There is a new age emerging, when mental health is emerging as a serious concern among the general public. More specifically mens mental health. Over the ages, mens mental health has been swept under the rug, and passed off as “being soft” or too sensitive. Those types of disparaging sentiments have lead to untold issues among men, and even some say, more specifically Black men. But regardless the issues, helping them is what’s key. Charlamane Tha God has taken it upon himself to have some friends do some research, and the results on how some eleviate stress and work on their mental health, is to work OUT their mental health. Check the method below.
We live in a world of diversity and wonder. Nature has endowed our blue planet with an abundance of plants, animals, and insects. Yet, we have for far too long taken our world for granted. Now we risk mass extinction of some of the world’s most beautiful and exotic creatures. From pandas to dolphins, elephants to macaws, these animals come from across the globe. They have little in common. Their habitats differ. They come from different continents and oceans. This infographic exposes the fate of some of the world’s most endangered species. This was demonstrated when the Yellowstone wolves were hunted into extinction. Beavers almost followed, because the elk that the wolves had hunted, thrived and overgrazed. This left nothing for the beavers to eat. In 2018, the world lost the last male northern white rhino. Around the world, awareness grows of the need to take urgent action to prevent the extinction of yet another of Earth’s precious creatures. We must preserve the world for the next generation. We can do our bit by protecting wildlife habitat and using sustainable and recycled products. Avoid products made from endangered or threatened species. Let’s take action to preserve our earth’s diversity.
This Brownie Stuffed Magic Chocolate Ball with Caramel is a decadent dessert when hot caramel melts the chocolate to reveal a brownie and fresh raspberries too! Our salted caramel sauce is the perfect finish to this magical dessert that looks oh so fancy but is so easy to make! You can also pour hot fudge on top of this magic chocolate ball which is more common but I say why not have caramel and fudge. Check out the crash course/at home version of the recipe below… for those of us who aren’t gourmet chefs.
Aston Martin is making a few modest changes to its lineup for 2022, which includes the arrival of a brand new online configurator where you can see those updates in action. Revisions to the range include more power for the DB11 V8, new wheel options for the DBS and DBX, and in an effort to streamline its range, Aston Martin is dropping the ‘Superleggera’ and ‘AMR’ nameplates. The DB11 coupe and convertible models equipped with the base V8 welcome the biggest changes. The twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter engine now produces 528 horsepower (394 kilowatts), which yields a new-and-improved top speed of 192 miles per hour (308 kilometers per hour). That’s an increase of 25 ponies over last year’s model. And now buyers can option the DB11 V8 with Sports Plus Seats to help cope with all that extra speed.
The DB11 V12 Coupe sticks around with the same 630 hp (470 kW), but it loses its AMR nameplate. The DBS suffers the same fate, dropping the Superleggera badge from its hood but maintaining its twin-turbocharged 5.2-liter V12, still good for 715 hp (533 kW) and a top speed of 211 mph (340 kmh). Ditching the AMR and Superleggera badges, Aston Martin says, helps simplify the lineup. Visual updates include new 21-inch wheel designs for the DBS, and a fresh set of 23-inch wheel options for the DBX SUV. With the new configurator, buyers can also select from three preset interior “environments,” each one with colors, materials, and patterns carefully curated by the Aston Martin Design team.
The undeniably exotic 2022 Aston Martin DB11 toes the line between sports car and grand tourer. Its long, low, and wide body turns heads whether configured with the fixed roof or the retractable soft top. Aston offers this rear-drive-only looker with a mighty 630-hp twin-turbo V-12, but it comes only in the coupe variant, adds a significant surcharge, and can overwhelm the rear tires. The standard 528-hp twin-turbo V-8 isn’t as special, but it’s still supremely satisfying. Paired with an eight-speed automatic, both engines provide stirring soundtracks and rousing acceleration that can take this car from relaxed to rowdy in a thrice. And despite some interior miscues and miniscule rear seats, the DB11 has a comfortable and highly customizable cabin.
