Now And Then Thrift Store Long Beach Ca

It wasn't just the contents of the lockers that had viewers hooked, though; it was the series' eccentric cast of characters, too. At the time of filming, the two owned a thrift store called Now and Then that was based in Orange, California, according to Online Storage Auctions. The pair was often featured on the show while looking for items to buy that they could resell at their second-hand shop. Keona Sade Foote, 23, and her two-year old daughter, Miyona Zayla Miller were shot and killed by Keona's ex-boyfriend, Renard Carter, 29, on September 10. Police report that Keona was strangled and both she and Miyona died from trauma. Keona was pregnant with Carter's child at the time she was killed.

Carter had recently made social media posts threatening to kill the mothers of his children and multiple witnesses reported hearing Carter make threats in person. Friends and family became worried on September 12, when they had not heard from Keona in a couple of days, and entered her apartment to find her and Miyona dead. A warrant was then issued for Carter, who was on probation after he pled guilty last year to felony domestic violence no contact order violation, and was sentenced to prison. Videos of Keona's killing were posted to Carter's social media. Carter was eventually apprehended in Columbia, South Carolina, on September 13, where it is believed he traveled to kill another ex-girlfriend, and mother of his children. When police arrived to arrest Carter at a hotel, he opened the door holding a BB gun.

He is currently in the hospital in South Carolina, but will be extradited to Minnesota on two charges of second-degree murder. Ashli K. Johnson, 29, was shot and killed in St. Paul by the father of her unborn child, Clinton Delaney, 28, on June 3. Ashli had been in contact through texts and Facebook messages with Delaney's other girlfriend, who has a child with him. Ashli told the girlfriend that she was pregnant with Delaney's child, and the two arranged to meet to verify the pregnancy through a test on June 2.

Early the next morning, on June 3, text message exchanges indicated Ashli was trying to arrange a money drop-off with Delaney and the two began arguing. Two minutes after the last text was sent, 911 received a call reporting shots in the area. Ashli was found dead by police in her "bullet ridden" vehicle a short time later.

He has been convicted of misdemeanor domestic assault three times and violated a Domestic Abuse No Contact Order. He was previously charged with domestic assault by strangulation on two separate instances, along with a dismissal for felony level domestic assault. Ashli K. Johnson leaves behind four children, and was pregnant when she was killed. Along with Brandi Passante, he started the idea of a storage auction business. Jarrod and Brandi initially started a thrift store called Now and Then Second Hand Store, located in Orange County. The couple was noticed by the makers of the reality show, Storage Wars.

Jarrod was already confirmed for the show, and later, the makers involved Brandi in the show, after they met her in the store. Monique Saraya Robbins, 28, was killed in her St. Paul apartment by her boyfriend, DeMarea Clay, 24, on February 26. Neighbors called police in the early morning of February 26, to report loud noises coming from Monique's apartment, and a man dragging a woman's body into a car. When officers arrived they found Clay standing outside his vehicle. He told police Monique had a seizure while showering, and that she was overdosing on drugs. Officers performed CPR on Monique, who did not have a pulse, before she was transported to a hospital.

The drugs Clay said Monique had taken were not found in her system. She did have significant bruising and bleeding to her head and face, and her cause of death was determined to be asphyxiation. Two weeks before Monique's death Clay was charged with domestic assault and given a criminal Domestic Abuse No Contact Order to stay away from her and her apartment building. He was also charged with domestic assault against Monique in September 2019, and police responded to domestic disturbances at her apartment in August and November of that year.

Monique had told her friends and family about Clay's controlling behavior, his threats to her life, and that he strangled her. Relatives said Monique recently arranged for her daughter to live with family members because she didn't think her daughter was safe around Clay. Clay's previous girlfriend had a protective order against him for abusing her, which he was charged with violating, but was eventually dismissed. DeMarea Clay has been charged with second-degree unintentional murder. Monique Saraya Robbins is survived by her 8-year-old daughter. His life literally changed after meeting his future partner Brandi Passante in 1999.

The two met after Brandi came in to work at the carpet-cleaning company where he served as the sales manager. Despite the fact that it would be inappropriate for him to make romantic advances towards a coworker, he was persistent and the two eventually started dating. They have been together ever since, working as partners in the professional field as well. While Jarrod is prone to taking risks and lacks business sense, Brandi more than makes up for it, complementing him perfectly. While the two have been mentioned as husband and wife on the show a few times, it was later revealed that even though they have been together for over a decade, they never actually got married.

