cart?  Tell me!

Popularity: 4% [?]

The Brain Strain question from this morning at 7:30 was

According to USA Today, what was the most popular boat name in 2010?

Here’s the answers we got:  Ranger; Obsession; Jenny; AluminaCraft; Bail Out; Second Wind; Money Pit; You Betcha; Aquaholic; Cirrhosis of the River; and Maverick

Then the correct answer:  Liberty.

Popularity: 3% [?]