Weekend Movie Trailers & Reviews: 'Magic Mike' Is Surprisingly Good, 'Ted' Worth a Laugh
by Andy NeuenschwanderIt's a weekend for raunch, as a movie about a foul-mouthed teddy bear and a movie about a bunch of male strippers meet at the box office. But you might be surprised at just how well these two movies are being received by critics. Read on for reviews and trailers for this weekend's big openers.
"Magic Mike"
Rated R, 1 hr 50 mins
Based loosely on Channing Tatum's own life, "Magic Mike" stars Tatum in the titular role as a male stripper who mentors a newcomer, played by Alex Pettyfer. The abdominally adept cast also features "True Blood" star Joe Manganiello, Matt Bomer, and Matthew McConaughey... and yes, pretty much all of them get naked.
The movie might not sound like much other than an excuse to drool over six-packs, but critics are noting that "Magic Mike" has a sharp screenplay and is put together nicely by director Stephen Soderbergh. Like with his previous project "The Girlfriend Experience," Soderbergh explores the topic of selling oneself and whether it's as bad as we sometimes assume it is.
Currently, "Magic Mike" has a strong 82% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and an even higher 91% among the top critics. Most are praising the movie's flashy and energetic nature along with its more thoughtful side, noting that the performances are also strong.
See it if: Do I even have to say it?
"Ted"
Rated R, 1 hr 55 mins
"Family Guy" creator Seth MacFarlane brings us this "what if" story that starts innocently enough, with a young boy wishing for his teddy bear to come to life. Fast forward about 20 years, and that boy is now a grown man (played by Mark Wahlberg) and the bear (voiced by Seth MacFarlane) has grown up too.
What ensues is a often raunchy look at the friendship between a man and his teddy bear, as the two of them handle being roommates and finding relationships while finally growing up. It's a classic bromance vs. romance story with a side of man-child, in the vein of pretty much any Judd Apatow movie.
Critics have been positive about "Ted" thus far, with the rating standing at about 66% on Rotten Tomatoes. Those who enjoyed the movie are praising a funny script from MacFarlane, although (like any "Family Guy" episode) it can be uneven at times.
See it if: You want a live-action "Family Guy" experience.