The Michigan Daily -- michigandaily.cam
Tuesday, December 2, 2014 - 5
The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom Tuesday, December 2, 2D14 - 5
FILM REM-iE
'Horrible Bosses 2'
a mediocre sequel
Follow-up to
successful comedy
falls short of original
By CONRAD FOREMAN
DailyArts Writer
While "Horrible Bosses 2"
doesn't exceed expectations,it's at
least passable.
In the
follow-up C
to the 2011
success Horrible
"Horrible Bosses 2
Bosses,"
Nick (Jason Rave 20 and
Bateman, Quality 16
"Bad Words"), Warner Bros.
Kurt (Jason
Sudeikis, "We're the Millers")
and Dale (Charlie Day, "Going
the Distance") once again find
themselves on the raw end of a
business deal. Though they have
freed themselves from their
tormenting bosses, the trio's
venture into self-employment
seems destined to end in
disaster when a super-wealthy
businessman (Christoph Waltz,
"Inglourious Basterds") reneges
on his deal to fund the group's
patented product. This time
around, murder won't do the trick;
so Nick, Kurt and Dale kidnap
their foe's son (Chris Pine, "Star
Trek"), intending to hold him for
ahandsome ransom.
The plot weaves its way
through encounters with
familiar faces from the first film,
creating a scenario in which
the gang must seek advice
from Nick's imprisoned former
boss (Kevin Spacey, "American
Beauty"), as well as fan favorite,
"Motherfucker" Jones (Jamie
Foxx, "Django Unchained"). In
A nightmare dressed like a daydream.
order to pull off the kidnapping,
the trio setsout to steal laughing
gas from Dale's old office, which
leads to a raunchy and open-
minded encounter between
Nick and Dale's former boss, an
insatiable sex-addict portrayed
by Jennifer Aniston ("We're
the Millers'). While certainly
forced for the sake of bringing
back as many characters as
possible, these run-ins with
the first film's villains and
accomplices account for many
laughs, especially in any dealings
with "Motherfucker" Jones.
The film skates over some
important plot points, like the
details of the business deals that
led to the group's impending
demise. That's to be expected,
but delivering that segment
of the story via montage with
Macklemore's "Can't Hold
Us" pumping though theaters'
speakers feels rushed and out-of-
place, alazy delivery ofexposition.
Though the film relies on a
formulaic structure, "Horrible
Bosses 2" takes unexpected risks
WARNER BROS
with many of its jokes. During
the opening sequence at a local
news station, the boys promote
Nick-Kurt-Dale, which sounds
awfully a lot like a certain racial
slur. The film attempts racial
humor throughout, beyond just
the shock-value of the N-word,
though results are hit-and-miss.
Some moments in the film leave
one wondering how many writers
it took to pull this crap out of the
toilet, such as when Kurt and Dale
partake in silhouetted oral sex, an
age-old gag carried out with more
creativity in the second and third
"Austin Powers" movies.
Not withoutits flaws, "Horrible
Bosses 2" resides right in the
middle of the pack - it's not
a sequel that had to be made,
nor is it one that surpasses
its predecessor - but the
film employs great comedic
talent around an entertaining
premise and should make fans
of the first film laugh, at least a
few times. No major complaints
here, unless this leads to
"Horrible Bosses 3."
Christoph Waltz. Telling it like it is. What's new?
Cas 'Horrible
Bosses' alks new filM
Bateman, Day and
Sudekis discuss
making the sequel
By REBECCA LERNER
DailyArts Writer
Despite receiving mediocre
reviews, "Horrible Bosses" seeks
to be anything but horrible.
And the film's leading trio hope
moviegoersthink the same.
In a recent conference call
The Michigan Daily attended,
Jason Bateman ("This is
Where I Leave You"), Charlie
Day ("It's Always Sunny in
Philadelphia") and Jason
Sudeikis ("We're the Millers")
discussed their anticipation
for the sequel to their wildly
successful "Horrible Bosses."
The first installment focused
on the three friends hoping to
solve their unfortunate work
situations with an extreme
Solution: killing each other's
bosses. The raucous comedy
performed well critically and
financially, but is that enough
to warrant a sequel?
The stars of the film think so.
In the call, they acknowledged
the huge financial incentive for
a second film, since "Horrible
Bosses" grossed about $210
million worldwide.
"You get asked to do sequels
when it makes enough money
to warrant it, " Bateman said.
"(We were all) certainly open
to it ... we had such a good time
doing the first one."
Day elaborated on the
considerations they made to
to endure the sequel would be
worth it.