The world was ready for an Aston Martin SUV. Yes, by the time the Aston Martin DBX debuted Bentley had given birth to the Bentayga, Lamborghini had sired the Urus and even Rolls Royce had realised its Cullinan. Still, the arrival of another ‘super SUV’ is always a bit exciting. Would it be a true Aston Martin, how would it compare to its rivals and is it even a good SUV? Well, that’s what I wanted to know about Aston Martin’s DBX anyway, and I found out, along with everything else you should know: from its performance to practicality in this review.
I’m not one to name drop but I was having a chin wag with Marek, that’s Marek Reichman, Aston Martin’s Vice President and Chief Creative Officer, the fellow who has designed every Aston from the past 15 years, that Marek. Anyway, before the DBX came out he told me any SUV he designed would be unmistakably an Aston Martin. We think he nailed it. The gaping Aston Martin grille is unmistakably the same as the DB11’s and the tailgate, which although is the back hatch to a large SUV, is absolutely the same as the rear end of the Vantage. Everything in between has all the family hallmarks. There are those oval headlights and the huge beak of a bonnet, the chiselled side panels with wheel arches that push up towards the sky and those rear haunches.
The DBX is a circa 550 horsepower giant that can reach out and almost touch 300km/h. But testing it on Sydney’s roads is like having a champion racehorse in your backyard and your neighbour asking you what it’s like to ride. A racetrack wasn’t handy at the time and I’d signed a form saying I’d not put any more than 400km on the clock during its stay with me, which meant having to choose my test loop carefully. Fortunately, this was before Sydney was plunged into the current COVID lockdown, which makes that 400km now seem vast.
The final trailer for Marvel’s “The Eternals” features a quite hilarious sequence featuring some of the titular characters having a bit of, what some might call a “discussion” about IKEA furniture. Our lead writer was blessed enough to have a relative who speaks FLUENT IKEA, and we thought we’d post up the 70 year evolution of the center piece of the IKEA catalog over decades… the living room. Above is a look at the years spanning the 1970’s to the 2020’s at just how the IKEA living room, and all its goofy names has evolved. TRUST us, for the interior designer, its a bit more interesting than you may think.
Caity Costa has been on the music scene for quite some time, be it in music videos, on magazine covers, or just straight up in your ears with a flurry of solo songs and collaborations with artists all over. Now she’s on the scene once again with her newest title track “Butterfly”, just one quarter of the Butterfly EP, being released all throughout the month of October. The song ‘Butterfly’ itself finds a truly unique and refreshing blend between sultry R&B singing, and an incredible spoken word poem embodying her thoughts and feelings. Its a joy to listen to, and the song embodies the emotions of many, while its presentation has only been approached by few. The wonderfully executed track was produced by Bat Area native Joe Major, and is available for a listen by just clicking the cover above, and hear a sample in the promo video below.
Click the photo to get your tickets NOW! The Mutiny Radio Comedy Festival is among us in the Bay Area for the sixth year running. This is a week long festival featuring some of the best and brightest that not just the Bay has to offer, but comic coming from far and wide. With 6 venues scattered through out San Francisco, the laughs won’t stop. There are 4 vents at 3 venues in just ONE day. Follow the crowd from venue to venue and see what its like to enjoy both the open air and intimate venues to share great food, drinks, laughs and stories. Mutiny Radio is a collective-run, non profit community radio station located in a store front in the Mission District of San Francisco but is hosting comics that live, work, and breathe the bay area and beyond and whose voices deserve to be heard. Come hang out.
We know from The Suicide Squad’s post-credits scene that A.R.G.U.S. wants Smith to help them “save the f*cking world,” but we’re still not sure what kind of threat the team will be facing. Gunn wasn’t giving anything away when it comes to plot specifics during a recent interview, but he did reveal why he settled on Peacemaker for his own spinoff series.
