LOVE & MERCY - review

LOVE & MERCY
Director: Bill Pohlad
Cast: John Cusak, Paul Dano, Elizabeth Banks, Paul Giamatti

The story of the creative genius of the Beach Boys, Brian Wilson and his struggle with his emerging psychosis in the 60's and his struggle in the 80's under the 'care' of his psychotherapist Dr. Eugene Landy. It cuts between the 60's and the 80's and entangles the two tales together in a discordant manner that is somehow harmonious.

1960's Brian Wilson is played by Paul Dano, and takes us through the time in his life where he was working on the greatest album of his life while the rest of the band was on tour. He struggled with his own inner demons, and his obsession to please his father, a marriage he was too young for, drugs his mind couldn't handle and surmounting pressure from the band to produce a gold album that lived up to the standards of his earlier works.

Paul Dano is 1960's Brian Wilson

image via  Icon Films

1980's Brian Wilson is played by John Cusack, and takes us through a time in his life where he was highly medicated and barely functioning for a disease he didn't suffer from all under the care of his slightly off-balance and manipulative psychotherapist Dr Eugene Landy (Paul Giamatti), who was not only controlling his life, isolating him and over medicating him, but taking advantage of him financially. In the 80's Wilson meets and falls in love with Melinda Ledbetter (Elizabeth Banks), who sees what is happening to Wilson and does all that she can to intervene.

John Cusack is 1980's Brian Wilson

image via Icon Films

There have been other on-screen versions of the Beach Boys and Brian Wilson, I haven't seen them, but they exist. I'm not sure if there is inspiration taken from the other bio-pics, for this version, and I don't know how much of this story is fact and how much is fiction, but I don't think it matters. I also wondered how it would work with Paul Dano and John Cusack playing the same character with so little physical resemblance, but I don't think it mattered either. At least it didn't matter to me and after my initial questioning of it, I didn't think of it again during the film. 

The Beach BOys as depicted in LOVE & MERCY

image via Icon Films

I didn't know much about Wilson's story in the 80's, and I was amazed and saddened by what happened to Wilson, and yet somehow not at all surprised. I was not surprised that there are people in the world that could take advantage of someone like that and destroy their life in such an isolating way. I would like to do a bit more research into this story and find out how much is true story and how much is fluff, and if there's anyone out there who knows more about this I would be happy to hear about it! I love a bio-pic, but I am always fascinated by how much is real and how much is fluff. 

Cusack and Banks as Wilson and Ledbetter

image via Icon Films

The casting in this film was fantastic, Paul Dano and John Cusack both play an incredible Brian Wilson during those periods in his life, and they carried the story well. It could have been a disaster if one was better than the other in the role of Wilson, but they were astounding in this film. Elizabeth Banks' Melinda Ledbetter was every bit the angel in opposition to Paul Giamatti's Dr. Eugene Landy, who is pure evil in this film. While neither of them quite match the quality of acting by Dano and Cusack, they certainly don't let the film down. 

Elizabeth Banks is Melinda Ledbetter

Paul Giamatti is Dr. Eugene Landy

images via Icon Film

The music through the film is magical - I mean it is Brian Wilson after all - and it was woven throughout the film wonderfully. The film is quite choppy and as I mentioned earlier discordant, but somehow it comes together nicely and that falls largely on director Bill Pohlad and his strange ability to make the discordance work for this film rather than piss the viewr right off. Don't get me wrong, there were some omembers of the audience who complained (very loudly throughout the whole film) that it was hard to follow, and that perhaps they were all on the same drugs as Brian Wilson, but for me it worked. 

If you're not into the Beach Boys, Brian Wilson, or bio-pics in general, then don't bother with this one, but I liked it and if you are into those things then I think it's worth the 20-something dollars to see it. 

3.5 out of 5

xoxo

The Blonde Bombshell

MAGIC MIKE XXL - review

ok so this isn't the real poster, but I kinda love it too much not to include it!!

MAGIC MIKE XXL
Director: Gregory Jacobs
Cast: Channing Tatum, Joe Manganiello, Matt Bomer, Adam Rodriguez, Gabriel Iglesias, Amber Heard, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Donald Glover, Andie MacDowell, Elizabeth Banks

OK, so after waiting a few days to avoid the worst of the crowds, I headed off to get my fix of semi-naked dancing men with my bestie and just sat back to revel in the glory of the shining muscles, cheeseball dialogue and Channing Tatum. *sigh*

If you haven't seen the first installment of the semi-naked dancing men franchise, it's ok, you are not alone. I mean I absolutely have seen it, but bestie hadn't and she caught up with the concept pretty quickly. Very muscly, very attractive semi-naked men dance for a living and love it. In the first movie Mike (Channing Tatum *sigh*) was the glue that held it all together, but he retired for the love of a good woman. Three years later and he is seemingly living the good life - running his own business, sitting on the beach contemplating life when he gets a call from the boys saying that their old ring master has passed away and inviting him to the wake. PSYCHE! He turns up to find a massive pool party and we are greeted by Joe Manganiello's bare butt (yum), and ends up thrown into the pool suit and all. Hilare!

the gang is getting back together! 

image via Warner Bros.

