Hey, everyone. "Moriarty" here with some Rumblings From The Lab.
I’m still working on my review for this one, and I know Harry saw it last night. I dig it a hell of a lot, but responses are all over the map. Some people love it, some people hate it.
Here’s someone who had a great time...
First time, etc...
Just got out of sneak of Austin Powers 3 and man was I surprised! I had heard quite a bit about the movie beforehand, but lord, nothing can prepare you for the opening which BLOWS the previous two out of the water!
Come for the intro sequence but stay for the movie! All the cameos are HILARIOUS! I would disclose who, but man... you need to be surprised by them!
I laughed so much harder at this one than the second one... don't get me wrong I liked some of the bits of the second but it did not live up to the promise of the first movie. This one did, until the end. I won't spoil what happens but the ending was a bit of a downer for me. But I won't let that ruin the otherwise KILLER experience of Goldmember.
I can honestly say I haven't heard a packed theater laugh this hard in unison since the first Powers flick!
Some of the best jokes: Mini-Me "switching." Scott Evil's attempt at becoming "evil" - "sharks with friggin lasers!"
There is A TON left of the movie as shown by the end credits - DON'T you DARE leave and the only complaints reallly, other than the ending... is the waste of Nigel Powers, Michael Caine and the lack of inclusion of "middle" Number 2- Rob Lowe...
Otherwise, probably the FUNNIEST movie this summer thus far!
Call me DB8teach
... just like this guy, who also enjoyed himself...
Austin Powers 3 may be the best installment in the series. Like a good Monty Python movie, "Goldmember" does not take itself seriously... an early indication of this can be seen in the opening, which I won't spoil for you, except to sat that it may be the funniest opening sequence in the history of celluloid. The guest stars are used expertly here, and Austin Powers easily defeats one of the world's greatest enemies. The plot really doesn't matter here, so I won't discuss it in detail.
The movie doesn't deal with Felicity Shagwell, but I know that most of you would rather forget her (and you totally forget her after a few minutes). It quickly introduces all the main characters after a long, obligatory (but funny) dance sequence. What's amazing is that "Goldmember" is able to (aptly) parodise pop music, Singin' in the Rain, MI:2, Silence of the Lambs, Harry Potter, and many more in its exposition, even before we meet Goldmember, Foxxy Cleopatra , or Nigel Powers. What's even more amazing is the comedic pace this movie keeps, and I'm going to have to see it three more times to catch all the lines that were drowned out by laughter. Everyone in the theater, including my local movie critic (Larry Toppman of The Charlotte Observer), thoroughly enjoyed the movie.
Beyoncé Knowles is fine as Foxxy, and gave me warm memories of Undercover Brother. Myers is great as all four of his characters, including the repellent Goldmember and Fat Bastard. If you didn't like FB in the last movie, don't worry: the scatological humour is used sparsely in this film, though when it appears it's done masterfully. On a recent "Inside The Actor's Studio," Mike Myers discussed his approach to humour: he's very British (a result of his upbringing, of course), and he's not pretentious. I can see what he means, and I see no reason not to laugh at both the highbrow humour (Number 2's new unethical business is a Hollywood talent agency) to the no-brow humour (Verne Troyer gets thrown around a lot as Mini-Me). Though I'm glad Austin isn't drinking crap in this film, I wasn't really bothered by anything, save one of Goldmember's nastier habits.
The movie develops the characters in the franchise, and gives Austin a personal conflict deeper than "loosing his mojo." In this flick, Austin deals with a father who isn't there, played with raunchy humour and vigor by Michael Caine. The movie really doesn't give the Frau or Number 2 much to do, but it does numbers with Seth Green, again great as Scott Evil. The cameo actors, from Nathan Lane to Danny Devito, are great, and Myers steals every scene he's in... sometimes from himself.
There will most likely be a 4th Austin Powers, and after this movie, I can say that I'd watch twenty of these quicker than I'd have twenty Bond flicks. Like with the James Bond series, the best movie is the third one. I dare you to go to this movie and not laugh. This movie may be the third biggest grosser of the summer, but it deserves to be first. The key, however, is to see it with friends. I was front row center with 15 of my friends, and we had the time of our life.
-Sam Spencer IV
... but unfortunately, this guy didn’t agree at all...
Hi Harry. Just got back from an Austin Powers: Goldmember screening. This is my first time sending you something, but I felt I had to after reading the first review of this movie on your site a couple weeks ago. Here are my thoughts:
Sequels. 99% of them suck ass. Suck MAJOR ass. There is no getting around the fact. Sure, there are several that come to mind that rock: The Empire Strikes Back, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Toy Story 2. Even Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me was a step up from its predecessor.
This is not the case with its spawn: Austin Powers: Goldmember.
