Fast And Furious Presents: Hobbs And Shaw

2019 Universal Pictures

Rated: PG-13

Length: 2 hr 17min

Action ~ Adventure ~ Thriller

Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, Idris Elba, Vanessa Kirby, Eiza González, Cliff Curtis, and Helen Mirren.

Nothing is stronger than family.

Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw centers on two reluctant allies, Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) and Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham), who are forced to team up amidst a high-stakes pursuit of a powerful super virus that could potentially wipe out the entire human race. The story begins in London, where MI6 agent Hattie Shaw ( Vanessa Kirby), Deckard’s younger sister, acquires a programmable super virus called “Snowflake” from a cyberterrorist group named Eteon. After a violent attack by Brixton Lore (Idris Elba), an enhanced ex-MI6 agent with cybernetic abilities who kills her team, Hattie injects herself with the virus to keep it from falling into enemy hands and is then framed as a criminal on the run.

Hobbs, an ex-DSS agent estranged from his Samoan family, and Shaw, an ex-MI6 agent with a complicated past, are independently tasked to track down the missing virus by CIA Agent Victor Locke (Played by Ryan Reynolds in an uncredited Cameo Role). They initially clash due to their rivalry but eventually must collaborate to find and rescue Hattie. Their mission leads them through intense action sequences, including a daring car chase and battles against Eteon’s forces, as the trio uncovers the deadly potential of the virus and the high stakes of Brixton’s plan for global dominance.

They try to trick their way into the Eteon Lab where there is a virus extraction machine that can recover the virus capsules from inside Hattie. But the machine is damaged as they escape the lab with it. With everyone looking for them after Eteon plastered their pictures all over every news media in the world, Hobbs decides there is only one place they can go. The one place he never wanted to go back to, home to Samoa. Knowing that they would be safe on the remote island with his estranged family long enough to fix the machine and extract the virus, they head to Samoa.

Hobbs has a complicated but deep relationship with his brother Jonah, who initially feels hurt and neglected because Hobbs had been absent from his family’s life for a long time. When Hobbs returns to Samoa, there’s tension between them, but they eventually begin to reconnect and rebuild their bond. This reconciliation is important because it not only strengthens their family ties but also becomes vital in the fight ahead, and Hobbs knows that Jonah has the expertise and the technology to fix the Virus Capsule extraction machine.

The Samoan community, led by Hobbs and supported by his brother and other family members, comes together to prepare for an epic battle against Brixton, who threatens global destruction with a deadly virus. The brothers draw on their Samoan heritage and warrior spirit, merging traditional strength and modern tactics to stand against the coming enemy. This powerful alliance of family and community showcases themes of unity, loyalty, and courage as they put everything on the line to protect humanity from a catastrophic threat. Their fight is not just personal—it is a struggle for the survival of innocent lives everywhere.

I have seen this movie a few times and I was anxious to watch it again after I found out it was going to be on Netflix with most of The Fast And The Furious Franchise. It does not disappoint, with such Star Power, how could it? I am a huge Jason Statham fan and a big fan of Dwayne Johnson, and the two together are perfect in my opinion. More, please! I had forgotten how much of a Bad-Ass Vanessa Kirby is in this movie, from the very beginning she holds her own with Statham and Johnson, giving The Rock a run for his money in one scene. Awesome job by Vanessa! I just watched her in Night Always Comes and really enjoyed her in that one as well. I thought she was really good as Josephine De Beauharnais in Napoleon, which is a really good movie also.

I feel like I could go on for days about this movie I like it so much….Idris Alba is excellent as the evil cyborg trying to rid the planet of the weak side of humanity. That motorcycle of his is something else! Wicked special effects on that one! And the last part of the movie where Hobbs goes home to Samoa is great. Watching his Mom break bad with a flip-flop that EVERYONE on the island respects was hilarious and heart-warming. You see the love and sense of family they all have for each other. Getting a glimpse of the Samoan culture and their fierce Warrior Spirit was awe-Inspiring. Kevin Hart also has an uncredited Cameo as a US Air Marshall. And on and on and on….. Seriously….do yourself a favor..

Grab A Beverage,

Make Some Popcorn

And Stream This Movie!

And when the credits start to roll don’t look away,

there are two more small scenes in the midst of the credits,

Don’t Miss Them!

Napoleon

Night Always Comes

Drop

2025 Universal Pictures

Rated: PG-13

Length: 1 hr 35min

Drama ~ Mystery ~ Psychological Thriller

Directed by: Christopher Landon

Starring: Meghann Fahy, Brandon Sklenar, Violett Beane, and Jeffery Self.

Everyone’s A Suspect.

