3C - Channing Tatum, Chris Evans & Chris Pine

A few posts ago I mentioned I've always confused myself with Channing Tatum, Chris Evans & Chris Pine. Over the weekend while I was watching "The Host", they showed a new trailer for "Star Trek: Into Darkness", and for a moment I found my inner Ally McBeal popped up and asked myself: What's that fellow's name again? Heck, even two of the three are named Chris. Maybe put it down in an article will help me see where this confusion began, and if there might be a cure :)

Channing Tatum
Born: 26-April-1980 (age 33)
From: Cullman, Alabama, USA
First Movie: Coach Carter (2004) with Samuel L. Jackson

Notable Filmography:
Franchises - G.I. Joe
Male-Targeted Action Movies - Fighting, The Eagle, Haywire
Female-Targeted Romantic Flicks - She's the Man, 10 Years, Dear John, The Vow, Magic Mike
Drama: Side Effects
Silly Fun - 21 Jump Street, The Dilemma

Academy Award: None

Chris Evans
Born: 13-June-1981 (age 32)
From: Boston, Massachusetts, USA
First Movie: The Newcomers (2000), though I have never heard of this film before, so I'm gonna start counting from "Not Another Teen Movie"... yes that's right, that's the silly teen movie rip-off.

Notable Filmography:
Franchises - Fantastic Four, Captain America, The Avengers
Male-Targeted Action Movies -The Losers, Push, Cellular
Female-Targeted Romantic Flicks - What's Your Number
Drama - Sunshine
Silly Fun - Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, Not Another Teen Movie

Academy Award: None

Chris Pine
Born: 26-August-1980 (age 33)
From: Los Angeles, California, USA
First Movie: The Princess Diaries 2 (2004) with Anne Hathaway

Notable Filmography:
Franchises - Star Trek
Male-Targeted Action Movies -Unstoppable
Female-Targeted Romantic Flicks - Just My Luck, This Means War
Drama - People Like Us, Small Town Saturday Night
Silly Fun - Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, Not Another Teen Movie

Academy Award: None




You see the similarity there? They are almost the same age, they came out of stardom almost the same time, and their resumes contain almost the same formula of at least one blockbuster franchise with the balance of male targeted & female-targeted films.

Okay, you might say "don't many other stars have similar resumes too?". Well, kind of. But it's hard to argue "She's the Man", "Just My Luck" and "What's Your Number" are the same movie, or at least different movie depicting the same heroine's different stage of life, and the guy in it is just for decoration. It's also hard to differentiate Captain Duke from Captain America and Captain Kirk, though they actually live in different time era. I can always call out the name of other actors immediately when I see them in films or in pictures, but when I see either one of these three I have to pause for 3 seconds before successfully call out the right name.

So far this year, Channing Tatum had been in supporting roles for two films (Side Effects & G.I. Joe: Retaliation) and he has a few upcoming films including the action flick "White House Down". Chris Evans doesn't have much to offer this year but his real deal comes next year with the second installment in the Captain America franchise. Unlike the two above, Chris Pine didn't have a good year last year when his two films (This Means War & People Like US) kinda bombed box-office & critical wise (no, voice work doesn't count so don't bring up "Rise of the Gurdians"). This year, he will try his luck with two big budget films Star Trek: Into Darkness & Jack Ryan. The formal is automatically a box office gold even before it opens. The true test of Chris's star power will be the latter. Will it be a Jason Bourne (so successful they made three movies out of it, no I don't count the Jeremy Renner vehicle, no offense Mr. Renner but you are not Bourne) or Jack Reacher (so forgettable you forget about it 2 hours after you watch it, thus unlikely to have a sequel)?

Do you have the same problem telling these three apart? Highly unlikely. I've come to be more able to differentiate them now, though it's still a blur from time to time.