Behind the Candelabra

Behind the Candelabra (2013)

Directed by Steven Soderbergh

Screenplay by Richard LaGravenese

Based on the book, "Behind the Candelabra: My Life with Liberace" by Alex Thorleifson and Scott Thorson

Stars: Michael Douglas, Matt Damon, Rob Lowe, Scott Bakula, Dan Ackroyd, Tom Papa, Cheyenne Jackson and Debbie Reynolds

It has been a hot minute since I last reviewed a movie. There are so many movies coming out that I cannot decide which to see. Some of my most anticipated films have been panned by the critics. I decided to watch a television movie, which supposedly Soderbergh last movie before his "retirement." With all the praise this movie is getting, I had an empty feeling after watching the movie.

Behind the Candelabra is retelling of the relationship between the flamboyant piano player, Liberace (Douglas) and the naive boy, Scott (Damon) that the world didn't know about. The movie starts in 1977 when the old lover, Billy Leatherwood (Jackson) is on his way out with the young chippy, Scott comes in. Liberace is smitten with Scott that wants to adopt him and be Liberace's chauffeur for his concerts. Over the course of their five year relationship, the movie recounts the ups and downs with sex, drugs and botched plastic surgery.

Here is another case of having too lofty expectations of a film. I thought I was going to be enraptured by the glitz, glamor, and lavish way that film was going to portray this over-the-top life of Liberace. That old adage, "All style, no substance" comes to mind. It looks like the filmmakers wanted to make sure that the sets were as extravagant as possible to put together a cohesive story together. There were moments that I laughed and that I liked the movie, other times it was painful to watch.

It seems that I was more disappointed with the movie than hated it.

My Rating

Che: Guerrilla

Che: Part Two (2008)

Directed by Steven Soderbergh

Screenplay by Peter Buchman and Benjamin A. van der Veen

Based on "Bolivian Diary" by Ernesto 'Che' Guevara

Stars: Benicio Del Toro, Demián Bichir, Franka Potente, Rodrigo Santoro, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Julia Ormond, Lou Diamond Phillips, Joaquim de Almeida and Matt Damon

I always have this dilemma when a movie is split in half if I would like one part or the another. The same thing happened with Kill Bill: Vol. 1 and Vol. 2. I loved the first movie and hated the second. I believe history is repeating itself with Che.

The whole plot of this movie is about Che Guevara (Del Toro) resigning from his position with Fidel Castro (Bichir). He is disguising himself as Uruguayan representative of the Organization of American States named Ramon traveling to Bolivia. It tells the story of the days in Bolivian mountainside where Che tried and failed attempt to overthrow the government.

As I stated before, I liked the first film better than this one. I tried my damnedest to hold on to see it through the end, but I couldn't. I was not invested in the movie. It was a bunch of talking that I don't really care about. It's history.

I think its ballsy for Steven Soderburgh to tackle such a controversial figure and have the movie primarily in Spanish. It felt like I don't know more about Che the person that I did before I watched the movie. The part was a fail.

My Rating

Che: The Argentine

Che: Part One (2008)

Directed by Steven Soderbergh

Screenplay by Peter Buchman

Based on the memoir, "Reminiscences of the Cuban Revolutionary War" by Ernesto 'Che' Guevara

Stars: Benicio Del Toro, Demián Bichir, Rodrigo Santoro, Julia Ormond, Oscar Isaac, Ramon Fernandez, Yul Vazquez, Jsu Garcia, Victor Rasuk and Édgar Ramírez

I had a tough time deciding whether I was going to review Steven Soderbergh's epic biopic, Che with one or two reviews. When I got through watching Part One, I thought it would be better to make it two. Even thought I don't know that much about Che Guevara, this movie is not The Motorcycles Diaries.

This half of the movie deals with the time that Ernesto (Del Toro) joins the rebel army with Fidel Castro (Bichir) to overthrow the current regime. Fidel and Ernesto embarks on a journeys the forests of the Cuban countryside to kill the opposition. Being a doctor, Ernesto has not gotten in on any of the action like Fidel and his comrades have. It chronicles the precise moment that Ernesto became Che.

Che Guevara is a polarizing figure for people. Some think that he is a revolutionary, others think that he is a murderer. I cannot make a determination on either side of the issue. I am here to talk about the movie. The movie is a mixed bag. I know that the movie is about Che. It felt like the movie focused more on Fidel. Che barely said anything in the movie. This is only the first two hours of the whole. I felt that the middle of this movie was really taxing on me. I became restless and wanted to turn the movie off, but the end picked up and held my attention again.

My Rating

Magic Mike

Magic Mike (2012)

Directed by Steven Soderbergh

Written by Reid Carolin

Stars: Channing Tatum, Alex Pettyfer, Cody Horn, Matthew McConaughey, Joe Manganiello, Matt Bomer, Adam Rodriguez, Kevin Nash, Gabriel Iglesias and Olivia Munn

This movie has been highly anticipated to millions of women and gay men around the country, perhaps the world. I didn't get the chance to see the movie when it first opened, because of my unpredictable work schedule. Now, that the torrential rain hitting my city has eased up I saw it. Hearing reviews of this movie was that it was something of substance, I think it should have more of it.

A scandalous video showcasing the lack of dance moves by a then 20-year-old pre-Hollywood heartthrob Channing Tatum surfaced two years ago. The hubbub of it lead into making a fictionalized version of that time of his life with Steven Soderbergh directing it.

The story is about the titular character, Mike (Tatum) or his onstage moniker Magic Mike trying his damnedest to save enough singles to help start up his unusual custom furniture business. He also moonlight as a mobile detailr -- whatever that is -- and a roofer when he meets a scruffy 19-year-old slacker, Adam (Pettyfer). Adam crashes on his sister, Brooke's (Horn) couch for time being, much to Brooke's chagrin.

What's a male version of a "meet cute"? Adam meets up with Mike to enlist a couple of partying girls to come up to Mike's place of a business. It turns out that Mike is a stripper working an all male revue called Xquisite. Think of the Chippendales parody from SNL with Chris Farley. It feels kinda like that. The manager, Dallas (McConaughey) hires Adam to be the bitch boy. He meets the peripheral strippers to fill the screen like Ken (Bomer), Tito (Rodriguez), Tarzan (Nash) and Big Dick Richie (Manganiello). Fate steps in when Tarzan OD and Adam, now called "The Kid" by Mike is thrust -- no pun intended -- on the stage to work the females into a frenzy.

After the reaction of the ladies, Dallas hires Adam to be a part of the crew. He has to keep his new occupation from his sister until she gets suspicious about his costumes. Brooke warns Mike to watch Adam closely. Mike takes Adam under his wing to teach him the ropes of being the best stripper he can be.

Which is the gayest movie, this or 300? Gun to my head, I would say 300. It has lots of mens in loincloths. This movie has bare asses, dick shadows and banana hammocks galore. Don't get me wrong. I thought it was a solid film that has some problems with the third act with a contrived plot device that was tacked on.

I never thought I would say this, but Channing Tatum gives a very good performance here. I was impressed with his dance moves when he was not humping the stage. Thank you, Step Up. Pettyfer was good as Adam. McConaughey was compelling as the scuzzy manager. The real revelation was virtual unknown Cody Horn as Brooke. She was the overbearing sister, but she wasn't a prude with his beliefs about the stripping lifestyle.

My Rating