movie review/ discussion of 10 Years

10 Years
Director: Jamie Linden
Starring: Channing Tatum, Justin Long, Rosario Dawson,
Chris Pratt, Jenna Dewan-Tatum

10 Years is a small independent movie about the a group of high school friends getting back together for their high school reunion. It is that one nigh to look back on old memories and also realize if you are still the person you where back in high school or if you have really grown up.

The film acquired such a huge cast of recognizable faces that it can be hard to name everyone without getting into a long boring list but I will highlight as many as I can with some of the major subplots. The story seems to revolve loosely around Channing Tatum's character Jake who has come back with his girlfriend, played by his real life wife Jenna Dewan-Tatum, to see old friends. The one shock to his system is to see his high school sweetheart Mary, portrayed by Rosario Dawson.  Chris Pratt is plays a former jock and bully who decides to apologize to people at the reunion while in drunken stupor, much to the chagrin of his wife. Justin Long and Max Minghella are the class clowns that have risen above their former status. Finally there is Oscar Isaac who went off and back a well known musician and returns to this reunion only to see his friends as well as reconnect with the loner classmate that many people forgot.
Now that I have spelled out a lot of the movie for you I can tell you what I thought about it. All the actors did really well in their roles. Many of the characters are very low key people which makes them easy to relate to in the situations that they are in. This successful portrayal of human interaction is all thanks to writer/director Jamie Linden. Linden isn't a Hollywood heavy hitter but he worked on the screenplays as well as co-produced the films We Are Marshall and Dear John. With this being his directorial debut he does a nice job. There is room for improvement on future projects that Linden may create, like having a film that has a more condensed.

I even though I like the film there is not much reason to go run out and spend $10 on a ticket in the movie theater, if it is released near you. It is best to wait until the film is on Netflix or in a Red Box near you.

Fun Facts
 It appears that this may have been his labor of love project since he put a lot of personal elements into the script. At the screening that I went to last night it was revealed that Linden is a Central Florida native that graduated from Lake Howell High School and went to Florida State University. In the film he named his gave the high school that all the characters went to Lake Howell included the name of local bar that only exists in Orlando but he thought was a chain. 

movie review: 21 Jump Street

21 Jump Street

Directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller

Rating: R

Run Time: 1hr 49min

Starring: Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Ice Cube, Brie Larson

In the fashion of Hollywood running out of fresh ideas, Columbia Pictures takes an old television show and reinvents it for a modern audience. The newly slimmer Johan Hill and Channing Tatum take on the roles of Schmidt and Jenko, two men who were opposite sides of the social list in high school but now police buddies.  After one big goof up on the job they are sent to a small undercover unit only known by its location down on 21 Jump St. There they are tasked to infiltrate a high school as students and take down a drug ring based in the school.

The actors put their all into the characters to get the crowd laughing. Hill is great as Schmidt, a nerd that is now popular his second time around. He does well in every element of comedy from delivery of lines to facial expressions and physical comedy. Tatum does a pretty good job as the Jenko, a jock back in the day now living the nerd life when he goes back to high school. Though he still seems stiff, like in many of his films, it kind of works at points for Tatum. Then when Tatum loosens up he gets you laughing since it seems extra funny because he and his character are doing things you would not expect.

The script it’s self is a little over the top at times but that is where the humor lies. Hill and Michael Bacall, who both developed the story with Bacall getting screenplay credit, just decided to through ideas out there and possibly not have a filter. If there was some kind of filter or cap put on some of the ideas that they had for situations, I would be surprised based on some of the raunchy jokes and situations in the film. The craziest stuff did not make it to the television commercials so there still is plenty to be shocked by. Which is a reminder to those that have kids, this is a “R” rated movie and not really good for children.

So if you are looking for any remnants of the original show from the 1980s there are a few in the film but mostly this film could stand on its own. If you are looking for a little outrageously ridiculous film for next weekend grab a ticket for the film. If you don’t catch it in the theaters there is no shame in waiting for it to hit DVD or Blue Ray.

Tatum and others to Shake Their Money Makers

Steven Soderbergh's film to be released next year is getting a good list of men to take off their clothes for next year Magic Mike. The film is based on the true life story of lead actor's Channing Tatum's life as a male stripper in Tampa before he made it big in Hollywood. In the film Tatum's character, Magic Mike, mentors a new guy that is trying to make his way up the ladder. Tatum's mentee is portrayed by Alex Pettyfer of I Am Number Four. Others that will be sharing the screen with the duo are Matthew McConaughey and Variety recently reported that Matt Bomer of White Collar fame has also joined the cast.

 Also it has been recently been reported that Joe Manganiello of True Blood is in talks to join these beefcake fest.  Not to mention that there is a rumor spreading that Soderbergh is not against having the cast go full frontal. If this isn't a film for the ladies I don't know what is.