Movie Review: Turbo

WRITTEN BY DEVIN CARBAUGH, GUEST CONTRIBUTOR

turboTurbo is the story about overcoming the impossible. Dreaming of winning the Indy 500 is a dream most would find impossible. Dreaming of winning it when you’re a snail? Not a chance! This incredible underdog story reminds viewers that luck is far surpassed by hard work and persistence, and no matter what one’s obstacle, dreams can come true. Turbo is an inspiration to all.

Turbo’s story is told through the framework of two brothers—Turbo and Chet. Turbo, like his name, desires speed and thrill, and is perfectly cast by a cheerful and effervescent Ryan Reynolds. Chet, intent on keeping his brother safe—at times to a stifling and overbearing degree—is cast by the stuffy sounding yet insanely likable Paul Giamatti. The two actors face off perfectly—one, fun loving and the other, overprotective, but nevertheless ultimately embrace brotherly love. The perfect foil to this pair is the two brothers Angelo and Tito who own Dos Bros Tacos. Tito’s real passion is racing, just like Turbo,  while Angelo just wants Tito to toe the line and sell tacos. The parallel story adds additional humor and heart to the film.

The other key defining relationship in this movie is that of Turbo’s with his collective known as The Racing Snails. These snails, unlike Turbo, cannot physically move fast. However, what they lack in speed they make up for with ingenious and crafty methods of winning races. The Racing Snails’ imaginations also embody Turbo’s ideas of not allowing your physical limitations to hold back your dreams. The leader of the crew, Whiplash, both wise and tough, is adeptly portrayed by Samuel L. Jackson. Once Turbo has earned his respect, he and his familial crew help him fulfill his destiny. The other unforgettable members are the super cool low ride Smoove Move, portrayed by none other than smooth rapping Snoop Dogg, and sly and sassy Burn, played by a witty Maya Rudolph. They end up serving as Turbo’s pit crew in the Indy 500, and it is their heart and humor that serve as a glue for the film.

Set in Los Angeles, specifically in the San Fernando Valley, the film takes on an authentic feel, even amidst a storyline of racing snails. The backdrop’s legitimacy paints a vivid picture: what may seem impossible may not be so.

OVERALL RATING: 4/5 DISHES

Snoop Dogg Releases ‘Let the Bass Go’ Lyric Video

I’ve never understood the Snoop Dogg fascination, but since I’m the only one on the planet with that declaration, I’ve decided to post his new lyric video. The song, ‘Let the Bass Go,’ appears in ‘Turbo,’ the upcoming film from Dreamworks Animation. The film follows a snail who dreams of speed and wants to race the Indy 500. Watch the fun video below.

Ashley Judd Apologizes For Hip Hop Insults — Still Talks Way too Much

I’m aware that the tile of this post is hypocritical, considering just how much I talk.  But there’s something called word economy, and Ashley Judd is without it.  She apologized for her recent insulting comments toward P Diddy, Snoop Dogg, and hip hop music in general.  I’m posting the quotes below, and I hope your head doesn’t explode while reading them.  Can’t the woman just say, “I’m sorry for those stupid comments.”  You’d think she was writing a PhD thesis.  I get the feeling that she carries around a dictionary and circles words she thinks would make for fancy sentences.  I’ll give Ashley Judd the same advice I gave Scott Adams.  When in trouble, use the least amount of words as possible.  Get in and get out.  Read below.

  • “The general theme is to express my gratitude for a chance to learn, to be corrected where I was wrong, to make amends, and hold firm and strong on the original intention and context of the points I made, with a commitment to try to do so less clumsily and with more sensitivity in the future.  I am also aware that, no matter what I do, some will call me disingenuous and impute bad motives to me.”
  • My equivalent genres, as an Appalachian, an oppressed and ridiculed people, would be mountain music and bluegrass. Those genres tell the history, struggles, grief, soul, faith, and culture of my people.  In imagining how I would feel if someone made negative generalizations about that music, I am deeply remorseful that anything I may have said in All That Is Bitter & Sweet would hurt adherents of genres that represent their culture. This book is an act of love and service. Insulting people of goodwill is the antithesis of its raison d’etre.

Ashley Judd Disses Snoop Dogg and P Diddy — GASP!

There’s three things I hate in Hollywood, and Ashley Judd has committed all of them. First, I hate celebrity memoirs. They’re egocentric, unnecessary, and almost as bad as a celebrity fragrance. Second, I hate when celebrities mention more famous people than themselves to get their name in the press. And third, I hate when celebrities blame the media for all the world’s problems. In her new memoir, Ashley Judd scapegoated Snoop Dogg, P Diddy, and the entire hip hop world, saying, “As far as I’m concerned, most rap and hip-hop music — with it’s rape culture and insanely abusive lyrics and depictions of girls and women as ‘ho’s’ — is the contemporary soundtrack of misogyny.” She then went on to blame the unequal treatment of sexes as the “root cause of poverty and suffering around the world.” Wow — that’s quite a lot of blame to place on Snoop Dogg and P Diddy. I don’t suppose she’ll be invited to any of their Hollywood shin-digs. I think everyone would agree that gender disparities around the world are something to be addressed, but singling out famous musicians to prove your point? It’s cheap and ludicrous. You really think misogynists around the globe are justifying their behavior with Snoop music?