Tag: Channing Tatum

ROOFMAN – Review

Channing Tatum and Kirsten Dunst star in Paramount Pictures’ “ROOFMAN.”

This weekend sees the release of a most unusual true-crime story. Yes, it’s got the standard details of a lawbreaker’s plans and motives (yup, filthy loot), but it’s more than that ole DRAGNET cliché of “Just the facts”. No, it takes lots of twists and turns, even making a detour into comedy (often slapstick) and romance (thanks to the sprightly pairing of the two leads). But don’t let its title mislead you, because the fella’ here known as the ROOFMAN is certainly not a spandex-clad “superguy”, though he’s not a super villain either. Mostly…

The film opens with the title guy doing his “thing”. Former US Army Reservist Jeffrey Manchester (Channing Tatum) scopes out a busy suburban McDonald’s as it closes for the night. After the workers depart, he heads to the roof and bashes a big hole so that he can drop in. From there, it’s a waiting game until the morning crew arrives. Jeff springs out wearing all black (including a ski mask) and brandishes his rifle. After the manager gives him the cash from the safe, Jeff instructs them to grab their coats and head to the walk-in cooler. But the manager doesn’t have one, so Jeff gives him his black jacket (he’s also dubbed the “gentleman robber”), then dashes away (and calls 911 to get his victims rescued from the cold). From there, the story backtracks to Jeff struggling to make ends meet for his wife, pre-teen daughter, and twin toddler sons. Taking inspiration from his Army pal Steve’s (LaKeith Stanfield) illicit schemes (phony IDs and passports), Jeff begins his retail and restaurant robbery spree. But the law catches up to him. Due to the whole “locking folks in freezers” MO, Jeff is convicted of armed kidnapping and given a hefty sentence. He quickly learns that his spouse has cut out contact with him (Jeff is quite a “girl daddy”). Using his observation skills from the service, he slips out of prison, and contacts his pal Steve, who tells him that he’s too “hot” and to contact him in a month about setting Jeff up with a new identity. What to do over those thirty days? A nearby Toys ‘R’ Us shop may be the answer. Near closing time, Jeff hides via the bathroom ceiling tile. He emerges after the store is closed, disables the security video system, and uses the space behind the bicycle display as his daytime hideaway. He also sets up video baby monitors throughout the store. One day, Jeff is aware of a sweet single mother on the staff. He sees Leigh (Kirsten Dunst) plead with her prickly boss Mitch (Peter Dinkledge) to let her take some discarded, unsellable items for her church’s toy drive. Mitch refuses, so Jeff figures out a way to exit and re-enter the store during the day. He shows up at the church to drop off his bag of goodies, but a member insists that he join the service. He spots Leigh in the choir, and at the post-service spaghetti lunch, Jeff (calling himself John) strikes up a conversation. A romance quickly ensues. But can he dodge her questions and the police? And what will happen when Steve returns? Will Jeff flee or pursue a new life with Leigh?

Once again, Tatum proves that he’s much more than his superb dancing skills as he ramps up the charm (and “rizz”) as the “man on the lam”. Actually, his Jeff/John just entrances almost everyone he meets, and even some of those crime victims, as he deftly sidesteps inquiries and contemplates his next move. But Tatum also shows us this man’s inner conflict and heartbreak over losing contact with his kids. Fortunately, he enjoys a surrogate fam via his relationship with Leigh, given a bouncy sweetness by the still endearing Ms. Dunst. It’s nice to see her step away from her recent somber, dramatic roles, although Dunst can certainly bring the tears in the emotional third act. A big entertaining asset is the great Dinkledge, who makes Mitch a very funny “retail dictator” as he glowers at his “slacking underlings”. Stanfield brings a dangerous, tough energy to the no-nonsense Steve. It’s a shame that the bubble Juno Temple (so great in “Ted Lasso”) doesn’t have more to do as his ditzy beautician GF. On the other side of the law is the inspired pairing of Ben Mendelsohn and Uzo Aduba as the affable Pastor John (at Leigh’s church) and his nurturing wife Eileen (going against the notion of Hollywood deriding the ministry). And stand-up comic Jimmy O. Yang delivers some laughs as a frazzled used car salesman.

