For a few decades the Jackass franchise has delivered creative yet sometimes highly dangerous stunts. It did so with the TV series that went just a few years, until 2002, but the movies were where the true Jackass experiences grew. The newest and possibly last version, Jackass Forever, had me laughing like crazy. Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, Ehren McGhehey, Rob Dyrdek, and Dave England have still got it. Jackass Forever is an experience that will give die-hard fans the time of their lives.

In Jackass Forever, it has been eleven years since the previous Jackass film and the crew decides to return for their final installment in the franchise. Fans may have thought the boys went too far with Jackass 3D (2010), but they take the craziness to new heights in some of the most daring and revolting stunts yet. Some scenes may be hard to bear, but I was dying with laughter. Expect the usual horseplay with dangerous animals, crazy inventions that go overboard with being unsafe, and just be ready to fasten your seat belts for this wild adventure many years in the making.

The film really has an ensemble cast, but if there is a “star”, it would be Johnny Knoxville, who has really hit his stride at 50 years old. I’m actually surprised some of them agreed to do this movie, especially Ehren, since he always gets the worst of the pranks.

Jackass Forever is what I would call a buddy movie. And by that I mean it’s a film best watched with friends who can laugh together, jump out of their seats at the startling moments, and wonder together just how bad things can get—bad in the best sense, of course. I had that experience with Jackass Forever. Everyone asking each other what could possibly happen next and gasping together at the outrageous stunts. It sometimes felt like we were in the crew together with Knoxville and the gang but, thankfully, we were safely in the audience.

Jackass fans simply can’t miss Jackass Forever. It’s the nostalgic final installment of a unique comedy genre. And fans need to see for themselves how out of hand the stunts can truly get. Believe me, it is going to be a wild ride. Three and a half stars for Jackass Forever.

Francis Ford Coppola’s 1974 masterpiece, The Conversation, is still brilliant today, and it’s a classic example of Coppola’s enigmatic directing. Although the film was in development as early as 1966, Coppola was waiting for The Godfather to become a success (which it was, wildly so) before working on this film. The Conversationwent on to win the 1974 Palme d’or, the highest prize at The Cannes Film Festival, and it has received many other nominations and awards.

Despite the success of The Conversation, the frustrating twist is that lead actor Gene Hackman did not receive an Academy Award nomination. Hackman was a big reason that The Conversation was, and remains, a masterpiece, and it’s still shocking today that he did not get at least a nomination.

I experienced The Conversation in 35 MM projection at the Music Box Theatre in Chicago. Seeing it in an old school cinema palace like the Music Box really helped make it an unforgettable experience. I felt like I was back in the 1970s experiencing it as a new release. The organ player before the film made it truly nostalgic for cinema aficionados like myself.

To recap the plot, The Conversation takes place in San Francisco. Hackman is Harry Caul, an introverted surveillance expert who is in an assignment to record a couple, and his surveillance reveals that his client may be the source of danger to the couple. Harrison Ford plays Harry’s boss, Martin Stett, and Harry’s assistant, Stan, is played by John Cazale. The recordings become the source of much tension between the three of them, and the plot takes a turn when it becomes apparent that it the couple are not the target of the danger.

I love a lot of things about The Conversation, including the old recording devices with their tapes and bulky consoles. The sound quality, or lack thereof, becomes an issue at times and adds an air of tension to the film. Coppola of course makes the most of this tension, and his directing keeps us on our toes as to whose side we should be on. And again, Gene Hackman is superb. Four stars for the revisited experience with The Conversation.

The late Director Benny Chan left the world a lethal adventure in Raging Fire, a thriller with some kung-fu and gun action thrown in. Raging Fire is like The Raid: Redemption(2011) on acid. Sadly, Benny Chan has passed away, but Raging Fire has a crazy amount of action and violence, and it’s a film that fans of that genre should experience.

Raging Fire takes place in Hong Kong. Donnie Yen plays Cheung Sung-bong, a veteran police officer of the Regional Crime Unit. His protégé is Yau Kong-ngo, played by Nicholas Tse. But Cheung and Yau eventually find themselves to be enemies in the dark criminal underworld of Hong Kong.

The action and violence in Raging Fire are riveting. Around every corner is a wild fight—sometimes group fights, and many times those fights have lots of shootings, too. But the film is not just about fighting and shooting; there is a good dose of Chinese cultural rituals that are also fascinating. And the cultural rituals are intertwined with the criminal behavior.

I’ve always loved movies with a lot of action and, again, Raging Fire definitely has plenty of action. It’s a rollercoaster of craziness and two-faced criminals. The plot was a bit dry at times, but Chan’s choreography and the film’s continuity is where Raging Fire shines. Three and a half stars for Raging Fire.