Showing posts with label Channing Tatum. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Channing Tatum. Show all posts
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| London gets obliterated by Cobra Commander |
G. I. JOE: RETALIATION (2013). Director: Jon M. Chu.
In this follow-up to G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, the president of the United States has been replaced by a double, the evil Zartan (Arnold Vosloo), a lieutenant in the Cobra organization. While the Cobra operatives who were captured and imprisoned in the last film manage to break out, an operation to wipe out the "Joes" -- a crack fighting unit whose main opponents are Cobra Commander and his gang of terrorists -- nearly succeeds in obliterating the entire team; Duke (Channing Tatum) is one of the casualties. Fortunately, the survivors -- Roadblock (Dwayne Johnson), Flint (D. J. Cotrona) and Lady Jaye (Adrianne Palicki) -- join forces with grizzled General Joe Colton (Bruce Willis) -- to take down the "president" before he and the Cobra Commander can cause havoc and mayhem throughout the world. Storm Shadow (Byung-hun Lee) is a Cobra agent who decides to help the Joes when he realizes how much he's been manipulated by Zartan. Unless you're a G. I. Joe fanatic, Retaliation can be confusing, but there are some genuinely impressive stunts and FX work, especially the chilling destruction of London by the Cobra Commander's special missiles. [This obliteration of a world capitol seems pretty much forgotten by the movies' end -- huh?] The acting is serviceable for this kind of stuff, nothing more, although Jonathan Pryce does manage to impress as the president and his duplicate. Like the previous film, this is sometimes too frenetic for its own good. A bit with some weird mechanical bugs is notable.
Verdict: For Joe fans mostly. **1/2.
Putting the Magic In Your Love Life
Stripping, it’s been a female game at the movies for many years, but not anymore. Magic Mike (Channing Tatum) is an entrepreneur. Really, he is! He’s more than just a male stripper. He has a couple other business ventures on the side including as part of a construction crew and his dream business creating unique furniture from pieces that wash up on the beach.
Stripping, it’s been a female game at the movies for many years, but not anymore. Magic Mike (Channing Tatum) is an entrepreneur. Really, he is! He’s more than just a male stripper. He has a couple other business ventures on the side including as part of a construction crew and his dream business creating unique furniture from pieces that wash up on the beach.
Dallas (Matthew McConaughey) is his boss and together they are running one of Tampa’s best male exotic dancing establishments. Of course there is drama to be had here as not everything goes the way that it should at this club for the ladies to have a wild night. But the dreams of Mike also include being an equity partner at a new club in Miami. Mike gets teamed up with a new kid at his construction job with Adam (Alex Pettyfer). Adam is a naïve 19 year old that follows Mike around, almost like a lost puppy. When he is exposed to the lifestyle that Mike lives outside of his day job; he is immediately hooked.
Now as they dance for their dinner and much more, will they be able to avoid the trappings of the stripper lifestyle and thrive? Or will they fall down and need help to find their way off the stage.
Director Steven Soderbergh brings his individual fell to a movie that we have seen before. The movie that we have seen before usually features women in the roles that are played by men here. Soderbergh’s visual style gives that look to the club like only he could.
I found myself enjoying the chemistry between Channing Tatum, Matthew McConaughey and Alex Pettyfer. Each actor took their character and became the individuals they were portraying. That and the supporting cast help make Magic Mike work on so many levels.
Now, of course, this movie will appeal to women more than men, but I have a suggestion for the men out there. If your lady wants to see this (and they don’t have a girls night planned) take her. It’s a win/win scenario as when the night is over…I gotta believe everyone will be happy. Magic Mike will put the magic in your love life.
B
Warner Brothers Pictures
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Cast: Channing Tatum, Matthew McConaughey, Alex Pettyfer, Olivia Munn
Rating: R for pervasive sexual content, brief graphic nudity, language and some drug use.
Runtime: 1 hour 50 minutes
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| Jude Law in a tense moment |
Emily (Rooney Mara) welcomes her husband, Martin (Channing Tatum) home from jail after his incarceration for insider trading, but the changes in her life depress her and cause her to attempt suicide. A sympathetic shrink named Dr. Banks (Jude Law of Alfie) prescribes a new drug recommended by Emily's previous analyst, Dr. Siebert (Catherine Zeta-Jones). When Emily apparently slaughters her husband while sleepwalking, it is not only the drug that is called into question, but Dr. Banks himself. As he finds his life unraveling, he uncovers disturbing information about Emily -- maybe she wasn't sleepwalking when she murdered her husband? Or is he clutching at straws? Side Effects is a twisty thriller, with a good idea and interesting sequences, but it's not that well done all told. One of the characters sort of comes off like an old-fashioned evil lesbian [perhaps for no other reason than to show some girl-on-girl action]. Jude Law and Mara give good performances, but the most impressive is Zeta-Jones [Ocean's Twelve], with Ann Dowd also making an impression as Martin's concerned mother. This modern version of the old Lauren Bacall thriller Shock Treatment is quite contrived but has a satisfying conclusion and a nice score from Thomas Newman.
