Giveaway: Become Family And Win A Digital Copy Of F9: The Fast Saga Including The Extended Director's Cut

Thanks to my friends at Universal, I am offering my readers the chance to win a digital copy of F9: The Fast Saga (Written Review, YouTube Review), a high energy sequel that redlines the action and ridiculousness the franchise is known for.  The digital copy includes the never before seen extended cut, to give Fast loves a little more family time!  I am giving away some digital copies of the film to celebrate the digital release on September 7, 2021!  Enter below for your chance to win.  

Contest goes ends on Thursday, September 16 so enter now and secure your chance to win! 

F9: The Fast Saga Info

Release date: September 7, 2021
Cast: Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris ‘Ludacris’ Bridges, John Cena, Nathalie Emmanuel, Jordana Brewster, Sung Kang, with Helen Mirren with Kurt Russell and Charlize Theron
Story By: Justin Lin & Alfredo Botello and Daniel Casey
Directed By: Justin Lin

Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) thought he’d left his outlaw life in the rear-view mirror, but not even he can outrun the past. When his forsaken brother Jakob (John Cena, Bumblebee) unexpectedly resurfaces as an elite assassin, the crew comes back together to help Dom confront the sins of his own past and stop a world-shattering plot. Franchise veteran Justin Lin returns to the director’s seat for F9 and delivers this supercharged version of the hit film. From extended action to spectacular scenes that weren’t shown in theaters, F9: The Director’s Cut explodes with additional content that can only be experienced on home entertainment!

BONUS FEATURES ON 4K UHD, BLU-RAY^TM, DVD AND DIGITAL:

• GAG REEL
• F9: ALL IN: The Fast family invites you to be part of the crew as they give you an intimate look at how F9 propels this epic franchise to even greater heights. This bonus feature, with more than 46 minutes of content, includes returning characters, new cast members, huge stunts, big surprises, and so much more.
• PRACTICALLY FAST: When it comes to stunts, it seems each film in The Fast Saga outdoes the last. In this piece, we examine how Justin Lin and his team go to great lengths to shoot as many stunts as they can in-camera and practically, giving the film an authenticity that cannot be achieved solely through visual effects or CGI.
• SHIFTING PRIORITIES: We first met many of these characters when The Fast and the Furious was released in 2001. In the 20+ years since, not only have the characters themselves grown and evolved, but so have the actors that portray them. Art often imitates life, and we look at how that's particularly true in F9.
• JUSTICE FOR HAN: Han is back! Sung Kang and Justin Lin discuss the genesis for the return of this beloved character, while the cast reveals how much it means to them to have Kang back along for the ride.
• A DAY ON SET WITH JUSTIN LIN: The job of a director on any movie production is huge. The job of a director on a production the scale of F9 is immeasurable. Spend a day with Justin Lin and see just how demanding it is to navigate a production day when you're the one with all the answers.
• JOHN CENA: SUPERCAR SUPERFAN: John Cena is a real-life car expert, and no franchise does cars like Fast. Watch John jump from exotic car to exotic car like a kid in a candy store, giving you a true fan's look at some of the rarest and most expensive automobiles in the world.
• FEATURE COMMENTARY (THEATRICAL AND DIRECTOR’S CUT) WITH PRODUCER/CO-WRITER/DIRECTOR JUSTIN LIN

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F9 Review: The Fast and Furious Spy Agency

Release date: June 25, 2021
Running time: 130 minutes
Cast: Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, John Cena, Nathalie Emmanuel, Jordana Brewster, Sung Kang, with Helen Mirren, with Kurt Russell, and CharlizeTheron
Directed by: Justin Lin

F9 is the ninth chapter in the Fast & Furious Saga. Vin Diesel’s Dom Toretto is leading a quiet life off the grid with Letty and his son, little Brian, but they know that danger always lurks just over their peaceful horizon. This time, that threat will force Dom to confront the sins of his past if he’s going to save those he loves most. His crew joins together to stop a world-shattering plot led by the most skilled assassin and high-performance driver they’ve ever encountered: a man who also happens to be Dom’s forsaken brother, Jakob (John Cena).

