Keanu Reeves, Dennis Hopper and Sandra Bullock in the Jan de Bont movie ‘Speed’

In coming across a list of favorite movies since 1992 attributed to Quentin Tarantino recently, my expectation didn’t immediately think of the Jan de Bont directed movie Speed (1994) starring Keanu Reeves, Dennis Hopper and Sandra Bullock. The fresh look at the film happily offered more than I remembered.

(From left, Keanu Reeves as Jack Traven and Jeff Daniels as Harry Temple in the Jan de Bont movie Speed).

Working as bomb disposal experts for the Los Angeles, California Police Department‘s SWAT team included Jeff Daniels as Harry Temple and Keanu Reeves as Jack Traven. Our first introduction to these all stars comes when Traven and Temple thwart an attempted extortionist bombing in an elevator.

(Joe Morton as Lieutenant Herb ‘Mac’ McMahon in the Jan de Bont movie Speed).

The averted tragedy takes a pair of unique turns that saves the day twice, resulting in the promotion of Harry Temple following the incident. It was praise from Lieutenant “Mac” McMahon, as portrayed by Joe Morton, that in part sees Harry ascended to detective.

(From left, Dennis Hopper as Howard Payne and Sandra Bullock as Annie Porter in the Jan de Bont movie Speed).

Despite the superior work in averting one disaster, the suspense, action and danger of bomber Howard Payne, as portrayed by Dennis Hopper, has not come to an end with one averted attempt at making death in large numbers. Circumstances represent themselves when Payne reemerges with an attempt to repeat the extortion again. This time, Payne has attached the bomb to a bus that will explode if the bus slows to less than 50 miles per hour. Passengers leaving the bus also prompts an explosion.

(The bus in the Jan de Bont movie Speed).

Passenger Annie Porter, as portrayed by Sandra Bullock, just barely becomes a passenger on the ill-fated bus. Porter is joined with passengers Ortiz and Doug Stephens, portrayed by Carlos Carrasco and Alan Ruck, respectively. The drama of keeping the bus going, with Jack Travern interacting with a second attempt to end Payne’s revenge, become the drama that we witness through the remainder of the film.

(From left, Alan Ruck as Doug Stephens and Carlos Carrasco as Ortiz in the Jan de Bont movie Speed).

Speed offered a solid portion of good versus evil, wrong versus right, suspenseful intrigue that asks you to suspend a degree of disbelief. The movie doesn’t take itself too seriously, and there is suspense for the characters that women and men can find emotionally satisfying. That a love interest of sorts is formed between Traven and Porter is the whip cream and cherry that tops the dish of ice cream that is Speed. I give Speed 3.75-stars on a scale of 1-to-5.

Matt – Wednesday, April 14, 2021

Matthew Broderick and the John Hughes film ‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’

It was a glorious spring day in the year 1986 when Ferris Bueller hatched his plan to enjoy a ninth day of the semester off in the film Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986). Today we review the movie that takes place in Chicago, Illinois.

(From left to right, Alan Ruck as Cameron Frye, Mia Sara as Sloane Peterson and Matthew Broderick as Ferris Bueller in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off).

The film Ferris Bueller’s Day Off in fact aims to land with a message of affirmation that Ferris Bueller, as portrayed by Matthew Broderick, mentions at least twice during the film. Ferris affirms that “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” Alan Ruck as Cameron Frye and Mia Sara as Sloane Peterson are two close friends in on the act to enjoy the day with Ferris.

(Jeffrey Jones as Ed Rooney in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off).

Jeffrey Jones plays school principle Ed Rooney who takes it has his personal mission to capture Ferris Bueller faking an illness to have the day off. Jones‘ role as unlikable heal prone to mistakes in battling wits with Ferris are captured really well through the film.

(Jennifer Grey as Jeanie Bueller in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off).

Jennifer Grey plays Jeanie Bueller, a sister to Ferris with a major case of jealousy towards her brother. Perhaps better known for her role in Dirty Dancing (1987), Grey aims to prove her brother is not the innocent kid that her brother believes, though an interesting turn comes later when Jeanie confronts first her parents and then Principal Ed Rooney in the film.

(Cindy Pickett as Katie Bueller, left, and Lyman Ward as Tom Bueller in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off).

