"Magic Mike" is a drama that is centered around the lifestyle of male stripping. It's been awhile since a movie of this sort has came out. Using solid choreography and a steady dose of dialogue, "Magic Mike" hopes to capture the audiences attention not only with the much anticipated stripping, but with a strong storyline. Let's see if the film can one up it's past predecessors of the same genre, "Showgirls" and "Striptease," and give "Ted" a run for it's money for the top spot in the box office.
Mike (Channing Tatum) is a 30 year old who wants to start getting his life on track by becoming an entrepreneur and starting his own business. But before that can happen, he works part time at a male strip club and is a number two to his boss Dallas (Matthew McConaughey). Mike then meets Adam (Alex Pettyfer) and takes him under his wing and shows him the lifestyle he lives and all the benefits it can come from it.
*I would like to add that I went into this film with an open mind. I was generally interested in seeing it.*
Steven Soderbergh direction of this film was great. He used great shots and they were beautiful as well. He really captured the colors of the all the backgrounds during the scenes; typical Soderbergh. He occasionally mixed in some character off-screen dialogue where it would focus on the character that was listening to the other character talk off screen. The choreography of the dancing was great. The dance moves that were being pulled off were impressive. Channing Tatum's performance was not bad. He has been improving with the last couple movies he has been in. McConaughey's performance was classic McConaughey; charming, charismatic and cool. Pettyfer The lead female role (Cody Horn) and love interest of Mike was not the quite good. I really cringed when she got some dialogue. She just didn't fit in. The pacing was slow. The beginning started out so well and then it just got slow.
Overall, I didn't enjoy the film. I repeat I went in with an open mind. A lot of its target audience, females, were disappointed walking out of the theater. They were expecting 110 minutes of topless men dancing and they didn't get it. There was more of a story line (which isn't bad, just cliche and not really developed). I couldn't get invested into the movie.
2 out of 5 stars.
Friday, June 29, 2012
Ted - Movie Review
"Ted" is a slap stick comedy by Seth MacFarlane that asks how far can a little boys wish go. It also asks how far can a comedy go in terms of crudeness. After one box office success, 21 Jump Street, and one failure, That's My Boy. Let's see if Ted can bring back crude comedy to the top of the box office this week and for weeks to come.
When John Bennett (Mark Wahlberg) was a little boy, he received a stuffed teddy bear for Christmas and upon receiving it he wishes that his new bear could come alive and talk in real life. When his wish is granted, his new friend Ted (voiced by Seth MacFarlane) comes alive and they share a bond that they will share forever. John is now 35 years old and Ted, now a celebrity, is still around and living with John. Now John has to balance his life between his job, fun with Ted, and his girlfriend (Mila Kunis) and encounters tons of road blocks in making his life balanced.
This being Seth MacFarlane first live action film, I thought the camera shots he used were very good and the comedy was laugh out loud hilarious. MacFarlane's voice work is amazing, even similar to Peter Griffin (Family Guy), his voice went well with Ted's personality and demeanor. Mark Wahlberg was gold in this movie and did a good job acting, especially in scenes with Ted, who was a CGI generated bear. The comedy in this movie was vulgar, grotesque, and racist; but this being a Seth MacFarlane feature the audience should be expecting that. The film had a good pace; it never seemed slow. Near the last third of the movie, the film did a little genre change. It went from crude comedy, then a little bit drama, and then near the end there was a cool little action adventure sequence. Then finally the movie had a lot of cameos and they all worked out well; not overused.
Even though I prefer comedies that aren't vulgar and crude, this one was definitely worth price of admission. It was hilarious on all counts. I think there are jokes in here that can be offensive to any type of person, but you knowing Seth MacFarlane you shouldn't be surprised. This is one of the best comedies of the year up there along with 21 Jump Street. This film had everyone rolling. Highly recommended.
4 out of 5 stars.
When John Bennett (Mark Wahlberg) was a little boy, he received a stuffed teddy bear for Christmas and upon receiving it he wishes that his new bear could come alive and talk in real life. When his wish is granted, his new friend Ted (voiced by Seth MacFarlane) comes alive and they share a bond that they will share forever. John is now 35 years old and Ted, now a celebrity, is still around and living with John. Now John has to balance his life between his job, fun with Ted, and his girlfriend (Mila Kunis) and encounters tons of road blocks in making his life balanced.
This being Seth MacFarlane first live action film, I thought the camera shots he used were very good and the comedy was laugh out loud hilarious. MacFarlane's voice work is amazing, even similar to Peter Griffin (Family Guy), his voice went well with Ted's personality and demeanor. Mark Wahlberg was gold in this movie and did a good job acting, especially in scenes with Ted, who was a CGI generated bear. The comedy in this movie was vulgar, grotesque, and racist; but this being a Seth MacFarlane feature the audience should be expecting that. The film had a good pace; it never seemed slow. Near the last third of the movie, the film did a little genre change. It went from crude comedy, then a little bit drama, and then near the end there was a cool little action adventure sequence. Then finally the movie had a lot of cameos and they all worked out well; not overused.
