'The Mummy': Undead Again. By Kurt Loder Aug 2, 2008
With Rob Cohen ("The Fast and the Furious") taking over from Stephen Sommers, who directed the first two films, "Mummy 3" is an assembly-line action movie clogged with special effects of a sort that will seem special only to those who've been bricked up in an ancient tomb for the last 10 years. It helps that the blithely likable Brendan Fraser is back as stalwart explorer Rick O'Connell, and that Maria Bello has been recruited to play his equally intrepid wife, Evie, a role previously occupied... (VHI.com -- Music News)
Cars, camera, action Aug 1, 2008
It should be no surprise that, from the Keystone Kops to The Fast And The Furious, the movies have shown a fascination for cars that has lasted for more than a century. But just what is the enduring appeal of cars in the movies. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Entertainment)
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor Aug 1, 2008
com: They just won't stay dead. They just won't stay dead. (Globe and Mail -- Entertainment)
'The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor' Aug 1, 2008
Instead, as directed by "The Fast and the Furious' " Rob Cohen and written by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, this new "Mummy" can't shake its pro forma feeling. The Gough and Miller plot is certainly serviceable, but the film's feeble attempts at banter are on a par with the writers' best-forgotten work on "Shanghai Noon" and "Shanghai Knights.". (Los Angeles Times)
Crummy Mummy Aug 1, 2008
Fan as I am of Rob Cohen (Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story, The Fast And The Furious), one of the few never-stop-to-take-a-breath directors with an ounce of originality, there is very little here that doesn't seem like we've seen it before. The where-do-we-go-next script starts near Shanghai, where Alex has discovered the tomb of the ultimate emperor Han (Jet Li), builder of the Great Wall ostensibly (though several dynasties had a hand in the thing, Han being somewhere in the middle). (Edmonton Sun)
"Mummy" Shrouded In Senselessness Jul 31, 2008
The film, directed by Rob Cohen ("The Fast and the Furious") who takes the franchise's reins from Stephen Sommers, opens with our historical backdrop: a ludicrously extravagant tale of "a mythic battle between good and evil played out in ancient China," as a narrator informs. Egypt, it appears, no longer has the trademark on mummies. (CBS News)
'The Mummy,' 4 stars Jul 31, 2008
For the first Mummy film in seven years, kinetic action director Rob Cohen (XxX, The Fast and the Furious) amps up the action and visuals and keeps everything moving at a breathless pace. The result is possibly the most fun Mummy yet - call it The Uber-Mummy. (AZCentral -- Entertainment)
Movie review: The undead return in 'The Mummy' Jul 31, 2008
Cohen ("The Fast and the Furious") is one of the most talented action directors in the business. He's no hack who just stands there shaking a camera. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Nothing new: Oh, Mummy, Im bored Jul 30, 2008
Director Rob Cohen (The Fast and the Furious) fills the screen with computer-generated warriors and zombies, but Id trade them all for one Ray Harryhausen stop-motion skeleton. Theres one out-of-left-field element tossed into the Himalayan sequence that might have worked had the characters in question not looked so ridiculously fake. (MSNBC -- Movies)
Rogen's pop quiz Jul 30, 2008
Just being in an action movie is funny in that our producer is Neal Moritz who does all these action movies (The Fast and the Furious, I Am Legend). So for notes, we're used to Judd (Apatow) who will say: 'Make the emotions real. (Winnipeg Sun)
He's a Mummy's boy Jul 29, 2008
Those eyes would belong to Rob Cohen (The Fast and the Furious, Dragonheart), who takes over directing duties from Stephen Sommers. Other changes include a shift from the Middle East to China (Jet Li and Michelle Yeoh appear), a new actress playing Mrs. O'Connell (American Maria Bello takes over from England's Rachel Weisz), and a grown-up son for the semi-retired couple (Australian Luke Ford). (Globe and Mail -- Entertainment)
Comic-Con: 'Pineapple Express' Jul 28, 2008
Category: Comic-Con 2008. To a cacophony of screams and whoops, Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki filed onto the stage for the panel at on Sunday (along with show creator Eric Kripke and writers Sera Gamble and Ben Edlund). (CNN -- Showbiz)
Comic-Con: All the Saturday scoop Jul 27, 2008
Category: Comic-Con 2008. The funniest event at. (CNN -- Showbiz)
Comic-Con treats filmmakers as royalty Jul 24, 2008