Like Dunst, this is much lighter fare for director Derek Cianfrance, perhaps best known for THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES and BLUE VALENTINE. He displays a real flair for breezy comic set pieces, especially when Jeff becomes the nighttime ruler of “toyland” as he wastes the pre-dawn hours tossing teddy bears and scarfing peanut M&Ms (better than all the jars of baby food). Ditto for the initial dating of him and Leigh. But it eases into a few clichés, especially with her two daughters. The pre-teen is sweet and adorable, while the sixteen-year-old is the usual surly, snarky “demon spawn” overused in so many shows. I suppose this is there for conflict so that Jeff has to “work” to win them all over. This precludes a lull in the pacing, as the movie “spins its wheels” as Jeff gets a new set of wheels. Really, the film could have used a good fifteen or twenty-minute trim on the ole’ editing bay (well, probably all computers now). This leads up to the very sobering and sad finale, in which Jeff reverts to his criminal ways. The film doesn’t give him a “pass” since he’s really a good guy with Leigh and her kids. He “fesses up” that he’s a bad guy even after the filmmakers work diligently to make him the hangdog hero that we “root for”. No, he’s a criminal who takes the hard-earned money of others while waving a weapon. And if not for the high-caliber cast, this might have been another made-for-cable-TV bit of fluff. However, fans of Mr. Tatum and Ms. Dunst may enjoy and be moved by the true-life modern fable of the ROOFMAN. Oh, and be sure and stay for the end credits, which include lots of footage of the real folks.

2.5 Out of 4

ROOFMAN is now playing in theaters everywhere

Channing Tatum, Kirsten Dunst, LaKeith Stanfield And Peter Dinklage Star In First Trailer For ROOFMAN

Channing Tatum stars in Paramount Pictures’ “ROOFMAN.”

Watch the first trailer for director Derek Cianfrance’s ROOFMAN.

Based on an unbelievable true story, Roofman follows Jeffrey Manchester (Channing Tatum), a former Army Ranger and struggling father who turns to robbing McDonald’s restaurants by cutting holes in their roofs, earning him the nickname: Roofman.

After escaping prison, he secretly lives inside a Toys “R” Us for six months, surviving undetected while planning his next move. But when he falls for Leigh (Kirsten Dunst), a divorced mom drawn to his undeniable charm, his double life begins to unravel, setting off a compelling and suspenseful game of cat and mouse as his past closes in.

One of this geek’s favorite filmmakers, Cianfrance’s other superb films include BLUE VALENTINE, THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES, THE LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS and he was also the co-story writer for SOUND OF METAL, which received a best original screenplay nod at the 93rd Oscars.

ROOFMAN’s cast includes Channing Tatum, Kirsten Dunst, Ben Mendelsohn, LaKeith Stanfield, Juno Temple, Melonie Diaz, Uzo Aduba, Lily Collias, Jimmy O. Yang and Peter Dinklage.

ROOFMAN opens in theaters on October 10.

https://www.roofmanmovie.com

Channing Tatum stars in Paramount Pictures’ “ROOFMAN.”

BLINK TWICE – Review

Naomi Ackie stars as Frida in director Zoë Kravitz’s BLINK TWICE, an Amazon MGM Studios film.
Photo credit: Carlos Somonte. Courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios. © 2024 Amazon Content Services LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Zoë Kravitz’s directorial debut BLINK TWICE starts out with a great deal of promise but ultimately fails to live up to its promise. The target Kravitz appears to be aiming for is a GET OUT-style smart horror thriller, with a set-up the recalls both KNIVES OUT and THE MENU, where a select group of beautiful people on a private island with wealthy types, an island where things go very wrong. In this case, the island is owned by tech billionaire Slater King (Channing Tatum), who invites a pair of waitresses who have dressed up to crash his posh cocktail party, Frida (Naomie Ackie) and Jess (Alia Shawkat), to join him and his friends for a couple of days on his private island. It’s a dream come true for Frida, the reason she had dressed up to crash the party to catch the billionaire’s eye.

What starts out like a Disney-ish meet-cute romantic fantasy, with Frida and Jess whisked away on a private jet, plied with champagne, and then ensconced in little bungalows filled with clothes and luxurious supplies, has some creepy foreshadowing. There is some scandal around Slater King, dealing with something that happened at parties with a #MeToo vibe followed by a unconvincing public apology. Nonetheless Frida is enamored with the handsome billionaire, although when Frida is introduced at the cocktail party to King’s therapist, played by Kyle MacLachlan, she jokingly says “blink twice if I’m in danger” and the therapist pauses before he smiles. On the island, they are expected to give up their phones, and Jess jokes about whether the human sacrifice is before or after dinner.

Despite all that, the women quickly settle into a pattern of lounging around the pool, night spent dinning on fine cuisine and never-ending champagne, as host Slater King asks “Are you having a good time?” to which they invariably reply “I’m having a great time.”