The Fast series has always been about fast cars, family, and crazy action.  Around Fast Five, the film started leaning heavily into all of these, with some amazing and ridiculous situations that kept one upping the previous films.  That led to more and more memorable scenes and more insane action.  The film also heavily emphasized the family side of this, bringing more and more characters in to the fold.  These have all been smart additions from Jason Statham, to the Rock, and recently to John Cena.  The Fast franchise roster has grown considerably over the last 8 movies (plus 1 spinoff) and almost everyone comes back in some way or another for F9.  The film has characters that you haven't seen or thought about for ages, but it was really good to see how the movie integrated all these different personalities into one crazy scenario.

And although the film franchise started as more of a heist movie, it has since turned into a superspy, paramilitary, band of misfits film.  The franchise leaned into this for the last few iterations and hits the NOS in F9.  The scenario is that much more insane, with several instances that I think would be acts of war or at least major international incidents if not for the wonderful world of the Fast Franchise.  And the film ups the destruction and crazy stunts quotient as well, with some of the most intense and bonkers "race" sequences I have seen.  And along the lines of the super spy organization, the film has some new gadgets and gizmos to assist with the insanity and the destruction.  The Fast Franchise keeps upping the ante every time and I am not sure where it will go next but I'm definitely interested to see it.

However, the Fast series has always been about family.  This was ingrained in the early movies and has been a constant part of the franchise ever since.  I love seeing this crew over and over again, but when the movie went into more the ridiculous stratosphere, it makes some of the references to family throughout the film feel like they are from a different time.  You have a movie that tries to literally launch into space, with these strange references and serious sections pulling it back down to earth.  If done correctly, you can have a nice grounding for the film, but here it felt like the family superlatives just came out of nowhere.  And I don't remember the references being as pervasive in other films, so when they kept coming up, it again felt out of place.  Kind of like a billionaire living in a mansion and traveling the world on their private jet consistently referencing stayign true to their roots.  But maybe that is because I also really enjoyed the insanity of this movie.  F9 is at its best when Luda and Tyrese are doing some sort of over-the-top sequence and are cracking jokes while yelling for their lives, and I just wanted more of that.  The movie leans into the crazy, but then tries to pretend like it is still just about a BBQ in the backyard with your friends and family.  

F9 also explores more of Dom's past, and for the most part does a decent job.  It ties in his brother--who it is strange we have never heard of until now--and also gives some insight into how he became who he is.  These feel heavy handed and again, just feel like a different film, but I appreciated the attempt.  However, these--along with the overall giant cast--make this a much longer movie than it needed to be.  I guess that's what happens when the film expands in scope so much, everyone gets their screen time, every character is referenced, and the plots gets larger and more grandiose.  It feels like this movie could have used another cut but maybe it also just needs more spin offs to give more time to the characters.  I would love to see Luda and Tyrese have their own spin off, and I wouldn't mind seeing more from the Tokyo Drift crew.  The film was kind of setting those up, so I wonder if there might be more Fast spinoffs in the future.  Overall, if you go in looking for something coherent that makes sense, you'll be disappointed.  The story has just become too large, insane, and convoluted for that.  But if you go in and just lean into the wild ride that has been the Fast Franchise, you'll have plenty there to get excited about.

F9 hits the NOS on all the Fast Franchise themes, with plenty of family, fast cars (and other vehicles), and a whole extra helping of insane action and ridiculousness.

Rent it.

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F9: The Fast Saga is available in theaters on June 25, 2021.  For showtimes, click here.

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Screening: See F9 (Fast 9) Early And Free!

We have partnered with Universal for an early screening of the exciting and over the top ninth entry in the Fast series, F9!  The film is coming to theaters on Friday, June 25th but you can catch an early screening three days early!  Details and entry form are below.

