Air - 氣墊傳奇

Air (Air/氣墊傳奇) is an 2023 film. Released in the theaters for a short theatrical run before it made its way to Amazon Prime Video where I caught it. The movie stars Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, and Jason Bateman. The supporting cast include Marlon Wayans, Chris Messina, Chris Tucker, and Viola Davis. The story of how Michael Jordan choose Nike, but does not officially make an appearance.

The movie is based in 1984 after the NBA Draft. Nike is currently running as the 3rd shoe company in basketball sales, but leads the country in running shoes. Adidas and Converse are both ahead of Nike in the game and have signed the top NBA players. Additionally, Adidas is recognized as the urban leader. Nike has their budget of $250K to split between 3 guys. Matt Damon plays Sonny Vaccaro, the head of Nike’s NBA basketball talent scouting department. Sonny sees Michael Jordan as a game changer for basketball and wants to bet all $250K on him, including a shoe developed exclusively for him. Sonny must convince Michael Jordan to sign with Nike. Can Sonny navigate through the business and basketball worlds?



As a basketball fan who grew up on the Lakers, I had not really heard of Michael Jordan (MJ) until the Lakers lost to them in the 1991 finals. During the 90s, I say MJ show up all over the place, including SNL. I am a bit sad that the LA market did not broadcast many Bulls games for me to see MJ's early high flying days. But did see him through the 90s on TV a lot more.

The movie itself assumes you know of the legacy of MJ and his impact on the world. With that assumption, the movie is understandable. For my kids, they didn't get it. And they didn't get why an whole shoe endorsement stuff as they do not wear any of that stuff generally. My last pair of Nike's were the Barkley ones that he wore in Phoenix. After that, I have exclusively only worn New Balance since the mid 90s for sneakers.

The movie itself is a great story of a guy who has his sight set on changing the game. To endorse one player and to develop a shoe for him and to name it after him. In 1984, that was not the norm. Nowadays, Air Jordans are in a class of its own.

Silver Linings Playbook - 派特的幸福劇本 - 失戀自作業

Silver Linings Playbook (派特的幸福劇本) is an 2012 film. The film stars Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence. The supporting cast include Robert De Niro, Jacki Weaver, Chris Tucker, Anupam Kher, Julia Stiles, and John Ortiz. Directed by David O. Russell of The Fighter fame. The movie was adapted from the novel The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick and partly based on David O. Russell's experience with his oldest son, whom had bouts with mental illness.

Bradley Cooper plays Pat Jr, who's spent the last 8 months in a mental institution after being arrested for beating the man his wife was having a affair with. Once home, Pat Jr. sets on a path to repair his marriage to his wife Nikki. However, Pat Jr. is still a bit unstable and lacks some social skills now, such has having no filter for thoughts. Robert De Niro plays Pat Sr., who's recently lost his job and makes a living bookkeeping on the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles. Pat Jr is obsessed with losing weight and goes out for a jog, bumping into his childhood friend Ronnie, who invites him over for dinner. While at the dinner, Ronnie's sister in law, Tiffany, played by Jennifer Lawrence, is also invited. Tiffany has been mentally unstable since the death of her police officer husband. During the dinner, a fight erupts, ending in Pat Jr. walking Tiffany home. Pat Jr. starts to run past Tiffany's house during his jogging. Tiffany intercepts him one day and they visit her home. The home was a old garage in the back yard of Tiffany's parents. Tiffany used her insurance movie to convert it, including a dance floor studio type set up on the first floor. Tiffany convinces Pat Jr. to join her in a local dance competition.



The movie was pretty righteous. Pat Jr.'s path to recovery will be a lifelong event as his mental illness will always be a struggle. Cooper does a great job to convey to the audience that he's not all there. You felt that he was pretty unstable. Which doesn't seem a stretch away from his roles in The Hangover and Limitless. Jennifer Lawrence goes in the opposite direction of her Hunger Games role here. Tiffany is played with a strong personality and likes to be in control. Combined with a story that's told in a tremendously sensitive way, you have a great movie. The supporting cast does a good job of painting the world that they live in. Basically revolving around the NFL season.

I highly recommend this film and I saw it via Blu-ray rental.

Rush Hour 3 - 尖峰時刻 3

I watched Rush Hour 3 (尖峰時刻 3) via Netflix about a year ago now. I remember the movie being entertaining, annoying and ultimately a letdown.

The movie is based off an investigation that all the Chinese triads in the world are ultimately centralized. There is someone that controls it named Shy Shen. To keep it out of corrupt hands, only a few know this super sensitive information. This leads them ultimately to Paris. Where hijinx ensues and Chan/Carter defeat the goons at the end.

The Rush Hour trilogy looks like it ends here, but you never know. It did make $$ and that's why Chan/Carter signed up for this installment anyways.

張靜初 (Zhang Jingchu) plays the grown up daughter of Ambassador Han. Zhang spends only about 5-10 minutes on screen so you can't really even count her as a force in this movie. Quite sad since Zhang's beauty is completely wasted.

If you've got nothing else to do and really like Jackie Chan, check it out.