And that’s where the film bogs down, going through iterations of that party scene a few too many times without any thing much happening. It works less to build suspense than to dissipate the little threat that had been created. When the horror/thriller finally gets underway, the events that unfurl are far-fetched and it really doesn’t make sense, or even hold one’s interest. Yes, horrible things happen but we see them coming from far off, which dispels any suspense, and the explanations really don’t hold up, sometimes in eye-rolling inducing fashion.

Naomie Ackie plays the central character, Frida, and on screen most of the time but the character is surprisingly underwritten, with little if any backstory and a romantic innocence that seems more fitting for a teenager. Ackie works hard to make the most of this thin material, while Alia Shawkat as Jess provides comic commentary, as well as an every-present yellow lighter whose true purpose is eventually revealed, to balance Frida’s romantic view, a view that circumstances upend. Channing Tatum is charmingly oily as the tech billionaire hosting this sinister party.

The film features a good supporting cast that includes standout Geena Davis as Slater King’s sister and assistant Stacy, his high-strung assistant, who combines a hyper-competency with a tendency to drop things as she runs around handling all the practical matters of having an island full of guests and more. Christian Slater plays Slater King’s right-hand man Vic, while Haley Joel Osment plays Tom, a bitter, washed-up star and gourmet meals are prepared by chef-guest Cody (Simon Rex). On the female side of the guests, another standout is Adria Arjona as Sarah, a “Survivor” winner who is a beauty with a special set of skills, while Trew Mullen plays stoner-girl Heather, always up for smoking fat blunts. Liz Caribel plays Heather’s pal and Levon Hawke plays handsome Lucas.

Adam Newport-Berra provides stylish cinematography heavy on quick cuts, visuals supplemented by heavy-handed sound design.

Zoe Kravitz deserves credit for aiming high, for a stylish, high-concept thriller with a have and have-not commentary, blended with a feminist one. The film is certainly stylish to look at, with great costumes and sets. While the cast is good, the script, co-written by Kravitz and E.T. Feigenbaum, just doesn’t achieve its ambitions.

BLINK TWICE opens Friday, Aug. 23, in theaters.

RATING: 2 out of 4 stars

FLY ME TO THE MOON – Review

Yes, I see that title and I immediately picture “ole’ blue eyes”, a trench coat draped over a shoulder, crooning that catchy 1954 Bart Howard classic. And that’s just what the producers want to evoke, to get you in a nostalgic mood for a frothy romance set against the backdrop of the “space race”. Mission accomplished, but could a “rom-com” really work against the somber historical backdrop we’ve seen in heavy, serious films like FIRST MAN, A MILLION MILES AWAY, HIDDEN FIGURES, APOLLO 13, and the HBO miniseries, “From the Earth to the Moon”.Now, that’s the trick, much like the possible results facing NASA, Will it blast off or crash land? But it’s “star power” rather than rocket fuel that propels FLY ME TO THE MOON.

Modern movie audiences need a short primer on events 55 years ago, and the filmmakers provide a brief one for the film’s prologue, In 1968 the “whiz kids” in Cocoa Beach Florida are rushing to make good on JFK’s promise to land a man on the moon before the end of the decade. Leading the “brainiac bunch” is former fighter pilot Cole Davis (Channing Tatum) whose steely determination stems from his part in the tragic events of Apollo One a few years before. The story shifts to NYC as we meet advertising/marketing expert Kelly Jones (Scarlett Johansson) who has just “put one over” on some auto execs. But her celebration is brief when she’s exposed by Nixon’s “special operative” Moe Berkus (Woody Harrelson). Why? Well, he has a bigger client for her and her trusty aide Ruby (Anna Garcia) because the Prez needs help “selling” the space program to the populace. The women fly down to Florida in time for Kelly to have a “meet cute’ with Cole at Wolfie’s Diner. Things take a sobering turn when they meet again, as Cole has little time or respect for their publicity plans. But they finally realize they must work together to get the money pipeline flowing from a stubborn group of congressmen. But then their renewed attraction is almost snuffed out by the return of Berkus who tasks Kelly with creating a “set” where they can film a phony moon landing, in case Apollo 11 fails. Can she get everything together for this fraud without Cole finding out? Or will she listen to her heart and do the right thing for “the right stuff”?

That aforementioned “star power”? That is ably supplied by the pairing of the lead duo at the center of the plot, bringing true sparks to the often formulaic rom-com genre. Tatum proves that he’s got more dramatic depth than you might gather from his mesmerizing moves as MAGIC MIKE. He projects an “old school” screen hero’s sense of decency as the project-focused Davis who has a huge weight on his shoulders that could be erased if he can get this job done to honor his fallen teammates (the first trio) and perhaps his “captain”, who set the stage but can’t be there for the finale. Not surprisingly, fun and romance are neglected until he meets her. In a nice twist on the genre’s conventions, Johansson’s Kelly is the free spirit with shaky morals who lightens the load for Cole, who helps her regain a sense of right and wrong, putting honor before profit and chipping away at her cynicism (in her first scenes, Kelly is almost a “Donna Draper” in a riff on “Mad Men”). This role really taps into the charm she gleaned in her MCU role of the Black Widow.


