Rush Review

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-2305778/Rush-F1-movie-James-Hunt-Niki-Lauda-released-trailer--VIDEO.html

This post will not exactly follow my traditional style of writing about cars or news or just something that irritates me. This week I will be writing a short review on a film that in my opinion rewrites how automotive cinema should be done.  Their will be many spoilers in this post so If you haven't seen it first of all do so and than come back and read this. 

The film is Rush, you have more than likely all heard of it by now as it came out over a month ago. This movie, written by Peter Morgan and Directed by Ron Howard, depicts the intense rivalry between hotshot British race boy James Hunt, played by Christopher Hemsworth of Thor fame, and the fastidious and unrelenting Niki Lauda in the 1970's.

http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2013-09-13/rush-ron-howard-and-peter-morgan-on-the-oscar-tipped-formula-1-movie---video

 The movie starts off portraying both Lauda and Hunt in their respective formula 3 careers (where the aforementioned rivalry began). Hunt having already established himself as a force behind the wheel is at this point just waiting for his call up to the big league that is formula one, when Lauda shows up. Being the son and heir of a wealthy banking family no one gave him much of a chance, yet in the first race that is shown lauda beats hunt at his own game. The season progresses and their rivalry grows.

The next season Hunt hears that Lauda due to his family wealth and skill behind the wheel has effectively bought himself into a formula one team and not just any F1 team but BRM. Hunt is understandably not pleased with this, so he convinces his benefactor to do the same.

Lauda racing for BRM and Hunt under his own financial backing race through the season with Lauda taking the championship and Hunt loosing his financial backing by the end of the first season. That does not stop him though, he has to get back into a car or in his words "find himself a drive".
Hunt hears through the grapevine that Mclaren is in the market for a new driver. Ofcourse He goes to Mclaren right away and uses his way with words and heart to slip his way into the car.  The next season see's Lauda change teams also, to Ferrari.

The rivalry is back on. Things are going similarly to the first season with Lauda up front and Hunt closely behind. However in March 1976 a race is scheduled at the green hell know simply as the ring. It was storming violently that day and Lauda did not feel comfortable racing so he called the drivers in and convinced them to vote on whether or not to race. The daring won out and the race was on much to Lauda's dismay. During the race Lauda went over a small hill grabbed some air lost control of the car and hit a wall at high speed which caused the gas tank to erupt into flame.

http://www.swide.com/sport-man/formula-1/niki-lauda-and-james-hunt-rivalry-the-real-story-behind-rush-movie/2013/9/7

This left Niki with sever burns to his head, wrists and lungs along with several broken bones which in turn put him out for a mere six weeks. He than returned (against doctors orders) to claim fourth in the italian grand prix. But with Niki gone Hunt was clear to claim victorys and he did, enough to put him in first place. The last race of the season was upon us and it was a down pour again and justifiably Luada refused to race. So all hunt had to do was get 3rd place to claim the drivers championship for the first time.

It is a compelling story to say the least, a compelling story is the basis for a good film but it is not all that is needed. Ron Howard has made his masterpiece and the writing from Peter Morgan carries the film and keeps you entranced in what is going on. What really draws you in though is the cinematography. The camera work in this movie is breathtaking, you can feel Niki Lauda's pain when the doctors are vacuming his lungs of particulate, just as you can visualize what it was like to be driving at 170 MPH through dense wet fog and hear the pounding of raindrops against the tarmac as the screeching tires crush them out of existence.

This movie will leave you with an elevated heart rate and wanting to go back and see it seven times. I am calling it right now. This film will win everything at the Oscars or at least best picture.  My final word on the film is GO SEE IT! if you have any interest in cars or movies or pretty blond hair on guys GO SEE THIS MOVIE!

8 out of 5      
   
    

The Pick-Up Truck Epidemic

I have been gone for awhile, and I apologize for this. I blame 10 hour workdays and Grand Theft Auto V. I am back though and over the last while (since I moved to the city) I have noticed something that bothers me to no end.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/27417638@N07/5731919064/

This: big ass trucks in the city. Frankly, if you live within city limits do not buy a truck that won't fit in a parking space. It's really pretty simple. If you need a truck that is 27 feet long you should not live within the city and be an asshole within parking lots and while on the road.

I would like to state that I do not hate trucks or people who drive them. I personally have many friends who own pickups and I like to drive them as much as the next kid from the country. That is just it though. Pickups belong in the country. I know that farmers will have to take the occasional trip into the city to get supply's or visit family but being a dickhead is not necessary.

The farmers who just come into the city occasionally don't bother me. What bothers me is the accountant's and factory supervisor's who buy the dodge 3500 diesel just because they want to feel big and powerful or feel they need the largest most powerful truck on the market to tow their rv to Wal-Mart. They than feel the need to take up nine of the nearest spaces so they can get in and out quickly. On the way to Wal-Mart they also of course need to get 280 dollars worth of fuel and while they are doing it they have to block access to the entire gas station because they can't pull up that extra 6 feet to let a car in behind or in front of them.

http://www.generationhighoutput.com/as-much-as-i-rail-on-about-mega-lifted-trucks/

Than there is these asshats (above). These vehicles have a place. That place is not downtown Toronto. On two lane roads. In rush hour. You would be amazed how often I see these things. Half the time the big stacks in the bed aren't connected to anything because the truck isn't even diesel and most of the time they have never seen a spec of dirt. I would like to state one more time, I am all for customization like this in the right place. It serves a purpose and it can be allot of fun. The right place however is not in the suburbs.

Than there is the guy who buys every possible stick on piece of chrome or gold from Canadian Tire or Wal-Mart and than thinks his truck looks "ballin"....

http://www.cargods.com/2011/08/02/too-much-or-not-enough/

I hope to hell every time I see this that the owner is trying to be ironic or funny in some way but usually he is not and he actually thinks it looks good. This specific trend is also not applied only to trucks, people with cars do it too. This is not something that annoys me about city trucks specifically, it's just something that annoys me in general. Whoever does this, it does not look good, PLEASE STOP! and go see a therapist about your in-superiority complex. In fact, the in-superiority complex thing kinda sums up all of the stupid trends I just mentioned. 

If you have a small.....you know....you don't need to buy the biggest most obnoxious vehicle on the planet to compensate, because when you do this, you are kind of screaming to the world that you are ashamed of you're ummm wedding tackle. 

Bottom line: If you live in the city you do not need a 30 foot long truck. Even if you are in construction you don't need a vehicle that big and if you do.....commute! You are making life significantly more difficult for the people who drive normal vehicles. That will most likely fall on deaf ears because the guy in the first pic I posted knows he is being a douche. And yet, he still did it.

This is a major problem for people like me who drive small hatchbacks and frankly it's a problem for the environment and people's sanity who live in the city. It won't change - in fact truck sales in urban area's are on the rise. This baffles me. I would not want to own a truck in the city. They drink to much gas and are difficult to drive in tight spaces. I don't know why people are buying them in urban area's but they are, so I think the least they could do is not be assholes.