There is a tradition of great car movies … ones made around great races and overlaying plot lines to necessitate the drivers to go way beyond the reasonable and fly at the greatest speeds possible.
The stunts in the films were done by real people, without the assist of special effects, animation and CGI.
In that vein, the spring film "Need For Speed" was produced and presented in such a way that it felt you were right there in the front seat with actors Aaron Paul ("Breaking Bad") and Imogen Poots as they were running across the country to seek revenge against a former professional driver played by Dominic Cooper.
The Buena Vista Home Entertainment film based on the award-winning video game series is being released on DVD, on demand, digital HD and Blu-ray today. I had the opportunity to watch "Need For Speed" and the Blu-ray extras over the weekend.
I gained a greater appreciation for the film after watching "Ties that Bind" showing the long-time relationship that director Scott Waugh had with the family of stunt drivers on the film. The coordinators and Waugh himself were childhood friends as their dads did stunts together. They brought that trust and excitement to this film, brining perspectives and shots we haven’t seen before.
When OnMilwaukee.com’s Matt Mueller reviewed the film in March, he said that the plot has as many holes as the streets of Milwaukee do.
"So as a stunt reel, ‘Need for Speed’ is great. It's just too bad nothing else in the film received the same care and consideration," he wrote.
I can’t argue that the movie is something special that will be remembered for many years to come, however if you enjoy the B racing films of the past and like slick new cars, then this is a worth-while pick up that you’ll find yourself watching over and over again. Kind of like how I find myself watching "Gone in 60 Seconds" whenever it is on even though it’s not as cool at Steve McQueen’s "Bullet" or as good as the awesome car chases in "Ronin."
You will also want to check out some of the outtakes with Michael Keaton and Scott "Kid Cudi" Mescudi in the extras.
Media is bombarding us everywhere.
Instead of sheltering his brain from the onslaught, Steve embraces the news stories, entertainment, billboards, blogs, talk shows and everything in between.
The former writer, editor and producer in TV, radio, Web and newspapers, will be talking about what media does in our community and how it shapes who we are and what we do.