Verdict: Always read the label. **1/2.
Back to Jump Street…College Edition!
Ahhh, Jump Street – you know the home of the office that housed the incredible crime fighters that are youthful and can infiltrate high school. You know the home inside a church that housed not only
22 Jump Street is right across the street from the old building and the film is much like it’s predecessor. Back are the talents of Schmidt (Hill) and Jenko (Tatum)along with their boss Captain Dickson (Ice Cube). But this time they are going to college, and have a bigger budget, but they are going to college (that’s more important). They are searching for the dealers, to find the suppliers. Wait…haven’t we seen this plot before?
Ah, so we have….that was the story about high school that resided in the first film. But this is the second film and we have a bigger budget to do things AND we’re in college now…so those scenes in the credits…well they can happen in the movie now.
Sure the running gag is the increased budget and the fact that they are doing the same thing throughout the film, but the funny thing is, instead of feeling tired and worn out, it works. The laughs are there including one sequence that I laughed at harder than in recent memory (it’s in the chief’s office about half way through the film, that’s all I’ll say!).
The chemistry that Tatum and Hill have finds a way to permeate every scene in the film. And Ice Cube truly shines here as the Captain (in fact I can see him being the centerpiece of any sequel beyond this).
There’s a fun montage within the end credits of possible sequel ideas AND a brief 10-15 second scene after the credits with some characters you’ll remember from the first film.
Despite a couple slow spots, this is a raunchy good time at the movies and uses its R rating to the fullest. Now on to the condos at 23 Jump Street...
B+
Columbia Pictures
Director: Phil Lord, Christopher Miller
Cast: Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Ice Cube
Rating: R for language throughout, sexual content, drug material, brief nudity and some violence.
Runtime: 1 hour 52 minutes
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| Channing Tatum and Ray Liotta |
Young cop Jonathan White (Channing Tatum) was "involved" in two murders in the projects when he was a boy, and now his past has come back to haunt him. A newspaper reporter (Juliette Binoche) is getting notes from someone claiming that these two deaths were covered up and a cop is going to be in trouble. White tries to find out who is sending these letters, but his childhood buddy Vinnie (Tracy Morgan), who knows the truth, assures him that he's told no one. Then the reporter is murdered not long after White goes to talk to her ... This could have made an interesting thriller, but Montiel's meandering approach and mediocre script -- not to mention all the switching back and forth from 1986 to 2002 -- only add up to tedium. Ray Liotta and Al Pacino are wasted in the smaller roles of cops, while Tatum's performance, even when you consider his character is suppressing emotion, is at times borderline zombie; he seems clueless as to how to play the character. Even the most humble "B" movie from the forties is put together with more smooth finesse than this. Tatum was also in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra. Pacino had a supporting role as himself in Jack and Jill the same year.
Verdict: A poor excuse for a suspense film. *1/2.
You CAN Go Back To School
In the late 80’s, 21 Jump Street became a staple on the fledgling FOX Network. It appealed to a youthful audience with its cast that included Johnny Depp, Peter Deluise, Richard Grieco, Dustin Nguyen and the then Holly Robinson among others. It dealt with serious issues that confronted our teens in serious ways. A task force of youthful faces became high school students to deal with all the problems the that police could. Now fast forward and we are doing it again – this time the “fresh, young” faces are Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum. And this time – it’s a serious topic…dealt with in humorous tones.
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| In Theaters 3/16/12 |
Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko(Channing Tatum) have know each other since high school. At that time, Jenko was the hip and cool jock while Schmidt just went through the days trying not to get a swirly. They never would have hung together in high school, but in the police academy they realize that as a team they have all that is needed to become a cop.
When their first assignment blows up in their face, they are sent to a program that is being dusted off to get to the bottom of the crime in their schools. They are sent to Jump Street.
Captain Dickson (Ice Cube) gets at the crew right away, letting them now who is in charge and who they’ll be taking orders from all while delivering the message in a, louder than normal tone. It’s back to Sagan High for the two new friends.
Back at school, Jenko realizes the new code around the place makes Schmidt cool and he’s on the outside. It’s a new role that will add to the fun. Their mission – find the suppliers of a new synthetic drug that is taking the school by storm. Can they do it? Will they fit in? Just how will these “new” students fit back in to high school?
