Showing posts with label Ice Cube. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ice Cube. Show all posts
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
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