Hey, everyone. "Moriarty" here with some Rumblings From The Lab.
Okay, here's the deal. Miramax did a coast-to-coast sneak tonight for JAY & SILENT BOB STRIKE BACK, and we're getting buried under an avalanche of reviews. I'm going to start posting as many as I can, in the order received, as soon as I get back from dinner. There's a maximum size to how big an AICN article can be, and I'll keep posting them until I run out of room on this particular form. After that, we're full up. Go have your baby Jesus in someone else's barn.
First up, a glimpse into... The Infinite.
Hey, Harry. The Infinite here, world's only two-time undefeated iRCW champion and wrestling's Last Boyscout (which goes to show my taste in movies) here. Just got back from JASBSB, and hoping my proximity to the theater lets me get in an early review for people who are waiting in line, hoping to see the best Keven Smith movie ever, with hard-earned money in their pocket. You see, as a true good guy, I feel it is my duty to warn these people...
Do not, under any circumstances, leave to go the bathroom. If you do, you'll miss something. Doesn't matter what, it's all good. This is Kevin Smith's funniest movie to date. It realizes that it's just one long joke, and so it does what it's meant to do. And it does it damn well. This is the movie everyone's been waiting for... a single movie that ties Dogma, Chasing Amy, Mallrats, and Clerks together I don't think the crowd went more than thirty seconds without a laugh. Unless there was cheesecake on the screen. Which there was from time to time. Give the movie an emmy nod for costuming. When you see it, you'll know what I mean.
Without giving away spoilers, it's hard to tell people just how damn funny this movie is. Let me just say this: If you walked out of South Park, don't bother with JASBSB. If you've ever seen a Kevin Smith movie, go see this. If you hate Kevin Smith, but have ever posted anything in AICN's talkback, go see this movie. If you're a stoner, go see this movie. Then turn yourself in to the cops. Drugs are bad, kids. Take your vitamins.
The only downsides of the movie: It's length (The movie's about 90 minutes... personally, I like my movies longer... there had to be more jokes to put in there somewhere), and the fact that it is, quite probably, the last Jay and Silent Bob movie. But let's hope Smith keeps doing comedy, because he mails every joke and pegs every satire in the film. I count it as well worth my eight bucks (fifteen after soda and popcorn) to go see. Hopefully, everyone else will too. Snoogans.
Then "L" popped in with a few observations:
Just saw a sneak peak of J&SB in Washington, DC. Here is my quick take on the movie. It was funny, but not hilarious. Good, but not great. As everyone knows right by now the movie is about Jay and Silent Bob's trip to Hollwood to stop the making of the Blunt Man & Chronic movie so all the talk backers won't say nasty things about them on the net. Its a funny enough concept, but the problem with the movie is it takes Jay & Silent Bob to long to actually get to Hollywood. Once they do, the movies pace really picks up. Unfortunately, there is only a half hour left of the movie at this point. Along the way they get involved in a silly diamond caper involving 4 female thieves and a monkey. I won't go into further detail, but this part of the movie really drags. The funniest moments are all the cameos (3 of the stars of American Pie 2 have cameos) involving the stars of the past View Askew movies and especially the Good Will Hunting 2 scene with Matt Damon and Ben Affleck.
I know this is his last View Askew movie and that is a good thing because Kevin Smith seems a little bored with the concept. Jay and Silent Bob worked great in such movies as Clerks and Chasing Amy for the simple fact that they weren't the main characters in the movie. They appeared every once in while as comic relief to great effect. In Dogma and this movie they were given more screen time and as the old saying goes, you can have to much of a good thing. Oh well. The movie was still enjoyable. I will look forward to seeing what Kevin Smith will do now that he is going into new territory. I can't wait to see what he will do with Fletch. Heres to hoping that Jason Lee is cast as Fletch. So to wrap this up, J&SB is fun, but Kevin Smith has yet to make a movie better then Chasing Amy.
