Cameo-tastic. Disappointing. Perplexing.
Explanations below:
Cameo-tastic: I know I know, this is not a real word. Still I was struggling to think of a word that would really showcase one horribly apparent aspect of Zoolander 2. Every other scene some celebrity is thrown in, either as a brand new character or as themselves. At first this is a pretty amusing trait, but after an hour of cameo's it becomes a boring shtick. That's not to say all of the cameo's are poorly done. There are quite a few that really aroused a grin from me, but there in lies Zoolander 2's real issue...
Disappointing: Zoolander 2 isn't a bad comedy. It's got a decent pace, never takes itself seriously, and faithfully recreates older versions of the first movies characters. That being said I feel like the writers either wrote a script that was far too "meta" or I'm overthinking a dumb comedy. I found myself a half-hour in, wondering if this movie was a statement more on how ridiculous the current hipster trend is. I mean so many of the jokes seemed to not only bring about a sly grin (but not a laugh, it really just wasn't THAT funny), but to also bring me a bit of depression at the current state of affairs current popular society is in. The old movie was an amusing comedy poking fun at an industry that didn't seem to grasp how ridiculous it was. This sequel is just a depressing realization that it's likely only going to get worse.
Perplexing: I liked Zoolander 2. I found it amusing, and a short diversion. Somehow though, I can't recommend it. I think it's got a really potent underlying view on the current fashion trends and popular social fads. Still it's a sequel to a comedy that was ultimately a good time, and so now even if Zoolander 2 is trying to have an underlying theme it just feels out of place. There's an enjoyable time waster of a movie here, but I just feel like it really lets it's predecessor down.
Monday, February 15, 2016
Friday, February 12, 2016
Deadpool
Surprising. Convivial. Funny.
Explanations below:
Surprising: I went into Deadpool expecting very little. I was familiar with the character (While not being particularly fond of it), and really struggled to see how a movie could work starring the titular character. Still as a fan of pretty much anything comic related, I went into it with an open set of eyes. I wasn't disappointed, and the movie really proved to be a solid film on it's own right. Yes there are gratuitous amounts of fan service, and the plot is dangerously close to becoming a negative; but the movie manages to steer clear of the genre's typical pitfalls and present a tight interesting story.
Convivial: Not once during the films 1 hour 48 minute run time, did I feel like it was plodding or unnecessary. In fact through out the whole experience I felt myself invested in the minor characters (Hoping some would get more screen time), and genuinely pleased with the events unfolding on the screen. The chemistry between the actors is solid, and actually manages to add a nice layer of depth to a shallow (but enjoyable!) movie. Perhaps I'm just smitten entirely with Morena Baccarin (Wow is she gorgeous here), but I really felt like these relationships had real substance.
Funny: Make no mistake, Deadpool is a comedy hidden behind the facade of a comic book super hero film. While some (like the Iron Man films) set out to tell a story and use humor to create real connections with the audience, Deadpool is a comedy seeking to enrich it's humor with a familiar story. Some of the jokes may not hold up as time goes by, but the majority of the movie should still be solid. While not being brought to tears, I did find myself laughing at a significant portion of the movie.
Explanations below:
Surprising: I went into Deadpool expecting very little. I was familiar with the character (While not being particularly fond of it), and really struggled to see how a movie could work starring the titular character. Still as a fan of pretty much anything comic related, I went into it with an open set of eyes. I wasn't disappointed, and the movie really proved to be a solid film on it's own right. Yes there are gratuitous amounts of fan service, and the plot is dangerously close to becoming a negative; but the movie manages to steer clear of the genre's typical pitfalls and present a tight interesting story.
Convivial: Not once during the films 1 hour 48 minute run time, did I feel like it was plodding or unnecessary. In fact through out the whole experience I felt myself invested in the minor characters (Hoping some would get more screen time), and genuinely pleased with the events unfolding on the screen. The chemistry between the actors is solid, and actually manages to add a nice layer of depth to a shallow (but enjoyable!) movie. Perhaps I'm just smitten entirely with Morena Baccarin (Wow is she gorgeous here), but I really felt like these relationships had real substance.
