MAGIC MIKE XXL: Review

One of the first posts I made on this blog was about my going to the "Magic Mike" premier.  I didn't love it.  There were a lot of things that were very problematic, and the only bits I cared about were of Channing Tatum dancing.

But "Magic Mike XXL," well...Channing's body and its movement are still very much magical, but there were some other nice bits along the way. Here they are in no particular order:

THE SOUNDTRACK

It's rare for me to say I'd want to go and get the soundtrack to a film, but man, did this one harken back my old school, as well as push all kinds of buttons.  Like muscle memory or something.  Er...I mean nostalgia.  No really--awesomely awesome nostalgia.  Nine Inch Nails.  112.  D'Angelo.  And of course, the classic that is "Pony" by Ginuine.

JADA PINKETT-SMITH as ROME

Jada slayed it, plain and simple.  I wish they had had a flashback of her character with Channing, or a sex scene of those two.  Instead, we got a sensuous "hello" kiss and a whole lot of stares.  Anyway, her character was intriguing, sexy, and had personality.  Another thing which the first film lacked.  The leading lady in that one was dull, and had way too many [undeserving] closeups.  Barf.  But Jada!  Omg -

<3s

MATT BOMER SINGING

I'm not a fan of Matt's dancing.  He's stiff, and in the first film, I referred to him as the "[Lady] Boner Killer."  Part of the premise of this film, however, are the guys being entertainers and doing what they love as opposed to what they know.  Well Ken?  Ken sings.  And he sings quite well.  It's a wonder Bomer wasn't in a boy band in an early point of his career (er, he wasn't right?).  Not gonna lie--it was surprising, and a bit of a turn on.  He didn't kill this lady's boner, by gum!

*kidding/not kidding

PEOPLE OF COLOR

Along with Jada, there's Danny Glover, Michael Strahan, and an entire scene dedicated to black women enjoying some strippers.  Particularly a nice sequence with Channing.  What I would have given to be one of the featured extras who he danced on.  Or breathed on.  Or looked at.  I think Channing makes me easy, ya'll.

Still, even though they needed a script doctor (I couldn't help but think of Tarantino whenever they would have a long, talk sequence), I didn't feel compelled to fast forward through chunks of film like I did with its predecessor.  This film was solid.  I really need to see it again, and get it on DVD asap.

Ocean's 11 moment

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