| Product: |
Blades of Glory (DVD) |
| Date: |
05/09/07 (198 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: very funny, different and a great storyline
Disadvantages: none
Background
The film is directed by Josh Gordon and Will Speck and produced by Stuart Cornfield, John Jacobs and Ben Stiller. All the great costumes seen in the film are created by Julie Weiss. The film was released in April 2007 with the tagline – Kick Some Ice. Blades of Glory won BMI Film Music Award and it was nominated for other awards including the MTV Movie Award for Best fight, Best film and Best performance.
Story
At the World Winter Sport Games in 2002, top singular figure skaters are competing for the gold, Chazz Michael Michaels and Jimmy MacElroy. Chazz is known for his wild cowboy antics on the ice which drive the women crazy. Jimmy is known as the innocent blonde with the more elegant approach to skating. When they both draw with the same points they are forced to share the gold but it ends up with them fighting and even setting the mascot on fire. The headquarters of figure skating have no choice but to ban them for life from the sport.
Three and a half years later we see Chazz ends up skating as an evil wizard in a kids show and Jimmy working in a skating shop selling ice skating shoes. However Jimmy’s stalker Hector finds Jimmy and tells him that after reading the rules Jimmy can figure skate again but in doubles. With this loophole Jimmy goes on the search for a team mate.
Chazz and Jimmy meet up again and start fighting which is reported on the news. Jimmy’s coach sees the way they fight and can see they would make a great figure skating team. So with the help of Jimmy’s coach they sign up. However Stranz and Fairchild Van Waldenberg who are brother and sister see this as a threat to there string of gold medals. They get there sister, Katie to spy on them training to see how there competition is and to seduce the sex addict Chazz. When Jimmy finds out he runs out on Chazz. Chazz tries to apologize to Jimmy with hundreds of messages on Jimmy’s answering machine.
Stranz and Fairchild’s plan to split Chazz and Jimmy doesn’t work so they use other measures including handcuffing Jimmy to a pipe in the toilets and tying up Chazz in a warehouse. But they both get to the ring in time to do the one move that no other figure skating team has successfully done in history… the iron lotus!
Characters
Chazz Michael Michaels played by Will Ferrell
He is known for his wild actions and moves on the ice. His rock and roll style moves makes the women go wild for him. He claims to be a sex addict which he goes to sex addicts anonymous to help him with his problems. He is the only figure skater to win four national championships and an adult film award as well as being described as an ice-devouring sex tornado. In his teens he got himself in a lot of trouble and he first took up skating in the underground skating scenes.
Jimmy MacElroy played by Jon Heder
Jimmy is a sensitive, innocent and awkward young skater who was adopted as a child at an orphanage by millionaire Darren MacElroy for his skill at skating. As a young boy he had intense training routine to make him the best figure skater of all time. Jimmy’s acts are graceful and delicate. His blonde hair has been copied by millions of fans over the world. He is well known for keeping a bird hidden in his costume to be released after the performance.
Stranz Van Waldenberg and Fairchild Van Waldenberg played by
Will Arnett and Amy Poehler
They are known as the golden team of doubles figure skating. There parents were Olympic gold medalists but died in a car accident when driving there sister Katie to skating practice. They are cruel, mean and heartless to win the medals every time as well as the cruelty of reminding Katie it was her fault there parents died. They will do anything to stop Chazz and Jimmy from winning the gold. There relationship is very weird as they are inseparable and always wear matching outfits.
Katie Van Waldenberg played by Jenna Fischer
Katie is the unfortunate sister of Stranz and Fairchild. She is daily reminded by them that it is her fault her parents are dead, becoming an outsider of the family. They use this to blackmail her into seducing Chazz and spying on Chazz and Jimmy’s training. Katie falls for Jimmy and they sort of go out on a date even having a very awkward kiss with Jimmy.
Darren MacElroy played by William Fichtner
He is a millionaire who made his money from racing horses but turned his attention on Olympic sports. He then went on the look for orphans he could adopt that had Olympic sport quality to make even more money, which is how he found Jimmy. He trained Jimmy with some extreme training tactics. When Jimmy was banned from figure skating he disowned Jimmy.