They have two children together, a son named Cameron and a daughter named Peyton. The couple does not want their kids to follow in their footsteps. Cameron is interested in becoming a director or producer, while Peyton is interested in athletics and cheerleading. Maria Fernanda Bliss Pew, 28, was strangled and killed by her husband, Joshua Fury, 28, in their Maple Grove home on May 2. Fury called police on April 30 to report his wife missing and allowed them to search the home at the time. Searches around the area were conducted over the following two days.

At this time, Maria's family and friends told police the couple had problems and that Fury was "controlling and possessive." Maria's mom stated her daughter was planning to leave Fury. During a search on May 2, a police K9 indicated the presence of human remains at the home. After a search warrant was issued, Maria's body was discovered in the crawl space of the house. He told police he did not harm his wife and blamed it on one of her former boyfriends.

Later, Fury confessed to strangling Maria, putting a plastic bag over her head, and burying her in the house's crawl space. He also told officers he attempted suicide after killing his wife. Joshua Fury has been charged with second-degree murder of his wife, Maria Fernanda Bliss Pew. While Jarrod Schulz has become a well known face on television for his appearance on 'Storage Wars', it is a lesser known fact that he is also a fashion designer. In fact, he founded 'Outlaw Apparel' with a friend back in 2002, long before he started his thrift store business. According to him, the brand was created by two friends who wanted to express their individuality and unique approach to life.

They initially created only a few clothes and stickers for themselves and their children, but the clothing line soon grew to include most types of clothes for men, women and children. The clothing company got a publicity boost after Jarrod and Brandi started to appear on television. Jarrod, who either creates or approves everything that comes out with the Outlaw brand name, also wears his own branded clothes while appearing on television.

During this time, he met the producers of 'Storage Wars' at an auction in Harbor City and learned about the planned show for the first time. After about eight months, the producers of the show offered to shoot footage at his store. However, Brandi, who was managing the store that day, charmed the producers of the show right away, and secured a permanent place as the main cast of the show on its first season in 2010.

Jarrod and Brandi debuted on television as a loving couple of "Young Guns" looking to buy storage spaces onStorage Warsseason 1, which aired all the way back in 2010. During the beginning of their run onStorage Wars, Jarrod and Brandi owned Now And Then, a thrift store in Orange, California. On top of their business, Jarrod and Brandi were raising two young children, Payton and Cameron. The couple aimed to keep their personal lives private, but fans gauged that Jarrod and Brandi were together for over 20 years. Brandi and Jarrod claimed a slew of noteworthy items onStorage Wars- from voodoo items to baby dolls. Although the couple became fan-favorites, their bickering dynamic on the reality show proved to be more than just an act for the cameras.

Lauren Summer Koffi-n'guessan, 22, was shot and killed by her boyfriend, Steven Buford, 21, on September 4, in West St. Paul. Police were called to an apartment building in West St. Paul on the night of September 4, in response to a couple arguing. When officers arrived, they heard a gunshot, and found Lauren with a wound to her head in the parking lot. Buford shot and killed Lauren before attempting to steal another woman's car in the parking lot. The woman, and her two young children, all witnessed Buford shoot Lauren before he ran to their car with Lauren's 15-month-old child in his arms.

He threw Lauren's child at the woman in the car, entered the backseat, and told her to drive, but was arrested by police before he could flee. Steven Buford is charged with second-degree murder , first-degree attempted aggravated robbery and possession of a firearm by ineligible person. Lauren Summer Koffi-n'guessan leaves behind her 15-month-old son.

Brandon Jose Nieves, 20, was shot and killed by Marcelino Lopez, 19, in South St. Paul, on April 2. Prior to the shooting on April 2, Lopez posted threatening social media messages, including threats to kill, directed at Brandon after he began dating Lopez's ex-girlfriend. The social media exchanges escalated and Lopez and Brandon met with the intention to "fight." When Brandon arrived at the location, he and a 16-year old friend exited his vehicle. Lopez then took a shotgun from his car and shot the unarmed Brandon and 16-year old, before fleeing. The 16-year old was transported to a hospital with a gunshot wound to the chest, where he remained in critical condition. Lopez was arrested and told police he had made several death threats to Brandon before April 2.

