Rating: Summary: Could have been better Review: The fashion industry and male models aren't quite large enough targets to sustain a feature-length satire. In Zoolander, they're vapid, vain, prissy, and...after about twenty minutes, the movie struggles to make it to the few other valuable laughs along the way. Stiller does a good job, but filling that many screen minutes with such a thin character is tough. Supporting members of the cast like Owen Wilson and Will Farrell have a much, much easier job. I appreciated the references to classic films, even though they were done in an overly obvious way. In all, it's more on par with Mystery Men than Something About Mary.
Rating: Summary: Very Funny, Though A Little Sketchy Review: I laughed out loud several times during this movie and enjoyed myself immensely. I can't give it five stars because it is, essentially, a very long comedy sketch, but it is very much fun. The cast is enjoying themselves -- Stiller pouts to perfection as three-time Male Model of the Year Derek Zoolander, and Owen Wilson is an absolute hoot as the upstart Hansel. Christine Taylor (The Brady Bunch Movie's Marsha) is an enormously appealing female lead, and there are cameos galore (notably David Bowie, for the fashion Walk-Off duel). Great Fun!
Rating: Summary: ZOOLANDER Coming September 28th, 2001 Review: Zoolander is a comedy with good jokes although a bit silly. Ben Stiller Plays Male Model with Low IQ. Is seen in Trailer arguing over a model of a School for Children who can't learn well stating something like "how are the kids going to go to this school if it is this size." which is by far one of the funniest scenes shown in the Theatrical Trailer. A Cameo By David Duchovny (sorry David for the spelling mistake) is funny.
Rating: Summary: FAIR TO MIDDLING Review: This movie is not great. It's not bad either. It's just O.K.. After listening to the commentary, I bet that's Stillers' opinion also. He states that many gags seemed to work when writing the script but did not translate well in the movie. You can tell by his voice that it bothers him.The part of this DVD that works the best is the menu. Each section starts with Derek giving us innane instructions. I also enjoyed the freeze-frame, cubist, color morphing on the main section. If only the rest of the movie had been as fresh and original as the menu.
Rating: Summary: Sublimely ridiculous satire Review: Beneath its ridiculous surface, "Zoolander" is a whip-smart look at one of the stupidest parts of our increasingly stupid culture, namely the world of fashion. Taking a break from his now-standard neurotic-nerd persona, Ben Stiller mugs furiously and often as legendary male model Derek Zoolander, who's sure to go down as one of the most indelible movie characters of the past few years. Derek has a repertoire of looks that have different names but all appear the same, and he's so stupid and shallow that he mangles almost any word with more than two syllables and thinks bulimia is the ability to read minds. The movie sees him searching for some meaning in his life beyond being "really, really good-looking," a search that's interrupted when he unwittingly becomes involved in a top-secret fashion-industry plot to assassinate the prime minister of Malaysia. If you think all this sounds bizarre, that's because it is. But that doesn't mean it's not funny. Given its subject matter, it makes sense for "Zoolander" to be heavy on stupid humor, and it doesn't disappoint. "Zoolander" starts out over the top, and stays there. This movie throws everything it can think of at you, and some of it sticks, and some doesn't. It's that simple. Everything here is calculated for maximum absurdity, be it Stiller's near-microscopic phone, the ultra-lame '80's soundtrack, or the hairdos and outfits worn by just about everybody (most notably Will Ferrell and Jerry Stiller). Among the more inspired ideas are a "walk-off" between Zoolander and his rival Hansel; a surprisingly intelligent bit that takes off on the Stanley Kubrick classic "2001;" and of course the Derek Zoolander Center for Kids Who Can't Read Good. All in all, this movie has a more than ample supply of laughs crammed into its 89 minutes. While too many movies these days seem to be unaware of their stupidity, "Zoolander" positively revels in it, and even for that reason alone it would be worth watching.
