Monday Movie Review - The Lost City

 Last Thursday began as a cold blustery day. I decided I needed some sunshine and stupidity in my life, so off to the movies. The Lost City starring Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum, Daniel Radcliff, and Brad Pitt filled all of my goals. 

This is old fashioned rom-com fluff with no redeeming  value. But those of us in the theater laughed out loud and enjoyed the ridiculous situations. Sandra B plays a burned out romance novelist. Channing is her cover model, Dash. Daniel Radcliff is the wacko billionaire who kidnaps her from her book tour,  to help translate some ancient parchment.  He's convinced that from her books, his lost city on an obscure island, actually has treasure in a tomb. Are you following this?

Channing/Dash is sure he can save her, but he enlists an old buddy of his, Jack, who's military trained. Jack (Brad Pitt) is a real-life Dash - handsome, daring, and rom-com ready for anything. 

I won't go into more. It's convoluted but all plays well to the casts comedic skills. Sandra Bullock is a treasure and she was awesome in this movie. The cast looked like they had fun with it. The Lost City romp was exactly what I needed. I came out smiling  to a sunny, still blustery day. It was worth my five dollars and worth you streaming when it hits your television. 

Movie Review - The Hateful Eight

There’s good Tarantino – Pulp Fiction, and there’s bad – Django Unchained comes to mind. Let’s add his latest,  The Hateful Eight,  to the bad list but it could have been so good.  Someone needs to give director Quentin Tarantino a machete to cut this film from three hours to less than two. Someone needs to not be so indulgent with Quentin being so full of himself, and just say, “Get on with the story.”

The opening scenes are gorgeous as we watch a stagecoach in the snow. He also shows what looks like a gnarled tree is actually a stone crucifix – ah, symbolism. In the first hour, we pile a mix of outlaws and lawmen into the coach, only to arrive at Minnie’s Haberdashery in a blizzard, and find another group of suspicious characters. The clock is ticking for a bloodbath. Samuel L. Jackson is a principled bounty hunter given to well proclaimed pronouncements. Kurt Russell is holding onto Jennifer Jason Leigh, an urchin outlaw.  There’s a sheriff, a hangman, cowboy, and a general. There is leftover feelings from the Civil War and banter on racism and bigotry. Too much meandering, too much rambling talk, too many cold characters we don’t care about.

In the final thirty minutes, we find out why everyone is at Minnie’s except Minnie and her husband. Tarantino flashes back to show us the behind the scenes gathering of these vultures. It’s almost like an Agatha Christie game of Clue, only with extreme violence. It’s a shame. The acting is fine. There’s some interesting dialogue. It’s filmed richly and the musical score is grand. But, The Hateful Eight is cold and ugly, devoid of a reason to unspool.

Movie Review: Magic Mike XXL

This review will not be a revelation. Either you liked Magic Mike and have been awaiting the return of the male “entertainers”, or you consider these movies sinful and refuse to pay money for filth. God Bless America because either way is fine. For those ladies (the grand majority of the viewing audience) who see Magic Mike XXL, you will not be disappointed. It’s ridiculous in a good way. It’s laugh out loud funny in a good way. And it’s ab-fabulous in a good way.  

It’s been three years since Mike (the ever fine Channing Tatum) started his furniture business. One phone call does it. He misses his boys and the big dance, and thus joins them on a road trip to a huge convention in Myrtle Beach. This is a light hearted road trip with the gang – Matt Bomer, Kevin Nash, Adam Rodriquez, and the magnetically hot – been working out a lot – Joe Manganiello. There’s a brief mention of Dallas (Matthew  McConnaughey) from the first flick, but we dismiss him and move on. The boys banter and agree that they need new material. So, in one day they get Jada Pinkett Smith on board, and they are funded by Andie MacDowell. Just don’t ask how…. Extreme choreography, costumes, lighting, and of course our boys get the top time slot in the convention show. It’s raining men and money.

 

Magic Mike XXL has great male bodies and dancing.  That’s the point of this light hearted guy goof, and it heats up the summer movie screens for women. This is not a family flick. This is not date night. This is go out with your friends, ladies night. Just have fun and enjoy the eye candy. It made me smile (and that’s one of the jokes).

Movie Review Madness: Foxcatcher

Foxcatcher tells the true story of the Schultz brothers – Mark and David – Olympic wrestlers and their life changing involvement with John du Pont (of DuPont fortune). We meet Mark (a superb Channing Tatum) and older brother David (Oscar nominated Mark Ruffalo) as they train in a rundown dimly lit wrestling arena. Mark’s life is training, training, training – then go home to watch tv, eat, and sleep in a barren apartment. It looks like a meager bleak existence. David is married with two kids and a sunnier outlook. One phone call changes the whole dynamic.  

Mark is helicoptered to the John du Pont estate outside of Valley Forge, PA. There he meets the eccentric man who fancies himself a philanthropist, sports enthusiast, and benefactor. He’s created a state-of-the-art wrestle training center and wants to help Mark and others train for  the Seoul Olympics under his “Foxcatcher” team name. He offers a guest house for living, food, drink, and a glimpse into the world of the rich. There’s also a dark side of drugs and partying.  

John du Pont is played by Steve Carell. You would not recognize him and he’s very worthy of his Oscar nomination. He’s eerie in his eccentricity, temper, possessiveness, jealousy, and bizarre sense of entitlement. He acts as if he owns Mark, and he wants David too. David resists but sees that Mark’s in trouble. David ultimately comes to help Mark, and he gets drawn into the payroll and du Pont circle. But he does not completely drink the Kool-aid, and this drives John nuts. Let’s just say – John with a gun in hand signals the end of the ride.  

