I had the great pleasure of catching the midnight show for Magic Mike, with an all-star cast including Channing Tatum, Alex Pettyfer, Matt Bomer, Matthew McConaughey, and Joe Manganiello. I absolutely adored the movie from start to finish, and even though it was about two hours long, I still wanted more!
First thing's first: don't go in expecting nothing but stripping for two hours. Sure, Magic Mike is mainly about a group of strippers but it also intimately deals with the private lives of both Mike and Adam. It goes to darker places than I would have imagined and explores themes and ideas you wouldn't exactly expect from a stripper flick. I'm not trying to diminish any of the fun you will most likely have if you go to see Magic Mike this weekend, just adjust your expectations accordingly because the movie is equal parts drama and comedy.
Essentially, the plot deals with Magic Mike, a stripper who works for Dallas, who takes a young kid under his wing (Adam). The more comfortable Adam gets with the stripping game, the more his world spins out of control.
I absolutely loved the casting in this movie. Really though, whoever was in the casting department deserves an Oscar, because it's all perfect and brilliant. I couldn't have envisioned a better or more well-suited colorful cast of characters. While the minor characters (like Joe Manganiello's Big Dick Richie and Matt Bomer's Ken) aren't given a whole lot to do throughout the duration, they all still have shining little moments. I especially adored Bomer's swagger, which was pretty much unparalleled. Channing Tatum is absolutely epic in the movie, playing what is essentially an extension of himself and doing so quite well. McConaughey is also quite striking in what I'd consider to be a daring career move. I couldn't have imagined anyone else doing his role or performing it halfway as good as he does.
Director Steven Soderbergh does an overly competent job as director here, serving up equal parts heart and epic sexy strip scenes. The music and every scene where shirts are shed are downright memorable, and may serve as great DVD extras if extended sequences are made available. I know I'd certainly watch a full-length movie of all the stripper performances.
So, there is actually one small complaint that I had: the ending was way too abrupt. I'm all for ambiguity, but it seemed really sudden and somehow unfinished. Maybe it's just me being greedy and wanting a bit more specifics. I also kind of find Cody Horn quite annoying, but that is neither here nor there.
If you have nothing better to do this weekend and you're in to sexy beefcake-y guys, definitely check out Magic Mike. I loved everything from the costumes to the sets to the camera-work to the absolutely brilliant casting. Can they make a sequel or spin-off that's at least an hour of male stripper dancing This movie is as close to the perfect fantasy flick you're going to get. The DVD had better have extended musical scenes because it really should; how many more DVD's would they sell that way? I must see this movie again, and as soon as possible! / Rating: A+
First thing's first: don't go in expecting nothing but stripping for two hours. Sure, Magic Mike is mainly about a group of strippers but it also intimately deals with the private lives of both Mike and Adam. It goes to darker places than I would have imagined and explores themes and ideas you wouldn't exactly expect from a stripper flick. I'm not trying to diminish any of the fun you will most likely have if you go to see Magic Mike this weekend, just adjust your expectations accordingly because the movie is equal parts drama and comedy.
Essentially, the plot deals with Magic Mike, a stripper who works for Dallas, who takes a young kid under his wing (Adam). The more comfortable Adam gets with the stripping game, the more his world spins out of control.
I absolutely loved the casting in this movie. Really though, whoever was in the casting department deserves an Oscar, because it's all perfect and brilliant. I couldn't have envisioned a better or more well-suited colorful cast of characters. While the minor characters (like Joe Manganiello's Big Dick Richie and Matt Bomer's Ken) aren't given a whole lot to do throughout the duration, they all still have shining little moments. I especially adored Bomer's swagger, which was pretty much unparalleled. Channing Tatum is absolutely epic in the movie, playing what is essentially an extension of himself and doing so quite well. McConaughey is also quite striking in what I'd consider to be a daring career move. I couldn't have imagined anyone else doing his role or performing it halfway as good as he does.
Director Steven Soderbergh does an overly competent job as director here, serving up equal parts heart and epic sexy strip scenes. The music and every scene where shirts are shed are downright memorable, and may serve as great DVD extras if extended sequences are made available. I know I'd certainly watch a full-length movie of all the stripper performances.
So, there is actually one small complaint that I had: the ending was way too abrupt. I'm all for ambiguity, but it seemed really sudden and somehow unfinished. Maybe it's just me being greedy and wanting a bit more specifics. I also kind of find Cody Horn quite annoying, but that is neither here nor there.
If you have nothing better to do this weekend and you're in to sexy beefcake-y guys, definitely check out Magic Mike. I loved everything from the costumes to the sets to the camera-work to the absolutely brilliant casting. Can they make a sequel or spin-off that's at least an hour of male stripper dancing This movie is as close to the perfect fantasy flick you're going to get. The DVD had better have extended musical scenes because it really should; how many more DVD's would they sell that way? I must see this movie again, and as soon as possible! / Rating: A+