“At the end of The Suicide Squad, [Idris Elba’s] Bloodsport learns a lot. He’s a better person than he was at the beginning. A lot of the characters are much better than they were at the beginning, and Peacemaker has a lot to learn,” explained the filmmaker. “It’s that ability to learn that for me makes him a little bit more likable. His blindspots in some places are pretty terrible, and in some places are him being ignorant. I think that’s an important distinction to make as well. He is open at the same time, sometimes.”
Cena also commented on his imminent return to the role, joking that “it is definitely in my contract to lose a fight in every project I do and definitely to be in a scene with a CGI animal.” At the time, we thought this might be referring to the return of Ratcatcher 2 and Sebastian or maybe even Weasel or King Shark, but it’s since come to light that Smith will be given a pet sidekick of his own: Eagle-y the eagle!
At the heart of Matt Small’s practice is the idea that “there’s always potential within everything.” The British artist gravitates toward an overarching theme of disregard in both subject matter and material, choosing oxidized hunks of iron, bits of patinaed copper, and crinkled aluminum strips that have been relegated to the trash to construct his metallic portraits. Expressive and emotionally charged, the corroded mosaics link rampant overconsumption and widespread tendencies to throw away what’s deemed obsolete or undesirable to the ways adolescents are marginalized and subsequently not seen as viable members of society. “Because of the social backgrounds they come from, young people find themselves overlooked, disregarded, and left uninvested in,” the artist says. “Marrying the discarded item and painting a portrait of a young person on it or utilizing the material to construct a mosaic face, I hope that the viewer sees that everybody and everything has a right to be viewed as valuable and of worth. It’s just up to us to see that.” In a conversation with Colossal, Small references Marcel Duchamp’s urinal and the way that readymade sculpture upended long-standing notions of worth as a foundational concept he draws on his own practice.
By turning debris and seemingly useless materials into works of significance, he hopes to prompt questions about the arbitrary values assigned to objects and people alike, explaining: The scrap metal has worth because of what I did with it, not because I say it is of worth. The rusted tin can becomes a tone in the face. The shiny metal brings out a highlight on the forehead. All these worthless items have been incorporated into something that someone may now appreciate, and the potential of this scrap item can now be realized. Small, who lives in his hometown of Camden, currently has work on view as part of Vanguard, which is considering the role of Bristol-area artists who’ve had an outsized impact on British street art since the 1980s. The extensive exhibition, which includes memorabilia and dozens of originals works, is open at M Shed through October 31. If you’re in London, watch for a large-scale mural portrait of the young British entrepreneur Jamal Edwards that Small is working on in Acton, and follow the artist on Instagram to stay up to date with his latest projects.
Ben Butler is fascinated by the complex structures that emerge from simple and delicate processes. This phenomenon can be found in the elaborate systems produced by ant colonies to human cities, small quotidian actions accumulating into overpowering structures. Unbounded, Butler’s installation on display at Rice University Gallery in Houston, Texas, uses this same idea by assembling over 10,000 pieces of poplar wood into a matrix-like structure. This massive arrangement coalesces into an unexpectedly mesmerizing array of grids that stretch to fill the gallery space. Butler approached this installation, as he commonly does within his practice, without initial sketches or ideas of what he would like the structure to look like. He played with the materials, discovering configurations on the spot.
Although the grids within Unbounded were pre-made in his studio, the way they were configured and connected horizontally was all in response to the space. This way of acting in the present ensured that the structure’s outcome would be organic, and not purely responding to a preconceived shape. Poplar wood was chosen for the installation because of its malleability and abundance, which gave Butler the ability to fiddle with a material that seemed endless. This idea of endlessness also tied into the title he chose for the piece. Butler wanted the piece to have no defined boundary or vantage point, but encourage the audience to walk around and within the structure, discovering it from all angles.
It seems, (and this is just speculation) that Trevor Noah, and his partner Minka Kelly have hit a rift. He purchased this 27.5 Million Dollar home in California for the couple, and apparently is now selling it while he’s out touring the world. Trouble in paradise may be sad for any couple, but based on the looks of the home, this will be an incredible opportunity for the next person to buy it. Take a look and tell us what you think… I hope he has a good time on tour.
