My movie catch-ups continue, and this week I finally got to this tale of the LA streets. Training Day (2001) is a tense ride-along that is both entertaining and harrowing. It's no surprise this is the movie that put Denzel Washington on the map. His performance as Alonzo is what makes the whole film. Washington manages to play someone both hate-able and charming. He's got both a reserved and explosive energy that keeps you focused on him. Ethan Hawke is no slouch either, contrasting nicely with a naive, but earnest, character. Despite this film feeling of its time, it surprised me how much relevancy it had. It was probably one of the early movies to show the police in a not-so-flattering way. It's not a deep dive into the systemic issues of the police force, but it starts that conversation. All in all, this is a tense and engaging crime story that I recommend. Watch it if you haven't; this one's a Good.

2014's The Equalizer was a loose, but decent, adaptation of one of my favourite childhood TV shows. It was a brutally violent film with a compelling lead character and some corny 80's TV show elements. The Equalizer was a pretty big hit, so a sequel was inevitable. Four years later we've got The Equalizer 2, and I'm happy to say it was worth the wait.

The Equalizer is one of my favourite TV shows of the 80s. It aired at the very grown-up time slot of 10 p.m. -- far too late for me to stay up and watch. Thankfully we had a VCR and I recorded the show and watched it first thing after school the next day. The TV version was gritty and violent but had the corny trappings of episodic mainstream television. A big part of its success was the casting of veteran British actor Edward Woodward. So how does the big screen version starring Denzel Washington stack up to the original? Stick with me.

The only movie I'm jonesed enough to see in theatres for the remainder of the year is The Equalizer . I was a huge fan of 80s TV series , am a huge Denzel Washington fan, I dig Antoine Fuqua as a director and every word I've heard about the flick so far has been positive. Can't say that about most movies can you. Not a question. A fact.

Seems like just yesterday that Sony released the first, action-packed trailer for  Denzel Washington 's new flick The Equalizer . Well, the studio has unleashed another look at this adaptation of the 1980s TV show , and it's really something else. Yup, there's less action on display here, but we get more of a feel for the story and the elements which, I am sure, have test audiences going gaga for this flick.

At least that's what the first trailer for the upcoming adaptation of the hit 80s TV series The Equalizer implies. I'm cool with that. At first glance, this doesn't look a lot like the Edward Woodward vehicle. Then again, Denzel isn't an older British gentleman. Nor is this the 80s. This is a  Hollywood action movie in 2014, and it look like the star and director Antoine Fuqua will deliver.

And yes, fictional U.S. president Aaron Eckhart joins Gerard Butler and Morgan Freeman for the sequel to the surprise hit Olympus Has Fallen . Given the title, one can assume our heroes have left the White House for London, England , and not London, Ont. The flick kicks off with an attack on London during the British prime minister 's funeral, which is attended by Butler's U.S. Secret Service agent, the U.S. president (Eckhart) and the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives (Freeman). Some in The Basement didn't like Olympus Has Fallen (talking about YOU Matt Bellamy ) but I appreciated it for it's brutal, 80s-style violence and sensibilities. In fact, the whole movie felt like an 80s action flick, so why not give it an 80s-style sequel? And let's face it, Olympus Has Fallen made $160 million worldwide on a $70-million budget. Bitch made some coin. No word yet on whether or not director Antoine Fuqua returns for more mayhem. Given he's a...

Shawn and I bitch and bitch about how Hollywood waters down action movies . Gone from most are the graphic violence and foul mouths that made the flicks we grew up with so endearing. Then along comes Gerard Butler and Olympus Has Fallen to prove us wrong.  Disgraced former Presidential guard Mike Banning finds himself trapped inside the White House in the wake of a terrorist attack; using his inside knowledge, Banning works with national security to rescue the President from his kidnappers.  Without a doubt this is the type of flick Cannon Films and Chuck Norris would have made back in the 80s. And I admire the old-school sensibilities at play here. The action is brutally violent and the language foul. Lips are busted and jaws broken. It's awesome. Working against Antoine Fuqua 's film are some special effects that are a step above The Asylum and a seriousness that doesn't suite the cartoon nature of the story. I believe the similarly themed White House Dow...

My silly headline aside, this looks like a pretty bad to the ass Hollywood action movie . Helps that I know someone who has a role in it. No, Matt Bellamy , I speak not of Channing Tatum . But Magic Mike is in this, and he plays a cop who springs into action to protect his daughter and the president when bad guys take over the White House . Sounds kind of a like a Die Hard movie doesn't it? Or something with that Gerard Butler guy? Or some bastard offspring of the two? Truth be told, I will see White House Down . This is an awesome trailer, and no one knows how to blow the White House up like director Roland Emmerich . He's Shawn's favourite director, by the way. White House Down hits theatres June 28. Jamie Foxx and Maggie Gyllenhaal also star. Source: JoBlo.com Related articles Would You Let Him Channing All Over Your Tatum? Magic Mike The Musical In The Works!! Matthew McConaughey: How I Chose My Thong For 'Magic Mike' Hollywood's M...