'Missing' is Definitely Hitting the Mark

The premiere of Missing on ABC last Thursday was action packed from start to finish. Despite the fact that I've been a huge Ashley Judd fan for years, as former CIA agent Rebecca Winstone, Judd blends intelligence, toughness, fighting skills, and emotionality into a nice package that isn't over the top. The series opens with a mysterious car bomb killing her husband while he and her son, Michael, were in Europe. Ten years later we find a loving and protective bond between Rebecca and Michael truly tested when Michael is accepted into an architectural program in Rome. After not hearing from Michael for days Rebecca learns that he has not been to class in a week and she sets out in search of her missing son. The episode and season will delve into Rebecca's search for her son with plenty of twists and turns to keep viewers on the edge of their seats every Thursday. Sean Bean, who plays murdered husband Paul Winstone is cast as a series regular so it will be very interesting to see how his storyline plays out.

Ashley Judd proves that she is one mama bear you do not want to mess with. I say this because during the first fight scene (of which there were four in the pilot episode), Judd appears to be on the losing side of the match-up until she glances down at a smashed photo of her and her kidnapped son and kicks it into maximum overdrive, taking out her enemy with a cord. Did I mention the action? Judd dishes out lots of it. I don't know what her workout regiment is, but I want in. She looks fabulous! I love everything from her outfits to her haircut. Very fitting for the amount of butt kicking she's dishing out and running she's doing.


Photo courtesy of abc.go.com/shows/missing

'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!