Set to 4 Non Blondes’ “What’s Up” (for some reason), this teaser definitely indicates that the movie will take more influence from the video games than the previous franchise, as we see the likes of Claire, Leon and Jill facing off with zombies, devil dogs, lickers, and various other creatures as they attempt to find a way out of the besieged city. Gamers are also sure to recognize some of the locations, and director Johannes Roberts (47 Meters Down, The Strangers: Prey at Night) does seems to have at least made an effort to replicate the dark, grimy chills of the games, but is this really the Resident Evil movie fans have been waiting for? Check out the trailer for yourselves below and let us know what you think.
When photography stops to tell the concrete reality and try to represent a concept, when the image alludes to something, it becomes visual narrative, surreal and fantastic, a concept art. A very young artist, spokesman of this photographic genre, is the American David Talley, founder and creative director of Concept Collaboration, a worldwide movement dedicated to conceptual photography. With a touch a bit emo(tional) and an image processing similar to the dark one of Tim Barton, his goal seeks to highlight “the darkest moment before an explosion of light”. Through the use of the movement and the rarefied atmospheres, David translates the emotions of real life in photographs from the positive impact that try to capture vulnerability and disturbances. Every place, every natural element help him enrich his narrative skills and provides in visual emotions. The reality, after all, is only a starting point.
The paintings of Slovakian artist Katarina Janeckova are soused in sex. Three lovers romp around in bed; a brunette poses for naked photos in a swimming pool; a woman spanks her partner with a hairbrush. But there is one thing lacking from her provocative tableaus—men. Instead, the women couple up with brown or black bears, rendered in woozy watercolor or acrylic brushstrokes. “For me, the bear is a perfect substitute for a man,” Janeckova explains. “I paint those bears as simple, strange dark figures, because it allows you to fantasize.” It also allows the women to become the central figures in her works, and for Janeckova to present them as strong and sexually empowered. “It’s a stereotype that pretty women are usually submissive, so I like to play around that,” Katarina says. “Sometimes it’s less visible and more in my head, sometimes it’s obvious or exaggerated.” It’s most apparent in some of her recent works, which portray the massive muscles of female bodybuilders. Katarina honors their forms by depicting them on the side of a Grecian urn, or even turning a container of Muscle Milk into a flower vase. “My ideal of female beauty changed,” Katarina discusses in the following interview, along with sex, symbols and her current exhibition, How to Make a Bear Fall in Love, which is currently on view at Studio d’Arte Raffaelli in Trento, Italy.
That title may seem foreign to some, because it is. That however isn’t what makes the photos of this time piece exotic. If you were under the assumption that this time piece was real, then the visual effects prowess of __ has already got you. Using Redshift and Cinema 4D __ has been able to recreate the 1299 Watch for the client Skmei. This incredibly life-like demonstration of texturing, lighting, and 3D modeling took about 2 weeks to create and is just as impressive as the watch itself.
I don’t know what it means, but this house’s look is spectacular. The constant of the patios and the exteriors intensifies when their qualities fall on the texture, the color and the vegetation. Its interiors devoid of color and texture play the role of blank canvases. The atmosphere of the house comes from the colors. Between the pink of the patios that bounces and enters the house, and that of the direct overhead yellow light that combines with pink and averages the tones on these neutral surfaces. Giving as a result, a soft warm atmosphere, changing depending on the natural light and the passing of the day. These tones are modulated by small blue windows that intensify the color variants and complement the warm tones.
The artist known as “Untitled Save” hails from Porto, Portugal, and has developed a fantastically unique yet simple style of artwork fit for any frame. Merging traditional and classic artists with modern stylings may not be the newest concept, but the way it’s done is key. These blends of figures like Marlyn Monroe, Mona Lisa, and even Salvador Dali are transposed onto contemporary templates. By criss crossing different photos, paintings and drawing Untitled Save creates all new delineations that are just plain awesome to behold. Check the Instagram at @untitled.save and purchase any of the works you love here.
