Review: ‘Fast X’ is Quickly Becoming One of the Worst Films in the Series

The Fast and the Furious franchise has had ups and downs from really interesting mediocre movies, to really bad action-packed nothing burgers. These films over the years have become more and more saturated with references to the things it has done before and making cars do crazier things to the point that sometimes they aren’t even cars. Fast X serves as the beginning of the apparent 3-part finale to the series that has spanned over 20 years, 10 films, and a spinoff. A multitude of high-profile names have played both ally and antagonist in a series that has a problem figuring out, even after all this time, what the hell it is trying to do. The series started with a cop breaching into the inner circle of a group of street racers turned hardened criminal group, which later turned into that same group upping their profession into high-risk heists and gang shootouts, eventually ending in the same group repeatedly saving the world? I can’t even begin to explain the absurdities.

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Review: ‘The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special’ Brings Home the Bacon

Tacking the words “Holiday Special” onto the end of a beloved franchise is guaranteed to raise some eyebrows regarding a film’s artistic integrity, but, thankfully, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special has the mind of James Gunn working in its favor. It’s become abundantly clear over the past few years that Gunn is perhaps the most passionate filmmaker within the superhero movie circle, carrying a love for his misfit characters that makes all of his projects stand out amongst the never-ending output of superhero media in pop culture. So, when James Gunn wants to do an idea as inherently stupid as a Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, he’s earned enough goodwill to convince audiences that the story serves some kind of purpose beyond profit. Although, granted, the project certainly wouldn’t have been greenlit if “Christmas Tree Groot” merchandise didn’t sell itself.

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UW Film Club Podcast #46 – The Fast and the Furious

“You almost had me?! You never had me – you never even had your podcast!”

We’re a week late (as usual), but in honor of Hobbs and Shaw, we’ve decided to shift gears in reverse back to 2001, and take it back to where the franchise all started, with The Fast and the Furious! In this podcast, we draw comparisons to Kathryn Bigelow’s Point Break, talk about the legacy of the series, and ponder the appeal of Vin Diesel. Come along for the ride on the 46th episode of the UW Film Club Podcast!

On this episode: Cynthia Li and Jim Saunders.

You can find us on Facebook at /UWFilmClub, and on Twitter and Instagram @FilmClubUW. Make sure to rate, comment, and subscribe to our podcast on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify, and Google Play, and tune in every Monday for a new episode of the UW Film Club Podcast!