Even though I prefer comedies that aren't vulgar and crude, this one was definitely worth price of admission. It was hilarious on all counts. I think there are jokes in here that can be offensive to any type of person, but you knowing Seth MacFarlane you shouldn't be surprised. This is one of the best comedies of the year up there along with 21 Jump Street. This film had everyone rolling. Highly recommended.
4 out of 5 stars.
Monday, June 25, 2012
Seeking a Friend for the End of the World - Movie Review
"Seeking a Friend of the End of the World" is an end of the world drama that really makes you think about what you would do if you had only a few weeks to live. With strong dialogue, likable characters, and clever jokes, this film shows you that there can be good things to come out of a bad situation.
The movie begins with Dodge (Steve Carell) sitting in his car and hearing that the mission to save mankind has failed and in approximately three weeks the 70 mile wide asteroid is going to hit Earth. Upon this news Dodge's wife leaves him and Dodge considers what he is going to do with his final days of his life and the past regrets he has. He soon meets Penny (Keira Knightley) and they decide to embark on adventure that hopefully lead Dodge to find a girl from his past and for Penny to see her family before the their time runs out.
This movie was well made. The writers did a great job with mixing comedy in a movie that has a depressing feel to it. There were good jokes throughout the movie, mostly sarcasm but well planned. The pace of this movie was slow, but it necessarily isn't a bad thing. There were really good dialogue scenes where Dodge and Penny have conversations about themselves and their pasts and it really make the audience care about these characters. That being said, the characters were developed well and Steve Carell and Keira Knightley's performances were great as well as their chemistry.
I really enjoyed this movie. I really prefer Steve Carell in these types of these dramatic movies mixed with light comedy like Dan in Real Life and Little Miss Sunshine. This movie isn't a film that will dominate the box offices but it is one of the better movies of 2012 and I highly recommend this movie.
4 out of 5.
If you liked this review you can reach me on
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The movie begins with Dodge (Steve Carell) sitting in his car and hearing that the mission to save mankind has failed and in approximately three weeks the 70 mile wide asteroid is going to hit Earth. Upon this news Dodge's wife leaves him and Dodge considers what he is going to do with his final days of his life and the past regrets he has. He soon meets Penny (Keira Knightley) and they decide to embark on adventure that hopefully lead Dodge to find a girl from his past and for Penny to see her family before the their time runs out.
This movie was well made. The writers did a great job with mixing comedy in a movie that has a depressing feel to it. There were good jokes throughout the movie, mostly sarcasm but well planned. The pace of this movie was slow, but it necessarily isn't a bad thing. There were really good dialogue scenes where Dodge and Penny have conversations about themselves and their pasts and it really make the audience care about these characters. That being said, the characters were developed well and Steve Carell and Keira Knightley's performances were great as well as their chemistry.
I really enjoyed this movie. I really prefer Steve Carell in these types of these dramatic movies mixed with light comedy like Dan in Real Life and Little Miss Sunshine. This movie isn't a film that will dominate the box offices but it is one of the better movies of 2012 and I highly recommend this movie.
4 out of 5.
If you liked this review you can reach me on
bkstaReviews.blogspot.com
twitter: @bksta
facebook.com/bkrzysztof
Friday, June 22, 2012
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter - Movie Review
"Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" is an action filled drama that combines American history and the popular vampire theme that movie goers have grown up with. With the several vampire movies that have been released in recent years, this movie has to compete with the idea that the audience may be tired of the genre. By adding the name Abraham Lincoln to the movie, this film just may spark a new genre of combining horror themes with American history.
Abraham Lincoln (Benjamin Walker) as a kid witnessed his mother being killed by a vampire and now as young man before his life in politics, he gets trained by Henry (Dominic Cooper) on how to hunt vampires. With this knowledge, he plans to hunt down the vampire who killed his mother. After calling it quits to pursue a career in politics, he hears that vampires are helping the Confederacy in the war and comes up with a plan to eliminate them and win the war.
The acting in the movie was decent and tolerable; that was one of the few things I wasn't expecting. Benjamin Walker did a good job as young and old Abe Lincoln. The film had a lot of violence and gore, but the director's previous film (Wanted) had a lot too so I was expecting that. The pace of the film was somewhat good. The balance between dramatic scenes and action scenes is what kept the film going in the first half. But beginning the second half was a 20 to 30 minute scene of Abe as President with tons of dialogue and no action and it causes the audience to lose attention; but the end sequence restores that with a long action scene. The CGI and effects were over the top; it looked like Timur Bekmambetov was using the action formula he used for Wanted and it got really repetitive.