As much as we’d like it to be, this isn’t a tour of Lia Sabella’s personal island suite, however, it’s something we’d love even more… Her 3rd EP “Island Suite”. The 7 track project features production primarily from ‘F1rst Class’, and is elegantly and filled out with Lia’s mellifluous singing. The songs range in topics like relationships, emotional compromise, and distressing in such a way as to connect with listeners on an emotional level, leaving them feeling relaxed. From the beautiful imagery to the quality of sounds, and fluidity of the entire project, “Island Suite” is one to definitely lay back and relax to, no matter what you may be feeling inside. Take a listen to “Vacation” below, just for a taste of an EP that is for sure to be on repeat in your headphones soon.
Click any of the photos to stream or download the entire R&B project produced by F1rst Class, and once again, beautifully sung by Lia Sabella. If the sultry sounds of this EP don’t leave you in a great place wherever you are, they will definitely make you want to take a getaway… Just look at how relaxed she looks.
Beautiful, and spellbinding time lapse photos have been used to display many different mediums in the past. The above example is from DJ Storm’s: “Untitled” beat tape. But where do these images come from, and furthermore, how are they created? Photographer Reuben Wu creates images that reveal an alien splendor in natural and manmade landscapes across the globe. Previously he has explored the brilliant blue rivers of molten sulfur in Indonesian volcanoes, and photographed the thousands of glistening mirrors that compose Nevada’s SolarReserve. For his ongoing series Lux Noctis, the Chicago-based photographer utilizes modified drones as aerial light sources, illuminating obscure landscapes in a way that makes each appear new and unexplored. Recently Wu has evolved his process of working with the drones to form light paths above topographical peaks in the mountainous terrain.
“I see it as a kind of ‘zero trace’ version of land art where the environment remains untouched by the artist, and at the same time is presented in a sublime way which speaks to 19th century Romantic painting and science and fictional imagery,” said Wu to Colossal. The light from his GPS-enabled drones create a halo effect around some of the presented cliffs and crests when photographed using a long exposure. An elegant circle of light traces the flight of the drone, leaving a mark only perceptible in the resulting photograph. You can see more of Wu’s landscape photography on his Instagram.
Caity Costa and yours truly… (the world famous DJ Storm) had the pleasure of working with one another the other day, and believe me when I tell you that once you that after working in music studios for over a decade, I know talent when I hear it. Aside from being a pleasureful and peaceful woman, Caity has a deluge of music that neither myself, nor the folks at my shop looking forward to hearing, and working with her on. Take a gander at some of her photos below, and if you’d love to hear what she has to perform, you can check out all of her work by clicking right here.
‘Tag’ is a film that will make you both laugh and cry.Myself, coming from a background of two different groups of very close friends, staying connected is extremely important.Even with its ‘Hangover’ style antics, ’Tag’ will be quite resonant with people who have their “boys” that they have stayed connected with for the majority of their lives, and this movie has that impact on people whom share that similarity. The first thing I noticed was the amazing soundtrack of the film, from the opening moments, you can tell that whoever picked these songs, knew what they were doing.Even seeing the trailer alone, you think you can tell the type of film this will be, but it’s a bit different. (And luckily the trailer doesn’t give away all the best parts of the film)
The entire cast meshes well together, and there are some interesting rules to the “game” that aren’t covered in the previews.The trailers would have you believe that this group of friends is constantly attempting to tag one another, but there is a bit of intricate teamwork involved.Team members tag each other on purpose in order to achieve a common goal. Their specific rules aren’t expressly stated at first, but as the film moves along, you figure out the specificity of the rules.
The movie isn’t without its loose ends and unfinished plot points however.Rashida Jones’s character is a welcomed inclusion to the cast, but her storyline has no real end, or consequence.To speak on the end of the movie in general, there are quite a few points that are never tied up.A bar tender dying to get into the game, is just never touched upon after a certain point, and there are several ‘Breaking and Entering’ situations that just seem to have NO consequence whatsoever.