The “support team” is led by the always interesting Harrelson whose laid-back persona is given a dangerous edge as a quip quickly morphs into a threat, punctuated by his black attire and ever-present switchblade (to slice citrus for cocktails, of course). And there’s some great work here by two other TV sitcom vets. Ray Romano uses his hangdog everyman charisma as Cole’s right-hand man, who feels more like a proud “uncle’ as he fills in the “backstory” for Kelly. The biggest “scene stealer” is Jim Rash, an Oscar-winning screenwriter but forever Dean Pelton of “Community”, as Kelly’s snippy, flamboyant director Lance Vespertine (the name speaks volumes) who brings a bitchy sense of camp to the fairly somber “conspiracy”. Kudos also to the “junior squad” led by the energetic Garcia who can’t suppress her hippie leanings along with the NASA comic tag team of Donald Elise Watkins and Noah Robbins who provide a great jolt of manic comic energy.

Kelly Jones (Scarlett Johansson) and Cole Davis (Channing Tatum) in FLY ME TO THE MOON.

Guiding this talented ensemble is someone who’s best known for being a guiding force on the TV versions of several DC superheroes (streaming and broadcast), Greg Berlanti. This is actually his third feature film and a big dive into the mainstream as he harkens back to the “above the title” pairing of classic movie couples (Gable and Lombard, Bogie and Bacall, Tracy and Hepburn). Despite the somewhat lengthy 132-minute runtime, he keeps the story from Keenan Flynn and Bill Kirsten that Rose Gilroy crafted into a screenplay from getting too slogged down in space nostalgia. Like that neglected 80’s classic THE RIGHT STUFF it highlights the awe and wonder along with wit while mixing in the movie “mating rituals”. But it doesn’t leave out the sense of danger with several flashbacks to that fatal pre-launch tragedy to the hovering Berkus who could be more “spook” than a spy. The time period is recreated very well, though it may seem that it’s the early 60s since the engineers all have the white shirt/thin black tie basic except for the pseudo-turtlenecks favored by Cole, perhaps to set him apart or to better highlight Tatum’s rugged physique. As for Johansson, Kelly appears to channel Marilyn Monroe in her early makeup and hairstyles (those blonde “bobs” are dazzlin’) but she “loosens up’ by the finale, perhaps to reflect the changing times and her embracing a new “morality”. Unlike the teaming of Gosling and Blunt at the start of the Summer, this pair really connects as they size up each and verbally spur before the big “clinch”. The great “needle drops” of classic tunes really help “seal the deal” and send Kelly and Cole piloting fans of retro romance soaring “among the stars” in FLY ME TO THE MOON.

3 Out of 4


FLY ME TO THE MOON is now playing in theatres everywhere

Win Passes To The St. Louis Advance Screening Of FLY ME TO THE MOON

Starring Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum, Fly Me To The Moon is a sharp, stylish comedy-drama set against the high-stakes backdrop of NASA’s historic Apollo 11 moon landing. Brought in to fix NASA’s public image, sparks fly in all directions as marketing maven Kelly Jones (Johansson) wreaks havoc on launch director Cole Davis’s (Tatum) already difficult task. When the White House deems the mission too important to fail, Jones is directed to stage a fake moon landing as back-up and the countdown truly begins…

Directed by Greg Berlanti, FLY ME TO THE MOON has been rated PG-13 for some strong language, and smoking. The film will be released in theaters nationwide on July 12, 2024.

The St. Louis advance screening is at B&B West Olive on Monday July 8, 7pm. (5:30PM or earlier Suggested Arrival)

PASS LINK: https://events.sonypictures.com/screenings/unsecured/main/screeningInfo.jsf?code=VL75EUMQVT

Please arrive early as seating is not guaranteed.

Kelly Jones (Scarlett Johansson) and Cole Davis (Channing Tatum) in FLY ME TO THE MOON.

Columbia Pictures and Apple Original Films present a These Pictures production, Fly Me to the Moon. Starring Scarlett Johansson, Channing Tatum, Jim Rash, Anna Garcia, Donald Elise Watkins, Noah Robbins, Colin Woodell, Christian Zuber, Nick Dillenburg, with Ray Romano and Woody Harrelson.