Coach played by Craig T. Nelson
Coach helped train up Jimmy but helps both Jimmy and Chazz on the way to win the gold. He believes the only way to beat Van Waldenberg’s is by performing the Iron Lotus. The move is very dangerous and has even resulted in a number of people losing there heads after attempting the move but he believes it will work if two men do the move.
Hector played by Nick Swardson
Hector is the stalker of Jimmy and has been following Jimmy where ever he goes to skate. Hector is even seen wearing some of the costumes when watching Jimmy skate. He helps Jimmy get back into figure skating when he discovers a loophole in the rule book and tells Jimmy its embarrassing to be stalking a has been.
Extras
- Return of Glory – Making of Blades
- Celebrities on thin ice
- Cooler than ice – The super sexy costumes of skating
- Arnett & Poehler – a family affair
- 200 Questions with Scott Hamilton
- Hector – a portrait of a psychofan
- Deleted scenes
- Music Video “Blades of Glory” by Bo Bice
- Gag Reel
- Alternative Takes
- Moviephone unscripted with Will Ferrell, Jon Heder and Will Arnett.
- MTV interstitials
- Photogalleries
I think the extras are excellent. All the extras give you more to the film and even more laughs. There is a huge variety in the extras that will appeal to all sorts of people, people who like deleted scenes to people who love watching interviews. For the price of the DVD it’s great as you have so much more to watch.
Conclusion
Overall I think this is a great comedy film that has been highly rated by critics as well as other people I know that have seen it. There are some fantastic memorable moments in the film from when we see Chazz and Jimmy skating together in training and on the ice as well as the funny ending. The script is full of memorable quotes and had the whole cinema laughing when I went to see it for the first time.
I like the idea behind the film as we have not had a figure skating comedy movie before. The storyline is good idea and just hearing about two male figure skaters teaming up has people laughing already. Having a different type of comedy makes the film fresher and more appealing.
The characters in the film have been well thought out and have a range of different styles. I like how Jimmy and Chazz are two completely different people which work really well. Jimmy is the more juvenile personality lacking any social skills but Chazz is more confident and violating the rules of figure skating. The immature fighting as well as showing off there talent just makes it even funnier to watch. However I think Stranz and Fairchild characters are excellent as well with there crazy matching outfits and strange themes in there figure skating routines.
All the actors in the film did a great performance but I think it was Will Ferrell that stole it with his freelance style of acting which shows he can create great comedy material. I think his character is more memorable for his sex crazy behaviour. I loved all the messages he left on Jimmy’s answering machine which were hilarious, the extras show even more which are just as funny.
Me and my sister really liked Jon’s character as it did remind us of Napoleon Dynamite. His awkwardness and child like personality made him loveable to the audience. His peacock costume looked excellent on him and worked really well with his feminine manner.
One thing the film should be credited for is the time and effort the actors to put into the film by learning to skate and to perform some of the moves. All the actors performed really good performance with a hint of comedy and silliness. The effects were at a high-quality by using strings and stunts to make it feel you were seeing the characters performing for real.
Julie Weiss should be credited for her great costumes. The costume that they used when performing was inspired by famous figure skaters such as Jimmy’s peacock costume was inspired by Johnny Weir's iconic “The Swan” costume from the 2005-2006 season. Also the funky over the top matching outfits of the Van Waldenberg’s and the fire and ice matching costumes worn by Chazz and Jimmy.
Bad bits
Even thought the film was really good it won’t be very memorable film. But it’s still worth watching. The film does have some slow at parts and it’s a typical comedy film which has been seen before. I think the film could have had more training scenes as it seemed to jump from both being really bad together to being really good team. I think it would have been better to have more training scenes as they made the film even funnier.
Quotes
Hector: I totally want to cut off your skin and wear it to my birthday... It's coming up...
Chazz: No exaggeration, I could not love a human baby more then I love this brush.
Jimmy: Get out of my face.
Chazz: I'll get inside your face
Jimmy: I see you got fat.
Chazz: I see you still look like a fifteen year old girl, but not hot.
Chazz: Personal philosophy? Clothing optional.
Chazz: Whoever invented rope was a real a-hole!
Jimmy: Hi, you've reached Jimmy, if you can dream it, you can do it!
Jimmy: When I was eight, my dad had me get a circumcision to minimalize air resistance
PRICE?
Most shops seem to sell it at £12.99
ThAnKs FoR rEaDiNg :-)
Summary: two male figure skaters come together to kick some ice
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