"Creatively, I think we got it
to a place where it made sense
for us to do it." Day said.
The sequel certainly has
the groundwork for the same
raunchy excellence of the first
movie. There are some familiar'
faces, with Jennifer Aniston
("We're the Millers") andJamie
Foxx ("Django Unchained")
reprising their roles as sex-
crazed dentist Dr. Julia
Harris and murder consultant
Dean "Motherfucker" Jones,
respectively. But the stars'
excitement stemmed from the
expansion of the cast to include
new villains Chris Pine ("Star
Trek Into Darkness") and two-
time Oscar winner Christoph;
Waltz ("Django Unchained")..
"It's pretty cool when you
can class (a comedy) up with
some Oscar winners." Bateman
said. "It becomes a really nice
balanced cocktail."
Sudeikis said, it's "flattering"
for actors to join the series due
to the success of the first film.
Beyond additions to the cast,
Sean Andrew, who directed
Sudeikis in "We're the Millers"
took the directorial role over
Seth Gordon, the first film's
director.
"Him and his writing partner,
John Morris; are ... two of the
best ... scriptwriters, comic
writers in ... Hollywood right
now," Sudeikis said.
"The film got a little more
stylized ... and it fits the story,"
Day agreed.
And for Bateman he's yet
to work with a horrible boss,
despite his fictional experiences
then.
"I'm waiting for a real son
of a bitch to come my way. I'm
prepped," said Jason Bateman
on if he had ever had a horrible
boss. Although he neglected
to name anyone-specific, with
"Horrible Bosses 2," he's had
plenty of fictional experience
with them.
These actors are well-
versed with the cynicism of
the American public and did
their best to make a film that
would match the expectations
-moviegoers would have of the
funnytrio.
"We didn't want to make a
film that was not at least as
good as the first film, gnd we
worked really, really hard to
attempt to do that," Bateman
said.
"I expect people to be
skeptical and I hope that
they're pleasantly surprised,"
Day added. "(I'm) hopeful that
they're really going to like it."
STYLE NOT EBOK
Supporting the look
good, feel good' mantra
By CAROLINE FILIPS
Daily Arts Writer
I'm an ardent supporter
of the "look good, feel good"
mantra, and "dress well, test
well" is a close second, or at
least ... it used to be. Though
I may have planned a few
outfit/accessory combina-
tions the night before I took
the ACT in high school (con-
vinced the mysticism of the
right clothing combinations
brought me to the University)
the motivation to look effort-
lessly put-together becomes
more difficult to muster in
college and I often find myself
sporting last night's pajamas
when I take my exams.
I surely don't feel my best
when my friends can't tell
if they're eating lunch with
an undercover bag lady or
their friend who aspires to
eventually cultivate a yup-
pie lifestyle - complete with
a perfectly tailored Bergdorf
Goodman wardrobe. Perhaps
it's easier to express how
you feel on the outside than
explain how the stress of two
exams catalyzed an existen-
tial crisis, resulting in your
surrender to sweatpants.
So has the confidence I
used to draw from clothing
faded throughout my limited
college career? Absolutely. I
quickly succumbed to a new
lethargic lifestyle, constant
hunger for anything that can
be delivered directly to my
bedside and productivity con-
trasted by equal amounts of
laziness. And because of that,
I no longer considered my
outward appearance a prior-
ity. Yet I yearned for that lost
confidence, that feeling of
knowing I used to dress some-
what decently and reflecting
it in my mood.
Though it may not be
apparent in my everyday out-
fit choices, I still believe in
the immeasurable confidence
that
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comes from dressing ning the show that is Runway
'erhaps it's pretentious, magazine. That's the power of
titious even, to place clothes, their powers turn you
high value on the power into a #GirlBoss, which takes
hes beyond the obvious you to Paris even though
advantages. However, I you're not the editor's first
n aesthetically pleasing assistant ... and Gisele compli-
to contrast my frivo- ments you at work. Just look
acute (so people take at Miranda, terrifying any
iously, like, just a little and everyone in her path of
attribute some of a per- chicness, fueled by the confi-
'onfidence to the power dence of clothes.
ructured exterior, and Even the inspiration for
t find this to merely be the film came from the sto-
onal belief, but a media ries of the most confident
that extends far beyond and well-dressed woman at
Conde Nast, at Vogue, in the
world - the elusive, forever
unapproachable, goddess
who makes flip phones OK:
lothing and Anna Wintour. Her exis-
tence is a spectacle, consist-
mood are ing of Blahnik and Birkins ...