You can call me L
Mr. Light chimed in with:
Hey Harry, call me Mister Light if ya need to. Long time reader, first time poster. I'm a big fan! Saw the advanced screening of JAY AND SILENT BOB STRIKE BACK today, don't know if you're interested in a review for a movie coming out a week from now but here goes...
First of all I'm a huge Kevin Smith fan. I think CLERKS and DOGMA are the best ones, AMY is good if a little melodramatic for my tastes, MALLRATS is the weakest but still very enjoyable. I'd have to put JAYBOB above AMY, though quality wise it isn't, but it's more entertaining that's for sure. I suppose no movie lives up to hype, and I was expecting a little more from the film even though I think was great. As it was, it was 'Kevin Smith does a Road Film' and I was hoping for a lot more View Askew crossovers, which were criminally underdone but still the best bits of the movie. I was particularly hoping for *a lot* more Dante and Randall, and a lot more Jason Lee, as Bankie and Brodie. Oh well.
So: great very funny road movie starring Jay and Silent Bob (do they warrant a movie themselves? It's iffy but they carry it off). All the cameos are great, all the jokes are funny, etc, etc. The jewel thief chicks were very hot and very funny (FAITH! and Shannon Elizabeth is charming for the first time I've ever seen). I dunno if I buy a Jay-Elizabeth romance though... The Hollywood stuff was good as well, though the movie parodies were too blatant for my tastes, it didn't feel like Kevin Smith. Especially that whacked-out lightsaber fight- where did that come from?!
It's a real shame this is the final View Askew film because it didn't resolve much of anything from all the previous movies as I'd hoped, and it didn't feature the previous characters nearly as much as I'd like. But it's probably the best Road Movie I've seen outside of Blues Brothers (not the greatest genre in the world), and it IS Kevin Smith. So it's highly recommended, regardless of its faults. And for the record it was 97 minutes before they went to plain vanilla credits.
And our last reviewer of Round One is a guy called... Bastion.
Hey Harry, I'm writing in with yet another Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back review. I've read your site for a few years now, and I've finally been given a sneak preview of a movie of interest. If ya use this here review, just call me Bastion.
So I read in the paper this morning that J&SBSB is getting a sneak peak at three, count 'em, three, local theaters. This being Delaware, where the most exciting thing we have goin' on is being near New Jersey, I was quick to the theater to reserve 2 two tickets for a friend and I. Wasn't necessary, as the theater was hardly full around the 7:30 showtime. I'll break the movie down into parts.
Visuals
I think, as many do, that this is Smith's glossiest film yet in terms of visual finesse. We have a dynamic camera in many parts, and for the kinetic energy of Jay, this works very well. The costumes are all there, although this is no Amadeus. It's good to see the familiar locals of the New Jersey films, like the Quick Stop, etc. The familiar faces help as well. There area ton of neat sight gags (like Jay and Silent Bob running through the Miramax lot, where there is apparently a Daredevil movie being filmed as well). To keep this short, the J&SBSB is easy on the eyes, especially with those hot girls in there. It mixes the styles of all of Smith's previous films into a cohesive whole that just looks great and works very well.
Audio
The music in this film was great. Smith's selection of tunes is up there with Ritchie in many ways; the music is so very awesome and so very appropriate. And the song that closes the film is fuckin' hilarious. I've never seen an entire audience stay for the whole of the credits. While not as refined as music in, say, a Wes Anderson flick, Smith's taste works well, probably because the music he and Jason Mewes listened to growing up and doing the crazy shit J&SB do is what's in the film. The bass riffs and assorted sound effects work well, and keep the film light and speedy.
The Rest
Well, I'm getting long winded here, so let's just wrap this thing up. The movie was a joy. I knew it was gonna be funny, but it was pretty much nonstop. It had so many in jokes from the Smith-, comic book-, Star Wars-, and internet subcultures that it simply demands to be viewed again. While some of Smith's films may be better overall, J&SBSB is the most energetic and consistent in the humor department.
