21 Jump Street - Check it Out!

My God there is a lot on the Internet. I’m actually worried that there may be too much. Every single web page is a portal into 55 different options and I don’t know how I feel about it. On one hand I’m insanely happy for the options and on the other hand I just don’t want so many options – it’s in our nature to explore everything.

When I wrote the first sentence above I was confident that I was going to be able to transition into movies rather easily. The plan was to talk about how great it felt to be back inside a movie theater, and not feeling so overwhelmed with so many different choices. It feels good to shut off and be in a position where you’re entertained. But my transition started to take a left turn when I realized I was about to go on a rant on the Internet and feeling like my head will explode with options.

Fuck. I know there is a segway into how good it feels to be around great movies – oh, that was just it – MY TRANSITION! Forget the internet talk for now… on to movies.

You know when you’re somewhere and you feel like that’s exactly where you’re supposed to be? That’s how I feel when I’m watching a good movie. You’re not worried about anything else or thinking about work, email, twitter, friends, and what else is going on – You’re in the right spot. I think deep down that’s part of the allure of a good movie. You’re in the right place at the right time and it’s an escape. Watching something good makes you think, “That’s what I want to do” or “That’s what I want to be.” Am I looking to deep into movies and entertainment? Maybe.

I was fortunate enough to see 21 Jump Street on Tuesday and I loved it. Without breaking down the specifics like acting or directing, I found myself laughing – a lot. For an hour in a half I felt lost in a really funny movie. Lets be honest: 21 Jump Street isn’t exactly going for an Academy Award, it’s created for the sole purpose to make us laugh and to be entertained. It did just that.

I think there are 5 different types of people when it comes to this movie:

The people who watched the TV show and are pissed they made a movie with Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum so won’t see it.

The people who watched the TV show and are happy they made a movie so will see it.

The people who love Hill and Tatum and definitely will see it.

The people who don’t love Hill or Tatum and won’t see it.

The fence people… could live with it, could live without it.

In the various personalities above there are sub categories, but you fall somewhere in there (trust me). Wherever you fall I’m confident you have to find some humor in this film. Just know that going into it it’s a comedy with JONAH HILL, so don’t be surprised when you see jokes that are so far out there you have to question what just happened.

Now breaking down some specifics:

Channing and Jonah – Truth be told I wasn’t to sold on Tatum and his comedy chops but he kills it. He does a great job and I think he’s the stand out.

The Film itself – The film is out there… in a good way. I definitely think it has it’s own feeling and vibe. Its kind of a hybrid of Superbad meets a Ruben Fleischer sensibility type film. If you don’t know Fleischer, he did Zombieland and 30 Minutes or Less. The film has an interesting feel to it - lets just say that. It absolutely has it’s own stamp and is very relevant to the time we’re in.

Supporting Cast – Solid, very funny.

Really Awesome Cameo that you should find out on your own – is there. As an overall I think this general concept is really cool and honestly I wish I were into the TV show when it was relevant (it was a little before my time). I’m sure there is some purists who don’t want to see an old show get retooled like this and I get it, but at the same time you have to get over it. To be fair it’s just the general concept of the TV show, it’s not as though this is the first film where adults posed as high school students.

When you find yourself planning to get hammered for St. Patty’s day this weekend do yourself a favor and sneak this movie in, or sneak this movie in while you’re getting hammered. Either way, enjoy a fun movie escape and laugh for a little bit. I’m interested as to what people are going to think about it and what it’ll do for Tatum’s comedy career.

If you’re into rotten tomatoes and general reviews it’s currently tracking with 85% positive… That’s a good thing…

Just because, check out this teaser:

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhDCAww9Dwg&w=560&h=315]

Channing Tatum: Movie Star?

 

I’m trying to get a gauge on Channing Tatum. This past weekend, his movie The Vow, almost snuck in first for a second week in a row, I should probably note that it not only snuck in first last week but it officially took out Denzel and Ryan Reynolds film Safe House last week. I personally think it’s a big deal when Channing “I was basically discovered for saying “I forgot my Dew”’ Tatum starts to loom in conversation with the larger figures in Hollywood.

Sure, Tatum’s movie also had Rachel McAdams as a fellow lead and The Vow is seemingly a hybrid of Dear John (Starring Tatum) and The Notebook (starring McAdams), but why do I feel like this was Tatum’s movie?

Is this guy a star? Is he the one who is brings people into the seats or is it the content of the film? I feel that Tatum should have been bigger at this point and Dear John should have done for him what The Notebook did for Ryan Gosling… or did it? As it stands now Tatum is seemingly on that fine line of where his career is going to go. I think it’s either going to skyrocket from this point or it’s always going to stand in this grey yet consistent not really a lead area.

