Remembering Paul Walker

Paul Walker died in tragic car accident yesterday afternoon, and will be dearly missed by family, friends, co-stars, and fans. He wasn’t exactly the greatest actor in the world, and he’s been compared to Keanu Reeves on several occasions, but word of mouth says that he was a good, humble guy. Most news sites are talking about the way he died, but I’d rather write a piece on the way he lived through movies.

He was best known for his character in the Fast and Furious series: FBI Agent turned precision driver Brian O’Connor. The first time I saw the Fast and the Furious, I was in 8th grade, and it was the movie everyone was talking about. It had some of the cheesiest, most quotable lines ever. “You never had me, you never had your car!”  I’ve kept up with the series, as it produces some of the best guilty-pleasure films that remind one of the old-school action flicks of yester-year. It was our generation’s Point Blank, and Walker played a very likable character.

He’s flexed his acting talent in films like Joy Ride and Running Scared, in which he gives arguably his best performance as a low-level mob enforcer tracking down a very important gun. Walker also appeared in very important pieces of cinema, such as Pleasantville and Flags of Our Fathers. If you’re a fan, and want to watch some of his best work, take a look at these flicks:

The Fast and the Furious

Running Scared: Walker gives his best performance in this film, playing a mob enforcer chasing down a pistol like it was the one ring to rule them all. You can watch it for free right here.

Joy Ride: An underrated, tense thriller that’s worthy of a horror movie night. Walker’s character embarks on a cross-country road-trip with his brother, and one prank leads to a horrific journey.

Pleasantville: A fascinating film that delves into the topics of prejudice and racism in a totally fresh way. Walker fits right in as the pretty-boy love interest named Skip.

Eight Below: A live-action animal adventure by Disney, boasting a solid performance from Walker and captivating performances from the canines that will win your heart over.

Fast and Furious: The movie that started it all. You know the players, and the plot. All you have to do is sit back and reminisce.

Last picture before the accident:

Last picture of Paul Walker