14-2

One look at the cast of this show and it's clear that the level of professionalism is second to none. Forget the fact that the show had excellent writing and a wealth of talent to draw from; just to watch the likes of Hal Holbrook, Ossie Davis, Elizabeth Ashley, Charles Durning, Ann Wedgeworth, Michael Jeter, Burt Reynolds and Marilu Henner breath life into these wonderful characters was a joy to watch. These are actors at the top of their game. And let's give credit where it's due. This is a cast and crew who are friends and colleagues of Burt Reynolds. This series places at the top of my list of shows I miss the most. Here we are, some ten years later, and TV time is dominated by trashy daytime talk/theme shows and reality-based garbage on prime time. It's discouraging, to say the least.

This movie's got something all the hype in the world can't buy and that's word-of-mouth promotion. Moviegoers have been dying to leave theaters this season feeling like they've had a great time and Rush Hour 3 is worth every dollar of its ticket price. Chan is the most engaging action star today and Tucker is hilarious. Together the two have explosive chemistry. Whomever decided to team these two actors is a genius. I seriously doubt if the box office numbers drop off after the opening weekend like Jurassic, Apes, A.I. and the rest have. This movie's got legs, and in more ways than one (check out Roselyn Sanchez).

This is the type of movie people are likely to want to see in theaters more than once and bring along any friends who haven't seen it. Rush Hour 3 is a certainty and Rush Hour 4 almost a lock if the producers and director don't tamper with the formula too much. It's probably a good idea to bring Sanchez back though. She's beautiful and balances things out. With all the non-stop action and Tucker's motor-mouth, she serves as a respite as things quiet down some when she's on screen but you can't take your eyes off her.

Bottom line all around, this is a must-see movie!

I thought Christine Lahti and Rubén Blades gave award-winning performances. The script was extremely well-written and avoided the stereotypical Latino characters we are all too familiar with. The storyline was great with enough twists and turns to keep it moving along nicely. I was thoroughly drawn into the story and was pleasantly surprised on more than a few occasions by the characters, the dialogue and the action. William Russ, Louise Latham and Tommy Muñiz all deserve kudos for their portrayals as does Mary Kay Place who seems to deliver at every opportunity regardless of the genre. See it!