Powder Keg (2001)

In 2001, BMW produced a series of 8 short films starring Clive Owen as The Driver.  They were made with the top action directors and various famous actors to showcase the performance aspects of various BMW cars.

Director: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

Writers: David Carter, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Guillermo Arriaga

Composer: Harry Gregson-Williams

Starring: Clive Owen, Stellan Skarsgard, Lois Smith

More info: IMDb

Plot: January 13, 2001. Times war photographer Harvey Jacobs is wounded while witnessing a massacre at Nuevo Colon by terrorists. In a desperate effort, the United Nations sends a vehicle to get him out, a BMW driven by the mysterious Driver.

My rating: 8.5/10

Will I watch it again? Probably not.

Wow.  The bit at the checkpoint was intense.  The film is only 11 minutes but it packs an emotional punch.  This is the extended version (about 3 minutes longer, I think) that's on the DVD with the other 7 short BMW films.  It rounds out the disc and it's a great one to go out on.  Highly recommended.  Good score, too, by Harry Gregson-Williams.

Star (2001)

In 2001, BMW produced a series of 8 short films starring Clive Owen as The Driver.  They were made with the top action directors and various famous actors to showcase the performance aspects of various BMW cars.

Director: Guy Ritchie

Writers: Joe Sweet, Guy Ritchie

Composer: No score, just Song 2 by Blur and Wagner's The Ride of the Valkyries theme

Starring: Clive Owen, Michael Beattie, Toru Tanaka Jr., DTeflon, Troy Aguayo, Madonna, Woon Young Park

More info: IMDb

Plot: The Driver now carries an arrogant rock star who is visiting a major city (not Pittsburgh as earlier believed). Played by Madonna, this title character wants to get away from her bodyguards in the Driver's BMW. He soon gets tired of her and decides to have a bit of fun.

My rating: 9.5/10

Will I watch it again? YES!!!

Hilarious.  Would you believe that Madonna could be so convincing as a royal cunt?  I know, right?  Clive Owen looks like he's having a blast with that smirk on his face.  As soon as he left the parking garage I just knew it was going to be insanely fun and it was.  I also really dig who put him up to it.  This and the Tony Scott one, BEAT THE DEVIL (2002) with James Brown, are my two favorites and they're both going to get repeat viewings at parties.  Great fun.

The Follow (2001)

In 2001, BMW produced a series of 8 short films starring Clive Owen as The Driver.  They were made with the top action directors and various famous actors to showcase the performance aspects of various BMW cars.

Director: Kar Wai Wong

Writer: Andrew Kevin Walker

Composers: Joel Goodman, Jeff Rona

Starring: Clive Owen, Mickey Rourke, Adriana Lima, Forest Whitaker

More info: IMDb

Plot: The Driver is now spying on a celebrity's wife suspected of adultery.

My rating: 8/10

Will I watch it again? Probably not.

This is the most relaxing and hypnotic of all of the short films so far.  It's really soothing visually and aurally.  It's rather touching, too.  All else I can say is very, very nice.

Chosen (2001)

In 2001, BMW produced a series of 8 short films starring Clive Owen as The Driver.  They were made with the top action directors and various famous actors to showcase the performance aspects of various BMW cars.

Director: Ang Lee

Writer: David Carter

Composer: Mychael Danna

Starring: Clive Owen, Mason Lee, Sonom Gualson, Brian Smyj, Jamie Harris, Jeff Jensen, Jarrod Bunch, Artie Malesci, Kevin Catucci, Losang Gyatso, Satoru 'Sat' Tsufura

More info: IMDb

Plot: The Driver is carrying an East Asian child who has been chosen for a strange rite. He must drive him through a dark night in the city to get to a monk's house, while eluding several U.S. cars out to get the child.

My rating: 7/10

Will I watch it again? No.

What you're likely to come away from this with is the interesting choice the score is.  It's performed by a string quartet that's periodically augmented with other instruments. It felt weird at first but it grew on me by the end and I really dug it when it was all said and done.  It's one of the cuter entries in to this 8-film series.  It's funny that The Driver receives a gift from the passenger in the way of a bandaid with The Hulk on it.  Lee would go on to direct THE HULK (2003) two years later.  Cute inside joke. 

Ambush (2001)

In 2001, BMW produced a series of 8 short films starring Clive Owen as The Driver.  They were made with the top action directors and various famous actors to showcase the performance aspects of various BMW cars.

Director: John Frankenheimer

Writer: Andrew Kevin Walker

Composer: Michael Wandmacher

Starring: Clive Owen, Tomas Milian, Franklin Dennis Jones

More info: IMDb

Plot: The Driver is a shadowy BMW driver who serves as a chauffeur. On a dark night, he is carrying an elderly old Cuban. They are startled by a van full of armed terrorists, demanding a cache of diamonds stolen by the passenger. At first the Driver is willing to give it up, but when he learns that his cargo actually swallowed the diamonds, he decides to do the right thing.