Personally, I enjoyed the film. The 3D was okay, not the worst I have seen. The CGI is overused but it is tolerable. I like the concept of mashing U.S. history with the vampire theme and I think the filmmakers did that well. It's not a film that I'd recommend spending $13.50 on, but it is not a bad rental. It can easily be enjoyed as a popcorn flick.
2 1/2 out of 5.
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Sunday, June 17, 2012
Rock of Ages - Movie Review
“Rock of Ages” is a musical that uses 80’s rock anthems and combines it
with a genuine love story that hopes to give you the best musical experience
since “Hairspray.” With a star studded cast which includes names like Tom
Cruise and Alec Baldwin, and all the talent featured in the movie it can be
expected that this will be a fun film and put musicals pack on the map.
The movie is about Sherrie (Julianne Hough), who leaves her home in
Oklahoma to head to Los Angeles so she can pursue her dream to be a singer. On
the way she meets Drew (Diego Boneta), who is a bar back at the legendary
Bourbon Room, who is also trying to achieve his goal and be the next rock icon.
As their romance builds, the Bourbon Room is getting prepared for rock legend
Stacee Jaxx (Tom Cruise) to play his last show with his band Arsenal.
The vocal talent in this film was amazing. Every big name in the film
offered vocals, even Alec Baldwin, and they all sounded great. The pace of this
film was very fast because they were jumping into songs quickly; I don’t think
there was a fifteen minute period in the whole movie without a song. The film
editing was impressive; they cut to many different locations when there were a
bunch of characters contributing to a song and it was put together beautifully.
The climax of the film was a little too early in the film. I think they should
have made the Stacee Jaxx show a little further in the movie because after
that, it really kind of slowed down a bit.
I enjoyed and had fun with this film. The film was cheesy, but I think
it is expected to be cheesy and the film itself knows its cheesy so that’s why
it works. If you grew up in the 80s this movie will touch home for and bring
back memories. I recommend this movie for fans of the 80s and musicals in
general. Tom Cruise’s performance is worth price of admission alone.
3 out of 5 stars.
bkstaReviews.blogspot.com
Friday, June 15, 2012
That's My Boy - Movie Review
“That’s My Boy” is a slap stick comedy that uses crude and vulgar humor to make the audience fall out of their seats laughing. Besides “21 Jump Street,” the audience hasn't really been presented with many slap stick comedies in 2012. With the lack of these comedies being made, with a name like Adam Sandler attached to the project it can be expected for this movie to relish in the box office.
The movie stars Adam Sandler who plays Donny Berger, who at age 14 has sex with one his teachers and ends up fathering a child. Years past and Donny has four himself in trouble and ends up owing money to the IRS; if he doesn't pay the money by the end of the weekend he will be sent to prison. Donny finds out that his son, played by Andy Samberg, is getting married the same weekend and believes that this is his golden ticket to getting the money he needs.
The pace of this film is pretty moderate; there is barely any slow parts in the film. The acting was okay, but it's pretty hard to judge Adam Sandler's performance because he is known to act kind of childish in his 90s films. There wasn't any performances in this movie that made me cringe. I will just come out and say that this film made me laugh. I do prefer comedies that don't use cuss words and vulgar jokes to get their laughs, but Adam Sandler movies will feature crudeness and disgusting jokes; even though I thought some were forced, I did think they worked out in this movie.
That plot is simple and the end is predictable, but the movie knows it is made to do and that is to make you laugh as much as it can and it did just that. If you are an Adam Sandler or a Saturday Night Live fan, this movie will make you happy. I give this movie 2 1/2 stars out of 5.
If you liked this review you can reach me on:
twitter at @bksta
facebook.com/bkrzysztof
bkstaReviews.blogspot.com
The movie stars Adam Sandler who plays Donny Berger, who at age 14 has sex with one his teachers and ends up fathering a child. Years past and Donny has four himself in trouble and ends up owing money to the IRS; if he doesn't pay the money by the end of the weekend he will be sent to prison. Donny finds out that his son, played by Andy Samberg, is getting married the same weekend and believes that this is his golden ticket to getting the money he needs.
The pace of this film is pretty moderate; there is barely any slow parts in the film. The acting was okay, but it's pretty hard to judge Adam Sandler's performance because he is known to act kind of childish in his 90s films. There wasn't any performances in this movie that made me cringe. I will just come out and say that this film made me laugh. I do prefer comedies that don't use cuss words and vulgar jokes to get their laughs, but Adam Sandler movies will feature crudeness and disgusting jokes; even though I thought some were forced, I did think they worked out in this movie.
That plot is simple and the end is predictable, but the movie knows it is made to do and that is to make you laugh as much as it can and it did just that. If you are an Adam Sandler or a Saturday Night Live fan, this movie will make you happy. I give this movie 2 1/2 stars out of 5.
If you liked this review you can reach me on:
twitter at @bksta
facebook.com/bkrzysztof
bkstaReviews.blogspot.com
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