Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Tropic Thunder


I sort of wondered what on earth was going on as the 'shorts' began before the movie Tropic Thunder tonight. A commercial depicts rapper Alpa Chino promoting his two brands: the "Booty Sweat" energy drink and "Bust-A-Nut" candy bar, while performing his hit song, "I Love Tha' Pussy". The first trailer shows action star Tugg Speedman's latest film, 'Scorcher VI: Global Meltdown', and I wondered why I'd never heard of it - a film so repetitive of it's five predecessors that even the trailer narrator sounds shaky about it. Another trailer features funnyman Jeff "Fatty" Portnoy, playing the entirety of "America's favorite obese family" in the highly flatulent 'The Fatties: Fart 2'. Looking for all the world like an Eddie Murphy rip off . . The final trailer, entitled 'Satan's Alley', features Australian "five-time Oscar winner" Kirk Lazarus Jr.) and Tobey Maguire as two monks who begin an impassioned affair.

It takes three of these before old 'slow off the mark' clicks that they're all part of the bloody movie! I'm so slow to catch onto these things. Anyway, it was politically incorrect fun.
I wasn't the only one duped by the "G" rated trailers prior to the movie. At the end of it all, the 20 ish kid behind me asked his mate "Jesus, how come that was rated G" haha . .he didn't get it either so maybe I'm not that slow on the uptake!

Put Jack Black, as a fat recovering addict, Robert Downey who gets into the method by turning black, Nick Nolte as the crusty 'no handed' veteran, Ben Stiller looking suitably buffed yet totally retarded, Tom Cruise as you've never seen him before and Mathew McConaughy (uber eye candy in anyone's language) together and you've got a comedy winner . . . it's gory, silly, disrespectful, consistently politically incorrect and all you'd expect from the man who perfected blue steel. And a kick-ass sound track with some of 70's alternative hits such as The Pusher, Walking Through the Jungle and a bevvy of Vietnam War Style classics and some contemporary rap - particularly notable, Flo Rida's Low

It's not for everyone, especially if you're easily offended but I found it the perfect visual and audio diversion. Frankly I can't wait for the DVD and the blooper real!



Made all the more sweet when you're lad buys your ticket . . . and declares "I like doing something different" aka taking your old girl to the movies!

19 comments:

Thriftcriminal said...

Interesting, I'd kind of dismissed it, but.....

Ces Adorio said...

I am looking forward to seeing it...

Christopher said...

I'm hoping to see it soon. It sounds like the film itself is even funnier than the reviews I've read, but then the reviews were unintentionally funny. I don't mean to knock film critics--if I could get a job reviewing films I'd jump at it--but when they use words like "metatextual" to describe a freakin' Ben Stiller comedy, or wax poetic about how Robert Downey Jr.'s dialogue will form the basis of graduate theses in film and race studies for decades, I have to roll my eyes. I like it when a film makes me think, but with a comedy my first question is, is it funny?
Thank you for providing the first review that answered that for me.

Anonymous said...

I didn't like the "retard" bits at all, because I took my clients there. I was rather embarrassed watching it, sitting among these young people who fit the category of people depicted in the movie, so rudely labeled throughout, who were also watching this movie because it is part of their learning process to interact and be part of the community. A lot of them were also very aware of what was being said and done in the movie, so I regretted that I have selected it for an outing as such. Silly me. Personally, so much cursing and swearing anywhere (movie or real life) annoys me so I didn't like that bit either.
In my opinion it was nothing special, and Ben Stiller is not particularly good at acting, but Robert Downey Jr is my all time fave actor so that made it less painful and actually a bit more funny.
G

Paddy in BA (Quickroute) said...

I loved it!
Downey is exceptional
I'm not a big Tom Cruise fan but his dancing is hysterical

Unknown said...

Well, I didn't really like that Fat eddie Murhy movie. I don't know... it wasn't really for my taste.

Baino said...

Thrifty I probably would have waited for DVD but hey, the kid paid and it came 'recommended'.

Ces if you're a stiller fan you won't be disappointed but it's not for everyone. Parody's a few war movies so helps if you've seen a few.

Actually it wasn't a funny as I expected but it had it's moments Christopher. And there's little that's profound in this one. Downy is great!

OH G! Erm yes it's copped quite a bit of criticism for those lines!
I don't think Stiller is known for his sensitivity and yep, it was a bit blue but then MA rating's usually a giveaway for that sort of thing. Downey actually 'nailed' the Aussie accent too which was surprising!

Quickie it was the 'heads up' on the Tom Cruise cameo that actually peaked my curiosity.

Me either Ropi, the 'short' in this movie is actually a parody of that with Jack Black. The dialogue is very 'fast' too. I was struggling and English is my first and only language!

Terence McDanger said...

A friend was going to this and I declined to see it myself because I'd heard it was shite.

Am now actively reconsidering. Ah feck it, what else would I be doing of a Wednesday evening?

Anonymous said...

Downey alone was great to watch, absolutely!

Miladysa said...

LOL

You do know you are going to get some really weird google visitors landing here with this post? ;-D

Megan said...

I laughed my ass off.

Baino said...

You're up bright an early Chicka and I'm late for work! Yeh, I've always liked him.

Miladays: Weirder than the ones I already get? Bring it on!

Megs, I did too in the early stages, there was a bit of a lull in the middle but the younglings behind me had infectious laughter!

Oooh gotta go, there's a hot air balloon about to land in our paddock!

Baino said...

Sorry Terrence, missed you. Like I said, I'd wait for DVD other than the lad shouted the ticket! Plus it's half price on Tuesdays! hehehe.

Bimbimbie said...

Haven't been to the movies for ages ... will have to do some catching up*!*

Baino said...

Tsup! Bimbimbie. I only go on tight arse Tuesdays, if it's a wide screen blockbuster or if the boy is shouting! (Amy doesn't like the scifi or adventure stuff!)

Melissa said...

I would have been with you there, Baino! I can just see myself looking at Eli and saying, "These all look like sh*t!" :D I can't wait to see Tropic Thunder -- I love Jack Black! I'm still catching up with blogland -- good to be back. :)

Baino said...

Hey Melissa, nice to know there's someone out there who's also as vague as a violet (but violets are cute and pretty and they smell nice)

Mo said...

ohh I'd really want to see this film. I don't expect much of it but. I like Jack Black. I'm also eager to see Tom Cruise in such a weird role.. But anyway.. I'm not going to pay 10 euros for that. I'll just wait for the dvd.

Baino said...

Hey Ebs. I thought about your safety yesterday, saw the school shooting on the news! You'll enjoy it then.