The boys are passing through on their way to a giant stripper convention where all the strippers in the world gather and dance semi-naked while all the women swoon and drool all over everything and shower them in a waterfall of dollar bills. The boys are going on one last pilgrimage before they all reture and it's going to be glorious. They spin a little sob story about no longer having their ring master, who is not actually dead but in Macau having started up a new show with his prodigy. Sneaky little semi-naked dancing men, planting ideas in Mike's head, who's life isn't actually going as great as he makes out.

He leaves them to it, going back to his custom furniture workshop and sets about working on the latest piece. Ironically his old routine song comes on the radio and he has a little dance around the workshop, there's all kinds of innuendo going on here with power tools and pieces of furniture, and I loved it. As did the hordes of other giggling and squealing women in the audience. I can only imagine what it would have been like with a full cinema - yikes!

a little bit of suggestive workshop dancing *sigh*

image via Warner Bros.

The next morning to everyone's surprise (except everyone in the audience) Mike turns up with a duffle bag to join the boys for one last hurrah - cue ridiculous roadtrip - and so they begin their pilgrimage to the giant stripper convention, which is obvs going to be the huge climax of the film. The road trip includes drug fuelled epiphanies, random beach parties with pretty girls, a trannie bar, and surprisingly a plantation house with Andie MacDowell, who as it turns out is the glass slipper (I won't give you any more than that so as not to spoil the suprise). 

There is one major problem for Mike and the Kings of Tampa, they don't have an MC for their show. Apparently a strip show without an MC is nothing and they won't be able to participate (or at least that's the general gist of the complaining about not having an MC). Along the way they visit a ghost from Mike's past - which seems all part of his giant plan to get them an MC. This ghost just happens to be a badass lady boss who runs a house full of semi-naked dancing men who are there for the sole purpose of making all the ladies feel special - and by all the ladies, I mean all the ladies, fatties, dowdy housewives, geeks, pretty girls, all the ladies who are just like you and me, as well as all the ones who aren't because it is Hollywood after all. Plus they have Donald Glover who just makes up songs about women based on their names to boost their self esteem...it's golden. 

Donald Glover singing a little tune

image via Warner Bros.

Mike's badass ex-boss is none other than Jada Pinkett-Smith, who seems super unsettled at even the site of Mike - and really who can blame her becase it's Channing Tatum *sigh* - and to even consider his proposal she requires the semi-naked dancing from him just to make sure that he still has it. Who the flip cares what 'it' is, I'm all about the semi-naked dancing from Channing Tatum *sigh*, I don't need a reason! Everyone lols because she makes him do the semi-naked dancing and then says no...lol.

Major crisis of the plot line is not solved, they also have no costumes as they threw them all away during their drug enduced epiphany when they decided all their old routines suck a big old bag of dicks. I'm kinda glad that happened though because as much as I liked the routines from the first movie, if I wanted to see the same routines again I would have stayed home and watched the first movie. They carry on anyway, get to Myrtle Beach and who should be there by the badass lady boss, and Donald Glover, plus one of badass lady boss' best dancers to round out the show. 

Elizabeth Banks just checking to make sure Mike still has it - which he undoubtably does

image via Warner Bros.

But yikes, they only have one day to put together a whole new show and get new costumes and build a new set and sort everything out so that they don't look like a bunch of hacks on stage. Cue amazing perparation montage, which is glorious and the second best part of the whole film. Can they get it together in time and pull off the greatest show anyone has ever seen? You bet Channing Tatum's glorious, shiny, ripped body they can!

errybody loves a montage!

image via Warner Bros

Then we get to see the fantastic show that's been put together in one day (as a dancer and choreographer I call bullshit, but it's Hollywood, so it's legit right). It's all about listening to women and what women want and empowering them - or at least that's the vibe, and that's what plenty of other critics are saying - but I don't see how throwing women around on stage and dry humping them is empowering women. Not that I would complain about Channing Tatum *sigh* picking me up and throwing me around and dry humping me, but I'm certainly not going to say I've been sexually empowered. 

voice of an angel - who knew?!

image via Warner Bros.

So, in terms of quality, the film is not amazing. The script is predictable and cheesy (although who knew Matt Bomer could sing like an angel?!), there is plenty of semi-naked dancing, sexual innuendo and sparkly thong encased peen, and they try, albeit not that successfully, to get a little bit deep and tug at some of your feels. Basically it's just a bunch of pretty dudes semi-naked dancing and there were plenty of people loving it and plenty of people squirming in their seats because there are parts that basically border on the edge of softcore porn. Whatever man, I don't care, because seriously that guy can Channing all over my Tatum anyday (if you don't get that reference, then jump on youtube right now). 

