The Full Monty (1997)

To understand the movie, you've got to understand the title. "Full Monty" is a British slang which means everything. The premise of the story is about unemployed steel workers trying to make money by learning to striptease. This premise sets the comedic tone for the movie. I like British humour. Magic Mike goes for the same topic but has a more serious tone.

The characters are well developed as we can understand what their concerns are. They are desperate and need money, yet they are embarrassed to striptease. As a result, the audience would root for the characters. Gaz reminds me of Doctor Who, may be because of his figure and accent.

The plot is a simple formula. The protagonist comes up with a plan and more and more people join. They form a team and have a common goal. Then something goes wrong and the team falls apart. However, they finally manage to pull it together and perform a great show.

What I remember most about the movie is the songs. The selection of the songs are appropriate for the scenes. And the songs, especially You Sexy Thing by Hot Chocolate, make the scenes alive.

This is a movie recommended to watch when in stress. A good laugh would make your stress away.

Once Upon A Time

Once Upon A Time Trailer

Why do antagonists become who they are? I like stories that dwells into the past of characters. For example, Regina became evil because of the tragedies that happened to her love. Audience may root for her. This is much better than the good-versus-bad cliché. Humans are far more complicated than that. Love the psychological approach and development of the characters in Once Upon A Time.