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.
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