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The trailer is up. Looks like a great role for McConaughey, not so sure about everyone else.

With James Brown gone, Soderbergh is definitely the hardest working man in show business. His Rooney Mara vehicle Bitter Pill is filming now and due in February, and he starts shooting Behind the Candelabra this summer.

Looks like Soderbergh's going to deliver one last box office success! From what I've heard Matthew McConaughey's performance is likely to figure in year-end awards as well

Never thought I'd see Olivia Munn get top billing in any movie. Good for her, I guess.

There are some funny lines in the trailer and I like the central idea. The trailer suggests that this film is going to be more of a rom-com, which is a genre I'm generally wary of. The male actors all look like they are having a lot of fun. I'll buy a ticket but I'm not as excited for Magic Mike as I usually am for a Soderbergh film.

domino harvey wrote:From what I've heard Matthew McConaughey's performance is likely to figure in year-end awards as well

In between this and Killer Joe, is this the year of McConaughey?

Both Mud and The Paperboy were supposedly submitted to Cannes (we'll see if they make the cut tomorrow), so Mathew is certainly having an incredible year. Reviews for Bernie were pretty solid too. I don't know why he suddenly decided to devote his career to more substantial, auteur driven projects but it's one of the best decisions he's ever made.

Highly recommend Soderbergh fans listen to this new interview where he talks candidly about the state of the industry (and how he feels there is less of a place for him in it, and perhaps more on TV), his 'retirement,' Magic Mike, and a whole host of other things.

Great interview-- I liked when Soderbergh corrected the guy and said he'd sooner watch Ocean's Twelve than the other two Ocean's movies

Also, early critical word on this is very positive-- could be a little breakout hit of the summer

This definitely isn't what the trailers sell it as, but what else would you expect? This reminds me of indie Soderbergh movies like Bubble - jumping headlong into characters' lives for a little while and then throwing you back out before the story is really over. Here's your slice of life, it's fleeting. The acting is very good across the board, particularly Tatum and McConaughey (yeah, I can see Matthew picking up Best Supporting Actor nominations). The photography is pretty slick in that Soderbergh-ian way too. There's a scene early on in a bar that's really quite stunning to watch just for the play of light and color.

I found it amusing that Kevin Nash of all people plays one of the strippers. I'm sure there's an audience for an over the hill act, but the fact that he has to wear his big knee braces even while he's (mostly) naked is kinda funny and he doesn't try very hard to dance. Or maybe that was on purpose to further accentuate the greatness of Tatum's dancing. I almost screamed when he did the Tarzan rope swing, but that's only because as a former wrestling nerd I still remember an incident ten years ago when he tore his quad completely just by casually walking towards his corner during a match and collapsed in a heap. He's fragile for such a beefy giant.

Random tangent.

Anyway, Magic Mike isn't one of the best films of the year by any stretch but it is pretty good and actually quite fun. Oh, and I loved the old school 1980's Warner logo at the beginning.

Jeff wrote:The trailer is up. Looks like a great role for McConaughey, not so sure about everyone else.

With James Brown gone, Soderbergh is definitely the hardest working man in show business. His Rooney Mara vehicle Bitter Pill is filming now and due in February, and he starts shooting Behind the Candelabra this summer.

That doesn't sound much like a guy who is retiring. I thought MM was supposed to be his last film? And then he whipped up Haywire to fit in between the big projects of Contagion and MM...and now Bitter Pill and a tv movie?

Behind the Candelabra was always going to be the last movie, but the delays in getting it made plus waiting for the moot Man from UNCLE opened up Magic Mike and the Bitter Pill. Also, Contagion was filmed after Haywire but rushed into theatres and thus released first

Really interested in seeing this film and also seeing McConaughey's performance.

CSM126 wrote: I found it amusing that Kevin Nash of all people plays one of the strippers. I'm sure there's an audience for an over the hill act, but the fact that he has to wear his big knee braces even while he's (mostly) naked is kinda funny and he doesn't try very hard to dance. Or maybe that was on purpose to further accentuate the greatness of Tatum's dancing. I almost screamed when he did the Tarzan rope swing, but that's only because as a former wrestling nerd I still remember an incident ten years ago when he tore his ACL completely just by casually walking towards his corner during a match and collapsed in a heap. He's fragile for such a beefy giant.