Marcelino Lopez has been charged with second-degree murder of Brandon Jose Nieves, and second-degree attempted murder and first-degree assault for shooting the 16-year old boy. Out of high school, Brandi needed a job, as she decided that college was not for her, and actually wanted to become a chef. However, she started working at a carpet cleaning company in Tustin, California, where she met Jarrod Schultz, who would soon become her partner, both professionally and romantically. Jarrod was working as a manager of the store, but the two decided to quit their jobs and start a mortgage business. However, once Jarrod's aunt suggested trying out auctions – as she herself owned a storage unit – Brandi and Jarrod decided to give it a go.

Brandon Jerome Salter, 27, was shot and killed by his sister's ex-boyfriend, Ryan Frazier, 23, in Minneapolis on June 4. Prior to the shooting, Frazier and his current girlfriend arrived at Brandon's sister's house with the intent to fight her. Brandon's sister then called 911 and asked Brandon to come over, because she was fearful of Frazier. Brandon arrived to his sister's home as she opened the front door and was assaulted by Frazier's girlfriend.

The sister told police she heard Frazier repeatedly tell Brandon, "I'm going to shoot you," and saw him with a pistol. After running inside to check on her crying baby, Brandon's sister heard 4-6 gunshots. When she returned outside, she found Brandon on the ground across the street, while Frazier and his girlfriend left the scene. Ryan Frazier was eventually arrested in Chicago last week and charged with second-degree murder. Brandon Jerome Salter is survived by his three-year-old daughter.

​On March 7, Jackie DeFoe, 27, and her 20-month-old son, Kevin Shabiash Jr., were killed in their Cloquet home on the Fond du Lac Indian Reservation by Jackie's boyfriend Sheldon Thompson, 33. During a welfare check on the home, police officers found Jackie's body covered with lacerations and blood in a bedroom closet. An autopsy found Jackie died from multiple stab wounds, and was 13 weeks pregnant at the time of death. Thompson has a long history of relationship abuse including a conviction for misdemeanor domestic assault in 2013, and gross misdemeanor domestic assault in 2016, both against previous partners. He also had multiple domestic assault by strangulation charges that were subsequently dropped. Thompson's ex-wife had a protective order and a Domestic Abuse No Contact Order against him after several assaults.

One assault resulted in a broken jaw; doctors were initially prevented from performing surgery on her due to excessive swelling. Thompson received a felony conviction after he violated his ex-wife's DANCO in 2017. In 2006, he was charged with second-degree murder but took a plea deal that reduced his conviction to felony seconddegree assault with a dangerous weapon. Sheldon Thompson has been charged with two counts of second-degree murder of Jackie DeFoe and her son, Kevin Shabiash Jr.

During his early career, Jarrod Schulz worked as the manager of the sales office at a carpet-cleaning company in Tustin, California. He then started his mortgage business in the early 2000s, but the business collapsed a few years later, leaving him unemployed for a while. It was during this time that one of his aunts, who managed a public storage facility, advised him to take part in storage auctions. Along with his girlfriend Brandi, he soon opened the 'Now and Then' second hand store in Orange County, California.

This one you probably know, which is that Brandi is one of the more popular cast members of the extremely reality TV series "Storage Wars". She and Jarrod are shown bidding on storage units, and thanks to her quirky character, Brandi soon captured the hearts of viewers, becoming a star of the show. She has featured in more than 150 episodes so far, which not only gave her and her business considerable exposure, but also made her quite rich. Jarrod and Brandi were a part of the reality series in all seasons.

During the 4th season, they opened a Second thrift store in Long Beach, California. However, the store ran for a year until it was closed in 2014. Likewise, their store located in Orange County was closed after two years.

He is best known for his appearance on the A&E reality series, Storage Wars. Jarrod appeared in the reality show along with Brandi Passante. Brandi is his former lady love and business partner, with whom, he opened a thrift store "Now and Then Second Hand Store". As of 2021, Jarrod Schultz net worth is estimatedd to be roughly $2 million.