Foxcatcher is a very good movie. It’s a tad long and I would have edited it down. However, the acting is fantastic and this insight into a murder story is chilling. Money does not bring happiness, and we see not only physical wrestling, but wrestling with demons brought to the big screen.

 

July Junque and Movie Madness: 22 Jump Street

Summer movie junque rocks

 

22 Jump Street is a copy of 21 Jump Street and that’s okay. Why mess with silly fun? Our favorite screw-up cops, Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum, are together again for college. Posed as students, they are trying to uncover a drug ring. The same shtick works – Jonah  motormouths his way in and out of trouble. Channing becomes the football star and thankfully gets to pump weights and show off his physique. But he’s not just brawn….well, okay yes he is and it works. This duo is funny and they drive their captain, Ice Cube, insane. Throw in Jonah meeting a nice girl who happens to be somebody’s daughter and there are explosions at the college.  

The investigation even goes to Mexico for spring break (yes, more Channing in a tank top) and over the top chase scenes ensue, along with shootouts, and a helicopter on fire. You pretty much get the point of the movie and you will laugh and enjoy being in on the same jokes. The guys are breezy and do seem like pals. The buddy cop bromance fulfills expectations. Stay for the final credits – teasers for future Jump Street installments. Very tongue in cheek.  Buy the tub of popcorn, slurp a large soda, and leap into 22 Jump Street mayhem.

 

Movie Review: Side Effects

Side Effects stars Jude Law, Channing Tatum, Rooney Mara, and Catherine Zeta-Jones in a pharmaceutical thriller. Don't expect big things from this movie, but there are more twists and turns than a doctor's scribbled handwriting on a prescription. Channing is newly released from prison for insider trading. His wife, Rooney, suffers from depression. She is assigned Jude Law as her psychiatrist after she tried to drive her BMW into a wall. Is she suicidal? Can Jude help her and what did her previous doctor, Zeta-Jones, do for her.

Rooney Mara, in her teeny body with her large expressive eyes, seems to be a nutcase and grows more so as she's prescribed new meds. She can't focus at work, she can't sleep, or sleeps too hard and is up sleepwalking, sleep cooking, and yes..........sleep killing!!!! Who's responsible? Rooney, Dr.Jude Law, or the drug makers themselves? Suddenly, Jude Law finds himself having to defend his practice.

This is not just a movie about the evil drug companies. A large proportion of society takes anxiety medicine and there are huge dollar sums involved. Side Effects gets rather convoluted as it guides us along the trail of murder and money. For this time of year (often a dumping ground for stinkers), the movie is entertaining and has a great cast. I was suprised at various times, and wondered if I needed meds to figure things out. In the end, probably better to stick with popcorn.


Netflix Queue:

Ruby Sparks - a writer needs to conquer writers' block. But when he jots down the attributes of his dream girl, she comes alive.Things get weird as he tries to duplicate his early successes as a writer. This movie is quirky and amusing. It stars Paul Dano, Zoe Kazan, Elliott Gould, and Annette Bening

Undefeated - this Academy Award winning documentary is quite impressive. A white coach volunteers to lead a West Memphis high school football team that has never gone to a playoff game. We meet him as he starts to work with a group of eighth graders and manages to keep them in school on into high school. These are very poor young black men without fathers who are on a path to failure. However, football is their lifeline and this exemplary coach loves them, guides them, yells at them, and uses terms like character and team. It is quite a tale and you'll root for the Manasas Tigers to win.

Summer Movie Magic Named Mike

Magic Mike's advertising looks like a total chick flick cheesefest party. Well, it is a chick flick - seriously ladies, only go with a group of women. Do not foist this film upon your man. But, it's not cheesy. It has a plot, dialogue, and ultimately characters you care about and sure, it's HEA - Happily Ever After.

Based on Channing Tatum's life before acting, we meet Mike as he rolls out of bed. There's a collective gasp from the audience (theater full of women) as we absorb his backside beauty. Oh my! Onward to a club featuring Matthew McC. as the club owner Dallas. He's so sleazy and perfect in this role, and he's got a body that won't stop.

Channing's character Mike does construction, furniture building, and many other businesses on the side. But his key cash is from the stripping job and he's the star. He does end up pulling in The Kid, Adam, who's a nineteen year old with no direction or motivation or ability to hold a job. The Kid seems to attract the women and slowly learns how to strip. I personally think he's the weak link in this film. I didn't find him sexy or alluring or wanted to take him under my wing. I'm not sure what young actor today would have been better, but think about it when you watch the film and offer a suggestion. Channing and Matthew pop off the screen with heat. This kid barely registers a temperature for this critic.

The kid's sister, Brook, is very protective and totally different from any woman Mike has dated. She looks like a normal attractive young lady and works as a medical assistant. I liked her in this film and rooted for her as she dismissed Mike as a "thirty year old stripper going nowhere." Ouch, that hurt. Mike thinks he's going to be an equity partner when Dallas expands to Miami. Hmmm, think again. Did I mention the word sleazy? Yep.

The dance numbers sizzle and all of the other actors in the film are mere eye candy in comparision to Channing and Matthew. There are whoops at times from the audience and it makes the whole movie experience fun. Ultimately, stuff gets a bit serious, and gee - stripping with the indulgence of late nights, drinking, and drugs ain't pretty. This is for mature audiences only. Magic Mike is summer fun and a great night out for gals. Channing Tatum is growing as an actor, and he sure is darn good looking. Whew! It's not just temperatures outside that are heating up........go see Magic Mike for a summer screen explosion.