For now though, I have 1* for the disappointingly bad Terminator Genisys and 4* for the return of the Kings of Tampa in Magic Mike XXL.
With so many amazing films out in July I'm really hoping for many more cinema trips over the coming weeks!
TERMINATOR: GENISYS
*
2015 // In U.K. cinemas now
"John Connor sends Kyle Reese back in time to protect Sarah Connor, but when he arrives in 1984, nothing is as he expected it to be."
(ALL IMAGES SOURCED FROM www.imdb.com)
I like to give every film I see the benefit of the doubt. Whether they've been universally lauded or panned by critics I like to think I take everything I read or hear with a pinch of salt, and instead come to my own conclusion based on the films themselves. It's been extraordinarily hard to ignore all of the negative press surrounding Terminator Genisys, but I still settled down in the cinema optimistic and hoping for a decent film. However, in this instance there's no avoiding it: the critics were right. Terminator Genisys is just awful.
For starters, it makes absolutely no sense. There are plot holes the size of Jupiter and time travel conundrums so lazy and confusing that I gave up trying to decipher them half way through and just accepted that this reboot was as clear as mud. I thought it was just me, and maybe if I had a fresher and more in-depth knowledge of the earlier Terminator films (I've seen them, but it was so long ago that the details are a little fuzzy) I'd maybe have understood it better, but listening to the mini spoiler review in a recent Empire podcast confirmed that Genisys really is all over the place. If even the most knowledgable film critics struggled then I had no chance!
Sadly, at the heart of this film the script is truly shocking. Characters contradict themselves in every single scene; the exposition is clunky and forced; and by purely regurgitating plot lines from the previous films it lacks any remote form of originality. It may be a reboot, and constantly harking back to the original series may be part of its intended charm, but it's done so poorly that the entire film serves as a reminder that there's a much more nuanced and intelligent film in the franchise out there to be watched. Certain scenes are recreated shot for shot - but look worse in 2015 than in 1984! - which just highlights that it's a laughably bad (I genuinely laughed a lot, but I definitely wasn't meant to) Tesco Value version of James Cameron's classic.
To add insult to injury the actors are all woefully miscast. They clearly do the best they can with what little they're given to work with, but Jai Courtney is a terrible, wooden Kyle Reese; and for all of the respect and admiration she commands as the Mother of Dragons, Emilia Clarke displays none of that here as the supposedly battle-ready badass Sarah Connor. The entire ensemble cast have very little chemistry, but I'm honestly not sure what they could actually have done to improve their performances.
On a more positive note, J.K. Simmons is a breath of fresh air in the handful of scenes he's in, and the special effects involved in the de-aging of Arnold Schwarzenegger are magnificent. The studio are clearly getting their money's worth by having Schwarzenegger play three versions of himself throughout the film (including an overly long scene where he fights himself...). He may be past it, but the intricate and detailed effects involved in enhancing his performance are a joy to behold: it's impossible to see the join between his facial performance and the body of the younger man playing the early Terminator. If only the rest of the film could have matched up to these brief scenes!
Even if you just fancy seeing a blockbuster solely made for entertainment at the cinema this month, don't waste your time with Terminator Genisys. It doesn't fulfil the basic requirements of the genre, is wholly forgettable in its ridiculous quest to justify its own existence, and is a massive waste of your time and money. Unfortunately, as the rights to the franchise revert back to James Cameron in 2019 it's highly likely that we'll be 'treated' to a couple more follow up films before then. I know Arnie said he'd be back, but I really wish he hadn't held us to it.
MAGIC MIKE XXL
* * * *
2015 // In U.K. cinemas now
"Three years after Mike bowed out of the stripper life at the top of his game, he and the remaining Kings of Tampa hit the road to Myrtle Beach to put on one last blow-out performance."
Magic Mike XXL is both the film you're fully expecting and one that is so out of the box it's baffling. While the first film didn't do what it said on the tin - the world expected an unabashed comedy with more six packs on show than is really necessary but instead was greeted with a semi-serious, drug-fuelled drama about the seedier side of male stripping - XXL delivers an entertaining, warm and funny film that ticks every obvious box and more.