Jarrod Schulz and Brandi Passante often appeared on Storage Warsto purchase abandoned storage units, so they could resell the contents in their Then and Now thrift store. While Schulz and Passante split up in 2019, the relationship between the two of them hasn't exactly been smooth. By April 2021, there was a new, unsavory incident in their relationship. "Storage Wars" debuted on the reality TV scene back in 2010 on the A&E network. The show had success with millions of viewers being fascinated by the treasure trove that can be an abandoned storage unit.

This non-profit thrift store, run by the Catholic Charities Diocese, sells clothes, shoes, furniture, toys, and books. All sales support their in-house food resource center which provides food, clothing, and application assistance for CalFresh applicants. We want to thank you for your patronage and support to Faith Farm Ministries in this very difficult time.

Angela Lynn Mesich, 47, was shot and killed by her husband, Jason Mesich, 48, in their Bloomington home on August 30. Jason shot Angela in the garage before going outside and shooting two of his neighbors in their front yard. The neighbors were sisters who were loading a moving truck when Jason shot them. One of the sisters, a 29-year-old, was shot three times in the lower body and is in stable condition. The other sister, a 12-year-old, was shot in the head while she was holding her 1-year-old niece and running away from Jason. She remains in critical condition, and her niece was unharmed.

Fast And Furious Movies List

While developing the film, Universal completely departed from any street racing elements prevalent in previous films, to transform the franchise into a heist action series involving cars. By doing so, they hoped to attract wider audiences that might otherwise be put off by a heavy emphasis on cars and car culture. Fast Five is considered the transitional film in the series, featuring only one car race and giving more attention to action set pieces such as gun fights, brawls and the heist. Fast Five was initially conceived to conclude the franchise, but following strong box office performance and high critical praise, Universal proceeded to develop a sixth installment. Furthermore, the film is noted for the addition of Dwayne Johnson to the cast, whose performance was critically praised.

One of the best things about theFast and the Furious franchise is that, for a while, it totally reinvents itself with each film. In a world of cookie-cutter studio filmmaking, it's remarkable that this series doesn't settle on any particular formula until its sixth entry, Fast and Furious 6. While that formula is ultimately a good one, having been set by the inimitableFast Five,it's also a bit of a letdown to see these films switch into cruise control after so much swerving and drifting.

Alas, that's just what Justin Lin does in his fourth time in the director's chair. Things chug along in a steady but workmanlike fashion, everyone on the team has their standard action movie quips, and the whole film feels the safest and most Marvel-like of all the entries. The most notable sequence is a dimly-lit finale as endless as the airport runway on which it takes place. In 2000, actor Paul Walker had worked with director Rob Cohen on The Skulls.

Cohen secured a deal with producer Neal H. Moritz for an untitled action film for Universal Pictures, and approached Walker and asked him to suggest his "dream" action film; Walker suggested a mash-up of the films Days of Thunder and Donnie Brasco . Upon hearing this, Walker signed on immediately; finding his co-star proved difficult. The studio warmed toward the idea of Timothy Olyphant in the role of Dominic Toretto, due to the success of the blockbuster Gone in 60 Seconds , but he declined. Moritz persisted on Vin Diesel following his performance in Pitch Black , with Diesel accepting after proposing several script changes. Moritz had difficulty choosing between the titles Racer X, Redline, Race Wars and Street Wars, but was ultimately inspired by a documentary on American International Pictures, which included the 1954 film The Fast and the Furious. Moritz was traded use of some stock footage to its director, Roger Corman, in exchange for a license to use the title.

Upon release in June 2001, the film shattered box office expectations and a 2002 sequel was green-lit by September. Fast & Furious is a media franchise centered on a series of action films that are largely concerned with illegal street racing, heists, spies and family. The franchise also includes short films, a television series, live shows, video games and theme park attractions. Unsurprisingly, an action franchise that began as an ode to illegal street racing is filled with killer sets of wheels, including classic muscle cars that might remind you of your first car from back in the day. Speed-demon standouts include a 1967 Ford Mustang Fastback, a 1971 Nissan Skyline GT-R Hakosuka, a 1987 Buick GNX, and especially a 1971 Dodge Charger driven by Dominic Toretto in the first film that returns for guest appearances in later editions.

