Tuesday 23 September 2008

Tropic Thunder, the lads & I, and The X-Files...

Another week, another six-fifty, and another comedy laugh riot...well, I probably laughed more riotously at Pineapple Express the week before, but TT has me roflcoptering and lulzing on numerous occasions, with many of the chuckles-a-plenty coming from RDJ's superb 'dude playing the dude disguised as the other dude'.

It's this sort of flick that really is ideal for a lads night out at the flicks, and it's indeed how comedy works best - viewing with others - you end up spurring each other on, inspiring each other's laughter to continue. A prime example being three of four weeks before TT, when we all went to check out Step Brothers. We figured it'd be funny, but not as funny as it ultimately was - it had us in stitches, and the long-winded moment of butt-trumpet glory had me and one mate roflchoppering each other onwards deep into the next scene or two ... a good fart joke goes a long way. Heck, we got our six-fifty out of that moment alone.

So, back to Tropic Thunder, were there as many classic lulzor moments to be had? Personally, a few less than Pineapple Express ... but that's not necessarily an insult, I just found Pineapple to be insanely funny (death by Daewoo, anyone?), whereas I felt TT did have the odd moment where it steered a tad wide of the mark, or occasionally didn't pack the largest punch that it could have.

The send up of Hollywood is certainly present, but not merciless, but then again the target is less satirical and more targetted at giving your ribs a good tickle - Black's strung-out, fart-comedy, dope-fiend's man-on-man-oral bribe to be untied is purile, but for us lads - hilarious - and quoted at least four times on the drive home.

Much like "big muthafuckin' titties!" (or was it "big fat titties!") ... regardless, 'that guy from Pineapple Express last week' stole one golden moment for us lads, as did the trailer-worn-but-still-punchy flinging the stabby toddler off a bridge (the subsequent look on the kid's face even managed to raise a wide variety of "awws" and "lulzorz" in equal measure from the audience alone.

The comedy swings between riotously funny, to mainstream satire-lite, and purely out there (Tom Cruise not freaking everyone out on YouTube for a change was one of the high points). The action also - this essentially being an action comedy - is handled with aplomb, and even dishes out a totally unexpected shock that stunned the entire audience, before an "eww"-laden eruption of hilarity.

All-in-all, yet another successful round trip to the flick-factory for myself and the usual suspects ... so usual that one's other half reckons we're actually all off to a strip joint, rather than the movies, hah!

Next up? Quantum of Solace no doubt - a definite must-see (roll on the 3-disc Casino Royale too)...but for now, back to itching and fidgetting as I wait for season five of The X-Files to rock up on the door mat (I'm so properly hard-core back into that show, since fondly watching the final episode back in 2002). Like a fine wine, it's just gotten better with age - both that of the show, and my own appreciation of it.

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