Rob Cohen, on the other hand, lost the credibility he had gained with The Fast and the Furious with a weak preview of Stealth, the Jamie Foxx action film that was dead on arrival when it hit theaters in 2005. "Any success I've got, you really have to give to the fans here, and they don't give it lightly" Snyder says. (USA Today -- Life)
Dozens of new Nebraska laws go into effect Friday Jul 18, 2008
Lawmakers thought the change was needed in an age of high-performance motorcycles and movies such as "The Fast and the Furious," which they said encourage people to speed. -- Statewide tests for students will replace Nebraska's piecemeal testing system that makes comparison of school districts nearly impossible. (Sioux City Journal, IO)
Alex Rodriguez, Joan Sutherland, Elvis Costello Jul 7, 2008
Rodriguez appeared in one season of ABC's "Lost," and her film credits include "The Fast and The Furious," "Blue Crush" and "Girlfight.". (AP). (International Herald Tribune -- Arts)
Wanted: Bullet-bending thriller Jun 29, 2008
This is the kind of hokery you'd expect from a story drawn from a graphic novel, and scripted by the same scribes who worked on 3:10 to Yuma and two sequels to The Fast and the Furious. But who wants to quibble over physics or logic when the magic is this mesmerizing. (Toronto Star)
Not waving, drowning Jun 27, 2008
She likes pop music (Timbaland, Powderfinger and Eskimo Joe), blockbuster movies (The Fast And The Furious, Troy and Bad Boys II), and reading trashy romance. Her favourite TV program is The Footy Show. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Australia)
Brendan Fraser becomes summers action king Jun 25, 2008
Director Cohen (The Fast and the Furious) takes over for Stephen Sommers. Web site: Release date: Aug. 1. (MSNBC -- Movies)
Gears of War Movie Gets a Director Jun 18, 2008
Chris Morgan has been drafted in to pen the script for New Line - his previous credits include The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift and the upcoming Wanted. The project, which was initially slated for a 2009 bow, is now set tentatively for release the following year. (IGN FilmForce)
Director chosen for "Gears of War" feature Jun 17, 2008
Chris Morgan, who wrote the upcoming Universal action features "Wanted" and "The Fast and the Furious 4," has been hired to write the screenplay. Wiseman and Morgan will develop the story treatment. (Reuters)
* OTHER RELEASES Jun 13, 2008
Heres a morality tale about a Japanese high school student (Keiko Kitagawa, from The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift) who is just the pits. She exploits her friends, disrespects her parents, lies to former beaus and does just about everything she can to be horrid while trading on her alluring looks. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
Drifting incident upsets residents Jun 10, 2008
It s a technique most often seen in action movies such as The Fast and the Furious, in which stunt drivers skid a car around a tight corner. It s harder than it looks. (Corvallis Gazette Times, OR)
Action's Evolution Jun 8, 2008
In these years, the most encouraging signs have come from two movies from director Rob Cohen, "The Fast and the Furious" (2001) and "XXX" (2002), which showed that it was possible to make a nonstop action film and still give it a human quality. In both cases, the films had a straightforward premise and a charismatic actor (Vin Diesel) at or near the center of the action. (San Francisco Chronicle -- Entertainment)
Vin Diesel: Dad for the first time Jun 7, 2008
After announcing his involvement in the movie, Vin who will return to his role as carjacker Dominic Toretto - said: I think me doing the cameo in The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift confirmed a lot of things for me. It confirmed that if you create a role that the world kind of identifies with, or the world adopts, sometimes you have that responsibility to revisit that role. (AZCentral -- Entertainment)
'Pacifier' star now has real use for them Jun 7, 2008
Diesels screen credits also include The Fast and the Furious, Boiler Room and Saving Private Ryan. Hell next be seen in the sci-fi movie Babylon A.D., slated for release Aug. 29. (MSNBC -- News)
Seeing All the Sites... Jun 3, 2008
We also saw sets from "The Fast and the Furious," "King Kong," "JAWS," "Back to the Future," the famous Bates Hotel from the movie "Psycho," "The Grinch's Who-ville" and many other sets like New York streets and an old western town. Then we rode a few of the featured rides including the Jurassic Park River Ride and the Mummy ride. (Bgsufalcons.com)
Change of script but studio show goes on Jun 3, 2008
The next stop was a simulated car explosion modelled on The Fast And The Furious: Tokyo Drift. With each fake explosion, controlled flames burst into the air. (Sydney Morning Herald -- World)
Bow Wow Turns Focus To Acting May 24, 2008