If you liked the first one, and you don't mind seeing the prettyn men semi-naked dancing, then I think it's well worth the 20-something dollars to go and see this on the big screen. Don't worry too much if you haven't seen the first one, but if you can watch it before hand then do as it does set a bit of the early context. I mean, not that you need an excuse to watch Channing Tatum *sigh* semi-naked dancing to Ginuwine's Pony, but it's as good an excuse as any! 

semi naked dancing men *sigh*

image via Warner Bros.

For film quality 2 out of 5 but for entertainment value and for Joe Mananiello's butt and Matt Bomer's angel voice 4 out of 5

xoxo

The Blonde Bombshell

PITCH PERFECT 2 - review

PITCH PERFECT 2
Director: Elizabeth Banks
Cast: Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Hailee Steinfeld, Brittany Snow, Skylar Astin, Adam DeVine, Elizabeth Banks, John Michel Higgins

It probably comes as no surprise to you all that I am a massive fan of the first film in this franchise and that I can pretty much sing every tune note for note and quote the film line for line. I have seen it about 50 squillion times, own the soundtrack and use it for my warm up music at the dance studio. So it also probably comes as no surprise that I saw the new film on the opening weekend and have since seen it twice more since then. What might surprise you is that I was a little disappointed in the second  installment of this franchise. Now I'm calling it a franchise here because they have left it open for follow up films with the introduction of a shiny new character who has the the potential to be used for more aca-movies feauting the Barden Bellas.

I know, I know I'm breaking some kind of aca-law or something by saying that, but I truly did feel a little let down by this sequel. Thankfully not all the funny bits were in the trailer, but this second film fell a little short of the aca-awesomeness of the first film. I liked it well enough, but it's certainly not going to feature as a go-to movie for me on a rainy day.

The Bellas receive some bad news...no performing for them!

PITCH PERFECT 2 finds the Bellas on a victory tour after winning three more championships and opesn with what should be a monumental performance at the Kennedy Centre for Predient Barrack Obama himself. A very unfortunate wardrobe malfunctions turns the Bellas into a national discrace, sees them stripped of their rights to perform and to audition new members. Their national victory tour is taken over by the European champions Das Sound Machine led by some very large, overbearing and beautiful Germans. Which in turn leads to some excellent banter and a lovely riff-off that also features The Tone Hangers, the Treblemakers and the Green Bay Packers.

Das Sound Machine in the throws of performance

Things aren't looking great for the Bellas as the only way to get reinstated as an acapella group is to win the world championships, where they will be competing against Das Sound Machine. Heads of the American acapella institution laugh in their faces as they make their case and bargain that should they win they are to be reinstated and with good reason - no American team has ever won at the worlds.

John and Gail the comedic duo who are the bearers of the Bellas bad news

Elizabeth Banks has taken on the directorial role of this film, and has done an alright job with the less than inspired script for our returning cast. The character arcs are flimsy and underdeveloped, and see a lot of re-hashing of the plot lines from the first film.

There are some fantastic one liners throughout, but the script itself is more like a filler between aca-performances - which are pretty great btw. Fat Amy (Rebel Wilson) and Bumper (Adam DeVine) feature pretty heavily in this new film, as does legacy Bella Emily Junk (Hailee Steinfeld). Emily id accepted into the Bellas even though they are not permitted to audition as she is a Bella legacy, her mother was a Bella and is played by the formidible Katey Sagal. The focus on Emily throughout made me instantly think about their options for a third film in the franchise and made me a little angry just watching it becuase I hate thinking about the future of films when I should be focussing on the film itself.

Fat Amy and Bumper

The song choices weren't as great, but the staging of the performances was much more elaborate than the first film. That being said I will probably still purchase the soundtack and sing along to most of the tunes.

As a nice little side line, Beca gets an internship at a record label and her interactions with her boss there provide some of the best comic one liners of the film, and I will say I was excited to see old Snoop perforing some Christmas tunes!

Other critics are saying that the film tries to hard, that it is a disaster, that it doesn't hit the mark and that regular film goers are probably going to wonder what all the fuss was about. I don't often agree with most critics, but in this case I don't necessarily think they're wrong. Fans of the first film will enjoy it, even though they will be slightly diappointed, but newcomers are certainly going to be confused by the whole thing. It doesn't quite have the magic of the first and the script and character development don't carry it as well as in the first.

The Barden Bellas in the final performance of the film

I know it sounds like I'm trashing the film a bit and I guess I kind of am, but it's because I was a little sad about it. All that being said though, I laughed out loud, I cringed at the slightly wrong-town humour, I sang and I danced in my seat so it can't have been all bad! Also I've seen it more than once, so you know...Die hard fans will appreciate it, newcomers probably not so much. If you're a die hard fan, go on, spend the 20-something dollars, you know you want to. Newcomers, I wouldn't bother. Just wait til it's out on DVD if you're curious.

3 out of 5

xoxo
The Blonde Bombshell