"Zoolander": take two

Who would have though it - nine years later, Ben Stiller's Derek Zoolander is coming back! Stiller will co-write the screenplay with Justin Theroux, writer for "Iron Man 2" and "Tropic Thunder," who will also direct. Jonah Hill is in talks as villain for "Zoolander 2" - and that I would really love to see. Owen Wilson hasn't signed up yet, but I don't believe he'd miss a chance to be "Hansel" again. And clearly Stiller will call up some celebrity buddies to add in quite a few cool cameos in the movie.

"Zoolander" was hilarious in its utter idiocy. Stiller's typically affected representation there felt like a trademark - you almost started to "believe" in Zoolander. After all don't we consider models completely and hopelessly dumb - until they prove otherwise? But all those years later, Zoolander can surely no longer model - he's just an unbelievably clueless middle-aged man in love with his "handsome" looks. So let's see how they will squeeze him back into the fashion industry - as a designer, perhaps?

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Film of the Day: "Tropic Thunder"

"Tropic Thunder" just started showing on TV and just like that solved my dilemma on what to make my first Film of the Day in this blog. "Thunder" is notable in one thing - its the only film with Ben Stiller and, coincidentally, also made by Ben Stiller, which I actually enjoyed. The second place in my Stiller rating is taken by "Zoolander" which is so incredibly stupid that it's not possible to totally hate it.

So why "Tropic Thunder is so good? Because every actor in "Thunder" (and several of them I usually can't stand at all) plays a parody of himself. Stiller is as dumb as ever, and as overacting as ever. Robert Downey Jr. is "convincingly" portrays black man and can't go out of character "till his does DVD commentary." Jack Black is simply obnoxious. Matthew McConaughey is an agent (his hair especially curly giving him an extra cheesy look), who will risk everything just to bring Stiller with TeeVo, which he doesn't even want. There are many adorable moments, including Stiller, a renegade soldier, watching a movie on iPod while hiding out in the jungle on a rainy night. And finally there is almost unrecognizable Tom Cruise - as bold sonovabitch Jewish producer, whose hip-hop dance during final credits is an absolute must-see.