The movies
In the past two weeks I saw two movies that will most likely be recorded in history as giant flops and I loved them both. I knew they were failing as soon as I walked into the cinema - The Man From UNCLE audience was skewing toward 60s age range (not that it's bad but usually means little repeat views) and American Ultra showing was mostly empty - and it made me sad in both cases. They were both fun, summer movies - action, explosions, humour and a little romance.
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. was so very pretty - the clothes, the settings, the cars and most of all the people (also very tall people - everyone talks about Armie Hammer but Elizabeth Debicki towers over Superman and Henry Cavil is not short - except of course Alicia Vikander who is normal sized woman and therefore looks tiny in this). I loved the humour (and the rest of audience did too) and the whole cast had great chemistry together. It's all very predictable - two guys from opposite sides who start hating each other but learn to be partners (eg every cop buddy movie) and the whole fake engagement plot (but they are really falling for each other - from the first sight) and the of course the evil Nazis (with the atomic bomb) - but I didn't care as the whole thing was deeply enjoyable and beautifully packed. The whole thing with Solo and Kuryakin trying to one up each other at who is the better spy (even though they both are basically forced to do it by their respective governments - tragic backstory is a thing in this movie) and of course the famous fashion fight. The completely over the top villains (remember Nazis - and rich ones at that). And I'm still surprised how invested I got into the Illya/Gaby romance in such a short time. [Spoiler (click to open)]They only just met each other and never even finish that kiss and I was totally sold on that romance from that first eyefuck. And then there are final credits and the files say Gabby is learning Russian and I just went awww. It was also funny because they got Brit to play American, American playing Russian, a Swede as a German and Australian playing Italian (but at least the secondary characters are mostly genuine as the foreign dialogue was pretty good - I got most of the Russian and German). I wish we could've have sequel.
American Ultra was a weird mix of a stoner comedy, office comedy and superspy films. Connie Britton and Walton Goggins were probably the best parts but the main couple was pretty likeable and Jesse Eisenberg plays confused nerd to perfection even while killing people with a spoon (hey, it's in every trailer). The whole amnesiac superspy who government wants to assassinate and he kills tons of people have of course become an overused trope long ago but this really sold the confusion. And the contrast between boring life without much opportunities in some place that civilisation forgot and the whole giant supertech government conspiracy. And stores are really full of deadly objects. [Spoiler (click to open)]I only wonder what happened to Laugher (they didn't simply let him disappear - someone is hunting him, right?)
I also saw Ant-Man this summer. It was OK. That's really all I have to say about it. [Spoiler (click to open)](Also Peggy Carter was the best part.)
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. was so very pretty - the clothes, the settings, the cars and most of all the people (also very tall people - everyone talks about Armie Hammer but Elizabeth Debicki towers over Superman and Henry Cavil is not short - except of course Alicia Vikander who is normal sized woman and therefore looks tiny in this). I loved the humour (and the rest of audience did too) and the whole cast had great chemistry together. It's all very predictable - two guys from opposite sides who start hating each other but learn to be partners (eg every cop buddy movie) and the whole fake engagement plot (but they are really falling for each other - from the first sight) and the of course the evil Nazis (with the atomic bomb) - but I didn't care as the whole thing was deeply enjoyable and beautifully packed. The whole thing with Solo and Kuryakin trying to one up each other at who is the better spy (even though they both are basically forced to do it by their respective governments - tragic backstory is a thing in this movie) and of course the famous fashion fight. The completely over the top villains (remember Nazis - and rich ones at that). And I'm still surprised how invested I got into the Illya/Gaby romance in such a short time. [Spoiler (click to open)]They only just met each other and never even finish that kiss and I was totally sold on that romance from that first eyefuck. And then there are final credits and the files say Gabby is learning Russian and I just went awww. It was also funny because they got Brit to play American, American playing Russian, a Swede as a German and Australian playing Italian (but at least the secondary characters are mostly genuine as the foreign dialogue was pretty good - I got most of the Russian and German). I wish we could've have sequel.
American Ultra was a weird mix of a stoner comedy, office comedy and superspy films. Connie Britton and Walton Goggins were probably the best parts but the main couple was pretty likeable and Jesse Eisenberg plays confused nerd to perfection even while killing people with a spoon (hey, it's in every trailer). The whole amnesiac superspy who government wants to assassinate and he kills tons of people have of course become an overused trope long ago but this really sold the confusion. And the contrast between boring life without much opportunities in some place that civilisation forgot and the whole giant supertech government conspiracy. And stores are really full of deadly objects. [Spoiler (click to open)]I only wonder what happened to Laugher (they didn't simply let him disappear - someone is hunting him, right?)
I also saw Ant-Man this summer. It was OK. That's really all I have to say about it. [Spoiler (click to open)](Also Peggy Carter was the best part.)