Funny: Make no mistake, Deadpool is a comedy hidden behind the facade of a comic book super hero film. While some (like the Iron Man films) set out to tell a story and use humor to create real connections with the audience, Deadpool is a comedy seeking to enrich it's humor with a familiar story. Some of the jokes may not hold up as time goes by, but the majority of the movie should still be solid. While not being brought to tears, I did find myself laughing at a significant portion of the movie.
Tuesday, January 19, 2016
The Revenant
Visceral. Artistic. Horrible.
Explanations below:
Visceral: Holy crap, this movie is a few steps short of being straight up gore porn. From the heart pounding survival nightmare scenarios, to the brutally realistic fights, The Revenant really sells the violent reality of the 1800's. It starts off brutal, and only continues ramping it up until it culminates with a spectacularly shot (and seemingly realistic) fight that leaves you feeling absolutely exhausted.
Artistic: Sure we're in an age of "trendy" art flicks. A time when every random Joe wants to show a a close up of someone's face for 15 minutes and claim it's art. Luckily every so often one of those people trying to get cute with movies really pulls off something exquisite. The Revenant features some breathtaking landscape shots, along with an amazing score to really pull some strong feelings out. I know there were moments where some beautiful shots lingered a hair too long (To the point I really took note of the pause), but overall this was a brilliant way to let the audience a chance to catch their breath after some particularly heavy or intense events. This of course isn't even touching on the beautiful details, and great choice of shots employed. The Revenant is a good example that not every art flick needs to be slow paced or dull.
Horrible: It's been a long while since a movie evoked feelings such as agony and despair. A scene late in the movie in particular really sold a point the film tries to suggest early: This isn't a fantasy version of the American Frontier. I know horrible is a word with negative connotations, but here it just fits. Tom Hardy's John Fitzgerald is a horrible, horrible creation. How well Hardy brings this character to life is just amazing. I know he probably won't get enough credit, but for as good as Leonardo DiCaprio is, Hardy made me legitimately hate Fitzgerald. This movie will invoke some horrible feelings in most, and it's all the better because of it.
Ride Along 2
Physical, Succinct, Mild
Explanations Below:
Physical: This movie reminds me of a 90's comedy. More about the physical gags then hilarious lines or amusing antics. Things like using your partner's bullet proof vest (While they're still wearing it), or amusing slaps being exchanged during a heated situation. I want to say the physical comedy is welcome, but with two really funny people in Cube and Hart on display... I feel like we comedy viewers were cheated just a bit.
Succinct: This movie gets a nice amount of stuff right. Including the wonderfully brisk pace, and a run time that seemed perfect. I never once found myself losing interest, nor did I feel like any details or situations needed wrapping up. It's rare to find a movie (Especially a throw-away buddy-cop comedy) that doesn't outstay it's welcome.
Mild: I came away pleased with the ticket money spent, but I can't say I'd see it again if given the chance. My expectations were a bit higher due to my enjoyment of the previous film, but even without high expectations I think this movie misses on just enough things to keep it from being a solid comedy. Enjoyable sure, but it could definitely have been more.
Explanations Below:
Physical: This movie reminds me of a 90's comedy. More about the physical gags then hilarious lines or amusing antics. Things like using your partner's bullet proof vest (While they're still wearing it), or amusing slaps being exchanged during a heated situation. I want to say the physical comedy is welcome, but with two really funny people in Cube and Hart on display... I feel like we comedy viewers were cheated just a bit.
Succinct: This movie gets a nice amount of stuff right. Including the wonderfully brisk pace, and a run time that seemed perfect. I never once found myself losing interest, nor did I feel like any details or situations needed wrapping up. It's rare to find a movie (Especially a throw-away buddy-cop comedy) that doesn't outstay it's welcome.
Mild: I came away pleased with the ticket money spent, but I can't say I'd see it again if given the chance. My expectations were a bit higher due to my enjoyment of the previous film, but even without high expectations I think this movie misses on just enough things to keep it from being a solid comedy. Enjoyable sure, but it could definitely have been more.
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