Meghann Fahy stars as Violet. In the opening scene we see Violet being physically beaten and abused by her mentally distraught husband in front of their young son Toby. He has a gun and threatens to kill Violet, then turns to their son and threatens to kill him. He then hands the gun to Violet and tells her to go ahead and shoot him. You see her hand on the gun and her finger tighten on the trigger……then blackness and silence. Fast forward and the widowed Therapist Violet is having a video appointment with one of her abuse victim patients over her laptop in her house. Her sister Jen (Violett Beane) arrives to watch Toby after convincing her sister Violet that it was time to get back into the dating game. Violet has agreed to go on a date with Henry (Brandon Sklenar), a charming Chicago City Photographer, at an upscale downtown high-rise restaurant. Violet is nervous but hopeful as she waits for Henry, interacting with the restaurant’s lively staff and fellow diners, while the city’s night pulses beneath them.

Instead of a normal date night however, Violet’s evening quickly turns into a psychological nightmare. She begins receiving unsettling messages and memes via a phone app called “DigiDrop”, messages that escalate in menace and reveal that someone is watching her every move. The situation becomes much darker when she checks her home security cameras and sees a masked intruder inside her house, threatening the lives of her son and sister. The anonymous tormentor insists Violet follow a series of increasingly dangerous instructions, making it clear that any attempt to ask for help will result in immediate harm to her family. Trapped in the restaurant and under constant surveillance, Violet is forced into a tense game of cat and mouse. The tormentor’s demands become more sinister, culminating in an order for Violet to kill Henry by poisoning him, linking the mystery to sensitive information Henry possesses in his camera, evidence that could expose corruption at the Mayor’s office. As Violet struggles to outwit her faceless adversary and protect her loved ones, she must make impossible choices, all while maintaining a façade before the unsuspecting patrons and staff around her.

Drop is a Rom-Com Psychological thriller that begins in classic romantic comedy territory: Violet, a widowed mother, sets out on her first date in years with Henry, a charming photographer she met online. Their initial interactions are awkward, sweet, and filled with the kind of banter and flirtation typical of a rom com, there’s hope, nerves, and the possibility of new love. This is punctuated by funny moments, such as interruptions from an overly eager waiter and playful exchanges that give the date a light-hearted sheen. But “Drop” is equally a psychological thriller, and these romantic-comedy tropes quickly unravel when Violet starts receiving menacing “drops” on her phone, chilling memes and instructions that threaten her family and force her into a frantic game of psychological survival. The tension mounts as Violet must navigate this nightmare while maintaining the appearance of a normal romantic dinner. The constant surveillance, tech-enabled threats, and Violet’s trauma-filled backstory intertwine suspense with the drama of relationship building. This blend of romance, comedy, and nail-biting mind games creates a unique atmosphere, making Drop a riveting nail-biting experience watching Violet balance love, danger, and her fight for control.

Drop was based on an actual AirDrop experience that Platinum Dunes producer Cameron Fuller and his friend, actor Sam Lerner, had while on vacation. Their phones blew up with anonymous, increasingly threatening drop messages that stopped, giving them no information about who or why they were targeted. Screenwriters Jillian Jacobs and Christopher Roach turned their experience into a worst-case scenario version for Drop.

Absolutely riveting and funny. I thought Meghann and Brandon did a great job in this great Rom-Com Thriller. You should definitely watch this. Give it a go.

I Highly Recommend it!

Jurassic World Rebirth

COMING THIS SUMMER FROM UNIVERSAL PICTURES:

Release Date July 2, 2025

A new era is born. This summer, three years after the Jurassic World trilogy concluded with each film surpassing $1 billion at the global box office, the enduring Jurassic series evolves in an ingenious new direction with Jurassic World Rebirth.

Anchored by iconic action superstar Scarlett Johansson, Emmy and SAG nominee Jonathan Bailey and two-time Oscar^® winner Mahershala Ali, this action-packed new chapter sees an extraction team race to the most dangerous place on Earth, an island research facility for the original Jurassic Park, inhabited by the worst of the worst that were left behind.

Also starring acclaimed international stars Rupert Friend and Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, the film is directed by dynamic visualist Gareth Edwards (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story) from a script by original Jurassic Park screenwriter David Koepp.

Five years after the events of Jurassic World Dominion, the planet’s ecology has proven largely inhospitable to dinosaurs. Those remaining exist in isolated equatorial environments with climates resembling the one in which they once thrived. The three most colossal creatures across land, sea and air within that tropical biosphere hold, in their DNA, the key to a drug that will bring miraculous life-saving benefits to humankind.

Academy Award^® nominee Johansson plays skilled covert operations expert Zora Bennett, contracted to lead a skilled team on a top-secret mission to secure the genetic material. When Zora’s operation intersects with a civilian family whose boating expedition was capsized by marauding aquatic dinos, they all find themselves stranded on a forbidden island that had once housed an undisclosed research facility for Jurassic Park. There, in a terrain populated by dinosaurs of vastly different species, they come face-to-face with a sinister, shocking discovery that has been hidden from the world for decades.

