Zoolander 2 - thoughts and ramblings

Normally I just post this stuff on Facebook, but while I was thinking about all that this movie has to say I thought it might be a tad long. Lucky for me I have a half-abandoned blog out there in the world where I can add my thoughts for someone's amusements.

Tonight I went to go see Zoolander 2 with a friend. We are both sick (she has a cold, I have food poisoning) but we bought the tickets on Monday so we kinda had to do the responsible thing and show up. I came into this film a huge fan of the original and I was looking forward to seeing what this would be about. I know it doesn't have a lot of high class standing with the critics, but I never pick my movies based on what critics think.

For most people this is just another comedy, which takes the ending a little too far, just like in the original. For me, as someone with a passing interest in fashion although I am not very fashionable myself - I'm wearing a printed Snape T I bought from the internet and jeans from Kmart as I type - I found this movie to be an excellent satire of the fashion world.

Shown to us through the lens of Derek Zoolander we are exposed to the realities of being a model in the model age. In the original this was shown to us through the child labour that often is abused to make expensive market clothing. This time, we see the model road through many focus points.

NOSTALGIA - there is a character whose entire existence is to show us the audience how seriously

detrimental our love for the past is. Everything he does is from decades earlier. He mocks the slang but says he loves it. Being lame, is somehow cool and he is overjoyed to see Zoolander and Hansel in their vintage looks - even though Hansel and Zoolander were aiming for their best modeling looks. What does this say about modern fashion? The world, in general, is OBSESSED with the past. You name it, we got it. Last year we had a new Jurassic World, new Star Wars, and announcements of 'old school' Pokemon being re-released for modern consoles. Final Fantasy 7 is back, remastered graphics and a tightened storyline, for a modern audience. My Little Pony. Care Bears. nickelodeon just announced it is dedicating it's night time showings to the old cartoons like Rugrats, Rocko's modern life and Doug.

ANDROGENOUS LOOKS - Anyone heard of Andreja Pejić? Probably not. She, formally known as a he, was one of the first well-known androgynous models. Andreja was signed to female fashion labels. Now Andreja is transgendered and lives as a woman and so will be referred to as a woman from now on. No hurt intended, it's just confusing to know when to use the right pronouns... anyway. Androgenous looks were all the rage. In Zoolander, we get All - played by Benedict Cumberbatch - an androgynous model who shows up for about ten minutes. What is the point to all this? Fashion is becoming less classified. Jayden Smith now models - and seems to be wearing by choice - women's clothing. Females have been modelling men's clothes for years. Now, men are doing the same thing. Where this will lead us, I'm not sure but it seems to be headed towards monotonal dominatrix whipping if Zoolander is to be believed.

RITUAL - I don't want to give away the ending because it needs t be seen to be believed. It is full of A-list celebrities, the best fashion creators in the world, and more name dropping then you can handle. The whole scene mocks the ritualistic nature of a fashion house and their ways. They all have their own creations, the different approaches to the same goal. Much like sports stars, if they did something once and it worked, they will rely on it, again and again, believing it is cursed to assist them. This belief is taken to the extreme, of course, but the social commentary isn't lost under all the glamour. Fashion is built on an unwavering faith in ritual.

Overall, Zoolander 2 was everything I thought it would be. I give it a solid 8/10 stars. Some of the cameos were lost on me because I'm old and out of touch I suppose. Again, more satire but I am tired and this is already proving to be long enough without me going on about all he techniques used to ensure the audience is never comfortable, emulating the feeling that Derek feels throughout the film.

This is not a film critics will love. This is not the film that will win Oscars. It might be the film that future generations pick apart in an effort to understand the older generation and our obsession with celebrity, fashion, and the events of our childhood. Brilliant use of my time and worth struggling out of the house to see.