Rating: Summary: A refreshing surprise Review: No one was more afraid of "Zoolander" then I was. It looked like Hollywood, as feared, was turning into a factory pumping out one stupid flick after another, and it was taking Ben Stiller along with it. It looked like a bad take off on all of the goofy, dumb humor flicks we have grown to know and love. I was forced into renting one evening, and then forced to watch it (as though the thought of renting it did not torture me enough). Oddly, I found myself laughing throughout the whole movie, and it quickly won my heart. Zoolander soon turned into a delightfully stupid romp following Derek Zoolander [Stiller] and his journey to find himself. The cast of supporting characters only add to the joy in "Zoolander", with people such as Owen Wilson, Will Ferrel, Jerry Stiller and Christine Taylor. The plot basically simmers down to the following: Male model Derek Zoolanders career is no longer on the rise, and seems to be dimishing in comparison to the "new kid on the block" male model Hansel [Wilson]. He decides to go in search of what he is meant for because there must be more to life than "being really really ridiculously good looking". Meanwhile, a fashion designer Mugatu [Ferrel] is trying to find a dumb male model to knock off the president of Malaysia, and sets his sights on Derek. Meanwhile, a female journalist [Taylor] is trying to help Derek escape the grips of Mugatu. A great movie for a rental with friends evening, or a party, will surely get a laugh or two, even from the most cynical of viewers.
Rating: Summary: One star because there is no negative 5 option Review: In a word, innane. In two words, sophomoric and stupid. Don't bother. Between over the top portrayals and no perceivable plot, this is a waste by any standard.
Rating: Summary: An intentionally moronic tweak on "The Manchurian Candidate" Review: Saying this movie is stupid is like saying the Sistine Chapel is pretty.
It doesn't convey the overwhelming epic nature of its' stupidity. This film goes for "stupid" in a colossal fashion. Swings for the fences.
But here's the thing: it's not dumb.
Oh no, not a bit.
It's actually an intentionally moronic tweak of "The Manchurian Candidate", with overt nods to "The Godfather Part II", music videos...
...Zoolander has been brainwashed to kill the Prime Minister of Malaysia during a fashion show.
Derek refers to him as the "Prime Rib of Propecia". See? Stupid, but stupid funny.
There's a small role given to a guy who explains "the truth" to the whole plot to the two main characters. His casting is perfect.
The truth is definitely out there, and I giggled during the entire scene.
Ben Stiller plays Derek Zoolander, world's greatest male model. His real-life father plays his agent; Jon Voight plays his father in the film. His real-life wife plays his love interest. Owen Wilson plays the rival model Hansel.
No one with that sort of nose could ever (in a non-stupid world) be a superstar male model, which fits perfectly here. The camera almost lingers on that proboscis.
Will Ferrell again shows up with such a wigged-out performance that I would not be surprised if one day he is discovered to come from another planet. The guy's a loon.
In fact, I'm giving this an extra star (it's a good, solid 3+) simply due to the absolutely hilarious cameos sprinkled throughout the movie. Some may find this "stupid", but that's this film's raison d'etre. Come on...David Bowie judging a runway "walk-off"?
So realize that maybe only seven brain cells will fire while you're watching this.
Those seven will be pretty amused...
Rating: Summary: Ooookaaaaay! Review: This movie is terrible . I see it on showtime , see it coming on, see Ben Stiller so I sit and watch and...its too stupid . Not funny stupid but stupid stupid! Makes me wanna punch the tv
Rating: Summary: How can we teach the students if they can't even fit in the Review: This has to be one of the funniest films ever made. It is packed with today's hottest stars...Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson and Will Ferrell.
Zoolander (Stiller) is the hot model but this year he is going to get knocked off his pedestal by Hanzel (Wilson) and Mugatu feels this is his chance to take over the model world by using Zoolander to kill models. It is hilarious and a great laugh anytime you need one. It is a movie that never gets tiring! Just remember for those watching this is more of a slapstick comedy a play on words and such not a serious comedy in any way!
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