Dear Hollywood,
I went to see Magic Mike last week.
Now, how does that make you feel?
Did you groan internally
and shudder, thinking of Channing Tatum’s oversized pectorals glistening at you
from the sides of buses? Did you scream “WHY WOULD YOU EVER SEE THAT FILM?
I BET YOU LOVE 50 SHADES OF GREY TOO!”
and shudder, thinking of Channing Tatum’s oversized pectorals glistening at you
from the sides of buses? Did you scream “WHY WOULD YOU EVER SEE THAT FILM?
I BET YOU LOVE 50 SHADES OF GREY TOO!”
Or did you think, “I must catch that. I
like Steven Soderbergh, and for some unexplainable reason Channing Tatum interests
me too.”
like Steven Soderbergh, and for some unexplainable reason Channing Tatum interests
me too.”
You could also have reacted with, “I don’t care, leave me alone
whilst I drink this Chai tea,” or, “of course you did. You’re a lady.”
whilst I drink this Chai tea,” or, “of course you did. You’re a lady.”
If you went with the first, third or
fourth option I will
now try to convince you that Magic Mike is a far better, funnier and
more
streamlined film then you imagined.
fourth option I will
now try to convince you that Magic Mike is a far better, funnier and
more
streamlined film then you imagined.
After viewing it you will walk away
with a spring in your step, and a warmness in your belly, regardless of
your gender.
with a spring in your step, and a warmness in your belly, regardless of
your gender.
Although you
will probably giggle a lot more in the first twenty minutes if you’re a woman
in a large group.
I like talking about film and
pop culture in absurd detail because real life
scares me.
pop culture in absurd detail because real life
scares me.
The majority of people I discuss such matters with are male. I
don’t know why this is, but that is how it currently goes. Now, they
all had a similar urge to see Magic Mike, and their reasons, like mine,
are threefold, and not related to gender tastes.
don’t know why this is, but that is how it currently goes. Now, they
all had a similar urge to see Magic Mike, and their reasons, like mine,
are threefold, and not related to gender tastes.
Drawing a
conclusion from our collective film knowledge we suspected it would be a
well made popcorn flick, directed by someone who understood and
appreciated the material he was working with, the King of the “And now
I’ll try this genre,” Steven Soderbergh.
conclusion from our collective film knowledge we suspected it would be a
well made popcorn flick, directed by someone who understood and
appreciated the material he was working with, the King of the “And now
I’ll try this genre,” Steven Soderbergh.
There is no denying it’s also a film for those who enjoy
looking at the body of Channing Tatum, too (I won’t contest that, I mean, I can’t.
It’s there. All nice and firm. I very much enjoyed that aspect.) But it is also for “those
who watch too many films,” and love a well put together distraction from
life. The nerds and critics seem to like it, and you might too.
looking at the body of Channing Tatum, too (I won’t contest that, I mean, I can’t.
It’s there. All nice and firm. I very much enjoyed that aspect.) But it is also for “those
who watch too many films,” and love a well put together distraction from
life. The nerds and critics seem to like it, and you might too.
When I went to see Magic Mike the audience was 95%
female.
female.
They were in groups. They talked through all the trailers and adverts.
They
were excited. They were ready for some fun. They laughed in all the
right
places, giggled through the dancing and penis pumping scenes, and they
seemed to enjoy themselves.
They
were excited. They were ready for some fun. They laughed in all the
right
places, giggled through the dancing and penis pumping scenes, and they
seemed to enjoy themselves.
Really enjoy themselves.
But I also sensed they didn’t quite know what
they were in for. You
see it wasn’t all dry humping, crotch grabbing and ripped abs. There was
plot, good chemistry between the leads (romantic ones and bromantic
ones) and a
well thought out story arc with a satisfying conclusion. Also it was
very funny.
they were in for. You
see it wasn’t all dry humping, crotch grabbing and ripped abs. There was
plot, good chemistry between the leads (romantic ones and bromantic
ones) and a
well thought out story arc with a satisfying conclusion. Also it was
very funny.