~Bastion
Ahhhh... a damn fine meal with good friends, a wee bit of a movie with my girlfriend before she falls asleep, and the whole time, you've been filling the e-mail inbox with even more glimpses at J&SBSB. Let's run through a few more, shall we?
First up, there's Daedalus:
Hey Harry. I just got back from a sneak preview of Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back and I’m chiming in with my review.
I am a Kevin Smith fan (and that might be a factor in why I like this movie so much). I did a KS marathon before going to the theater so that I could catch all the references possible, and that ended up working greatly to my benefit.
This movie is unbelievably funny. The only time I wasn’t laughing was when I was catching my breath between jokes, and I was barely given enough time to do that. There is so much stuff to process here that J&SBSB warrants an extra viewing because no human being could possibly catch all of the jokes, references and cameos.
A word on the cameos. Anybody who wants to trash this movie will likely say the following: “Smith is just trotting people he knows in front of the camera just to show that he has connections in Hollywood. Bitch bitch bitch, whine whine whine, etc.” I personally had a very good time playing “spot the cameo”. KS even knows when to make fun of himself a bit on this subject (no spoilers in this review, but it’s printed in big colorful letters).
Back to the humor. The reason why this movie is so funny is that 90% of the jokes are in-jokes. If Smith didn’t refer to his other movies so much, J&SBSB would not be nearly as funny as it is. My suggestion is that before one goes to this movie, they should have all of Smith’s films fresh in memory. It makes the movie so much more enjoyable. KS also knows just the right time to make fun of himself.
Another piece of advice for viewers: stay until the end of the credits. Trust me. The laughs don’t stop until the lights come up.
Call me Daedalus.
Then the Bad Lieutenant pulled us over and did something nasty on the side of the car...
First off let me say I am in the minority as I liked Mallrats the best out of all of Kevin Smith's films. Clerks was alright, but quite amateurish. Chasing Amy was self-indulgent tripe and Dogma lacked any and all courage of its convictions. But I do love Jay and Silent Bob so I was really looking forward to this film. I was hoping the preview was so bad because all the good jokes were too dirty for the trailer--I was dead wrong.
There is really nothing too good about this movie. It feels tired 10 minutes in. The jokes are flat and obvious. Kevin Smith writes that internet geeks don't get laid. Wow, that's a real original thought--is it supposed to be funny? It's amazing how bothered Smith is by fanboys on the internet. And Chris Rock making racist jokes about stupid white boys--I don't know who wrote thiseither way it is lazy and completely unfunny. It was second rate black comedian humor (think Simpsons-"Black guys drive like this...white guys drive like this") Will Ferrell is wasted and got nary a laugh. The bullshit Charlie's Angels rip stops the movie cold. No one in the theatre was laughing, and the actresses were trying way too hard, especially Ali Larter, who seems to be picking worse and worse rolls after a good showing in Final Destination.
All in all the movie was a huge disappointment, with hardly any weed humor and a boring, stupid action sub-plot. Surprising considering how good the Jay and Silent Bob comic was. Why Smith did not just adapt this is beyond me. And he is so obviously jealous of Paul Thomas Anderson--jealous of his budgets and the fact his "ultra-personal" script for Magnolia got nominated for an Oscar. Smith could have made a balls out down and dirty drug filled raunch fest but instead he gives us this safe nonsense. Once Smith put a disclaimer on Dogma he really has shown what a complete ass he is, not even taking into account all his bold statements that he seems to have to retract constantly. Jay and Silent Bob is further proof of how Smith takes it way too safe.
--Bad Lieutenant
The Stolen Recognizer was on the spot in Toronto, and sent in a fairly hefty look at the flick:
Greetings, Program.
I'm transmitting from a stolen Recognizer, having just returned from Toronto's Advance Sneak of Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. I wanted to extend my thoughts on the film... though at this point many people will likely have already had the chance to see it. And in fact, I suspect (and to save you time, will *conclude*) that most people will have already made up their minds to see it. With respect to recommending (or not) this movie, *If you like Kevin Smith's films, see it*. *If you don't like Kevin Smith's films, see it only if you want to build up a powerful inner rage*. And *if you don't know Kevin Smith's films, rent "Clerks", "Mallrats", "Chasing Amy" and maybe "Dogma" before you see "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back".