I admit, I was skeptical going into this film. I was at that perfect age when the tv show graced the air waves and fondly look back at the show. After seeing the film, I think they did a wonderful job of saving the heart of the show all while making me laugh out loud.
Tatum and Hill prove to be perfectly matched in this story and know how to elicit laughs a plenty from the crowd. High school proves to be fertile ground for irreverence on every topic from teen dating, to the “new” high school student, to the traditional old standbys. And they are careful to indicate some real important lines that can’t be crossed.
Ice Cube shines as the Captain in a role that has him yelling and boiling things down as simple as he can make it for the youthful squad.
Where this film goes right is when they make it an R rated film. There is no scaling back on the adult humor here that usually is prevelant in this type of youth focused movie. It harkens back to a day when we made the movie, without worrying about what it was rated and let the chips fall where they may.
I loved my journey back to high school. I loved Tatum and Hill. I love to laugh. And I loved 21 Jump Street.
PS – At least 3 of the former Jump Street cast show up in the film.
PPS – Did I tell you I laughed, out loud?
PPPS – Can’t wait until the extended scenes that show on BluRay – I know they must be there.
PPPPS – Did you know when I was in school – we always used a lot of PS’s because we could never finish our notes?
B+
Columbia Pictures - MGM
Director: Phil Lord, Chris Miller
Cast: Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Brie Larson, Dave Franco, Rob Riggle, Ice Cube
Rating: R for crude and sexual content, pervasive language, drug material, teen drinking and some violence.
Runtime: 1 hour 49 minutes
It Just Doesn’t Soar
Legends of lost battles, lost iconic trophies, and lost individuals permeate every last war story handed down for generations. Marcus Aquila (Channing Tatum) has worked his way up through the ranks of the Roman army and has been asked to be assigned to Britain. It is there the legendary Ninth went missing years before, and its commander (Marcus’ Father) was lost with all his men and the iconic gold eagle that stood as a symbol for their unit.
Now, with Marcus in charge he is out to avenge his father’s disappearance and clear his family name. But that might be slightly harder than he originally thought. When a sneak attack injures Marcus, he is sent to rehab with his Uncle (Donald Sutherland). But Marcus is not one to sit on his heels. He sets out with a slave named Esca (Jamie Bell) by his side to follow a rumor and hopefully recover the lost artifact and his families’ lost name.
The Eagle has a lot going for it there is some great action moments that spot the film. But overall I found myself not caring too much. For every moment of interesting development it takes a step back with developments that feel out of place.
There is even a war dance sequence towards the end of the film that seemed to develop out of nowhere and made me scratch my head and wonder why it occurred in the first place.
The Eagle suffers from the one thing you don’t want a movie to be, it is not memorable. When it was over I really didn’t care one way or another. It wasn’t great, it didn’t stink, it was just there. The Eagle tries to soar, but instead it just crawls along.
C
The Eagle
Focus Features
Director: Kevin Macdonald
Cast: Channing Tatum, Jamie Bell, Donald Sutherland
Rating: PG-13 for battle sequences and some disturbing images.
Runtime: 114 minutes.
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Legends of lost battles, lost iconic trophies, and lost individuals permeate every last war story handed down for generations. Marcus Aquila (Channing Tatum) has worked his way up through the ranks of the Roman army and has been asked to be assigned to Britain. It is there the legendary Ninth went missing years before, and its commander (Marcus’ Father) was lost with all his men and the iconic gold eagle that stood as a symbol for their unit.
Now, with Marcus in charge he is out to avenge his father’s disappearance and clear his family name. But that might be slightly harder than he originally thought. When a sneak attack injures Marcus, he is sent to rehab with his Uncle (Donald Sutherland). But Marcus is not one to sit on his heels. He sets out with a slave named Esca (Jamie Bell) by his side to follow a rumor and hopefully recover the lost artifact and his families’ lost name.
The Eagle has a lot going for it there is some great action moments that spot the film. But overall I found myself not caring too much. For every moment of interesting development it takes a step back with developments that feel out of place.
There is even a war dance sequence towards the end of the film that seemed to develop out of nowhere and made me scratch my head and wonder why it occurred in the first place.
The Eagle suffers from the one thing you don’t want a movie to be, it is not memorable. When it was over I really didn’t care one way or another. It wasn’t great, it didn’t stink, it was just there. The Eagle tries to soar, but instead it just crawls along.
C
The Eagle
Focus Features
Director: Kevin Macdonald
Cast: Channing Tatum, Jamie Bell, Donald Sutherland
Rating: PG-13 for battle sequences and some disturbing images.
Runtime: 114 minutes.