Ali is Duncan Kincaid, Zora’s most trusted team member; Critics Choice and Olivier Award winner Jonathan Bailey (Wicked, Bridgerton) plays paleontologist Dr. Henry Loomis; Emmy nominee Rupert Friend (Homeland, Obi-Wan Kenobi) appears as Big Pharma representative Martin Krebs and Manuel Garcia-Rulfo (The Lincoln Lawyer, Murder on the Orient Express) plays Reuben Delgado, the father of the shipwrecked civilian family.

The cast includes Luna Blaise (Manifest), David Iacono (The Summer I Turned Pretty) and Audrina Miranda (Lopez vs. Lopez) as Reuben’s family. The film also features, as members of Zora and Krebs’ crews, Philippine Velge (Station Eleven), Bechir Sylvain (BMF) and Ed Skrein (Deadpool).

Jurassic World Rebirth is directed by BAFTA winner Edwards from a script by Koepp (War of the Worlds), based on characters created by Michael Crichton. The film is produced by Oscar^® nominee Frank Marshall and Patrick Crowley, both longtime Jurassic franchise producers and of last summer’s blockbuster, Twisters. The film is executive produced by Steven Spielberg, Denis L. Stewart and Jim Spencer.

First Man

2018 Universal Pictures

Rated: PG-13

Length: 2 hr 21min

Biography ~ History ~ Drama ~ Adventure

Directed by: Damien Chazelle

Starring: Ryan Gosling, Claire Foy, Jason Clarke, Kyle Chandler, Corey Stoll, Christopher Abbott, and Ciarán Hinds.

“That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”

Ryan Gosling stars as Neil Armstrong in this first person account of his journey to become the first man on the moon. Claire Foy plays his wife Janet Armstrong. It is the riveting story of the raw early days of Space exploration and how he went from piloting the Air Force x-15, to joining the Nasa’ Gemini program, and ultimately Commanding The Apollo Mission 11 that landed on the moon.

Nasa’s goal of putting a man into space and landing on the moon took more than twenty years. It also cost the lives of dozens of pilots, crew men and astronauts in their race to beat the Soviets into space. It was a journey unknown and untested without a text or a guide book. The bravery of putting their lives at risk to accomplish the goal of being the first in space is well portrayed in the movie. As well as the effect it had on the families who were left at home to wonder if they would be coming back.

Ryan does an excellent job of portraying Neil Armstrong. You feel like you are right there with him along the journey. From being in the cockpit in the X-15 and bouncing off the atmosphere in one very bumpy ride, to being strapped into the Apollo 11 capsule on top of a rocket holding 203,400 gallons of Kerosene and another 318,000 gallons of liquid oxygen. Go ahead and light that up.

I had seen this when it first came out in 2018 and I just watched it again last night, new on Netflix. Absolutely riveting. What a journey that must have been to be the first man on the moon. Well done Neil Armstrong and Ryan Gosling!

I highly recommend this one. An important slice of our history brought to life for us to experience.

Excellent Ride!

Two thumbs Up!

The Fall Guy

2024 Universal Pictures

Rated: PG-13

Length: 2 hrs 6min

Action ~ Comedy ~ Drama

Directed By: David Leitch

Starring: Ryan Gosling, Emily Blunt, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Hannah Waddingham.

“That’s me, Colt Seavers…I’m not the hero of this story, I’m just the stunt guy. Trying to look cool in front of the director of this movie, whom I just happen to have a major crush on…..”

The Fall Guy:

One who is gullible, easily duped and set up to be the scapegoat, take the fall.

An ABC Action-Adventure series starring Lee Majors and Heather Thomas broadcast from 1981 to 1986.

Ryan Gosling stars as Colt Seavers, a motion picture stuntman and Emily Blunt stars as his girlfriend Jody Moreno, a camera operator who wants to be a Director. They are working together on a film starring Tom Ryder(Aaron Taylor-Johnson) when a fall stunt goes horribly wrong and Colt breaks his back. Colt decides to disappear from everyone and everything as he mends his back and broken spirit.

Fast forward a year and Colt is contacted by Gail Meyer(Hannah Waddingham), the director of the movie he had his fall on, and talked into being the stuntman on a movie being directed by his ex-girlfriend Jody Moreno. The star of the movie Tom Ryder has gone missing and Gail enlists Colt to help her find him. She sees it as a way for him to get back with Jody and restart his stuntman career. And that’s where the real action, drama and adventure begins.

The Fall Guy is based on the 1980 tv series The Fall Guy which starred Lee Majors and Heather Thomas. Lee Majors and Heather Thomas have a cameo at the end of the movie in the credits. It is one of those movies that doesn’t really end when the credits start rolling, so keep watching or you’ll miss it. The chemistry between Colt and Jody is contagious. I found myself rooting for them to get back together. I was also rooting hard for the underdog Colt as he suddenly finds everything going against him.

It’s full of action and drama, a whodunit of sorts. I loved it and I will definitely watch it again. Highly Recommended!

Two Thumbs up!

Way Up!