The toll of multiple re-shoots dissuaded Wan from returning to the franchise and Universal hired F. This film was to begin a new trilogy, which will conclude the franchise. Diesel announced that introducing Kurt Russell and Charlize Theron as characters in Furious 7 would help to reach this. The film was released in 2017 and received mixed reviews from critics, many of whom praised the performances and action sequences, but criticized the storyline and the long running time. It was an unabashed commercial success, grossing over $1.2 billion worldwide. Universal later announced that final two films will be released in May 2020 and April 2021, with Lin returning to direct.

It was announced that Brewster would reprise her role as Mia Toretto, while screenwriter Daniel Casey was hired for the ninth film; F9 is the first film since Tokyo Drift not to be written by Morgan. Pre-production began in February 2019 in London, and filming began in June and concluded in November. John Cena was cast as the film's villain, portraying Jakob Toretto, Dom's brother. Moreover, Sung Kang returned as Han, while the film is the first to star Helen Mirren and saw Lucas Black reprise his role as Sean Boswell from Tokyo Drift.

F9 was originally scheduled to be theatrically released on May 22, 2020, but was pushed back a year to April 2, 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was then pushed back to May 28, 2021, and finally released in the United States on June 25. Fast Five raised the bar for the Fast and Furious franchise in so many ways. It changed the style of the movies from being about street racing to an action-packed heist film.

It added The Rock to the cast, it also brought back characters from across the franchise, and really brought the theme of family to the forefront. What started out as a simple cat-and-mouse game between an undercover police officer and an illegal street racer has become one of the most commercially successful action/heist/spy movie franchises ever, complete with its ownkids' TV show. The series offers plenty of thrilling car battles, explosive destruction, and even heartwarming messages about family and protecting those we love -- as well as one of the most diverse casts out there. While these films have never received critical raves, there's no denying that they're a lively, action-packed ride.

This list, presented in release order, includes all of the movies in the Fast saga and the related Fast and Furious spin-offs. Check out Best Car Movies for Kids and TeensorBest TV Shows About Cars. Following a disappointing return of the main characters in Fast and Furious, Fast Five reinvigorated the franchise, thanks namely to the introduction of Johnson's Luke Hobbs and a push away from street racing and more towards having a heist movie storyline.

Of course, there are still car chases, but there's certainly an Italian Job sensibility mixed with brilliant action and fight sequences. Once you've got all the Fast and Furious movies ready to watch, you'll be able to drink in the epic timeline of these films. While they start as fun, brisk tales of illegal street racing, they've morphed into globe-trotting narratives that push our heroes to save the world . Away from the franchise, Diesel made a string of box office or critical flops, including The Chronicles of Riddick , The Pacifier and Find Me Guilty . After discussions with Universal, the pair shared an interest in reviving the series.

After signing Diesel and confirming the return of Lin, Universal worked to track the first film's original co-stars and re-signed Walker, Michelle Rodriguez and Jordana Brewster in mid-2008. Walker was initially reluctant to rejoin the franchise after six years, but Diesel assured him that film would be considered the first "true" sequel. Morgan returned to write after the critical praise for the character Han Lue. Given the apparent death of the character in the third film, the timeline of the franchise was altered to account for his appearance.

With the emphasis on car culture toned down, the fourth film, Fast & Furious, was a commercial success. Although critical reception was mixed, it reinvigorated the franchise, as well as the star power of Diesel and Walker. Universal attempted to bring back Diesel for the third installment, but he again declined due to other projects and a dislike for the script. After failing to secure the returns of Walker or any other member of the original cast, Universal ordered a reboot of the franchise. Screenwriter Chris Morgan subsequently attempted to revive the series primarily for car enthusiasts, introducing new characters, focusing on a car-related subculture and moving the series to Tokyo; Japan contains one of the world's largest automotive industries. It is the first film in the series to start its tradition of filming in locations outside the United States.

Moritz returned and hired director Justin Lin, having been impressed with Lin's work for the film Better Luck Tomorrow , which shared similar elements with Tokyo Drift. Moreover, the series were able to bring Diesel in for a cameo appearance, in exchange for letting the actor's production company acquire the rights to the Riddick character. The third film was the least financially successful of the franchise, received lukewarm reception and left the future of the franchise in limbo.

The first film was released in 2001, which began the original tetralogy of films focused on illegal street racing and culminated in the film Fast & Furious . The series transitioned towards heists and spying with Fast Five and was followed by four sequels, with the most recent, F9, released in 2021. A tenth and eleventh film are planned, and the main films are collectively known as The Fast Saga.