Below is a look back at his previous films starting with Coach Carter in 05’ – I think looking at these films will shed light on where Tatum is going:

Coach Carter: Ensemble guy cast with Sam Jackson.

Supercross: Action dirt bike movie… still early in the career.

War Of The Worlds: Honestly Tatum was in this movie for about 3 seconds running from Aliens… but who cares – it’s Spielberg.

Havoc: Indie vibe with this film.

A Guide To Recognizing your Saints: Tatum’s breakout in the opinion of a lot of people. He was good.

She’s The Man: Typical rom com with Tatum attempting to be a heart throb.

Step Up: The introduction into Tatum the dancer. If women weren’t sold on his looks they were sold on the fact he could dance like a stripper… oh wait…

Battle in Seattle: What is this movie?

Step Up 2: Early cameo from Tatum reprising his role from the first Step Up.

Stop-loss: Same writer director as the academy award film “Boys Don’t Cry” – it also has a good cast but failed box office wise.

Fighting: Shirtless Tatum. People love this movie… seriously.

Public Enemies: Minor - minor - minor 10 second role in this film. Michael Mann directs it.

GI Joe: His real and only blockbuster. This film was all effects and nothing else… a feel good summer movie that in my opinion is so bad you end up watching it.

Dear John: Every woman in the world loved Tatum more than before. This is dramatic Tatum.

The Dilemma: Directed by Ron Howard starring Vince Vaughn and Kevin James. This film was a terrible flop but Tatum had a supporting role and it’s in no way his fault. His comedy wasn’t to bad.

The Son of No One: Another no idea what this movie is but it has Al Pacino in it. Who could ever blame someone for doing a Pacino film?

Ten Year: No idea what this movie was but he was a producer. It didn’t do too well and was directed by the Dear John writer.

Haywire: Steven Soderbergh directed, didn’t do too well in the box office but who the fuck cares because Soderbergh directed.

The Vow: Most recent.

The movies listed above show no evidence that Tatum is a viable go to box office guy; however what it does show is that he’s an extremely smart guy when it comes to his career for 3 major reasons:

1: He works with great directors in small roles. In War of the Worlds he basically was a featured extra but who cares it was Spielberg. In Public Enemies he was basically covered in enough make up to be a cross dresser but who cares it was Michael Mann. In The Dilemma his role was partially substantial but even better it was a Ron Howard movie. In Haywire it was an ensemble cast but that’s par for the course when dealing with Soderbergh… and it was Soderbergh!

Why does this make him a smart guy? Well it ties into…

2: He works with the same writers and directors: The Son of No One, Fighting, and A Guide to Recognizing your Saints: Same writer director. Step Up and Step Up 2: Same writer and he did a cameo in part 2. He’s doing Magic Mike, which is a Soderbergh film coming out later this year… you get the point.

Here’s why this is important – Because apparently directors really like him and will work with him again. It says a lot when someone is willing to take on smaller roles. If this were basketball he’d be called a “grinder” - the guy who really works for the points. It’s like when you go to the “networking” party trying to meet everyone and you’re uncomfortable with a drink in your hand. But in Tatum’s case he says, “fuck a drink, I’m just going to be in this movie.” Or something like that. 3: He’s trying to sculpt his resume and cover all angles of his career. Is he lover romantic guy, comedy guy, fighting guy, action guy, brooding masculine guy, dancer guy? Apparently he’s a little bit of each. I can’t remember when someone hasn’t been horrible when they tried to be the spaghetti sauce and spread themselves over genres like this.

You have to wonder if he’s going to be able to successfully pull this off, because if he will then I think you’d have to consider him a movie star at some point, right? The tough reality is: unless your name is Clooney, then box office usually determines if you’re a movie star. But Tatum seems to be floating in this middle ground where he’s (usually) in “well made” movies made by “good” people, so who cares what the box office says.

Truthfully, I’ve never been the biggest fan of Tatum but I’m starting to come around. I’m looking forward to the comedy 21 Jump Street and heard he’s great in it, and also looking forward to the new Soderbergh film.

In my quest to determine if this guy is a movie star I think the conclusion is – not yet… but he will be. He’s worked with too many people and has covered too many genres to not get a significant shot at being huge

Weekend Movies!

In honor of George Lucas bringing back the same product for the 20^th time around but just making a few tweaks I think it’s only right we discuss the movies coming out this weekend. Truthfully I would talk movies anyway but this was a good segway, and before we jump into anything else we need to discuss The Phantom Menace, which is coming out 13 years later after it’s original release.