---WHAT THE MOVIE IS
Ostensibly, this is the last "View Askew" (ie. Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy, Dogma (kinda) and JSB) film... and it's clear that Kevin Smith had no intention of maturing as a filmmaker in this enterprise. This is fortunate, as we're spared the pretension that has innundated all but the lightest of popcorn flicks in the past 8 months. What we get, instead of a well-considered polemic about the thoughtless criticism of honest artistic efforts (and perhaps, conversely, thoughtless acceptance of crappy schlock) is some tension-relieving stupidity and the man Jay saying "Fuck" from the first 45 seconds of the movie until it stops resounding in our heads hours later.
I've been a fan of Smith since I saw Clerks, and I'm a pop-culture addict, and I read AICN Talkback, and so I feel that I was in Smith's targeting reticle, as it were, for this movie's humour. It was funny, largely. There are times when Jay makes you cringe more than he makes you laugh... there were times when this movie made me roll my eyes more than it made me give up the props.
---STUFF THAT WASN'T SO GREAT
The sticking point for me was the movie's reliance on celebrity cameos to elicit laughs. Where Mallrats derived its strength from things like Jay and Silent Bob's meticulous planning of shenanigans (And we dance on the ruins of the stupid stage!), JSBSB would ask us to laugh at (UNNAMED DIRECTOR) simply appearing in the movie, acting distracted by (UNNAMED PROPS). The problem is that we *know* that Kevin Smith is famous now. If we saw Kevin or Jason Mewes on the street, we'd likely react to them the way we'd react to someone like (UNNAMED SUCCESSOR TO LENNY BRUCE'S COMIC SOCIAL CRITICISM) or (UNNAMED SPELLING/STAR STARLET). So it's not always terribly funny to find out that Kevin Smith can convince these famous people to be in his movie. It's occasionally effective, most noticeably when they take the piss out of their "celebrity image". But that's not much of a sacrifice when their own recent films haven't been particularly successful or audacious. We'd make fun of them too.
Also, hot as Shannon Elizabeth was, I didn't feel like she was doing much more than recite stock "romantic interest" verbiage. Reminiscent of Heather Graham's performance as Felicity Shagwell... very pretty, but you feel that they had little idea of what was going on comedically or dramatically. But again, let me repeat the proviso that this movie was not made with such things as "artistic ambition" in mind. Elizabeth was quite good in her character's role as a (JOB THAT HER CHARACTER DID)... just, her stuff with Jay never really came off the page. You could tell that the actress was having fun, though.
---STUFF THAT WAS SO GREAT
Yo, Mewes carries a whole film on his shoulders. He was essentially the star of Dogma too, wherein Fiorentino (like Shannon Elizabeth in JSBSB) was in a slightly different movie than the one Kevin Smith was directing. Except this part is the positives, so let's just say that even when Mewes is bad, he's good. He's Jay! If you don't like Jay, you should be watching Magnolia.
Also, Kevin Smith did something egregiously difficult: he made me enjoy watching Will Ferrell. Ordinarily I find him hard to take... the "Swimming Cheerleader" routine on SNL was horrifying to me, and though "Celebrity Jeopardy" remains one of my favourite SNL skits in recent memory, I owe that to the work of Darrell Hammond and Jimmy Fallon more than to Ferrell, who didn't do anything remotely resembling an Alex Trebek impression. Still, in his role as The Marshall, he's pretty sharp in this film... his reactions are effective and his lunacy is in the right milieu for it to shine.
