Author Archives: JPFmovies

On Netflix I discovered late one night the series Taxi Brooklyn and watched it on a whim.  In fact I was under the impression that it was a Netflix production and not made for network TV.  Well I went on a Netflix “binge” and watched all 12 episodes.  I don’t know if it was just late at night or because it sort of had an unusual plot but I sort of enjoyed it.  I introduced the series to the rest of my household as well as a good friend N.W. who also enjoyed the series.  In fact t was NW who was visibly upset that the series was canceled leaving everyone hanging at the end of season one as well as informing me that it was a network production.

I tend to agree with SEJ, the series had another season in it and it’s too bad we didn’t get it.  As anyone who follows this site knows my aversion to American (especially) network TV.  I have not had “regular” TV or cable in well over a decade because I believe that almost all of the junk that passes for American network entertainment actually reduces you IQ instead opting for foreign (in particular Asian) TV.  I must admit every once and a while I stand corrected.  Obviously given the fact that not enough people watched the show to make it to a second season I am clearly in the vast minority.  I believe though that SEJ is right, this mule had some more life in it.

Taxi Brooklyn is the story of Caitlin “Cat” Sullivan who is an NYPD detective working in Brooklyn.  After her driving privileges are suspended for the umpteenth time, so she is forced to rely on Leo Romba, a Brooklyn cab driver from France.  Leo becomes Cat’s driver and a de facto consultant on her cases.  While solving crimes with Leo, Cat is also running her own unauthorized investigation into the death of her father, an NYPD detective thought to have been executed by the Capella crime family.  In doing so, she clashes with her boss, Captain Baker, and her ex-husband Gregg, who has picked up the case for the FBI.

Sound stupid?  Juvenile?  Thin?  Perhaps, but for some light late night mind candy it cut the proverbial mustard.

Nobunaga No Chef is based on the manga by Nishimura Mitsuru and Kajikawa Takuro (a manga is a form of Japanese comic book), this drama is about time travel.  A French chef by the name of Ken, somehow manages to go back in time to the brutal Sengoku period (otherwise known as the Warring States period which lasted from 1467-1603).  During the time travel Ken loses his memory in the process.  He is thought to be a spy by all of the warlords, and in his haste to escape capture, he dives into the river.  He is saved by Natsu, a swordsmith.  He doesn’t remember his own past, or the fact that he came from the future, but he remembers cooking well. He is soon recruited by Oda Nobunaga to be his Head Chef (Oda Nobunaga was one of Japans great warlords that was known for his ruthlessness, cunning and guile who also united much of Japan before he was killed in a coup by one of his retainers).

What makes the show really interesting is that Ken is given a task or command by his boss (Oda) to relay some sort of message to a third party by using his polished French-Japanese fusion cooking skills in the dishes he prepares as well as providing a positive nutritional breakdown of the food Ken has created.  These messages can by complicated and take a great deal of knowledge to transition into food.  Before cooking Ken always lets out his battle cry “Come On Warring States Cuisine!”

The show is another Asian example of the producers airing a limited number of episodes (9) instead of the typical larger number of episodes that America is known to milk a series for all its worth so that by the end of its run the show has degraded to nonsense that you want to put out of its misery.  We’ve posted on this before here at JPFmovies concluding that we here in the west could learn from this Asian practice. Moreover I don’t think Holly Wood has the creativity left to come up with a show like Nobunaga No Chef.  If you get a chance to watch it go for it—it inspired me to cook dinner.

John Rambo (Sylvester Stallone) is a former member of an extremely elite commando unit from the Vietnam War who received the Medal of Honor (the highest military honor awarded) for his service.  Several years after he was discharged, he learns that the last of his comrades has died from cancer.  Upset, Rambo wanders into the small town of Hope, Washington.  He is bullied by an overzealous Sheriff Will Teasle (Brian Dennehy), who considers him no better than dirt.  When Rambo asks for something to eat, the Sheriff arrests him on some bull-shit charges of vagrancy, resisting arrest, and possessing a concealed knife.

Led by sadistic chief deputy Art Galt (Jack Starrett), Teasle’s officers humiliate and abuse Rambo, causing him to flash back to the torture he endured as a POW in Vietnam. When they try to dry-shave him with a straight razor, Rambo snaps, attacks them, and flees into the woods.  A furious and foolish Teasle organizes a search party—complete with automatic weapons, dogs, and a helicopter—to recapture him.  During the search, Galt spots Rambo and tries to kill him by shooting him Rambo from a helicopter—Galt’s actions were in direct defiance of orders, attempting to snipe Rambo from the helicopter. Rambo throws a rock in self-defense, causing Galt to fall to his death.

Utilizing his killing skills, Rambo disables the deputies non-lethally one by one (though he could have easily killed them all a “tactical mistake” as his former commander tells the Sherriff), until only Teasle is left. Holding a knife to his throat, and tells him to “let things go.”

Teasle decides to pursue him anyways, the Washington State Patrol and the Washington Army National Guard are called in to assist the manhunt. At the same time, Rambo’s mentor Colonel Sam Trautman (Richard Crenna) arrives with reports of Rambo’s abilities.  Ignoring Trautman’s advice Teasle refuses.

The authorities corner Rambo at the entrance of an abandoned mine; against orders, they use a M72 LAW rocket, collapsing the entrance and leaving no evidence.

Having survived the assault, Rambo escapes the mine and hijacks a supply truck, which he uses to return to town. To distract his pursuers, he starts a fire at a gas station, shoots down power lines, and destroys several storefronts with a stolen M60 machine gun.

Teasle positions himself on the roof of his station to search for Rambo, unaware that he is directly below. The two engage in a brief firefight, which ends with Teasle falling through a skylight badly injured. Rambo prepares to kill him, but Trautman arrives and warns Rambo that he will be shot if Teasle dies. Unwilling to defy Trautman, the only man who understands what he endured, Rambo goes into a rant about the treatment he received before surrendering. He is put into state custody and driven away as Teasle is sent to the hospital.

What intrigues me about this movie is that its story line is actually pretty interesting—and was really one of the first movies that dealt with disaffected soldiers who come back from conflicts abroad.  Much like we are seeing people today returning from the Middle East who are having problems readjusting to society.  This is not your typical action movie, it shows what can happen when authorities push people too far and in my opinion often get what they deserve.  Watching Rambo slice these armature police like butter but they never get the message that sometimes you just need to let things go.

Source: On the heated recommendation of our good friend T.J. we look at the 2009 film Law Abiding Citizen. I am NOT a Jamie Foxx fan but I was ok with this movie.