Directed by Greg Berlanti. Screenplay by Rose Gilroy. Based upon the Story by Keenan Flynn & Bill Kirstein. Produced by Jonathan Lia, Scarlett Johansson, Keenan Flynn, and Sarah Schechter. The executive producer is Robert J. Dohrmann. The Director of Photography is Dariusz Wolski, ASC. The production designer is Shane Valentino. Edited by Harry Jierjian, ACE. The costume designer is Mary Zophres. Music by Daniel Pemberton. Music Supervision by Season Kent. Casting by Ellen Lewis

NASA’s Apollo 11 Moon Landing Is The Real Star Of FLY ME TO THE MOON Trailer

On the morning of July 16, 1969, Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins sat atop another Saturn V at Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center. The three-stage 363-foot rocket used its 7.5 million pounds of thrust to propel them into space and into history.

On July 20, 1969, at 10:56 p.m. EDT, Armstrong planted the first human foot on another world. With more than half a billion people watching on television, he climbed down the ladder and proclaimed: “That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.”

And now some 55 years later, NASA is preparing to send people back to the lunar surface. Scheduled for September 2025, the Artemis II flight test will be NASA’s first mission with crew under Artemis and will pave the way to land the first woman and next man on the Moon on Artemis III. Astronauts on their first flight aboard NASA’s Orion spacecraft will confirm all of the spacecraft’s systems operate as designed with crew aboard in the actual environment of deep space.

We will finally return to the lunar surface for the first time since 1972.

Kelly Jones (Scarlett Johansson) and Cole Davis (Channing Tatum) in FLY ME TO THE MOON.

Today Sony Pictures and Apple TV have debuted the trailer for FLY ME TO THE MOON.

Starring Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum, FLY ME TO THE MOON is a sharp, stylish comedy-drama set against the high-stakes backdrop of NASA’s historic Apollo 11 moon landing.

Brought in to fix NASA’s public image, sparks fly in all directions as marketing maven Kelly Jones (Johansson) wreaks havoc on launch director Cole Davis’s (Tatum) already difficult task. When the White House deems the mission too important to fail, Jones is directed to stage a fake moon landing as back-up and the countdown truly begins…

From director Greg Berlanti, check out the new trailer.

The cast includes Scarlett Johansson, Channing Tatum, Nick Dillenburg, Anna Garcia, Jim Rash, Noah Robbins, Colin Woodell, Christian Zuber, Donald Elise Watkins, with Ray Romano and Woody Harrelson.

With a screenplay by Rose Gilroy, FLY ME TO THE MOON is based upon the story by Bill Kirstein & Keenan Flynn.

The comedy opens on July 12, 2024.

Cole Davis (Channing Tatum) and Henry Smalls (Ray Romano) in FLY ME TO THE MOON.

Kelly Jones (Scarlett Johansson) in FLY ME TO THE MOON.

Kelly Jones (Scarlett Johansson) and Cole Davis (Channing Tatum) in FLY ME TO THE MOON.

MAGIC MIKE’S LAST DANCE – Review

(L-r) CHANNING TATUM as Mike Lane and SALMA HAYEK PINAULT as Maxandra Mendoza in Warner Bros. Pictures musical comedy “MAGIC MIKE’S LAST DANCE,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release.

MAGIC MIKE’S LAST DANCE is the third installment in Channing Tatum’s male stripper-dance series, and appears to be the last, as the story reaches crazy fantasy heights. That is not to say there isn’t some entertainment value – in the vein of the erotic original – and with director Steven Soderbergh back at the helm (as he was for the first one but not the second), it is a more polish production. MAGIC MIKE’S LAST DANCE dials back the seriousness of the second movie, and this third installment describes itself as “musical comedy” as it returns more to male erotic dancing and female titillation mode. But then the sequel overshoots the mark, with a remarkably goofy story that mixes a reverse PRETTY WOMAN – MY FAIR LADY mash-up with the 1940s “let’s put on a show,” sprinkled with a women’s empowerment, anti-ageist message. Exhausted yet? You will be if you think very much about this loopy premise.

The real entertainment is in the dance sequences, a mix of the original’s male stripper-dance but elevated by contemporary and modern dance, even a touch of ballet, by actual professionally trained dancers.

The film starts with Mike (Channing Tatum) back a work as a bartender at a Florida charity fundraiser at the home of a wealthy woman, Maxandra “Max” Mendoza (Salma Hayak Pinault) who is depressed as she is going through a messy divorce. A friend who recognized Mike as a one-time entertainer at a bachelorette party, suggests him to the hostess as a way to cheer her up. After the party, she calls Mike in and tries to engage his services. He tells her he no longer does that (what is not specified) but when pressed, names a price of $60,000. Maxandra counters with $6000, which financially-strapped Mike can’t refuse. A hot lap-dance that makes the most of the furniture follows, just barely short coitus, and then we cut to the two of them in bed in the afterglow.

