reel critics

Angela Lee, Craig VonFreymann

What she said:

“Zoolander” is nothing but a silly movie, set within a silly plot with

silly characters who deliver silly lines.

Ben Stiller plays Derek Zoolander, a three-time VH1 Male Model of the

Year, who happens to be brainless but extremely good looking. He flits

from party to party with only models for friends and his main concern in

life is Hansel (Owen Wilson), the new model on the horizon, who is

threatening his reign on top.

Enter Mugatu played by Will Farrell. Mugatu is the hottest fashion

designer of the times but after the announcement of the new Malaysian

Prime Minister, who has promised to raise minimum wage and end child

labor, a group of Fashion Industry ‘dons’ ordered Mugatu to kill the

Prime Minister.

So the story flows for approximately 90 minutes as we witness

Zoolander’s blunders, his “walk-off” with Hansel and finally, his attempt

at doing something more meaningful with life -- “Center for Kids Who

Don’t Read Good.”

While “Zoolander” was a silly movie, it had funny moments that made me

laugh out loud.

Jerry Stiller had excellent one-liners and facial expressions that

proved he was perfect for his role. There were also great cameos by

several stars.”Zoolander” is the perfect antidote to a boring afternoon.

SH What he said:Is there more to life than being really, really, really

good looking? There is if you’re Derek Zoolander (Ben Stiller), 3-time

male model of the year. For Zoolander there is teaching people which

clothes and hair products are cool and dreaming of helping kids who don’t

read good. Fortunately for the audience, there is also being really,

really, really funny.

“Zoolander” lives a sort of nonstop Mentos commercial, interwoven with

David Letterman musical montages.

With his male model buddies, Derek moves from pre-party to post-party

without an apparent care in life.

But Derek does have cares; he’s worried that his career is winding

down while archrival Hansel’s (Owen Wilson) is just starting to take off.

And oh yeah, he’s been brainwashed into killing the Prime Minister of

Malaysia.

The evil few, so evil they can only be seen in shadows, has called

upon Mugatu (Will Farewell) to recruit the stupidest male model in the

world to kill the Prime Minister. Mugatu turns to his evil cohort, Mory

Ballstein (Jerry Stiller). Mory is the mastermind behind Balls Models,

Zoolander’s agency.

Both Ben and Jerry Stiller are at their funniest in “Zoolander.”

Wilson is the perfect scooter-riding sidekick. Farwell shines in typical

over the top mayhem. Everything works in “Zoolander.” It spoofs the

fashion world and itself at the same time.

* ANGELA LEE, 31, is an avid moviegoer.

CRAIG VON FREYMANN, 33, Is an avid surfer who enjoys the quality of

life and numerous leisure activities the city offers.

Both recently received their master’s degrees at UC Irvine.