This movie is directed by Ron Howard and stars Chris Hemsworth. Those two facts alone should get you rushing to see this 2014 historical drama about two entrenched rivals battling it out at the 1976 Formula One season. Rush portrays James Hunt (Hemsworth) in a locked competition with Niki Lauda (Daniel Brül). One is an English playboy and the other is a diligent Austrian racer.
The thrill of winning and the addiction to speed drive racers, but it’s a dangerous calling. And why don’t they make it safer? As James Hunt says, “The risk of death turns people on.” ‘Rush’ looks inward too. At one point, Hunt warns, “Don’t go to men who are willing to kill themselves driving in circles looking for normality.” It’s a philosophical look at death that risks it anyway.
Locke
A juiced-up BMW moves the story of 'Locke' down the road, along with its main character. Behind the wheel is Tom Hardy playing Ivan Locke. He is supposed to go home for dinner with his family, but when he gets a call from his wife wondering when he’ll return from work, he says, “I need you to hold it together.” Obviously, she asks what happened. All she hears back is, “I’ll fix it, and it’ll all go back to normal.” He doesn’t come home that night nor return to work the next day.
Even though a car shines front and center, this 2014 film is less about wild car chase action and more about delving into the deeper passageways of Locke’s complicated consciousness. Have no fear, the dramatic dialogue—a lot of monologue—doesn’t leave you high and dry, a bit of humor is waiting at every turn. 'Locke' is a mystery-suspense drama that will have you reaching to grab the wheel.
John Wick: Chapter Two
Following up on 'John Wick', the sequel, 'John Wick: Chapter Two' is an action-flick extraordinaire. Keanu Reeves leads as a former assassin who must come out of a happily married retirement while they are still newlyweds. Reeves dominates the action star role with finesse, reminding us why we watch suspense thrillers. The humor is spot on. Directed by Chad Stahelski, the 2017 flick 'John Wick: Chapter Two' also stars Common, Laurence Fishburne, Ricardo Scamarcio and Ruby Rose.
For those of us who are car freaks, what is even more exciting than Wick’s assassin impulses are the cars he drives. Prominently featured is a Mach 1 Mustang. Other classics include a 1970 Chevelle SS 454 and a 1969 Mustang Boss 429 that was stolen from the ruthless Wick. (You can bet he wants it back!) He employs his Chevelle for the task. Stay tuned for one of the best ever car scenes. It took about eight takes, but the jump and drift out of the narrow warehouse opening was worth destroying one of the film production Mustangs.
Death Race 2000
Mr. Frankenstein is a national hero in the effed-up futuristic world of 'Death Race 2000' (1975). Costumed like Batman, save for the perky ears, any vestige of a moral world in this film is held by him. Yet, he’s the most ruthless competitor of all. He’s a winner. Past wins took their toll. He’s lost three limbs, and that’s not all. Undeterred, he told his navigator he lost his “right eye in ninety-five, and my nose and my left eye in ninety-seven, and most of my cranium in ninety-eight. I’m held together with patches of plastic and steel plates.” The 2000 race finds him equipped with a newly installed mechanical right arm, engineered for lightning-fast precise shifting.
The cartoonish film takes place during the post-collapse era of the “world crash of ‘79.” It’s a parody of competitive, winner-takes-all American ideals that drives it to its logical conclusion. We wouldn’t have an American story without fan clubs who cheer on the blood sport car race and political protesters who rail against it. The President declares the coast-to-coast race the most popular sporting event in the history of mankind. The protesters call it a gratuitous display of inhumane violence, and the claim is not far off. The transnational race, a race to the death, destination LA, is based on a point system. Running over and killing an elderly person scores 100 points. Toddlers are worth 70. But it has a happy ending.
Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry
Based on Richard Unekis’ novel 'The Chase', 'Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry' stars Peter Fonda and Susan George. Released in 1974, the car chase movie also stars a yellow and black striped 1966 Chevy Impala and a 1969 Dodge Charger R/T 440.
Filmed on location in the back roads of Stockton, California, with plenty of space to race muscle cars, NASCAR hopeful Larry Rayder (Fonda) steals cash from a supermarket to finance racing ambitions. He planned to buy a race car. Fleeing from the heist, the racing enthusiast runs into Mary, she tags along, and they complete their outlaw team. More than a third of the film is dedicated to wild car chases and superbly staged crashes, so don’t look too far for a plot. It is what it is, a summer release with low cinematic ambitions.