The fourth entry in the now-titledFast Saga has a lot of heavy-lifting to do.Fast and Furious is the firstreal sequel to the original, the second and third installments missing Vin Diesel, who declined participation due to lackluster writing . It's also series MVP director Justin Lin's first step in revamping the films from a series of exploitation-style underground car flicks to a bona fide, balls-to-the-wall action franchise. As with most of these films, it's hard to imagine the franchise as it is today without it, but on its own, this is one of the more forgettable entries.

The most unfairly maligned of the Fast and Furious films, Lin and Morgan's franchise debut is an absolute delight from top to tail; a gleeful series oddball that both stands on its own and introduces a character so beloved the entire franchise timeline was reworked to bring him back. It's easy to see why people are resistant to the film; Tokyo Drift transports the action to Japan, leaving the family behind with an all-new cast of over-the-top high school characters. It also put the focus firmly on the street-racing and hinges on a lead character who is an absolutely unlikeable clown and maybe the worst driver in the world. Even so, the film takes strength in a simple plot, a star-making turn from Sung Kang, stylish direction from Lin, and the wise instinct to never take itself too seriously.

Fast & Furious is an adequate and functional film, and it was a crucial step in transforming the franchise, but it's stuck somewhere between the street racing drama of the early films and the blissful logic-pummeling action of the later films. That tonal imbalance makes the fourth Furious film a bit of a slog, even though director Justin Lin and screenwriter Chris Morgan were clever enough to reunite the core family and lay the ground groundwork for the films to come. Directed by Rob Cohen, the first film in the series set the stage by building a bonafide action movie around the culture of drag racing.

Set around the film's release year of 2001, The Fast and the Furious introduced Paul Walker's Brian O'Connor, an LAPD officer who goes undercover to take down a crew of carjackers. Things get muddled when Brian develops a genuine friendship with the crew's charismatic leader, Dominic Toretto , and a romantic relationship with Dom's sister, Mia . This is also the first time we meet vital series mainstay Letty Ortiz . The action movie series first hit cinema screens in 2001 with the release of 'The Fast and the Furious', starring the late Paul Walker as Brian O'Conner and Vin Diesel as Dominic Toretto.

Walker's final appearance in the franchise is in 'Furious 7', though the actor unfortunately died in a road accident during filming. Director James Wan has spoken publicly about his wish to honor Walker's legacy and was keen to ensure that Walker's character left the franchise in a manner that respected his previous work in the series and felt natural to fans. A transparent knockoff of "Point Break" set in the world of illegal street racing, Rob Cohen's slick, comparatively realistic original couldn't possibly have foreseen the wild and improbable places this franchise eventually went. Bursting with cash but on the verge of bankruptcy for new ideas, F. Gary Gray mounted a handsome, appropriately operatic eighth installment featuring a couple of prestigious foes but arguably the dumbest heel turn in modern movie history. No character has ever championed loyalty more emphatically than Dominic Toretto, so when he gets blackmailed into betraying his former friends and colleagues, every second feels more preposterous than the previous one.

It features the silliest car action of the series -- though, to be fair, Dwayne Johnson does punch a torpedo. "Fate" also betrays the series' central "family" theme by making an ally of Jason Statham's Shaw, who murdered a crew member in a previous film, without ever bothering to address the issue. Toyko Drift stars Lucas Black as a rambunctious teenage rule breaker who is shipped off to live with his deadbeat dad in Tokyo, where he meets his street-racing mentor, Kang's Han "snack attack" Seoul-Oh, and learns a new way to live while he's learning a new way to drive. It's a full-on B-movie blast that's visually splendid, packed with kinetic races and chase scenes, and a playfully respectful riff on the street racing mentor dynamic established in the first film. Tokyo Drift fearlessly reinvents the franchise, and in doing so it manages to be a completely singular and somewhat detached film in the series, but one that also bizarrely became a crux of the narrative in retrospect.

