‘Magic Mike XXL’ is a thoroughly entertaining trifle that doesn’t have a malicious bone in its perfectly-sculpted body. Director Gregory Jacobs serves up a hilarious slice of All-American beefcake that puts a smile on your face and a wiggle in your hips.
For those who have seen Inside Out, it’s a scary movie: the fear of moving away, of being unable to feel anything at all, of having your childhood memories that most defined you erased in the existential dilemma of growing up. Heavy stuff. But it’s not quite a horror movie, and some now very unhappy …
This time last year we got word that Magic Mike himself, AKA Channing Tatum, would take up the role of a particularly fan-favorite mutant within the X-Men franchise: the bayou-native gambler Gambit. Since then, his standalone film has been gestating without a director, but Deadline now reports that Rupert Wyatt has boarded the superhero franchise. …
“It’s best not to think of her as a woman. That would be a mistake.” These words are uttered by Kenneth (Ewan McGregor) to freelance operative Paul (Michael Fassbender) in a scene somewhere toward the end of Steven Soderbergh’s truly excellent but much ignored action movie Haywire. The woman they are referring to is Mallory …
It seems like the idea of a Ghostbusters universe is still alive and well. Deadline reported on Monday that Sony is working on a male-centered Ghostbusters movie with Channing Tatum and the Russo brothers (Captain America: The Winter Soldier) behind it. This news comes a week after the Russos signed a first-look deal with Sony. …
That sound you’re hearing is a massive sigh of relief from David Lynch. He no longer holds the dubious distinction of producing the most expensive B-movie in the history of Hollywood. That honor now belongs to The Wachowskis, whose Jupiter Ascending has officially displaced Dune at the top (or bottom) of the heap. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, however. Jupiter Ascending not only looks spectacular, it’s a laugh riot. Ridiculous dialogue, hammy performances, and enough mythology to baffle Zeus make this disaster a must-see for all lovers of cheese.
I guess it is true. All good things must come to an end some day and it seems like that day is coming soon for Quentin Tarantino and the fans of his movies. According to Deadline, the Pulp Fiction and Django Unchained director is planning on retiring after he makes his tenth film (which means …
Quentin Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight has been hotly anticipated ever since the director threatened he might never even make it. But when Django Unchained brought along such oddball and exhilarating casting choices as Leonardo DiCaprio, Jamie Foxx and Jonah Hill, it was anyone’s guess who the director would work with next. Now Deadline has exclusively …
Remember before Keanu Reeves was a badass in The Matrix he was that doofus in a ’80s comedy about time travel that probably isn’t as good as you remember it? You know, Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure! It was totally excellent and featured life lessons to live by like “Be Excellent to Each Other” and …
In lesser hands, the overtly meta nature of 22 Jump Street could easily have become insufferably smug. Directing duo Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, though, have been proving themselves to be kings of manic, self-aware comedy, and their more consistently strong follow-up to 2012’s 21 Jump Street might be the best comedy sequel since Joe Dante’s Gremlins 2: The New Batch.
In early 2012, while most of the film world was caught up in Oscar prognostications, one film quietly came and went through theatres, earning less that $20 million domestically, and just over $30 million internationally. That film was Steven Soderbergh’s Haywire, with Gina Carano taking on the lead role of Mallory Kane, and its quiet box office reception is in no way indicative of the film’s quality. While it may appear, on the surface, to be a standard action thriller – and there’s certainly no issue with that, as the genre is littered with efforts that fail to even be competent in their execution – in true Soderbergh style, there’s a lot more going on in Haywire than it may appear at first glance.
t is with a significant pang of regret in 2013 that we bid a fond adieu to director Steven Soderbergh, but at lerast we have the smnall placebo of two remaining films from the incredibly profligate director, beginning with his penultimate film Side Effects. If you’ll excuse the pun I don’t wish to get too ‘side’tracked but I think there are a few crucial items to consider before we delve into the movie itself, a concluding episode to his career which is as expected a superb contemporary drama which springboards into other areas with the dexterous ease of a state drilled East German Olympic gymnast, namely what on earth could drive such a prolific and endlessly inventive cinematic soul into potential big-screen retirement?
Subtlety is a skill Roland Emmerich has not mastered. Subtlety is not, nor ever will be, in his repertoire; it is likely as alien a concept to him as opposable thumbs are to all non-human creatures. Most of the time, his thudding portentousness doesn’t serve him well as a director, with previous misfires like The Day After Tomorrow, Godzilla, and 2012 lining his filmography, movies that are big and loud enough to make money despite being massively, unpleasantly stupid.
G.I. Joe: Retaliation Written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick Directed by Jon M. Chu USA, 2013 The latest blockbuster sequel to a mildly profitable first film that doesn’t actually have an enthusiastic fan base, G.I. Joe: Retaliation is admittedly not on the same level of terrible as its Stephen Sommers-directed predecessor. It is still …
Side Effects Directed by Steven Soderbergh Written by Scott V. Burns USA, 2013 What Steven Soderbergh excels in as a filmmaker is in defying expectations. We can spot a Soderbergh film easily enough through his visual markers, whether he’s making a heist film or a lowdown action film or a story set in the world …
10 Years Directed by Jamie Linden Written by Jamie Linden USA, 2011 These days, a hangout movie is far rarer than a hangout TV show. Many fans and critics would point to Cougar Town as the best current example of a hangout TV show, as the audience spends 30 minutes each week simply relaxing with …
At the end of each month, the Sound On Sight staff will band together to write an article about their favourite scenes in films released. Here are our favourite scenes from the month of May. Warning: Of course, spoilers are in full effect here! **** Killer Joe – KFC Rape Killer Joe marks an unshakeable …
Every thirty days, I like to post a list of my favorite films I’ve recently watched. Here are the best films I’ve seen throughout the month of September. This list is based on movies theatrically released here in Canada, and I do not include what I have seen at film festivals. **** 1: Prometheus Directed …
Magic Mike Directed by Steven Soderbergh Written by Reid Carolin USA, 2012 When does Steven Soderbergh sleep? Is it possible that he stays awake all day long? How else to explain the inexplicable speed with which he makes movies? Last September, Soderbergh had the big-budget film Contagion open to decent box office and acclaim. This …
At the end of each month, the Sound On Sight staff will band together to write an article about their favourite scenes in films released. Here are our favourite scenes from the month of February. **** Once Upon A Time In Anatolia – Opening Scene Nuri Bilge Ceylan is without a doubt one of the …