Magic Mike (2012, U.S.)

Yes, I saw this movie. In the theater, no less. But just to be clear, it was my mom's idea, not mine! (And yes, I saw a male stripper movie with my mother. Fun times!) I think the theater experience really added to this one, because I was in a sold out crowd with at least 99% women. I'm not even sure there was one man in the audience. When we left the theater, the three employees waiting to clean up were all young-ish men, and they all had this sweet but knowing grin on their faces. Then when we were in line for the restroom afterwards, the lady in front of me turned around and said, "I sure hope my husband's awake when I get home!" How could you not like a movie with an experience like that?

Really, I did enjoy this movie, and not just for the obvious reasons. There actually was a plot. Mike wants to make enough money (or get a loan from uncooperative banks) to start his own custom furniture business, but when he takes a new guy under his wing, his dreams get farther and farther away. He repeatedly tells people that he is not his job. However, while we do learn a lot about his job and the life that goes with it, I have to say that I was disappointed that we don't learn more about his coworkers. I really like Joe Manganiello and Matt Bomer, but they and the others were hardly more than background scenery.

Still, Channing Tatum would have stolen the show no matter what. (Forget Matthew McConaughey... he was sketchy and old-looking, though perfect in his role as club owner.) Maybe Tatum isn't the best actor in the world, but it's always so hard to tell. He has this inherent charm that makes you like him. I think it lives in his dimples. Anyway, he is also an incredible dancer, and a lot of his performances were really more hip hop than striptease, but mesmerizing all the same.

This one is really one of a kind, and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. But the ending kind of ruined it for me. It was way too abrupt, and I didn't like how things ended for Mike or his protégé. When the screen faded to black after the last scene, I thought, "Really?!"

Still, it was pretty good, and I would certainly recommend it to the ladies (and maybe even watch it again myself) to see the magnetic Mr. Tatum dance.

Rating: 3.5

We Are Marshall (2006, U.S.)

I meant to see this movie when it came to the dollar theater, but I never quite made it. (Main attraction being, of course, Matthew Fox.) Mom bought it recently, so I finally got to see it, two years later.

It was okay. I mean, it was sad, vaguely hopeful, and Matthew Fox was in it. Past that, it could have used more of everything. I felt like I spent a lot of the movie reading emotion into the characters that wasn't actually portrayed, just because I thought it should be there. I don't know if this was bad acting, scripting, or directing, but it wasn't nearly as moving as it could have been.

What else is there really to say about this one? If you haven't seen it, you haven't missed much—especially if you're a big fan of the emotional sports films like Remember the Titans, Miracle, and the rest. I guess that's to be expected from a director whose main movie projects were Charlie's Angels—I and II.

It wasn't a total waste of time, but... eh. Maybe I would've liked it better without a raging headache. And if Matthew Fox's horrible dye-job wasn't so distracting.

Rating: 3.0

Fool's Gold (2008, U.S.)

I really had no intentions of seeing this movie, but Mom is here visiting and she wanted to see it, so I gave in. Really, it has a great cast -- Kate Hudson, Matthew McConaughey, Donald Sutherland, Ray Winstone... I know that Kate and Matthew have been in several silly movies (item: How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days). Not that they're bad movies, they're just not great works of art. They are pretty good actors, however. Donald Sutherland is supposed to be hot stuff, and I personally thing Ray Winstone is a genius. So the caliber of actors definitely toned up what could have been a terrible movie.

Okay, so a lot of the plot didn't make sense and was just downright stupid. But it actually pulled off a touch of character development, the plot involved solving an historical mystery (although the answers came to them a bit too easily, it was still somewhat well done), and it was pretty damn funny. This was probably due in part to the fact that it was directed by a guy who does some pretty "solid" romantic comedies. (Andy Tennant also directed Hitch, Sweet Home Alabama, and Fools Rush In.)

So I wouldn't buy it, I probably wouldn't see it again (unless I happened to catch it on TV), but it was still entertaining and not a waste of time.

Rating: 3.5