Channing Tatum; Comedy's hidden Gem?

Channing Tatum; Comedy’s hidden Gem?

 

When you expect a film to be good and it is good, you’re satisfied. However, when you expect a film to be average at best and the film turns out to be better than you ever expected, not only do you appreciate the quality of the film, but you enjoy it even more. 

This feeling occurred for me on Friday night when I watched the new Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum movie, 21 Jump Street. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not like I expected Jump Street to be terrible, I just didn’t expect it to be any good. 

So you can imagine my utter joy, when I sat there laughing my metaphorical ass off throughout the whole movie. Jump Street is a genuinely funny movie with plenty of laughs throughout. What’s more, the story is pretty heartfelt as well, with Hill and Tatum’s characters able to play with the heartstrings almost at their will. 

Now this wasn’t the only surprise I encountered whilst watching the film. Watching a comedy you expect the natural comedian to be the star of the show. This philosophy almost never fails. However, it does for Jump Street. Tatum’s loveable but dim Jenko outshines Hill’s nerdy and bright Schmidt in pretty much every scene together. 

Hill still has his laughs, but there not good as frequent or as good as Tatum’s, who really hits Jump Street out of the park, comically. Tatum plays Jenko relatively straight, which adds to the character’s charm. What’s more, his comic timing in this movie is exceptional and surpasses that of comedians almost ten years his senior. 

Tatum’s performance in Jump Street really got me thinking. Because, this isn’t the first comedy I have seen where Tatum outshines experienced comedians. Tatum is probably the only good thing about the Vince Vaughn and Kevin James Rom-Com The Dilemma. Vince and Kev in that film phone in unenthused comic performances, which are surpassed by Tatum’s psycho lover Zip. 

With these two performances in mind, it got me thinking that Tatum may be a comedian after all. OK, so he doesn’t look like your natural comedian. Built like a brick Sh1t house and incredibly good looking (nohomo). Tatum’s build definitely suggests one of either an action hero or a Romantic lead, which are the roles that he has plaid. 

However, Tatum hasn’t really knocked a performance like that out of the park. OK, he’s been tolerable in some of these roles, but nothing special. Making, Jump Street easily Tatum’s most enjoyable performance to date. This makes me believe that there may be a new Comic in town, and not one you’d expect. 

Until next time, enjoy the show. 

Don’t hesitate to leave feedback below.

Email me at cinemascreenandspandex@gmail.com

Follow me on Twitter @glamgrunge.

Daniel Morris.

The Sunday Listy: Top 5 TV Comedies

The Sunday Listy: Top 5 TV comedies

Happy Sunday everyone. I’ve had a rough weekend as it was my Baby Bro’s 18^th Birthday and we had too much fizzy pop last night. Thus, I apologise if my writing isn’t at its Pulitzer winning best this issue. But hey, what else is there to do on a Sunday evening? Didley squat, that’s what. Man, I do love to rhyme. 

Before I crack on with this week’s Listy (name change), I just want to say that this week is probably the hardest list I have had to do. Some of my favourite comedies have fallen by the waist side and have had to be omitted. Stuff like, Modern Family, Scrubs and Eastbound and Down were all vying for that number 5 spot, but just missed out. So here is this week’s Listy and my Top 5 TV comedies. 

5. 30 Rock (2006- ), Cast: Tina Faye, Alec Baldwin, Tracy Morgan

Being an aspiring screenwriter, it’s always intriguing to watch shows about screenwriting. However, the trap fall with these types of shoes is that they could contain too many in jokes and could be seen as pretentious or ‘meta’. Not 30 Rock. Saturday Night Live alumni Tina Faye's comedy about a Saturday Night Live style show is a hoot and maybe even a toot. 

Proving that writing about what you know works, 30 Rock throws one line after one liner at you at a near blistering pace. However, the writing isn’t the best thing about 30 Rock. It’s the stellar cast that really shines in this comedy with standout performances from Alec Baldwin, Jack McBryer and Tracy Morgan that really make 30 Rock what it is. 

4. Boston Legal (2004-2008), Cast: James Spader, William Shatner

Here we go. The reason that this list is called TV comedy and not Sit-Com. And also the reason why I may receive some stick as some people may think Boston Legal isn’t a comedy. But, in my opinion and that’s the one that counts, Boston Legal is definitely a comedy. Yes, it does deal with serious issues but primarily I think it’s a comedy at heart. 

