Film Review: "Magic Mike" (****)

Matthew McConaughey takes the stage, back to the camera as he takes his passion to the crowd of screaming girls. As he peruses his own body, gloriously drinking in the glory of himself as the audience is, he repeatedly asks the question, "Can you touch this?" That seems to be the question that Soderbergh and company are faced with in "Magic Mike", as everyone is heading into this with certain preconceptions regarding what they will be seeing. I walked in knowing nothing other than the simple fact of Channing Tatum playing a male stripper, which seems like such a coy play for laughs, and could easily end up as such in another world.

Fascinatingly enough, the thing that puts "Magic Mike" automatically on the right course is the least thing you'd be expecting, that being Channing Tatum. The word that this film takes cues from Tatum's earlier career has not escaped audiences, but that brings a certain honesty to the table that would otherwise not exist. Even more respectable of Tatum is his refusal to put himself at the center of this world, building other elements to the world Mike inhabits. The film is absolutely his story, but everyone involved is working desperately to remove that imposition, not for the loss of personality, but for the sake of the audience it is made for.

For Your Anticipation: Chicks Dig Blind Guys

I'm sure my ultimate fascination with Beastly is garnering its share of eye rolls and speculation. I know I'm one to surprise, and my opinions are entirely my own, but somehow this appeals to me far more than any of the other releases this coming weekend. When expectations are lowered to the minimal, you're going to be pleasantly surprised. I'm walking into this assured of that quality I'll be paying to see. It looks honestly sweet, occasionally funny, and brimming with understated quality. It's not necessarily going to be Black Swan, but I'll take it for what it is.

For Your Anticipation: A World Before This One

I think that we can officially peg director D.J. Caruso as the next Michael Bay. They both have no actual talent, aside from making inelegant visual effects spectacles that run on for more than two hours. I mean that in the utmost respect, because despite every review and response, I actually didn't mind Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. I really thought it was funny and enjoyable, even if it wasn't going to last in my mind too far past the theater. I think we can expect a similar calling for I Am Number Four, which is essentially about aliens, and not the massive invasion kind. To tell the truth, I have no idea what kind of aliens they are. The biggest draw for me to see the film, aside from having Dianna Agron as the main love interest, is this year's official breakout heartthrob Alex Pettyfer. On the other hand, he's also going to be in Beastly, so I'll just wait until I see him then.