Rush Hour 3 (2007)

Not long after a Chinese ambassador tells Lee (Jackie Chan) he is glad that Lee is protecting him. the ambassador is shot. The ambassador was about to announce the big wig behind the Triad, a deadly crime organization. Lee chases the would-be assassin, only to discover that he knows the man. He lets the guy get away, just as Carter (Chris Tucker) arrives to give Lee backup.
After the Triad attempts to finish off the ambassador as he lays in the hospital, Lee and Carter jet off to France to get to the bottom of the chaos. Their search leads to a dancer (Noemie Lenoir) who is linked to the Triad.

Like most sequels, this falls short. The cultural differences between Chinese Lee and African-American Carter were mined for enough jokes in the first Rush Hour (1998). There are the usual spectacular fights between Chan and various bad guys, and some amusing moments, but nothing much new.

Plus size model Mia Tyler has a small role in the beginning of the film. Max von Sydow appears here; he was in Minority Report (2002). Director Roman Polanski has an uncredited role as a French police chief.

Friday (1995)

Rapper Ice Cube co-wrote this slice of life about a day in an inner-city neighborhood of Los Angeles. Craig Jones (Ice Cube) and pal Smokey (Chris Tucker) are two young men who appear to do nothing about hang around the 'hood all day. Craig has just been fired from his latest dead-end job. Craig's dad (John Witherspoon), is always on him to do something with his life. Dana (Regina King), Craig's sister goes to school and is overly concerned with her hair.

The movie consists of the antics of Craig and Smokey's family and friends throughout the day. Some of it is funny, but a lot of it misses the mark. There is a long scene where Craig and Smokey are sitting on the front porch smoking, drinking, and making comments about the people who are passing by. It totally stops the movie in its tracks, and does not move the story along.

Ice Cube was a member of a notorious rap group known as NWA, known for such hits as "Gangsta, Gangsta" and "Fuck The Police". He has gone on to appear in such films as Barbershop. Chris Tucker paired with martial artist Jackie Chan for two installments of the movie Rush Hour. John Witherspoon was a regular on TV's "The Wayans Brothers". Anna Marie Horsford, who plays Ice Cube's mom in the film, was a regular on "Amen". Regina King was a regular on "227" and was in the movies, Jerry McGuire and Ray.

Money Talks (1997)

Tepid buddy comedy finds a street hustler (Chris Tucker) and an ambitious TV reporter (Charlie Sheen) thrown together after Thomas gets caught up inadvertly with diamond thieves. Sheen has been disgraced at the TV station he works for, and needs Thomas to help him break the big story about a big heist the thieves did. Sheen is engaged to a rich Italian girl (Heather Locklear). The problems he and Thomas encounter threaten to disrupt his upcoming wedding.

No chemistry between Thomas and Sheen, as they recycle the tired uptight-white-guy-and-hip-black-guy plot. Numerous shootouts, explosions, and fist fights couldn't pump up this story. A particulary unfunny running joke had Thomas masquerading as "Vic Damone Jr".

Paul Sorvino, who appears as Locklear's dad, is the father of Oscar-winning actress Mira Sorvino. Paul Gleason, playing a cop here, has played tough guys in several films including Trading Places (1983).