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Rush Hour 3

Date: Jul 06 2021

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

In a very American intersection of cultures, a loud, wild, young, black detective played by Chris Tucker was paired with master of martial arts cinema, Jackie Chan, in 1998’s Rush Hour.

Now, in the third installment of the series, Tucker’s character has become a beat cop and Chan’s a bodyguard for an ambassador. They meet up again and fight organized crime in Paris. But Mason and Beren aren’t too interested in the specifics of the movie.

Listen to Mason tell Beren about how he thinks Rush Hour 3 represents American cinema abroad rather poorly.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Mason

Beren

Mason: I didn’t even see…Do you know what’s playing at the theater across the way?

Beren: Um, I don’t know. I think…Definitely Rush Hour 3, which is supposed to be the biggest movie in America.

Mason: Really?

Beren: Like it has a huge box office gross.

Mason: So you’re just going by box office? I mean, I believe that, I guess.

Beren: It’s a good indicator of ticket sales, I mean box office gross. I mean, Rush Hour 1, huge movie, Rush Hour 2, huge movie…

Mason: Huge movies. I mean, I saw the first and the second one. That was like a different time. I mean it’s been so long between the second one and now. It’s been what, like seven years?

Beren: And what was Chris Tucker doing in between those years. He wasn’t in any other movies, was he?

Mason: I think he was watching his career wave goodbye to him.

Beren: Yeah but then he goes and makes like, you know, his movie opens, makes $200 million, like Rush Hour 2. He doesn’t have to worry about working. I mean, obviously he’s not wanting to be respectable.

Mason: I guess. It’s one of those things that as an American, like, it makes me sad that that’s what…I mean, anyone looking in that looks at the box office goes…They’re like, “Oh yeah, Americans love Rush Hour 3 and, you know, whatever Christmas movie Hollywood made this year.” You know, instead of like the little films like uh…you know, what’s the one? The lawyer one that George Clooney’s in right now…Or The Darjeeling Limited.

Beren: Michael Clayton.

Mason: Yeah, it’s like those movies…they never hit anybody’s radar.

Beren: That’s true, I mean…yeah…I gotta respect…

Mason: “Do you understand the words that are coming out of my mouth?!” That’s my awesome Chris Tucker impression.

Beren: That was good. That was good.

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Discussion

Mason and Beren are hanging out across the street from a movie theater, and Mason asks what’s playing. Beren isn’t sure about all the movies, but she knows that Rush Hour 3 is playing. It’s playing at most theaters in the US. Beren says it’s the biggest movie in America.

When Mason asks how she measures what the biggest movie is, she tells him she’s going by box office gross. He says that maybe it’s best not to judge movies by box office gross. Sometimes really good movies don’t make all that much money. Mason wonders what people in other countries think of Americans’ tastes in movies.

Mason wishes that movies like Michael Clayton and The Darjeeling Limited were more popular and more common abroad. Marni just recommended The Darjeeling Limited to him last week. He must have really liked it.
Then he inexplicably does an impression of Chris Tucker’s most famous line from Rush Hour, and Beren laughs.

Do you think it’s good to judge a movie based on how much money it makes?

Comments

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kindaijit

Thailand

I saw rush hour 1, and I knowed jacky chan.

At thailand has actor like him. His name Note Udom.

Are you know him?

varadharajan

India

i didn't see the movie

sherly01

India

I totally disagree. Commercail movies could be judged on box office gross, but documentary ,art and period movies would be judged on line of its story, the message it intends to disseminate .

Bruce.hum

China

i like jackie chan
he is so great

EMA16

Lithuania

i don’t like Jeckie Chan and i don’t like all film with him..

gaoussou

Mali

i have it already in my computer I'm a man of the time if you need it tell me so that I'm gonna send you by yahoo ''in the beginning the cars make an accident at that time the guy was enjoying to the music…......................................

sohail ahmed

India

i havn't seen it ya but i have seen rush hour 1 & 2 they are awesom

Natashenka

Russian Federation

It is not a terrible film. Of course it won`t make u reflect about serious problem etr but will entertain u, undoubtyu.

Dutchman13

Syrian Arab Republic

Nice film

kinga1305

Poland

how can you say such things?? Jackie Chan is the best actor and if he doesn't make you fun then don't say bad words about him, because he is wonderful:(

Đồng Xuân Công

Viet Nam

Yes I am too, never seen it, if had a chane, I would. When read your article, I think that film is so great. But who can tell me, how much for a DVD, if its so exp, I have to hesitate because studens don't have much money, specially in Vietnam, students don't earn any money for own.