Working the Weekend with Luke-Breaking Bad Binge, Trilogy Countdown #10

I know you’re used to seeing Working the Weekend with Luke on Sundays, but due to some technical difficulties last weekend, I was unable to produce. Therefore, you will get two columns this weekend, one today and one tomorrow. I said I would bring five editions in August and dammit, I’m a man of my word. So for today, I’ll touch on the inspiration for my name title above, and I’ll start my Top 10 Trilogy Countdown.

BREAKING BAD BINGE

I don’t really buy too many DVD’s or Blu-Ray’s anymore, and I’m not the biggest streamer either, so a few weeks ago, when I came across the news that AMC was going to start Breaking Bad from the beginning, I was freaking jacked. Starting last weekend and going to October 5th, they’ll be running episodes from 4 to midnight every Sunday, while including bonus never before seen interviews with the cast and crew. But Luke, I can watch them whenever I feel like it. Why don’t you just buy the box set? You know what, I’m divorced with a mortgage and other bills and twin 3 year old daughters. If you want to buy it and send it my way, hit me up and I’ll give you the mailing address for you to send it my way. It’s actually pretty cool having to wait again to see more episodes. It’s almost like watching it again for the first time. But this time around, I’ll be able to watch it knowing that I spent a day in the ABQ a few months back just touring the sites. I’ll give you a few pics, but if you want to read about that day, hit up The Luke Norris Experience HERE. Have an A1 day!

THE TRILOGY COUNTDOWN

A few weeks ago, I wrote how excited I was for the release of The Expendables 3 as I really dug the first two. Come on, it’s all the guys I grew up watching. Now, I’ve heard that the newest one doesn’t make the cut, but I’ll decide for myself soon. But it also got me to thinking about my favorite trilogies of all time, so starting today, I’ll be counting down from 10 (one each edition) of my favorites. If you’re new here, make a note to save the hate mail when I’m done because your precious (yes, I meant to do that) Lord of the Rings saga will not be included. I think they’re awful and I don’t like Peter Jackson. Deal with it. But without further delay, here is number 10 on my list of all-time favorite trilogies.

#10-THE INFERNAL AFFAIRS TRILOGY

Infernal Affairs, Infernal Affairs II, Infernal Affairs III

If you’re not familiar with this trilogy, it’s because it came from Hong Kong. If it does sound familiar to you, it’s more than likely because you know that it was remade here in the US by Martin Scorsese as a little movie called The Departed.

These movies were directed by Alan Mak and Andrew Lau, who is actually a completely different person than Andy Lau, who stars as Lau Kin-Ming (think Matt Damon), a member of the triad run by Hon (think Jack Nicholson). Lau has infiltrated the Hong Kong Police and he squares off with Chan Wing-Yan, played by Tony Leung (and not Leo). Chan is an undercover officer who has gotten in with the triad. The movie actually starts with a scene in a hi-fi shop with Lau and Chan and they have no idea who the other is. And that theme continues over the next ten years. Many of the scenes are very similar, if not close to the exact same as those from Scorsese, but this movie got there first. And if you can get a guy like Martin Scorsese to want to Americanize your movie, then you’re doing something right. And this movie did, if you’re able to deal with subtitles, which I really don’t have a problem with. The ending is nearly identical to The Departed, but the beauty is that the story continues, just not right away.

Infernal Affairs II takes the prequel route, explaining how each character got to where he is in the original. Through murders and kidnappings, the stage is set as Hon becomes the leader of the triad, Lau becomes a police inspector, and Chan has to remain undercover.

Infernal Affairs III tends to get a little tricky and confusing at times, as they jump back and forth between past and present events. It goes from about six months before Chan dies to nearly a year after, as the investigation of his death continues. Lau has been transferred to IA and without getting into all the crazy details, Lau ends up in a catatonic state by the end after he is wounded in a shootout and then tries to kill himself by shooting himself in the neck. The end is pretty nice though as Lau uses Morse code to tap out “HELL” as the screen fades, followed only by a final flashback (one of many in the trilogy) to the very first scene from the original as Lau and Chan meet in the shop.

The original is easily the best of the three. I tend to go back and forth between the second and third as I like both aspects. Like I said, the jumping around in the third, while necessary, does tend to get a little strange. But the original itself makes the entire trilogy worthy of cracking my top ten.

As I said, I’m double dipping this weekend, so check back tomorrow for another installment of Working the Weekend with Luke as I continue my countdown with #9 and it’s pretty awesome and even features an alleged killer. Any thoughts on Infernal Affairs? Comment below or follow me and tweet @THElukenorris. Catch you tomorrow, but first, another awesome clip from Beverly Hills, 90210, where the two icons, Brandon Walsh and Dylan McKay, meet for the first time.