On the acting side, he recently wrapped the indie "Driving Lessons" and has appeared in the features "Roll Bounce," "The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift," "Johnson Family Vacation" and "All About the Benjamins.". Rapper Common has chosen "Universal Mind Control (U.M.C.)" as the first single from his upcoming album, "Invincible Summer," due in mid-July via Geffen. (Billboard.com)
The week's best films May 17, 2008
A fuel-injected follow-up to The Fast And The Furious that lacks the doubtful charm of Vin Diesel. Singleton replaces Rob Cohen behind the wheel, revving up a brainless tale involving speedy cop Paul Walker who, with ex-con chum Tyrese and girlfriend Eva Mendes in tow, infiltrates drug baron Cole Hauser's set-up. (Guardian Unlimited -- Arts)
Top 10 adrenaline packedvacations May 9, 2008
Drag racingIf your adrenaline pumps just watching "The Fast and the Furious", your heart will feel like it's about to come out of your chest when you experience the real thing. Street racing is illegal, but law-abiding drag-racing schools abound. (MSNBC -- Travel)
Yune Becomes Ninja Assasin May 2, 2008
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Rick Yune, who had roles in The Fast and the Furious and Die Another Day, will star opposite Korean superstar Rain - who plays a man bought up in an orphanage functioning as a "ninja farm". He comes into conflict with Yune's character when the ninja turns his back on tradition and tries to embrace the modern world. (IGN FilmForce)
Film review: '88 Minutes' drags on for an eternity Apr 20, 2008
Much of the unrelenting ineptitude in 88 Minutes comes courtesy of screenwriter Gary Scott Thompson ( The Fast and the Furious ), whose frantic, disjointed storytelling suggests too many trips to Seattle's Best Coffee. Nobody speaks or behaves like a real human: Pacino knows somebody's stalking him, but avoids following a suspicious stranger; the serial killer is interviewed live on MSNBC in the hour leading up to his execution (even Nancy Grace hasn't descended that low just yet); and at one... (San Diego Union-Tribune)
* [ Film Review ] Bad cop, bad movie Apr 18, 2008
Director David Ayer (writer of Training Day and cowriter of The Fast and the Furious) has also been fingered as a scripting suspect, but he is not identified by name in the final line-up. If youve seen the trailer, know that about half of whats in it isnt in the final movie. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
"88 Minutes" Apr 18, 2008
By the time we find out who the killer really is, we've entertained so many possibilities that one culprit is as good as another: Avnet and screenwriter Gary Scott Thompson (who wrote the B-movie joyride "The Fast and the Furious") try to stuff so much suspense into the corners that nothing in the movie has any weight or consequence. Pacino, at least, takes it all in stride. (Salon)
Film review: ‘88 Minutes’ is 107 minutes too long Apr 17, 2008
There are plenty of titters to be had, though, from the silly characters, awful dialogue and overabundance of red herrings presented by screenwriter Gary Scott Thompson, whose credits include The Fast and the Furious. Pacino plays Jack Gramm, a forensic psychiatry professor in Seattle whose testimony helped put Jon Forster (Neal McDonough) on death row for the torture slaying of a young woman 10 years earlier. (Somerset Daily American, PA)
Action-packed drifting starting to take off Apr 17, 2008
The 2006 movie The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift centered on the drifting culture in Japan and features several Formula Drift competitors as stunt drivers ... By Nate Ryan, USA TODAY If you have seen The Fast and the Furious movies, you probably are familiar with the Japanese import known as drifting, which pits highly modified street cars in a frenetic battle of technical skill on tight courses. (USA Today -- Sports)
Sony sticks with Neal Moritz Apr 16, 2008
His films for Sony and other studios include "I Am Legend," "Click," "The Fast and the Furious" franchise and the "XXX" films ... Among Moritz's pics set to bow this year is Columbia's Patrick Dempsey starrer "Made of Honor." He is developing "The Green Hornet" for the studio as well as the recent acquisition "Battle: Los Angeles." Other titles on Original's slate include "R.I.P.D.," to be directed by David Dobkin; "Man Witch," to be helmed by Todd Phillips; and a remake of "Escape From New... (Variety)
Fast and Furious Details Apr 15, 2008
April 14, 2008 - Buckle up Fast and the Furious fans ... Details for The Fast and the Furious 4. (IGN FilmForce)
Aliens vs. L.A. Apr 12, 2008
April 11, 2008 - Neal Moritz, the producer who brought you The Fast and the Furious franchise, will oversee Battle: Los Angeles -- an upcoming sci-fi flick that pits a group of Marines against alien invaders. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Columbia Pictures has picked up the script by Chris Bertolini for Moritz to produce via his Original Films banner. (IGN FilmForce)