Cindy Pickett and Lyman Ward portray Ferris’ parents, who in fact are comically unaware of the behavior of their son. One of the presents that director and screenwriter John Hughes offers the audience of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is the stereotypical comedic clarity of the buffoonish unawareness of Katie and Tom Bueller.

(Left to right, Edie McClurg as Grace, Charlie Sheen as Boy in Police Station and Ben Stein as Economics Teacher in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off).

Edie McClurg as Grace at Ferris’ school, Charlie Sheen in the police station, and Ben Stein at Ferris’ school all play minor roles in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Their roles at times take on proportions belying their actual roles in this film, though especially the delivery of Stein in this film take on epic proportions.

(Writer and director John Hughes, left, with Matthew Broderick in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off).

Largely, I found much to enjoy in the comedy that was Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Writer and director John Hughes had a successful run of teenager movies in the 1980s, of which this is perhaps the one that resonates with me the most. Many will disagree in pointing to The Breakfast Club (1985), Sixteen Candles (1984) or Weird Science (1985). Hughes is known for a number of other films as well, though this ranks up there for movies primarily about the experience of teenagers. My rating of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is 3.75-stars on a scale of one-to-five.

Matt – Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Timothy Olyphant, Walton Goggins and Season One of ‘Justified’

The FX television series Justified (2010-2015) recently entered our viewing rotation at Matt Lynn Digital. If you haven’t yet done so, we strongly encourage you check into this series. Season one gets into the first 13-episode season, which is the focus of this review. The season itself credits the Elmore Leonard short story Fire in the Hole as an influence. Elmore James novels Pronto and Riding the Rap are additionally credited for the series, which was developed for television by Graham Yost.

(Timothy Olyphant as Raylan Givens, left, and Walton Goggins as Boyd Crowder in the FX series Justified).

The central character of this series is U.S. Deputy Marshal Raylan Givens, the central law enforcement officer forced back to his childhood home in the hill country of eastern Kentucky, specifically in Harlan. The opening scenes of the series, set in Miami, Florida, offer the audience a glimpse into a seemingly cavalier attitude that sets a tone for the series. We are introduced fairly quickly into the checkered history of the Givens and Crowder families as well as the many varieties of interpersonal relationships with lawfulness, lawlessness, and guns this involves.

(Joelle Carter as Ava Crowder, left, and Natalie Zea as Winona Hawkins in the FX series Justified).

Timothy Olyphant plays the fast and loose lawman Raylan Givens while Walton Goggins plays the masquerading as white supremacist criminal seeking spirituality Boyd Crowder. Raylan and Boyd dug coal together in the past. Joelle Carter plays Ava Crowder, the physically abused wife of Boyd Crowder’s brother. Ava’s husband ends up dead, breeding tension between Ava and the Crowders as her romantic inclination towards Raylan gains expression as Raylan aims to protect her. Boundaries are blurred. Meanwhile, blurry boundaries between Raylan Givens and his remarried ex-wife, Winona Hawkins as played by Natalie Zea, come into play often through the first season.

(Nick Searcy as Art Mullen, left, and Erica Tazel as Rachel Brooks in the FX series Justified).

Nick Searcy as Art Mullen and Erica Tazel as Rachel Brooks serve the Deputy Marshals service in roles that are played fairly straight when it comes to the dramatic flair of other characters in this season. Mullen plays Raylan Givens’ boss while Brooks plays the occasional partner to Raylan. Boyd’s father Bo Crowder, as played by M.C. Gainey, and Raylan’s father Arlo, as played by Raymond J. Barry, are equal parts cantankerous, corrupt, and confounding in their own ways to their respective sons. The nature of their self-interest was priceless, entertaining for being incorrigible, and worth the effort to see.

(M.C. Gainey as Bo Crowder, left, and Raymond J. Barry as Arlo Givens in the FX series Justified).

My aim here has been to offer you a sense for what the opening season of the series Justified has to give you in terms of criminal, hillbilly behavior. The story builds from episode to episode in a way that is engaging. It is easy to see relationships between characters that are interesting for being a train wreck of entertaining in that it kept me wanting to watch. My feeling is that many of you will feel the same. My overall grade for season one of Justified is 4.5-stars on a scale of one-to-five.

Matt – Wednesday, July 10, 2019