The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) takes exactly one and a half months to ring in the new year 2023. On February 15th, “Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania” will be the third solo prank of the biggest and at the same time smallest Avenger. If you prefer to see some bare skin instead of comic bombast, Channing Tatum (42) aka “Magic Mike” can donate his “Last Dance”. Meanwhile, Tom Hanks (66) as a disgusting package with a heart of gold can be seen in the US remake “A Man Named Otto”.
Otto Anderson (Hanks) is a grumpy widower who lost his life after the death of his wife. Otto is ready to end it all, but his plans are interrupted when a lively young family moves in across the street and he meets an equal opponent in the quick-witted Marisol (Mariana Treviño, 45). She challenges him to see life through different eyes. This encounter leads to an unexpected friendship that turns his world upside down.
Assessment:
The Swedish bestseller “A Man Named Ove” was published in 2012, three years later the book was filmed with the same name and also in Swedish. But as is well known, American film audiences don’t like reading subtitles, so “A Man Named Otto” is now the US remake with Tom Hanks in the lead role, which is at least phonetically almost indistinguishable. Of all things, that could be the shortcoming of the reinterpretation – does one buy the part from Hollywood’s biggest clean man of all things as an embittered disgust for even a second? Irrespective of this, the story remains as black-humored as it is touching, and anyone who does not yet know the original and is also lazy to read can get started with the new edition without any worries.
“Magic” Mike Lane (Tatum) returns to the stage after an extended hiatus. After a business deal collapses, penniless Mike has to make ends meet bartending in Florida. Then a wealthy society lady (Salma Hayek, 56) makes him an offer he can’t refuse. In the hope that this will be his last big job, he travels to London with her – and soon realizes that his client has her own agenda. Everything is at stake when Mike finds out what she’s really up to. Will he (and the crew of hot new dancers he needs to get in shape) pull off the big show?
Assessment:
When Channing Tatum or Salma Hayek ponder the spirit-raising power of a lap dance in the trailer, it can come across as unintentionally comical to Magic Mike newcomers (and die-hard fans alike). Anyone who has already wrinkled their nose at the two predecessors will completely lose their faith with “Magic Mike: The Last Dance”. In contrast to part two, Steven Soderbergh (60) is back as director and promises a little more depth in addition to plenty of six-packs. With exactly this mixture, the original from 2012 had blossomed into a worldwide surprise hit.
Scott Lang (Paul Rudd, 53) and Hope Van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly, 43) return to continue their fight for good as superheroes Ant-Man and the Wasp. Together with Hope’s parents Hank Pym (Michael Douglas, 78) and Janet Van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer, 64) as well as Scott’s daughter Cassie (Kathryn Newton, 25) you explore the depths of the quantum realm. Along the way, they’ll encounter all sorts of strange new creatures and embark on an epic adventure that will push past any boundaries they ever thought possible. A new villain also appears: Kang the Conqueror!
Assessment:
Hardly any Marvel hero brings crazier show values than “Ant-Man” to the screen. With the exception of “Doctor Strange” – at the latest when he discovered the multiverse for himself. But that in the truest sense of the word endless possibilities are not always enough for a good film, this recently proved during his journey “In the Multiverse of Madness”. In comparison, there are two things on the plus side of “Quantumania”: On the one hand, the film officially heralds the fifth Marvel phase and with it all sorts of new storylines. Second, the flick introduces the MCU’s next big villain in the person of Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors, 33).