From the get go, this movie just isn’t funny. Don’t get me wrong, there are some hilarious parts. But, unlike the first 2, which created a kind of “shagedelic” world, this film buckles under the weight of trying to top the first two by keeping within the Austin Powers formula. It starts with an absolutely BRILLANT opening, then fumbles with the once funny dance sequence. The opening dance, which was PERFECT in the SWSM, is an uninspired mess here. In fact, it is down right stupid. They are trying so hard to make you laugh, that they have to talk to the audience to remind you to laugh.
Mike Meyers has become a one trick pony. You have seen all these jokes before. And in this film, he spreads himself too thin. Playing a total of 4 roles, plus having written the film seems to have been his breaking point. Austin Powers isn’t funny. In fact, he isn’t even cool. Fat Bastard is plain stupid. Goldmember is just a silly bad guy and has no real point in the film. Dr. Evil, the former jewel of the cast, is reduced to a bumbling buffoon. Michael Caine as Austin’s father Nigel is excruciatingly annoying. The only bright spot is newcomer Beyonce Knowles, member of Destiny’s Child. Her Foxy Cleopatra is great.
As for the plot…and the flow of the film, you would be better off asking Ray Charles for directions. The editing is atrocious. Parts of this film just don’t belong. Scenes don’t flow into each other. The prison scene with Dr. Evil & Mini Me was out of place and downright uncomfortable. The jokes you laughed in the first two films aren’t funny anymore, and Meyers has obviously not invested anytime coming up with new ones.
That isn’t to say there aren’t funny parts. I laughed at some parts. However, I sat for CHUNKS of this film predicting ever joke and feeling like my time would be better spent reading stereo instructions. And the ending is just insipid. The big secret they have been marketing really isn’t that big of a secret if you are smart enough to make, say…toast.
What can I say? 2 out of 3 ain’t bad. Lets just hope that Austin Powers retires and stays a trilogy.
You can call me Bakes…
This next spy recently provided Head Geek with some important documents, and now he’s here with this review:
Hello Harry,
Thought I'd send along a review of 'Goldmember'.
I've watched all 3 as they have come out, and for the most part still find the concept and characters funny. This one, however, feels the most...forced. I really wish Mike Meyers had been able to make Sprockets, as the lack of perspective that distance give us is lacking here. I'm not saying I didn't like it; I just didn't get from it the sheer joy of the other 2.
Dr. Evil is again plotting to destroy the world, this time with a gold meteor to be brought to earth by a tractor beam. The plans name is "Preparation H". This sets off the familiar Dr. Evil/Scott Evil/Mini-Me love-hate triangle, with the Frau looking wistfully on. Unfortunately, Powers busts in and arrests them all. Later on, the Queen is knighting him for service to England. His father is conspicuously absent, and Austin is the laughing stock of the event. This brings up father issues that Dr. Evil exploits when Powers comes to him to find out who kidnaped Nigel Powers (Michael Caine).
Put on the trail of Goldmember, Austin uses a time-traveling pimpmobile to get to Studio 69, where he bumps into Beyonce Knowles as Foxy Cleopatra. There's a little bit between them via Nathan Lane that is very funny. One thing I came away from this with is that her character was not very developed. Also, Felicity's absence is never addressed.
They try to stop Goldmember, who takes dad and goes back to 2002. Austin must now return to the present, where Dr. Evil and Mini-Me have escaped prison and returned to a new mobile hideout off the coast of Japan.
At this point, Scott Evil manages to finally endear himself to his father with the gift of sharks with lasers (which the good doctor has wanted since the first film). After finally bonding, Mini-Me gets the cold shoulder from the both of them. Lost and alone, he defects to the good guys after a misunderstanding.
Much chasing and drama ensues, with Scott deteriorating progressively into a deep mania. Long story short, we find out Austin and Dr. Evil are brothers, separated at a young age by an auto explosion. Earlier, the did go to the same spy school, but both don't seem to know they're related. Austin wins top honors, and dad is nowhere to be seen again (well, the 'first' time actually).
[MANY MAJOR SPOILERS DELETED!!!]
Fat Bastard is in this, but I really don't know why except for the sumo scene and the Subway reference. The poor freak has been on a 'Jared' diet, and now has nasty skin flap issues.
There's a lot of recycled jokes in this film, which still retain some yuks even if they're the same chairs covered with new paint. The shadow scene and the spacecraft/sexual organ references are there, as well as many penis jokes. Maybe too many. I know some folks can't get enough, but I could have done without more than a few.
If you post this, I'd just like to add that if some Japanese multimillionaire wants to give me several million dollars to make a REAL live-action version of 'Fist of the North Star', I'd have the fans knocking the theatre doors down. No lie, I can do it. Try me.
I am... Van Damned
Wait a minute... did that guy just try to pitch a project in the middle of a review? I’m sorry about that. Ignore him. Slippery bastard...
"Moriarty" out.