Openings Galore Apr 12, 2008
Justin Lin ("Better Luck Tomorrow," "Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift") is an A-list filmmaker. But most Chinese stars in Hollywood are not American-based (Jackie Chan, Jet Li, etc. (San Francisco Chronicle -- Entertainment)
'Street Kings': Bad Lieutenants, By Kurt Loder Apr 12, 2008
The problem with the picture isn't the actors although director David Ayer (who wrote "Training Day," but who also wrote "The Fast and the Furious") has somehow managed to compel Forest Whitaker to overact in the most alarming way, especially in his hysterical final scene. The problem isn't the film's violence, either, although some of it is particularly vicious. (VHI.com -- Music News)
Deadly Crash in Bristol Haunts Many Lives Apr 8, 2008
He had three young friends in his car, and investigators say he was trying a high-speed cornering maneuver popularized in the movie "The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift." He lost control, slid sideways into the Lehmanns' oncoming Ford Taurus and then plowed roof-first into a utility pole. Landry, 17-year-old Myles Gosselin, and Jordan Gagnon and Alyssa Roy, both 16, died. (FOX61, CT)
Quaid, Gibson Join Legion Mar 29, 2008
UK, March 28, 2008 - The cast of apocalyptic thriller Legion, which stars Paul Bettany as Archangel Michael, has been fleshed out today, with Dennis Quaid (Vantage Point), Tyrese Gibson (Transformers) and Lucas Black (The Fast and the Furious) all joining the production, according to Variety. The film, directed by first time helmer Scott Stewart ; previously a visual effects director for films like Pirates of the Caribbean and Grindhouse ; revolves around Bettany's angel standing between mankind... (IGN FilmForce)
Tobey Maguire hot for sci-fi "Afterburn" Mar 28, 2008
BEIJING, March 28 -- Tobey Maguire is teaming up with the producer of the "Fast and the Furious" films to bring a new comic book series to the big screen ... Maguire, who is also producing a live-action adaptation of the anime classic "Robotech," has a cameo in Ben Stiller's August 15 comedy release "Tropic Thunder." Moritz is developing the fourth installment of "Fast and the Furious," which reunites Vin Diesel and Paul Walker, the stars of the first film. (Xinhuanet, China)
Street Fighter Movie Rundown : We look at how the upcoming videogame adaptation ... Mar 26, 2008
-- Asian American actor Rick Yune, who has previously appeared in Die Another Day and The Fast and the Furious, will play master assassin Gen. At age 36, the good-looking Yune wouldn't have been our first pick for the gnarled, mystical warrior. They've either substantially younged-up the character for the movie or Yune is going to be in make-up for a long time. (IGN FilmForce)
'Never Back Down' fights off teen-action stereotypes Mar 20, 2008
Slightly lower are unpolished gems like The Fast and the Furious that sacrifice some quality in plot and dialogue for adrenaline-inducing action sequences. Finally come the films that cause more pain to their audience than their stuntmen. (The Cavalier Daily, VA)
Another step toward mainstream Mar 15, 2008
Never Back Down, the mixed martial arts film that can pro 00004000 bably best be summarized as The Karate Kid meets The Fast and the Furious, opens this Friday at theaters nationwide. If you're an MMA fan, there's almost no way you wouldn't know this. (MSNBC -- Sports)
Bow Wow hits the big 2-1 Mar 15, 2008
The youngest solo rapper to reach No. 1 on the U.S. charts has made BIG bucks in the movies ( Roll Bounce, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift ); shown off his Atlanta and Miami homes - and luxury automobiles - on MTV s Cribs ; and this weekend he s celebrating his official entrance into adulthood. And what better place is there to turn legal than in sin city itself. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
Keeping an eye on street racing Mar 15, 2008
Glamorized in the film, "The Fast And The Furious", drag racing has been around for more than 50 years, but now Tulsa police say it's becoming more of a problem. Officers say racing has recently geared up on many of our busiest streets and our busiest highways. (FOX23.com, OK)
Rodriguez Returning for Furious 4 Mar 8, 2008
March 6, 2008 - According to her official website, Michelle Rodriguez has signed on to reprise her role as "Letty" in the 4th installment of The Fast and the Furious movie series ... The Fast and the Furious 4 is expected to film this March in Los Angeles, Mexico and the Dominican Republic ... Connections for The Fast and the Furious 4. (IGN FilmForce)
Where are all the heroes? Feb 29, 2008