Lets take a few steps back here because something has happened to me, as I’ve grown older…

I once was an avid Star Wars defender. Truth is I saw Star Wars late in life (my teens) but once I got it, I was in. I went with my friend Jon to the midnight showing of Phantom Menace in Wisconsin and tried to find the good in it – even Jar Jar Binks. I saw Episode 2 and defended CGI Yoda and also the casting of Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker. I then went and waited in line for Episode 3 and found myself loving it the 3 times I saw it in the theater.

I was one of the guys, who overly defended Lucas for anything he was doing “wrong” like when he replaced the original Anakin in Jedi, added new scenes to the original trilogy, changed Jar Jar’s voice, and planned to re-release in 3-D (to name a few). I was on board with his excuse that what he was currently releasing was how he envisioned it all along but technology hadn’t caught up yet.

Then… Something hit me. I realized I’m under the force of Lucas and I’ve been defending things I don’t believe in. It makes no sense as to why I’d defend George Lucas. I like Star Wars for what it was and what it did. I came to terms with the fact that Lucas has been adding to something that shouldn’t change. One argument, which is totally valid, is that it’s his product and he can do what he wants. But the other argument is, which is totally valid, is that he’s fucking insecure with what he made so he keeps changing it, and can’t make anything new (and good).

Changing things to 3-D is one thing, but updating a classic is another. I’m not sure Lucas understands that people don’t want new added into the original Star Wars. It took me long enough to learn the name of the Mos Eisley Cantina on Tatooine, I don’t want to be hit with more fictitious names. If you really think about what he’s doing it’s pretty unbelievable… he’s blatantly altering it!

Worst part is… I’m going to see it again! I’m angry with myself and I’m angry I’m under the force of George Lucas and his Santa beard. I digress…

The Phantom Menace is back. It’s currently tracking to make 33 million this weekend. That’s pretty big. I wonder why Lucas didn’t start with the originals. Lucas said he’s releasing new 3-D Star Wars every 2 years. At the current rate we’re not going to get to Jedi until 2022. This just in George Lucas: in 2022 we’re going to have holograms and technology better than 3-D. But you already know that. What are you going to do to Star Wars!?

Other Movies:

I should note that this is Valentines Day weekend and the follow movies are the perfect consumer slate before the “Holiday.”

The Vow: Dear John meets The Notebook. Channing Tatum meets Rachel McAdams. What could go wrong? Nothing. Here are all possible scenarios of why you’d see this movie:

You’re a single female and you love Channing Tatum.

You’re in a relationship and you love Channing Tatum.

You’re in a relationship and you’re desperate to have sex with your girlfriend.

You’re in a relationship and the female runs the show.

You’re in high school.

You read the book.

That pretty much covers it, right?

Safe House: Denzel and Ryan Reynolds. It’s amazing how I currently feel about Denzel, he’s still the man but isn’t the draw he once was. It seems like his sweet spot is to play the Training Day/Man On Fire Guy. It’s the “Don’t fuck with me” Denzel. All in all, this movie is intriguing and in a sense is the anti-Vow. Is it the anti-Vow? I feel like this movie is perfect because women love Denzel and Ryan Reynolds.

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island: I love The Rock. I really do. I wish this foray in kids movies worked out for him but they just haven’t hit.  This is the film you take your kids too when you can’t take them to The Vow or Safe House and Phantom Menace is sold out.

Movies that aren’t geared toward Valentines Day and people won’t see… but maybe should:

Rampart: Don’t know much about this movie but I hear it’s a thriller and Woody Harrelson is great in it. I’ll probably see this at some point… maybe even in the theater.

In Darkness: Another movie I don’t know much about, but it sounds somewhat interesting… maybe a bit slow. The Plot: IN DARKNESS tells the true story of Leopold Soha who risks his own life to save a dozen people from certain death. Initially only interested in his own good, the thief and burglar hides Jewish refugees for 14 months in the sewers of the Nazi-occupied town of Lvov (former Poland).

The reviews aren’t too bad and I heard the director, Agniezka Holland, is very good.

I want to give a quick “not yet a movie but almost there” shout out to two trailers that were released this week:

The Amazing Spider Man

And

The Bourne Legacy

If you haven’t checked them out I suggest you do. They’re both reboots in their own right but they both look great.

Whatever you see this weekend (if anything) just know that I may be struggling through Phantom Menace at one point or another. Fucking, George Lucas.