"Gay Jokes" -- this is a touchy topic, since you know this movie will be rife with humour related to the subject of homosexuality and, subtextually, homophobia. It's immaturely handled, though that's its prerogative (and it's certainly no excuse). One must realize that, as Jay almost acts as this movie's narrative voice, the movie's not going to be "My So-Called Life" or "Chasing Amy". Still, since I hope that people will ground themselves in Smith films before seeing this, hopefully they'll realize that the man's got a grip on reality and is making no attempt to ridicule a group based on their sexual preferences. A disclaimer in the copious credits will attest to this.
Finally, this movie was a fun game of "Where's Waldo" with respect to celebrity hunts and View Askew references.
---CONCLUSION
The Advance Screening was not as densely packed as I'd anticipated. To all appearances, it was largely Smith Diehards. That said, there was continuous laughter from the audience (though my own was a bit more sparse), with some applause. It's a movie for Smith Diehards. They have served their master well, and will be rewarded.
If you'll excuse me, I have a lightcycle race to disrupt. Hoist the jolly roger, matey.
Stolen Recognizer
Look out! Here comes Boinks!!
Hey Harry!
This is my first movie review, so please forgive me if this sounds extremely stupid.
I caught one of the many sneak preview screenings of "Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back" tonight. Honestly, I have never laughed so hard in my entire life. I am a long time Kevin Smith fan, and, laugh for laugh, this is his funniest yet. The cameos were terrific, the comedy was in peak condition, and the slapstick was at it's slappiest.
I don't want to give too much away for those who havn't been reading spoilers on this film, but I must say that no one should get up to go to the bathroom at all...DON'T EVEN BLINK! Every frame of this film is pure comedy. At the end, realizing that the film was the last of Kevin's wonderful Jersey series, which are almost a genre unto themselves by now, almost brought a tear to my eyes. If I hadn't been laughing so hard, that is.
A word of advice: Stay until the credits are completely finished rolling. You'll be pleasantly surprised. I for one will see this movie again, and again, and again.
That's about it.
Sincerley,
Boinks.
In an e-mail titled "Hand Me That Robot, Sparky," Ghostchamber piped up to add in his feelings on the film...
Hey Harry,
Sorry about the subject line, it was just a ploy to get you to read this email. That's horribly pathetic of me, but I was hoping to nab at your curiosity. Anyway, just got back from a sneak preview of Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back and figured I'd chime in with my review.
Basically, the plot everyone should know by now. The peas in a pod find out through an old friend named Brody that there's a movie being made based on the popular Bluntman & Chronic comic book series. Of course, Jay & Bob are angered by this because they don't think they're getting any money out of it, seeing as how they hadn't heard anything prior. So, they head off on a road trip to Hollywood to seek out Banky Edwards, the owner of the franchise (Holden sold his rights to Banky).
The simple plot serves as sort of a vessel for a plethora of the most immature humor that can be attained in modern cinema. And, I tell you, I loved every minute of it. It seems to be crafted for the Kevin Smith fanboys, which may not ensure a huge commercial success but will at least deliver what it is supposed to.
I love the fact that Kevin can touch up on more serious topics, like from Dogma and Chasing Amy. I also love that he can take a step back to his roots and make one of the silliest comedies to hit the screens this year. The audience seemed to agree, as the laughter was roaring almost constantly.
It's the same group of actors (kinda feels the Aronofsky or P.T. Anderson effect), reprising roles from the previous films (Jason Lee doubling as Banky and Brody, Ben Affleck for Holden and himself). It was nice to revisit Dante and Randall's bickerings in Quick Stop, as well as Brody and his comic books.
My one problem is that I feel Kevin Smith's direction lacks visual appeal. This didn't really hinder my opinion of the film, because it is a GREAT comedy. However, I still think he needs to work on setting up shots that can grab the eye. His writing is dead-on-fantastic (as always), and the comedy is perfectly timed and executed. Jason Mewes is fantastic as usual, and Kevin's over-the-top facial expressions as Silent Bob make for some serious gut-laughter. I just wish it was a bit more to look at.
Kevin still remains one of my favorite filmmakers, though. Besides, does anyone really go to a comedy for eye-candy? I certainly didn't, I just notice these things. It's great fun, and does exactly what it should.