Following the film’s conclusion, there are several shots of the real people involved in the game, which are AMAZING.I highly recommend staying for the end credits.(There’s a bit with an old woman that is in the film, but seeing the actual incident in real life is much more gratifying). One of the two stand out stars of the film is Hannibal Buress, who you would wish had more to say in the film, but his lines, are simply one-liner jokes that help make the film as funny as it is. The other is Isla Fisher, (who I just realized that I have a strange crush on).But her character Anna is a person who you wish would play the game with the guys, and when she’s able to, she is quite the competitor.
Another interesting bit is Jermey Renner, and his ability to evade his friends, using a Sherlock Holmes style mental process (The Robert Downey Jr. version) he can predict whenever he’s about to be potentially tagged.This leads to some creative and interesting action sequences. We KNOW from the film that the physical training from “The Avengers” is part of the reason Renner is able to do the things that he can do in the movie, much like Keaunu Reeves had the training for John Wick, because of the Matrix.But a number of Renners evasion techniques are quite impressive.
Aside from some certain plot points that are crucial to the story-line that never come to fruition, the film is quite good. There are extra players that you never see, and the main purpose of the majority of the plot is for one character is write an article on the entire story, but you never hear anything about it when the film wraps up. There is also an interaction between two characters, that would be quite funny, but you never see anything of it.
Although this story is based on real life, there is a “dead baby” joke (and thats in quotations for a reason). But that just sort of fades away after a while, which would NEVER happen between friends.However this script, movie, and over arching story is a good one, filled with hilarity and depth that one wouldn’t expect.It is very much worth seeing, and the giant crowd of critics that clapped and cheered at the movies’ end would agree.
From the game pieces dropping in the opening titles, to the VERY unique ending credits, and everything in between Game Night is solid comedy. If you enjoyed ‘The Hangover’, then ‘Game Night’ is right up your alley. One thing that sticks out past the Ironman jokes, and anti Trump humor is the visual beauty in the movie. For a ‘Pineapple Express’-esque comedy, the visual style of the different neighborhoods, some of the car chases, and one particular scene involving an egg, are wildly innovative. Luckily those shots aren’t in the trailer, which leaves something to look forward to.
What IS in the trailers are most of the best jokes in the film. From time to time theres a small quip, or a lengthy joke that offers up some respite from the old jokes that got you into the theater to begin with. Rachel McAdams and Jason Bateman are a believable couple, and work quite well, while Billy Magnussen’s character is just a baffoon that doesn’t seem like he would be friends with the rest of the group in real life. Lamorene Morris (Winston Bishop from the show ‘New Girl’) is essentially the exact same character as Winston, so you know what to expect in terms of humor.
But the stand out character is by far “Gary”, played by Jessie Plemons, a creepy cop who just wants to be invited to game night. Unfortunately only one character seems to be funny at a time, and with a cast this diverse it seems like they should be able to play off one another a bit better. There are a few surprise cameos that are used to good effect, and the themes of sibling rivalry create an unexpected depth.
With the random knowledge that some of the main characters have, their knowledge of trivia should have played a larger role in the film, and with the Hangover style jokes, the movie has very little re-watch value. Although the plot ranges from a little predictable to having too many twists, ’Game Night’ is a film you’ll enjoy, although it is a very funny film but after you see it once, there’s not too much reason to see it again for a while.
Much like when Batman disappears for an extended period of time, friends of this blog have begun to get very worried. For several months now, life has been a bit up and down for not just myself, but the writers of this site in general. We know subscribers noticed when things somewhat trailed off, and then came to a complete halt. Now that things have calmed down quite a bit, we’re going to slowly start back up again, hopefully by next month, we’ll be back to 10 or so posts a day of new music, art, “sciency stuff”, movie news, and the like. So please do your best to bear with us, as we all get back up on this horse and continue the ride. Also although he asked not to be named, I still want to give a warm shout out to our newest writer on the team.