As far as plots go, it isn't exactly difficult to follow: after taking 3 years out of the profession to develop his custom furniture business Mike Lane (Channing Tatum) is thrust back into the stripping world when the Kings of Tampa persuade him to join them on a road trip to Myrtle Beach to attend a stripping convention and have one final hoorah. That's literally it. However, what's essentially a buddy road movie with added stripping at periodic points on the journey has a real hidden depth and maturity that makes it wonderful to watch. The film starts with the men believing that stripping is a stopgap while they pursue their 'real' careers and passions, be it Reiki healing, frozen yogurt making or oil painting (seriously). But as the story unfolds and they're forced to come to terms with their profession, they begin to place a real value in what they do, mainly as it becomes increasingly apparent that they finally accept their often healing role in satisfying female desire.
This is a film that loves women. It may not be remotely close to passing the Bechdale Test, but that pales in significance when looking at the treatment of the women on screen. Female sexuality and desire isn't hidden or depicted as shameful in some way, but instead it's celebrated by men who treat women and the female form with the utmost respect. Channing Tatum's Mike declares that his God is a woman; and Joe Manganiello's Big Dick Richie laments his inability to find a woman to love and doesn't hide his romantic ambitions. It's clearly no accident that the most powerful character in the film is a black female entrepreneur played by Jada Pinkett Smith. While it may be easy to dismiss XXL as as pure box office bait for a female audience in the same vein as 50 Shades of Grey, director Gregory Jacobs makes sure it isn't just a mindless, unrealistic fantasy, but gives the characters depth and ensures the film has a beating heart.
XXL is also hyper-masculine, but in the best possible way. It presents a group of men not as ripped robots unable to express emotions but as real people, and it never conforms to stereotypes. There may be abs galore, but the scenes between the Kings of Tampa prove that they're not just beefcakes but actual people with actual opinions, fears and passions. These are men that care for each other and are endlessly supportive and optimistic of their respective goals. The way in which the male relationships are portrayed is phenomenal: there are no tasteless gay jokes, no violence and no perceived expectations about masculinity. One of the best scenes comes from Richie's impromptu strip tease at a gas station as his friends encourage him (from outside, cheering and whooping embarrassingly loudly) to be more confident around women and make the cashier smile. They know he's nervous, and instead of laughing or mocking, they shout encouragement at him through the window and go nuts when he's finished. The men in XXL are the antithesis of the likes of Entourage, and it would be fantastic if more men on screen were treated to the same respect and character development.
Helen O'Hara described XXL as Pitch Perfect 2-esque, in the sense that the main character from the first film (Channing Tatum's Mike / Anna Kendrick's Beca) takes a back seat here and allows another character to step up and steal all the best lines (Joe Manganiello's Richie / Rebel Wilson's Fat Amy), and I couldn't agree more. While the first film was Tatum's story, here it's much more of an ensemble and works better for it. Matt Bomer (Ken) and Manganiello rise to the challenge with aplomb, and every member of the supporting cast contributes in the most meaningful way.
It's enormous fun to watch and remarkable in so many ways. What with Mad Max: Fury Road a few weeks ago and now Magic Mike XXL, here's to hoping Hollywood turns a corner and continues to produce these simultaneously masculine and feminist films showcasing well-rounded characters in gleefully entertaining scenarios. Who knew XXL would have so much depth?!
HOUSE OF CARDS
* * * * *
Series 1-3 available on Netflix
"A Congressman works with his equally conniving wife to exact revenge on the people who betrayed him."
It's taken me what feels like decades to board the House of Cards train, but now I'm on it I can't believe it took me so long to finally join. I'm only on episode 4 of the first series but I can already understand the hype and I can feel my addiction developing. At the moment I'm able to restrict myself to half an episode a day, but I have a horrible feeling that all too soon that's not going to be remotely possible and I'm going to end up pulling an unavoidable all-nighter bingeing the rest of the series. It's shows like this that make a Netflix subscription a worthwhile investment!
WIMBLEDON
BBC1 & BBC2
(IMAGE SOURCED FROM www.timeout.com)
Instead of leaving Sky Movies on all day as background noise while I work, I've been glued to the tennis for the last fortnight. Wimbledon is the only televised sporting event I take an interest in and I majorly look forward to the championships every year. I may have had my back to the television for the last two weeks but it's still made for riveting listening, and I unashamedly had to relocate from my desk to the sofa during the men's singles semi-finals (Murray v Federer) and women's singles final (Williams v Muguruza) and try working while simultaneously watching...
I haven't, however, had time to watch Wimbledon - the 2004 film with Kirsten Dunst and Paul Bettany - as per tradition, so I know what I'm doing tonight!
What have you seen this week? Do you have any Netflix recommendations? Do let me know in the comments below!
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