Haha, that is pretty amusing. I also remember that incident you're speaking of very well, his knees must be destroyed so badly. This might be great casting in a way, I hear Nash was really popular and beloved by middle aged women at one point.

domino harvey wrote:Behind the Candelabra was always going to be the last movie, but the delays in getting it made plus waiting for the moot Man from UNCLE opened up Magic Mike and the Bitter Pill. Also, Contagion was filmed after Haywire but rushed into theatres and thus released first

The interview that was linked here made it sound as though he's more planning to move from film to TV than he is planning to retire altogether, too, and if he's doing Mildred Pierce style miniseries it seems like it's not going to represent a huge change from where he is now.

Boxoffice Mojo estimates this made almost $20 million on Friday. I normally wouldn't have expected it to do well, but based on the number of my male hick-homophobic Facebook friends that were planning on seeing it I thought it had a chance to do very well. I did not, however, expect it to be this big. Good for Soderbergh. I can't wait to see it myself.

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RagingNoodles wrote:

CSM126 wrote:I found it amusing that Kevin Nash of all people plays one of the strippers. I'm sure there's an audience for an over the hill act, but the fact that he has to wear his big knee braces even while he's (mostly) naked is kinda funny and he doesn't try very hard to dance. Or maybe that was on purpose to further accentuate the greatness of Tatum's dancing. I almost screamed when he did the Tarzan rope swing, but that's only because as a former wrestling nerd I still remember an incident ten years ago when he tore his ACL completely just by casually walking towards his corner during a match and collapsed in a heap. He's fragile for such a beefy giant.

Haha, that is pretty amusing. I also remember that incident you're speaking of very well, his knees must be destroyed so badly. This might be great casting in a way, I hear Nash was really popular and beloved by middle aged women at one point.

His knees were bad before he even got into wrestling. In fact I think it's what ended his basketball career. So hearing he's in this as one of the dancers is most amusing indeed.

The theater I saw this at was PACKED with house wives and my ears are just about all but blown out from their constant cat calling.
Watching the trailers before the movie I was really struck by the fact that all movies coming out now are not really set in the REAL world.
Some movie about a neighborhood watch and aliens, Some musical, a movie where people ride their bikes at 200 miles per hour to deliver top secret government something somethings... I had just about enough of "hollywood"... and then I see it. THE SAUL BASS WARNER BROTHERS LOGO! When that first w flew my way I knew I was in for a treat. And it was. Soderbergh might have pulled this out of his ass... but thats okay given the subject matter. I dont mind lauding it with praise, It deserves it. One moment that had me wringing my hands in turrets level pleasure was a looonnggg tracking shot that featured tatum and lady friend walking past go cart racers and snack venders to a table. The frame was beautifully ballanced and a principle character starts the scene as a ancilary bit of "decoration", Thinking he was an extra I watch him get closer and closer until he is at the table with a mouthfull of lines to chew. Best of all the movie is set in the REAL world. Is it my world? hell. no. But I believed every minute of it. Mike gets laid but he cant get a loan... and maybe that wont change.

Wow, McConaughey owned this film. Big ups to Tatum, but MM was really impressive. Soderbergh cast the film really well. I can't think of a weak link amongst any of the players. It was also cool to see Betsy Brandt. As usual, the photography looked superb. A very fascinating look at the economy.

Wasn't this originally supposed to be Alex Pettyfer's big break out pic? What happened there? Did he get Adrien Brodyed?

Pettyfer is in it - he plays the new kid brought into the club - but not to the extent that Brody was pushed to the back of The Thin Red Line. Actually, Pettyfer is the co-lead more or less. The dramatic heft of the film is given to Tatum's plight, though.

This just barely ended up being Soderbergh's biggest opening weekend ever, coming in a bit over Ocean's Twelve at $39.1 million!

Those Thursday midnight sneaks always help.

My wife and I went to a packed screening this afternoon. I thought Matthew McConaughey was fantastic and agree that he could well play a big role in awards season, with the character getting increasingly dark and complex towards the end.

But between this and the surprisingly great 21 Jump Street, I think this is the year I start to look forward to seeing Channing Tatum in a movie.

domino harvey wrote:This just barely ended up being Soderbergh's biggest opening weekend ever, coming in a bit over Ocean's Twelve at $39.1 million!

On a $7 million production budget!