After that magical experience, Max offers Mike a job, although she in not clear doing what, for $60,000 – if he will come back home to London with her. But she makes one rule: no sex between them. Although that doesn’t keep Max from teasing Mike when she wants.

The job she comes up with is putting on a show. Mike is made director/choreographer ins charge of transforming a long-running costume drama in a historic theater, bearing her soon-to-be ex’s family name, into an elevated version of a male erotic dance show. The goal is to give Mike a job and a chance to transform himself, while irritating her soon-to-be ex. As you surmised, Max is an impulsive, over-the-top character who is perhaps more unpredictable than usual as she struggles emotionally with the divorce. Mike’s real job is to cope with his changeable boss, and maybe win her heart.

Hayek Pinault does fine in her but casting the Mexican-born Salma seems an odd choice to play the Brit. Turns out, she was not the original choice for the role but British-born Thandiwe Newton. However, Newton left the production 11 days in, for unclear reasons but rumored to be following a clash with star/co-producer Tatum. Newton would have made much more sense in the role but with her out, it seems the decision was made for the character even more nutty to distract from any mismatch. That said, Hayek Pinault leans into it, and Tatum’s character trying to be his charming best to cope with this unpredictable employer/love interest has some comic value. Jemelia George is delightful as Max’s precocious daughter Zadie, and Ayub Khan Din as snarky butler/driver Victor (in an ARTHUR reference) adds more entertainment, coaching Mike in how to win over Max.

The real entertainment in this crazy movie are the dance sequences, both the steamy lap dance but also the show’s try-outs, rehearsals and the show itself. Those later sequences are elevated by casting a real dancers and having them do a mix of modern dance and male stripper moves.

Certainly, Steven Soderbergh knows what he is doing as a director, so things move along briskly and the movie does serve up some hot entertainment for a female audience in the dance sequences. The initial lap dance provides sexy entertainment but it isn’t all male stripper dance. When we get to the show in the London theater, there is more a modern dance element – actual dancers doing erotic dance rather than erotic dancers performing, as one character notes. The dance sequences later, featuring more contemporary and modern dance that just male stripper grinds, is the best part of the movie. There is a very nice wet-stage pas de deux sequence with Tatum and ballerina Kylie Shea that is one the best moments. Italian professional dancer Sebastian Melo Taveira delivers a delightful, impressively athletic contemporary performance, a highlight of the film for those who are dance fans.

The story is nonsensical but Soderbergh’s skill takes you past that, letting you enjoy the dance sequences and their entertaining mix of hot moves and impressive athleticism and skill. If you can just ignore that crazy story, there is some eye-candy and sexy fantasy fun in this hot dance sequel. But presumable this truly is Mike’s last dance, as this tale looks as exhausted as a post-show dancer.

MAGIC MIKE’S LAST DANCE opens Friday, Feb. 19, in theaters.

RATING: 1.5 out of 4 stars

MAGIC MIKE’S LAST DANCE opens Friday, Feb. 10, in theaters.

RATING: 1.5 out of 4 stars

THE LOST CITY (2022) – Review

Hey film fans, since traveling is still a bit iffy (some health issues) and pricey (oy, the pump costs) how about a cinematic getaway to a faraway exotic island? Not tempting enough? Well, how about hanging out with a trio of your favorite movie stars (and I do mean stars…real “A-listers”)? Indeed this marks the big-screen return of a favorite leading lady who has been absent for four long years. And she shares scenes with not one, but two Hollywood “hunks”. Yes, romance, comedy (with a touch of satire), and a bit of danger are on the itinerary when you grab a (theatre) ticket and the multiplex whisks you away to THE LOST CITY.

Things are looking steamy and a touch scary for the duo at the heart of the story when the Paramount logo fades away. Oops, it’s all in the head of popular romance novelist Loretta Sage (Sandra Bullock) as she battles writer’s block in the comfort of her cozy home. Perhaps she’s a tad too comfortable as she’s become somewhat reclusive since the passing of her hubby. And when that newest work, “The Lost City of D”, is finished she finds that her popularity may be waning…a bit. That’s why her BFF and publicist Beth (Da’Vine Joy Randolph) convinces her to kick off her promotional tour for the book with a personal appearance at a big romance novel convention. And to Loretta’s annoyance, she must share the stage (at a fan Q & A) with the cover model for her paperbacks, the gorgeous but dim Alan Caprison (Channing Tatum), who is reprising his “role” as the ongoing series hero “Dash” McMahon. After the disastrous event, things go from bad to worse as Loretta is spirited away by a couple of burly goons as Alan watches helplessly. Said thugs transport Loretta to their boss, eccentric media millionaire Abigail (yup) Fairfax (Danielle Radcliff) who believes that she can help him locate the actual “crown of fire” in Calloman’s Tomb on a remote Atlantic island. Since the tomb may be destroyed by a nearby active volcano, he ignores her pleas to be released and chloroforms her, and the group jets off to that exotic locale. Ah, but team Sage is on the case. Alan contacts an ex-military man he met at a meditation seminar, Jack Trainer (Brad Pitt), and flies away to join him for her rescue. But can the two of them save Loretta from Fairfax’s legion of henchmen while they’re outrunning lava?