Diesel, anointed the next big thing after The Fast And The Furious and before xXx, has mostly been in a string of duds since then. More a sight gag than a performer, the bovine, robotic Diesel had his most recent success with The Pacifier, a not-especially-funny comedy in which he played a Schwarzenegger-like bodyguard charged with protecting a family of demonically annoying children. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Entertainment)
Danger isn't curbing street races Feb 28, 2008
Racing in the streets has been going on practically since the automobile was invented and has long been celebrated in song and on film, from James Dean's "Rebel Without a Cause" in the 1950s to the chrome-wheeled, fuel-injected rock anthems of Bruce Springsteen in the 1970s and recent movies like "The Fast and the Furious.". And despite stepped-up patrols, speed bumps, the seizure of cars and the risk of deadly accidents like the one that killed eight spectators in Maryland on Feb. 16,... (MSNBC -- Crime)
Universal's re-born identity Feb 23, 2008
The latter group include revivals of "The Mummy," "Hellboy" and "The Incredible Hulk," as well as another "The Fast and the Furious.". U also launched a lucrative venture last week with Hasbro to make films out of its toy and board game properties. (Variety)
The Boys in Columbia Feb 22, 2008
Producer Neal H. Mortiz, he of The Fast and the Furious and xXx fame, is working on the flick at his Original Film production company which is setup at Sony. The series tracks a superpowered CIA squad, informally known as "the Boys," comprised of Billy Butcher, The Frenchman, Mother's Milk, The Female, and Wee Hughie. (IGN FilmForce)
With 8 Dead, Drag Racing Gets Hard Look Feb 18, 2008
Movies like "The Fast and the Furious," along with video games, have tapped into the popularity of street drag racing -- but a deadly crash this weekend highlighted the dangers of the illegal sport. Related Stories. (ABC News)
What's Ahead Feb 15, 2008
Brian O Conner s saga of The Fast and the Furious continues Friday evening with 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003). Stripped of his badge, O Connor leaves LA for Miami to redeem himself. (Coos Bay-North Bend The World, OR)
Friday Daily Digest Feb 8, 2008
Vin Diesel stars in the 2001 movie The Fast and the Furious at the Egyptian Theatre on Friday. The show starts at 7 p.m., with the box office open one hour before showtime. (Coos Bay-North Bend The World, OR)
Gamers preferring Wii Feb 3, 2008
Then look at their box-office takings compared to brain-light fare such as The Fast And The Furious. The complexity of games such as Call Of Duty, Halo 3 or Grand Theft Auto 3 is far greater than any movie (unsurprisingly, since a film has to be complete in at most three hours, compared to a $80 videogame that has to last 10 times as long to be satisfying). (Hindu)
Movies preview: 8 awaited titles for the 2008 viewing season Feb 1, 2008
It's just a guess, but some combination of Fraser, Maria Bello, Jet Li and Michelle Yeoh must be messing around with a dragon emperor's tomb under the direction of Rob Cohen (The Fast and the Furious). Madagascar: The Crate Escape (Nov. (USA Today -- Life)
Ad Track: A Bronx Bomber is Bowl bound; more Super stuff Jan 21, 2008
The 60-second ad, developed in-house at Under Armour and directed by Ericson Core (director of photography for The Fast and the Furious), features former NFL player and Under Armour employee Eric Ogbogu. Jeter jitters. (USA Today -- Money)
Michelle Rodriguez out of jail after 18 days Jan 11, 2008
Her film credits include The Fast and The Furious, Blue Crush and Girlfight. . (MSNBC -- News)
Don't try this at home: Stuntwars comes to Lakeland Jan 9, 2008
Between events, spectators will be treated to exhibitions of freestyle motorcross and car drifting -- a stunt highlighted in the 2006 movie The Fast and the Furious, Tokyo Drift, where drivers spin cars sideways around the track. Helicopter rides also will be available. (Florida Today)
Bow Wow: 'I'm growing up' Jan 3, 2008
The former Lil' Bow Wow has six albums, four feature films - including All About the Benjamins and The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift - and several TV appearances to his credit. His last solo CD, 2006's The Price of Fame, spawned a string of hit singles, including the No. 1 track Shortie Like Mine, recorded with current tour mate Chris Brown. (AZCentral -- Entertainment)
'Lost' actress begins jail term Dec 27, 2007
It was the latest chapter in a long-running saga of legal woes that has embroiled Rodriguez, who has also appeared in films such as 'The Fast and the Furious', 'S.W.A.T.', and 'Resident Evil. In June 2004, Rodriguez pleaded no contest to charges of hit-and-run and drunken driving relating to two incidents the previous year and was sentenced to two days in prison, ordered to perform community service and placed on three years probation. (iAfrica.com)