My rating: 6.5/10

Will I watch it again? Nah.

I was shocked to see that it was Tomas Milian in the backseat.  Holy crap does he look different.  This is the first of teh BMW short films and it was just about the last thing Frankenheimer directed before his death the following year.  This guy knows how to film a car chase.  If you've ever seen RONIN (1998) then you know what I mean.  This film is really short at 6 minutes when you remove the opening and end credits.  It's good but it's not all that memorable or exciting.  The coolest thing about it was seeing Milian.  I don't think I've seen him in anything outside of the Spaghetti Westerns and Italian crime films of the 60s and 70s.

Beat the Devil (2002)

In 2001, BMW produced a series of 8 short films starring Clive Owen as The Driver.  They were made with the top action directors and various famous actors to showcase the performance aspects of various BMW cars.

Director: Tony Scott

Writers: David Carter, Greg Hahn, Vincent Ngo

Composer: Harry Gregson-Williams

Starring: Clive Owen, James Brown, Gary Oldman, Marilyn Manson, Danny Trejo, Tony Wilson, Tomirae Brown, Judge Bradley

More info: IMDb

Plot: Decades ago, the legendary James Brown sold his soul to the devil for fame and fortune. Now he wishes to renegotiate. Hired to take Mr. Brown to a rendezvous with the devil (Gary Oldman), the driver soon finds himself entangled in fiendish plans.

My rating: 10/10

will I watch it again? FUCK & YES

The Devil's (Oldman) entrance is hilarious.  Hell, this whole short is hilarious.  James Brown.  Love that guy and he was a perfect choice as a guy who sold his soul to the Devil in his youth in exchange for wealth and fame.  That it's got Oldman in over-the-top land as the Devil and Danny Trejo as his driver who goes wheel to wheel with Brown's driver (Owen) is the crack cocaine icing on the heroin cake.  The race is both exciting and fun as shit.  The ending is great and the use of James Brown's classic "HEY!" is used to great effect.  Then there's the tag with Marilyn Manson.  I'm only 3 into the 8 films and I can't imagine any of the rest being better than this.  Fantastic.

Ticker (2002)

In 2001, BMW produced a series of 8 short films starring Clive Owen as The Driver.  They were made with the top action directors and various famous actors to showcase the performance aspects of various BMW cars.

Director: Joe Carnahan

Writers: Joe Carnahan, Joe Sweet

Composer: Clint Mansell

Starring: Clive Owen, Don Cheadle, F. Murray Abraham, Clifton Powell, Bruce A. Young, Jimmy Ortega, Eli Danker, Ofer Samra, Amir Aboulela, Deron Cordero, Carlo Cordero, Tynan Grierson, Sean Barry-Weske, Ben Bray, Dennis Haysbert, Ray Liotta, Robert Patrick

More info: IMDb
 
Plot: The Driver finds himself in a dangerous, yet highly political situation; this time being pursued by a helicopter gunship while carrying a passenger with a suitcase... the contents of which will decide the fate of a nation.

My rating: 7.5/10

Will I watch it again? Maybe.

It's amazing how much they pack into this short as well as the amount of great actors.  The first half soars with action and intrigue and the second gives us the emotional weight.  Not bad for 9 minutes.  The action is good but you've also got the great acting chops of Don Cheadle and that's what makes this one better for me.

The Hostage (2002)

In 2001, BMW produced a series of 8 short films starring Clive Owen as The Driver.  They were made with the top action directors and various famous actors to showcase the performance aspects of various BMW cars.

Director: John Woo

Writers: David Carter, Vincent Ngo, Greg Hahn

Composer: Steve Jablonsky

Starring: Clive Owen, Maury Chaykin, Kathryn Morris, Darius McCrary, Gerry Becker, James MacDonald, Robert 'Rock' Galotti, Lyon Reese, Gina Briganti, Christopher Gilbertson, Shannon Holzer, James D. Dever

More info: IMDb

Plot: The driver races to locate a kidnapped victim locked in the trunk of an abandoned car somewhere on the water's edge. Linked to her only by cell phone, the driver narrows in on her location in a desperate race against time and tide.

My rating: 7/10

Will I watch it again? Nah.

The great thing about these short films is that they're short.  This one is expertly directed by John Woo and it's very stylish and 'Hollywood cool'.  It's also totally retarded and unbelievable once The Driver races like mad to save The Hostage (Morris) from drowning in the trunk of a car that's sinking in the bay.  Fucking retarded. How did the car get in the water to begin with when The Kidnapper was miles away?  In this world it takes several minutes for a car to sink.  AHHHHHH!  Shit like this pisses me off.  They were doing so well up until that point.  Other than that, it's fun.