. ib but most importantly, she's
nde ably a woman in charge of what
many regard as the fashion
erconnected. bible, and she runs the show
looking immaculately pol-
ished, and why? Because sim-
ply appearing well dressed
s examine Andy Sachs, signifies one's importance,
by Anne Hathaway and being aware of this when
ie Devil Wears Prada." you're looking fresh is lethal.
e beginning she's the Clothing and mood are
ae of everything fash- undeniably interconnected,
n't - unkempt, badly as any shopaholic can attest.
d, while also blithely As evidenced by any power-
re of the fashion indus- ful woman of the 21st century,
oyen interviewing her, it's as if appearing a la mode
da Priestley (Meryl whenever possible is essential
, "August: Osage Coun- to success. More often than
et after fairy godfather not, first ladies have become
(Stanley Tucci, "Easy fashion icons, as they accen-
rsh yet sage advice on tuate their place in the public
o thrive rather than eye with a refined exterior.
eated by the cutthroat Hillary will never betray her
es of the industry, com- beloved rainbow of pantsuits,
with his access to the as they have become inte-
of Runway magazine, gral part of her identity, and
s morphed into an icon a symbol of her enormous
own right. ambition.
fashionable ascent So why after taking 45
s her with the confi- minutes to get all dressed
and poise to face all up and make it to the club do
ity she encounters (i.e. Beyonce and average college
Emily makes fun of her, students alike feel as if we
etaliates with Chanel can run the world? Because
, and she's soon run- we look like we can.
In defense of the saxophone
and its revival in pop music
By CARLY SNIDER
Daily Arts Writer
Take a moment and imagine
the coolest, most jam-worthy
instrument you can think of.
Is it a hard-rocking electric
guitar? A piano? Drums, pos-
sibly? For me, it might have to
be the saxophone. Yes, saxo-
phone, as in that Kenny G guy.
In the past, the saxophone has
been reserved for background
music at stuffy dinner parties
or the soundtrack to torturous
car rides with parents who
refuse to change the radio
station from the smooth jazz
station. But with its incor-
poration into more modern
music, the stigma of the saxo-
phone is slowly being erased.
Pop artists such as Katy
Perry, Jason Derulo, Lady
Gaga and Pitbull have all
featured the saxophone on
some of their most successful
tracks, with Kenny G himself
making a cameo in Perry's
"Last Friday Night." The mil-
lennials have embraced the
sax. Using new editing tech-
niques to change or enhance
the sound, listeners may not
even be aware of the real
instrumentation behind some
of their favorite hits. Often-
times the sax replaces what
used to be the entirely elec-
tronic drop or bridge to the
song. Working with the same
medium, comparing Pitbull's
party anthem "Fireball" to
anythi
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ing relating to a smoky tracks to give them a more
ub is still almost entire- jazz/hip-hop sound that sets
of the question. These them apart from other elec-
ions just go to show the tronic artists. Initially, listen-
luity of the instrument. ers may not realize the main
ile more popular artists melody is coming from a saxo-
hy away from blatant phone; it is so processed and
hone use, some groups blends so well with the other
ce, and ultimately bene- elements. However, there are
m it. One of my favorite standout moments in which
ends with a lengthy sax- the instrumentation is obvi-
e solo. The song, M83's ous. One of the coolest ele-
ight City," is one of the ments of this combination is
aces you would expect seeing the group perform live.
ind of raw instrumen- For the most part, EDM shows
as the group's sound consist of a DJ standing on
tost entirely electronic stage pressing play on his or
ocessed. The element of her computer, accompanied by
rprise gives the instru- fancy flashing lights. With Big
its strength. Its sound Gigantic, there is more of an
ilar to that produced by actual performance as front
esizers, but far more raw man Latli plays the instru-
twerful. ment on stage. You get all the
benefits of a sick light show on
top of the excitement of live
music.
Phe sax has With all of its new uses, the
saxophone has escaped its ste-
escaped its reotypical place among eleva-
tor music and Michael Buble
vator music holiday CDs. It has tran-
scended its original genre and
reputation. become something much more
versatile. While it may never
reach the rock/pop status of
drums or guitar, its place in
ng in the opposite direc- popular culture gives hope for
tore EDM-based groups other instrumental changes
tarted to manipulate the in the future. Who knows
ment to fit their sound what will come next - maybe
st notably, Big Gigantic. Drake's next album will fea-
olorado-based duo uses ture heavy flute. We'll just
hone and drums in their have to wait and see.
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