It was
funny in parts where they wore clothes, tense in
parts where they wore clothes, and sad in parts where they wore clothes.
It was also funny, tense and sad in parts where they were totally butt
naked too, but it
showed the dark underbelly and monotony of the stripping lifestyle and
at times it was a pretty sad
show. There was one stripper who performed as Tarzan who should have
been put
out in a field and shot a few years back.
funny in parts where they wore clothes, tense in
parts where they wore clothes, and sad in parts where they wore clothes.
It was also funny, tense and sad in parts where they were totally butt
naked too, but it
showed the dark underbelly and monotony of the stripping lifestyle and
at times it was a pretty sad
show. There was one stripper who performed as Tarzan who should have
been put
out in a field and shot a few years back.
Or at least have stopped
stripping.
stripping.
Plus there’s a scene with a small pig eating vomit.
I am not saying its life changing, I’m just saying Showgirls it ain’t and it sucks some people will pre-judge it based on
the adverts on buses or preconceptions. It’s a perfect date movie for those who have
been in a relationship for two months and have already seen The Dark Knight Rises.
the adverts on buses or preconceptions. It’s a perfect date movie for those who have
been in a relationship for two months and have already seen The Dark Knight Rises.
The director, Soderbergh, has made a ton of films you like as well as the sexiest movie ever, Out of Sight.
Jennifer
Lopez
and George Clooney are so freaking sizzling in that film their clothes
practically explode off their backs. Lopez even proved herself to be
pretty good at acting. Or Soderbergh proved himself to be excellent at
getting
interesting performances out of previously uninspiring actors.
Lopez
and George Clooney are so freaking sizzling in that film their clothes
practically explode off their backs. Lopez even proved herself to be
pretty good at acting. Or Soderbergh proved himself to be excellent at
getting
interesting performances out of previously uninspiring actors.
Either
way, it’s a great film.
way, it’s a great film.
Soderbergh
often utilises
the real life skills and experiences of people he bumps into to tell a
story,
developing The Girlfriend Experience for porn star Sasha Grey and
Haywire
for MMA star Gina Carano. Sure, those two films were pretty hit and
miss, but at
least he’s never dull or predictable.
often utilises
the real life skills and experiences of people he bumps into to tell a
story,
developing The Girlfriend Experience for porn star Sasha Grey and
Haywire
for MMA star Gina Carano. Sure, those two films were pretty hit and
miss, but at
least he’s never dull or predictable.
In this film he takes Tatum’s
stripping tales, exaggerates them and makes a fleshed out movie out of
it.
stripping tales, exaggerates them and makes a fleshed out movie out of
it.
(He also made Oceans Twelve and Thirteen, but he was forced to do those films when an in joke went too far.)
I have also noticed that in the world of critic reviewing
and film loving nerdom, people have a soft spot for Channing Tatum.
and film loving nerdom, people have a soft spot for Channing Tatum.
There is
the sense that he means well, has a likeable quality and if he stopped
being in these Nicholas Sparks melodramas and found the right project he could
be good. He started to prove himself with 21 Jump Street, surprising us with his comedy chops and satisfying the
defenders of the Tatum, and he proves it again here. He finds a director renowned for
bringing out excellent performances in their stars, who moulds the film around his
charisma and the end result is pretty good.
the sense that he means well, has a likeable quality and if he stopped
being in these Nicholas Sparks melodramas and found the right project he could
be good. He started to prove himself with 21 Jump Street, surprising us with his comedy chops and satisfying the
defenders of the Tatum, and he proves it again here. He finds a director renowned for
bringing out excellent performances in their stars, who moulds the film around his
charisma and the end result is pretty good.
My
point is this. It is closer to The Full Monty then say Burlesque, and
it’s the most fun I have had in the cinema in a very long time.
point is this. It is closer to The Full Monty then say Burlesque, and
it’s the most fun I have had in the cinema in a very long time.
And that
is saying something.
is saying something.
Love,
Ellen x