But make no mistake, all the hallmarks international audiences have come to love about the later Furious films are here, making it an essential entry in the franchise - and a delightful one in its own right. This method helps with the pacing of the series, as watching in release order means you get two movies without Dominic Torretto as a leading character in a row – and nobody watching the Fast Saga wants that. You will also come to have a deeper appreciation of Tokyo Drift come the time to watch the sequel – in the original order, it's harder to connect with the movie, hence why the contemporary reviews were so harsh yet, retrospectively as part of the wider series, people love Tokyo Drift.

A simple concept, but one that 2001's The Fast and the Furious transformed into a massive, billion-dollar franchise. As is the case with most big stories that came from small beginnings, the exact chronological timeline of the Fast & Furious films has gotten a bit complicated. Universal lacked a major event film for 2014 and rushed Furious 7 into pre-production in mid-2013 due to its status as a bankable asset. Lin decided not to return to direct the seventh film, as he was still performing post-production on Fast & Furious 6. James Wan, primarily known for horror films, took over directorial duties.

On November 30, 2013, Walker died in a single-vehicle crash, with filming only half-completed. Following Walker's death, filming was delayed for script rewrites and his brothers, Caleb and Cody, were used as stand-ins to complete his remaining scenes. The script rewrites completed the story arcs of both Walker and Brewster's characters.

Visual effects company Weta Digital was hired to re-create Walker's likeness. Ultimately, the film's delays saw it being released in April 2015, where it became the highest-grossing film in the franchise, grossing $1.5 billion. It was also the most critically successful, with praise being aimed at the film's action sequences and its emotional tribute to Walker. Family, of course, is the glue that holds the entire "Fast and Furious" enterprise together.

It's the reason these movies exist, and it's what makes them more than just brainless popcorn entertainment. These are also films that sincerely grapple with issues like loss, sacrifice, betrayal, community, and collectivism… it's just that the characters are frequently racing, jumping out of, or blowing up an assortment of planes, trains, and automobiles whilst doing said grappling. The last time the series seemed stalled out with no new roads to explore, Justin Lin took the wheel and brought it roaring back to life. So it seems only appropriate that after the low-point ofFate of the Furious, he'd be the guy waiting in the pit stop to gas things back up.

The final entries in theFast Saga start filming in January 2022, butF9 gives the series exactly the boost it needs to send it careening toward the finish line. Some may call much of this one ridiculous, and indeed the climactic exploits of Roman and Tej bring the franchise's increasingly gonzo sensibilities quite literally into space. However, it's all carried off with such graceful, committed elegance that it feels pointless to complain. The set pieces are bigger, louder, and stupider, but the heart hasn't gone anywhere. After 20 years, sans Paul Walkerandthe Rock, there's still plenty of gas left in the tank. Rocking a title so horrible it somehow comes right back around to being amazing, 2 Fast 2 Furious had few characters returnfrom the first installment, which meant the conspicuous absence of Vin Diesel.

The first sequel in the franchise imagines a world where this entire series is about Paul Walker playing a SoCal himbo cop in a series of car-centric police procedurals. This makes for a stylish and fun opening ten minutes, but his emphasis on aesthetic can't overcome this entry's interminably dull plot. Screenwriting has never been the highlight of these films, but saddling Tyrese with the line "It's a ho-asis in here" is a bridge too far. That's to say nothing of the bizarre casting ofDazed and Confused's Cole Hauser as an Argentinean druglord, without a doubt the series' most lackluster villain.

Proving indisputably that this series does not need Vin Diesel, "Hobbs & Shaw" charms immediately by embracing the two leads' oil-and-water buddy dynamic with their charisma working overtime in a story with its tongue firmly in its cheek. All the while, he explores the franchise's fixation on family ties with funny, surprisingly effective humanity. After nine films, the stakes are higher and more ridiculous than ever, but Lin take them increasingly seriously, prompting the wrong kind of laughter from a movie that actually delivers on the promise of sending this group of street racers–turned–international super-spies to space. 20 years later, these Fast and Furious movies get bigger than ever. Who knew with what started with just street racing, would witness jumping out of planes, submarines, and making contact with space?

This series of movies should not be missed if you're a fan of cars and action movies. "The family just got bigger" Dom says when he learns that Mia is pregnant, but no one knew just how much bigger the family was about to get. Opening with the steely, straight-faced gravitas of a Christopher Nolan movie before settling into a hyper-violent riff on "Ocean's Eleven," "Fast Five" is the one shining moment where everything came together.