'Taken 2' - Take No Prisoners

There often comes a time when you find a movie that you can watch over and over and never grow tired of it. That movie for me is the jam packed action thriller, Taken (2008) starring Liam Neeson. Now, Neeson alone is the kind of actor with presence and acting chops who demands your attention when he is on screen. Taken  gave him the opportunity to apply those acting chops to some kick butt moves as his character, Bryan Mills - a retired, highly trained CIA field agent, leaves a trail of bad guys in his wake as he searches for his kidnapped daughter.

(Think 24 on the big screen without the countdown clock, but with the same amount of aggression, violence, and use of one's angry 'outside voice'.)

After around my 14th viewing I would even close my eyes and envision Aslan (whom Neeson voiced) from The Chronicles of Narnia movie series taking on bad guys and saving the day. You should try it sometime. The trailer played during 2008's Superbowl contained the classic scene following the capture of Bryan Mills' daughter, where he calmly delivers the chilling lines seen below. If you've seen the film, welcome back the memories; if not, enjoy!

I don't know who you are. I don't know what you want. If you are looking for ransom, I can tell you I don't have money. But what I do have are a very particular set of skills; skills I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you. If you let my daughter go now, that'll be the end of it. I will not look for you, I will not pursue you. But if you don't, I will look for you, I will find you, and I will kill you.

Taken 2 will be coming out this year in October with the same cast from before and even more action, I'm sure. I don't know how Neeson will be able to top that line from the first movie though, but I can't wait to find out!

Jack Bauer Taught Me...

amazon.com/24

One of the greatest shows to ever grace the airways, and FOX network was 24 starring Kiefer Sutherland as Jack Bauer. The word that first comes to mind when I hear the name Jack Bauer is "amazeballs". There aren't too many men who can rescue the president, save the world, torture a terrorist, and make a collect call all in one day. Below are some lessons I have learned from Mr. Bauer's displays of awesomeness:

• How to use my outside voice inside
• Road rage on the side of impeccable driving ability
• It is possible to bite through a man's jugular with your hands tied behind your back!
• How to make the "Chloe-scowl" face
• It's all fun and games until your flare gun is used as a weapon
• How to threaten bodily harm to someone with a towel
• If you need your hand removed because of a deadly virus, just 'axe' me.
• I may not have had the opportunity to remove a knife from my own abdomen and throw it at an enemy's trachea, but I have removed a splinter and thrown it at a tree
• Bench press a table
• Headbutt unsuspecting victims
• Regain consciousness

I will add more lessons learned soon, but some teens just dropped some candy wrappers in my lawn and I'm about to go Jack Bauer batshit. (Feel free to comment and add what you've learned from one of the greatest action heroes ever.) Stay tuned.

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