F9 (Fast 9)

F9 – In Theaters June 25
Cast: Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, John Cena, Nathalie Emmanuel, Jordana Brewster, Sung Kang, with Helen Mirren, with Kurt Russell, and Charlize Theron
Directed by: Justin Lin
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEE4RO-_jug
Rating: PG-13

No matter how fast you are, no one outruns their past. 

Vin Diesel’s Dom Toretto is leading a quiet life off the grid with Letty and his son, little Brian, but they know that danger always lurks just over their peaceful horizon. This time, that threat will force Dom to confront the sins of his past if he’s going to save those he loves most. His crew joins together to stop a world-shattering plot led by the most skilled assassin and high-performance driver they’ve ever encountered: a man who also happens to be Dom’s forsaken brother, Jakob (John Cena, the upcoming The Suicide Squad). 

Screening Info:

Tuesday, June 22

7:00pm

AMC Tysons

Screening Link!

News: Universal Announces "Fast Fridays" - Free Screenings of Every Previous Fast and Furious Movie Before Release of F9!

In order to celebrate the arrival of F9 in theaters on June 25, Universal Pictures announced "Fast Fridays," eight weeks of free nationwide screenings of every previous Fast & Furious film.  This is both to thank fans of the series and to also get fans comfortable with going back to theaters before F9s release.  Select theaters will screen a different Fast film each Friday beginning April 30, 2021. 

“Fast Fridays” will launch in more than 500 U.S. theaters and will then expand to more than 900 theaters nationwide.

Each of the eight previous Fast films will screen each Friday in chronological order, beginning with 2001’s The Fast and the Furious on Friday, April 30. 

Visit www.FastFridayScreenings.com for information on participating theaters and for details on how to receive tickets

The schedule is as follows:

Friday, 4/30 – The Fast and the Furious
Friday, 5/7 – 2 Fast 2 Furious
Friday, 5/14 – The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift
Friday, 5/21 – Fast & Furious
Friday, 5/28 – Fast Five
Friday, 6/4 – Fast & Furious 6
Friday, 6/11 – Furious 7
Friday, 6/18 – The Fate of the Furious

News: Universal Theatrical Movies to be Available to Stream on March 20

As everyone adjusts to the new Quarantine world, Universal Pictures has made the stunning move of offering some of their theatrical movies available to stream as soon as this Friday, March 20, including The Invisible Man, The Hunt, and Focus Feature's Emma.  Today, NBCUniversal announced that movies under the Universal Pictures banner will be available on-demand on the date of the theatrical release, including the upcoming Trolls: World Tour on April 10.

This should not change the delays of some prominent films such as No Time to Die, A Quiet Place 2, Mulan, and Universal's own Fast 9, but it should provide another avenue for those looking to avoid theaters but still wanting to see the newest movies.  This should also provide a boost for the box office, which saw its worst weekend since 1995 as consumers stayed home rather than head to the theaters.

Although details are still being worked out, it looks like these new theatrical movies will be $20 for a 48-hour rental period, which is about in line with how film rentals work on streaming services.  The first movies to be available will be The Invisible Man, the Hunt, and Emma on March 20.

"Given the rapidly evolving and unprecedented changes to consumers’ daily lives during this difficult time, the company felt that now was the right time to provide this option in the home as well as in theaters. NBCUniversal will continue to evaluate the environment as conditions evolve and will determine the best distribution strategy in each market when the current unique situation changes," read the company's release.

“Universal Pictures has a broad and diverse range of movies with 2020 being no exception. Rather than delaying these films or releasing them into a challenged distribution landscape, we wanted to provide an option for people to view these titles in the home that is both accessible and affordable,” said NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell in the same statement. “We hope and believe that people will still go to the movies in theaters where available, but we understand that for people in different areas of the world that is increasingly becoming less possible.”

Expect more details as this evolves!