Three films released this week worth noting for home viewing (not counting Risen).
ZOOLANDER 2
Directed by Ben Stiller
Screenplay by Justin Theroux; Ben Stiller; Nicholas Stoller; and John Hamburg
Starring Ben Stiller; Owen Wilson; Penelope Cruz; and Will Ferrell
Lets get right to it. I liked it. I did not love it, but that is okay, I laughed many times.
It is just stupid fun. Either you get it or you do not. I get it.
I think the issue that makes it not as good as the first Zoolander is that it pulled away from a spoof of the fashion industry and became almost a Wayan's like parody of a spy film. Zoolander is searching for his lost son. He was taken from him because of an unfortunate spaghetti incident. Thus is the plot, and if course the fashion industry is involved. Again, you have to laugh at the stupidity. This film is filled with many funny lines. Are they as quotable or memorable as the first one? I guess time will tell.
Here is what you learn here or do not learn:
-Hansel is still really hot right now
-How does spaghetti get soft????!!!
-Not many people worry about the death of Justin Bieber
-Swimsuit models feel less but they can swim
-If Anna Wintour is not heading toward the red carpet there is an issue
- Blue Steel takes a lot of work.
-Watch who you put in charge of building the school, for kids who cannot read good.
-Rocky Horror Picture reference? If you see the film find it. I \laughed but I was the only one.
-Sting is a hero!!!!!!!!!!!!
Okay...no spoilers. I am just saying it is not as funny as the first film, but I laughed many times watching this one.
3 out of 5 stars for Zoolander 2.
THE FINEST HOURS
Directed by Craig Gillespie
Screenplay by Scott Silver; Paul Tamasay; and Eric Johnson
Based on the book by:Casey Sherman and Michael Tougias
Starring: Chris Pine; Casey Affleck; Ben Foster; and Holliday Grainger
Coast Guard Bernie Webber (Pine) makes a daring rescue attempt off the coast of Cape Cod after a pair of oil tankers are destroyed during a blizzard in 1952.
The acting in this amazing true story is really good.
Chris Pine who has the main role as Bernie Webber you would think he would be boisterous, however he comes across as aloof. With his sagging shoulders and quiet by the book mentality he really plays against the type of a Captain James Kirk.
Casey Affleck who rarely gives a bad performance but is often stuck in the shadows of his brother may even be better than Pine, the star, as Ray Sybert. In fact Ray Sybert who saves half the tanker and helps to keep it up maybe a bigger hero than Webber.
Ben Foster and Eric Banna are also in this film but really do not have much to do except stare.
Holliday Grainger as Miriam Webber is also very good in her part as the woman waiting. I have not seen her before, and she shined here.
Now as for the film itself. There lies a slight problem. It needed editing 117 minutes was way to long. Why? We get shots of Webber on his boat in rain seeing nothing, and we get it, it was hard to see. As a viewer....we are watching nothing also, and you kinda get bored. Editing. Then we get waaaaay to many shots of what is going on in Cape Cod. Disney cannot help itself, if we can have one harrowing scene of waiting why not have 20. Editing.
Also there is word that a major part of a steel beam is false that was added...which is sad because the story seems to be able to stand on its own. Of course we get the corny ending which I don't mind, I don't mind a good corny ending but this one even had my eye rolling.
It is a shame because it is a really good true story. Amazing and exciting, and as noted well acted. In fact I am glad they made the good decision during the credits to give us looks of the real characters and what became of them.
3 out 5 stars for The Finest Hours. Just needs an editor. It will be enjoyable at home on the small screen.
HOW TO BE SINGLE
Directed by Christian Ditter
Screenplay by Abby Cohn; Dana Fox; and Mark Silverstein
Based on the book by Liz Tuccillo
Starring Dakota Johnson; Rebel Wilson; Leslie Mann; Jake Lacy; Anders Holm; and Damon Wayans Jr
I am getting right to the point here. I saw this trailer and then I thought uhoh.
I am here to say or blog......I liked this movie!!
The one thing to know is....this is not a comedy. It is real life. It works. What looks like what could be a predictable film really is not.
Lets see why:
Dakota Johnson...Leaving her long time boyfriend to see how she does being unattached. First my blinders may be on for her. I love her. I loved her going back to a wonderful TV series called Ben and Kate. If you can find it watch it. She is fantastic in it. Yes, she got beat up a bit in Fifty Shades, However I thought she was great in this playing off a guy being stiff (no pun intended). Here as Alice she steals the film. You feel her confusion as she seems to be swimming up stream trying to find her place and figuring out single life.
Leslie Mann....I think she is always wonderful and she is again in this film. She represents the older single woman trying to be a successful career woman and trying to figure out how to bring a partner into her busy life. Now Jake Lacy plays the young man chasing her. He is coming off a good performance in Love The Coopers, here he plays almost the same character. The chemistry between him and Mann is fantastic. I wanted to see more of them.
Rebel Wilson....I worry about her being a one act actress as I watched this. I also thought in the beginning her character was not really needed. However as the film went on she becomes a more rounded individual or more rounded single person. A different type of single person.
Alison Brie....who played Lucy in this film was good but...I really did not care about her or the bartender she was friends with. I just did not care and she could have been cut from the film and I would have been fine with the focus just being on the other three ladies.
One more quick note Damon Wayans Jr is wonderful in this film playing a single father.
Well all in all I was pleasantly surprised by this. It just felt well written and real.
3 1/2 stars out of 5 for How To Be Single. At the end you feel like the film just lays there but it sticks with you.
From The Shadows as always thanks for your time.
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