So, Ms. B hasn’t graced the big screen since 2018’s OCEAN’S EIGHT? And grace is the right word since she glides through this frothy romp with the assured stride of the gifted icons of the golden age. Her lengthy film career is certainly no fluke, as she brings all of her arsenal (comedy, tragedy, action, romance) to the role of the often awkward writer. Loretta uses her solitude as a protective “bubble” to ward off anything or anyone that may add to her festering sorrow. When she begrudgingly re-enters “the world” Bullock exercises her crackling comic timing as Loretta uses her snark as rapidly-fired needle “pinpricks”. Coupled with her physical comedy skills, and abetted with her gaudy “sparkly” sequined pantsuit, she’s an almost “alien” outcast in the jungle. But Bullock shows us the change in Sage as the central mystery resonates with her which prompts her to take a chance on someone again. And that’s the surprising Tatum as Alan, who begins as a pretty boy cartoon, the vain vapid gorgeous dimwit (do they still say “him-bo”) strutting about with flowing fake blond locks and “puffy shirts open to the navel. He reminds us of his great comedy “chops’ we enjoyed so much in 21 JUMP STREET, its sequel, and the recent DOG (probably still playing nearby), but he also displays a real vulnerability as Alan acts on his feelings for his “book boss lady”, aching to be the hero she’s fashioned around him. But he’s really not “that guy” as he also has a flair for the slapstick as “action Alan” becomes a klutzy whirlwind of limbs. Which is a great contrast to the “uber-cool alpha-dog” that is Pitt’s Trainer who’s the “real deal” and almost effortlessly uses Alan’s missed kicks and swings to his advantage while trying to temper his remarks (“Alan, that’s a good effort, but you should’ve stayed in the car”).

As for the support team to the “titanic trio”, a good mix of comic actors has been gathered. Well, the villain may be best known for a heroic magical hero icon, Radcliffe seems to be having lots of fun shattering his image as the nefarious Fairfax the “poster child” for the angry sibling, a scheming brat who wants what he deserves right this second (think Veruca Salt with lots of backup and firepower). Heading the “good guy” sidekicks is Randolph (so great as Lady Reed in DOLEMITE IS MY NAME) as the tightly wound, stressed but still in control Beth, whose business ambitions take a backseat to her affection for her “superstar scribe”. Plus she’s a great “reactor tempering her frustration at dealing with a couple of “oddballs”, namely Patti Harrison as the “always on her cellphone” social media consultant (she can’t speak without uttering several “hashtags”) and Oscar Nunez (from TV’s “The Office”) as goofy cargo plane pilot Oscar who thinks that he can charm her into his cockpit (wink wink). And SNL gem Bowen Yang has a nice bit as the book conference’s overly caffeinated host of the Q & A debacle.

The directors calling the shots in this comedy caper are a fairly new team, the Nee (not the Knights who say) brothers Adam and Aaron, their third feature after THE LAST ROMANTIC and BAND OF ROBBERS (a SLIFF flick). And they do a terrific job balancing the character comedy with the more slapstick sequences along with the frantic action set pieces and the often nail-biting escapes and scrapes. And though a lot of its basic premise owes much to 1984’s ROMANCING THE STONE (a nice homage is the event’s banner that proclaims “Romancing the Book”), the screenplay by the Nees with Oren Uziel and Dana Fox from a Seth Gordon story has plenty of sharp satirical stabs at those “bodice-ripper” books and their over-heated fanbase in addition to the spirited interplay between Loretta and Alan. Unfortunately, the film does succumb to the dreaded comedy film “lull” a bit past the one-hour mark as the duo connects on the dance floor (it needs a big trim from the editors). And the big finale feels a tad rushed with everything quickly “lining up in place”. But these are somewhat minor quibbles against the breath-taking Dominican Republic location work and the inspired pairing of Bullock and Tatum, briefly aided by a winking Pitt. So if you’re really needing a bit of swooning star escapism find your way (no tattered old maps needed) to THE LOST CITY.