In a surprise no one saw coming, Marvel Studios has released the first teaser trailer for their highly anticipated fall release, Thor Ragnarok, and it’s pretty damn awesome. It’s not particularly forthcoming with plot details, but we do learn why Chris Hemsworth’s God of Thunder hasn’t been spotted with Mjolnir in any of the early promo art as Cate Blanchett’s Hela, headdress and all, shatters his mighty hammer to Kingdom Come and takes over Asgard. The trailer also shows off nearly all of the new and returning characters and closes with our hero stepping into the Grandmaster’s arena where he reencounters an old friend from work… but it doesn’t seem like the reunion will be as joyous as he had hoped. Check out the trailer, which is set to Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song,” below:
The movie ‘Central Intelligence’ would at first glance, appear from it’s trailers to yet another run-of-the-mill buddy cop comedy featuring Kevin Hart’s character from Ride Along. Luckily this isn’t (exactly) the truth. The film has a consistent underlying message about the problem of adolescent bullying, the issues it leaves people with later in life, and the effects that simple kind acts can have on a person. This message is rather cleverly draped in a story about a disenfranchised overweight boy Robbie Weirdicht (Dwayne Johnson) and high school all star Calvin ‘The Golden Jet’ Joyner (Kevin Hart). The circumstances of their reuniting 20 years after high school is a bit contrived, but believable, due to a simple act of kindness committed by Joyner.
What ensues after they reunite is an interesting romp that sends Joyner ping ponging back and forth between the CIA and Dwayne’s character (who renamed himself Bob Stone shortly after high school.) Neither Joyner nor the audience knows exactly who to believe at any given time, and the supporting characters help move the story along quite nicely. All in all, the movie isn’t as “by the numbers” as one would expect, and much better of a picture than ‘Ride Along’ or its sequel.
When delving into specifics, the first thing to be noticed is “Fat Rob”, in the first two seconds, the CG effects that put The Rock’s face onto an amorphous adolescent body, seem a bit off, but quickly get better for the short amount of time they’re needed. Retrospectively, it’s difficult to tell weather Kevin Hart’s de-aging is done digitally or is just a result of him shaving off his facial hair, and good make up.
Aside from the look of the characters as their teenaged selves, their behavior two decades later is strangely indicative of who they were in the past. The film’s trailer makes The Rock’s “Bob Stone” seem like a well put together CIA warrior, when he’s actually still very much the odd, bumbling nerd he was in high school, just in a different physical frame. Johnson’s strangeness can be a bit off putting at times, but when balanced with Kevin Hart’s “dimmed down high school star” persona, it works quite well. There are quite a few moments that are unexpectedly funny due to the duo’s comedic chemistry.
Aside from Johnson and Hart, there are two or three surprise cameos in the film that the media screening enjoyed, and some well placed jokes that aren’t in the trailers. That being said however, the plot seems like it could take some well welcomed twists, and is blandly predictable at times. When big name actors show up for only two minutes and disappear again, you know they’ll return at some point later on in the film, making things fairly easy to predict. The most off putting attribute however, was an overtly obnoxious mindset that high school defines you.
The entire movie has a thematic hue suggesting that high school is the precipice on which your entire life will be determined, which (to any high schoolers reading this) is completely untrue. There are also a few action set pieces that are a bit off the mark. At one point Dwayne Johnson’s character places a bullet in exactly the right place with perfect accuracy, but has trouble shooting anyone throughout the rest of the film. The movie also harkens back to 1984’s ’16 Candles’ multiple times for comedic effect, but if you’ve never seen ’16 Candles’ those jokes would make no sense.
When everything is said and done, ‘Central Intelligence’ is a movie worth checking out if you have a free weekend, and definitely will be remembered when discussing the film credits of both Kevin Hart and Dwayne Johnson. Their on screen chemistry is reflective of their being friends in real life, and only adds to the strengths of the film. The film leans a bit on typical action tropes, but still delivers a solid message against the trend of bullying in schools, and doing whatever kinda acts you can to help someone in need. ‘Central Intelligence’ comes out in theaters this Friday the 17th in the U.S.
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