Like most sit-coms, Boston Legal is about a dysfunctional family that has to work together in order to fight adversity and triumph. The tandem of Shatner and Spader is pretty impeccable, proving that comedy isn’t just for the youngsters and Boston Legal proves that the golden oldies still have a few moves. 

3. Community (2009- ) Cast: Joel McHale, Donald Glover and Chevy Chase

Community is the newest member of my comedy family. And the youngest entrant in the top 5. However, watching an episode of Community you wouldn’t think it. It has a structure and a confidence as a comedy that you find in a seasoned comedy, not one that is only three seasons long. 

Community has already placed a few of its episodes in my favourite comedy episodes ever. If you don’t have time to watch them all you have to watch episodes such as Modern Warfare, Basic Rocket Science and Epidemiology. Whoever decided to cancel Community has been smoking the same things as Charlie Sheen.

2. Parks and Recreation

Also, quite a new comedy, but in its 4^th season Parks and Recreation pushes its way up to the number two spot in this week’s Listy. Shock horror it’s also another comedy from comedy giants NBC and another Saturday Night Live Alumni.

 This time Amy phoehler (Tina Faye’s mate) is the lead and she doesn’t miss the beat. Taking a simple premise and throwing so many laughs into it with incredible timing and great set pieces. The best thing about Parks though is its supporting cast. With Ron Swanson, Andy Dwyer, April Ludgate and Tom Haverford are all incredible characters and make the show so much more. 

1.       That 70s Show (1998-2006)

My winner today is the longest running show of the lot and my favourite comedy program if not television program of all time. OK, it might not be the funniest comedy of the lot, but it definitely has the most charm.

What makes That 70s Show standout from the pack though, is the ability to capture a time perfectly. Everything in 70s Show feels authentic to the 70s and nothing feels out of place. Making 70s Show my number ne this week.

Well that’s the list for this week. Feel free to comment in the section below.

Until next time, enjoy the show

@glamgrunge

Cinemascreenandspandex@gmail.com

Daniel Morris

Michael Pena: Comedies Invisible Man

Michael Pena: Comedies Invisible Man

I can see what you’re doing. You’re sat at your computer, with a complex look on your face. This look is not just because you’re wondering why Lou Ferrigno is in I’m a Celebrity Get me out of Here. This particular perplexed expression plastered across your mug is because you’re racking your brain on who Michael Pena actually is. 

Crash, 30 Minutes or Less, Tower Heist, World Trade Center and Babel are just a few of the films that Michael Pena has been in. If you’re still stuck to put a name to the face, I’m going to break a tradition of a lifetime and link you to a picture here. Now, you’re thinking ‘oh hiiiiiiim, I like him’. It’s sad to say, but I think Michael Pena is one of those forgotten faces. 

This is a damn shame as he’s actually incredibly talented. For me, he gave one of the standout performances in Crash and the best thing about the woefully drab World Trade Center. There are actors in this world who have half the talent that Pena has, but are twice as famous. A fact that is as unfair as why Paris Hilton is known around the world and I have to remind my Gran who I am. 

Pena started out as a drama guy. Doing the films that I’ve previously mentioned and doing them very, very well. However, Pena’s latest performances have told us something. No matter how good Michael Pena is at Drama, Comedy is where he is at his best. And his best is damn good. 

Over the last few years Pena has starred in Thirty Minutes or Less, Observe and Report, Tower Heist, Eastbound and Down and gives a comic performance in The Lincoln Lawyer. Although, some of these films haven’t set the world on fire, Michael Pena has been pretty funny. 

Take Tower Heist for example. The Film itself is average at best, with the plot pretty loose in parts.  However, Pena is fantastic in his role and along with an inform Eddie Murphy, one of the better things in the movie. 

The sad thing is, despite Pena’s comic talents, he’s still pretty unknown. OK maybe some of you may know who he is, but I’m willing to put my reputation (or lack of one) on the fact that a lot of you weren’t too sure who he was until reading this article. 

Why do I think this is? Well it could be down to the comedies that Pena has been in, not being the best in the world. However, the last few have been pretty high profile, which doesn’t explain why. It’s a sad fact of life, but some actors are just not recognised for their talents as much as others. It’s a shame, but it’s true. 

If you haven’t heard who Michael Pena is, check him out, because he’s damn talented and funny to boot. I promise. If you don’t agree, I’ll buy you a lollipop. Aaaah lies, don’t you love em?

What do you think? Am I talking rubbish are u a Pena Believer? Feel free to let me know at cinemascreenandspandex@gmail.com

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Until next time, enjoy the show.

Daniel Morris.