3.5 Out of 4

THE LOST CITY opens in theatres everywhere on Friday, March 25, 2022

Win Free Passes To The St. Louis Advance Screening Of THE LOST CITY

WAMG has passes for our lucky readers to see Paramount Pictures’ THE LOST CITY on March 22 in St. Louis at 7pm at MARCUS RONNIE’S 20.

For a chance to win passes to the St. Louis advance screening of THE LOST CITY, starring Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum, and Daniel Radcliffe, enter at the link below:

https://gofobo.com/XwpBV37409

No purchase necessary

Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum star in Paramount Pictures’ “THE LOST CITY.”

Can’t wait for the screening?

AUDIENCES CAN BE THE FIRST TO SEE THE LOST CITY IN THEATRES THIS WEEKEND WITH FANDANGO PREMIERE EARLY ACCESS SCREENINGS ON SATURDAY, MARCH 19TH

Fandango Premiere Early Access Screenings will be held at 225 theaters nationwide on March 19th, one week before its only-in-theaters wide release date on March 25th. Tickets for this limited big-screen event are now on sale, only at Fandango.

More Information Here  

Brilliant, but reclusive author Loretta Sage (Sandra Bullock) has spent her career writing about exotic places in her popular romance-adventure novels featuring handsome cover model Alan (Channing Tatum), who has dedicated his life to embodying the hero character, “Dash.” While on tour promoting her new book with Alan, Loretta is kidnapped by an eccentric billionaire (Daniel Radcliffe) who hopes that she can lead him to the ancient lost city’s treasure from her latest story. Wanting to prove that he can be a hero in real life and not just on the pages of her books, Alan sets off to rescue her. Thrust into an epic jungle adventure, the unlikely pair will need to work together to survive the elements and find the ancient treasure before it’s lost forever.

Directed by Adam Nee and Aaron Nee, see THE LOST CITY only in theaters March 25.

L-r, Brad Pitt, Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum star in Paramount Pictures’ “THE LOST CITY.”

THE LOST CITY Sits At 100% On Rotten Tomatoes – Watch This Funny Featurette Starring Channing Tatum, Daniel Radcliffe and Sandra Bullock

Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum star in Paramount Pictures’ “THE LOST CITY.”

Currently sitting at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes is the comedy THE LOST CITY. The film, starring Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum, and Daniel Radcliffe, has received rave reviews after its debut screening at SXSW.

AUDIENCES CAN BE THE FIRST TO SEE THE LOST CITY IN THEATRES THIS WEEKEND WITH FANDANGO PREMIERE EARLY ACCESS SCREENINGS ON SATURDAY, MARCH 19TH

Fandango Premiere Early Access Screenings will be held at 225 theaters nationwide on March 19th, one week before its only-in-theaters wide release date on March 25th. Tickets for this limited big-screen event are now on sale, only at Fandango.

More Information Here

Fandango Premiere: The Lost City (2022) Movie Poster

The Lost City is a film you can escape your troubles with for a couple of hours. Award-winning? Nope, but it is fun (and funny!) – Austin Chronicle Full Review…

Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum create a rhythm of movement and sound that causes their dynamite chemistry to leap off-screen and smack you in the face. – Deadline Hollywood Full Review…

[Tatum’s] hunky character’s puppy-like devotion to Bullock’s dismissive damsel in distress serves the pic quite well, enlivening action that (after a winningly over-the-top kickoff) might otherwise grow too generic. – Hollywood Reporter Full Review…

The Lost City is a fun ride and a loving throwback to a certain kind of star-laden character-led adventure films Hollywood doesnt seem to have time for anymore. – The Playlist Full Review…

Check out the latest featurette from THE LOST CITY, where Tatum, Bullock and Radcliffe discuss Channing’s cover model transformation in “Becoming Dash”

Brilliant, but reclusive author Loretta Sage (Sandra Bullock) has spent her career writing about exotic places in her popular romance-adventure novels featuring handsome cover model Alan (Channing Tatum), who has dedicated his life to embodying the hero character, “Dash.” While on tour promoting her new book with Alan, Loretta is kidnapped by an eccentric billionaire (Daniel Radcliffe) who hopes that she can lead him to the ancient lost city’s treasure from her latest story. Wanting to prove that he can be a hero in real life and not just on the pages of her books, Alan sets off to rescue her. Thrust into an epic jungle adventure, the unlikely pair will need to work together to survive the elements and find the ancient treasure before it’s lost forever.

Directed by Adam Nee and Aaron Nee, see THE LOST CITY only in theaters March 25.