In Theaters: "Fast and Furious" good for fans

Prequel to Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift, in theaters now is Fast and Furious, the fourth film in the series. With Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, and a few other original cast members, this latest installment certainly gets immediate points for not going cheap.

The most important question to ask is: How did this one stack up against the others, since it should be assumed that - if you didn't like the first three - you're likely not going to like this one.

The answer is that it compares very well as an action movie, though it is a little darker than the first three both literally and figuratively and so ends up showing off a little less: fewer custom cars and outrageous mods. It fits with the plot, however, which requires "sleeper" cars without much flare.

The acting and circumstances are about as believable as elsewhere in the series, meaning that over-analyzing plot devices is mutually exclusive to enjoying the film. While several of the actors in it have proven their merit elsewhere, Furious is all about well-crafted action, fast cars, and danger around ever corner. In that, it excels, if only in that.

So if you liked the previous films, you'll enjoy Fast and Furious. If you've never seen any of them, this one's not a bad place to start, as you really won't get lost by seeing it first.

It's tough to say whether this is one of those films you really need to see on the big screen. I could see it looking just as good on a nice home theater, since most of the visuals are fairly obvious. Either way, it's good fun and carries on the Fast and Furious torch quite well.

DVD: "Babylon AD" not a bad ride

A future filled with violence, war, and gladiators...and Vin Diesel's right in the middle of it. What could go wrong? Well, I guess that while Bablyon AD had a great formula for success (see Blade Runner and Cyborg) there's always the chance that a movie will biff a solid plot (see Ultraviolet and Aeon Flux).

But allow me to lay out the cards and you can judge for yourself if new-to DVD Babylon is worth a rental.

Babylon's main character, Toorop, is a little like Xander Cage's great-grandson from XXX. He's a bad ass with a gun who gets ample opportunity to kick butt and take names. Unlike XXX, though, Babylon retains a solemn tone throughout, fitting considering the setting - a Cold War-esque landscape of black markets where its every man for himself. It rang of late-bloomer hit PC game STALKER: Shadows of Chernobyl where you can't find a decent meal and vodka is worth more than gold, but technolgy shows up amid firearms that could lay waste to Robocop.

While sporting a bleak view of the future, Babylon doesn't feel implausible, and I quickly found myself pulled in and genuinely interested in the characters. There is some excellent camera work to support the feel of the film, with little to break your immersion - a wise move by director Mathieu Kassovitz. Nothing spoils dreary more than punny one-liners or sight gags.

Okay, so why didn't more people like it? Well, it did coalesce into something a little less than the sum of its parts. I don't know what kind of ending I was expecting, but I felt a little let down.

I still maintain a good taste in my mouth for the film, but I can legitimately see where others gave it a tepid review (thought I think an IMDb score 5.3 is a little unfair).

Let me know what you thought, since few two opinions seem to be the same on this flick.