But hey, what do I know? I liked Magnolia. :)
-Ghostchamber
Any self-respecting stoner knows the great stoner characters in film history, and if you don't know our next reviewer, Slater, then you need to go to the video store immediately. I'd tell you what film he was in... but I'm sooooo wasted...
I don't know if you need another J&SBSB review, but I don't really care either. Living in the barren State of Kansas, the Utter Asshole of America, I never get a chance to send in scoops or news, and I'm not about to pass up the shallow boner I'll get from seeing my name in print just because you're deluged with reviews. Besides--I want to see all the insults that the little Talkback fucks dredge up for me.
No spoilers, either.
To put in bluntly (and sweet buttered Christ, you'd better believe that there's no pun intended there), this is more than the funniest movie of the year. It's also more than the BEST movie I've seen this entire year. This is the best comedy of the last decade, and quite possibly the funniest movie I've ever seen in my life. Funnier than Blazing Saddles, Caddyshack, Ghostbusters, Dumb and Dumber, Some Like It Hot, South Park, Groundhog Day, The 'Burbs, Breakfast Club, Spaceballs and Airplane. The only movie which comes even remotely close to "Jay and Silent Bob"'s laugh ratio is "Monty Python and the Holy Grail."
Strong words? You bet your sweet ass. And let me say right now, straight off the bat, that most of the aforementioned are definitely BETTER movies, many of them with smarter scripts, better direction, better acting, etc. You're not going to find the socio-political ideologies of Python here, or the daring, boundary-pushing comedic techniques of classic Brooks, Allen or Zucker here. But, let's face it--if you go into a comedy expecting any of those things, you're probably an anal-retentive fuck to begin with. You have my pity, and my mocking laughter.
Nah, all you'll find in "Jay and Silent Bob" is laughs. A shitload of them. I drove all the way across this goddamn state to find a theater with a sneak preview (indoor plumbing would have been nice also, you sister-slurping shitheads), and I drove the entire way back with a huge grin plastered across my face. At this moment, four or so hours after the film ended, my face is literally aching from smiling too much. It's been years since I've been able to say that.
Is the movie perfect? No, of course not. There's one or two jokes that are painfully awkward, and a lot of casual viewers aren't going to get all of the references to past flicks. So be it. As it stands, the film is funny for almost two solid hours, with fantastic performances from every single actor, a few of the best cameos I've ever seen before, a huge chunk of brilliant and subtle satire mixed in with the prediliction for dick and fart jokes, and the single best movie-going experience I've had since "Fight Club".
And, basically, the reason I'm writing this review in the first place is that I'm hoping it gets printed and I'm hoping that Kevin Smith is reading this right now. If so, then Kevin: Thank you so much--not only for this film, but for all of the joy and inspiration that a struggling young writer with a heavy appreciation for the word "fuck" has gotten from your work over the last decade. Thanks.
Slater
HOLY SHIT!! WHAT'S THAT THING ON MY SHOULDER!?? Oh... jeez... maybe I shouldn't have smacked him. Looks like he's wearing... a top hat... on a bug... and what's this in his hand? Oh, crap, it's a review from Jiminy Cricket...
Hey Harry. I'm here with a look at Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, one of what I'm sure is a slew of such reviews that you're getting tonight. Ah, that was beautiful. This movie is simply a continuous series of scenes putting Jay and Silent Bob into various situations as we get to watch how they respond. I would start listing them, but that would totally spoil the movie. What's amazing is that this is all the movie needs to be fantatically fun, because the two characters are just so strong and distinct in the way they do things that they always respond in the right way, and, as they say, hilarity ensues. You might almost say it's a one joke movie, because there's Jay yapping away in that way that only Jason Mewes can do, and Silent Bob doing his great facial reactions, with the occasional verbal outburst of something fabulously funny in they way that only Kevin Smith can do. It ought to be predictable, it ought to never work, but it totally does. Plus, we get to have a little reunion with almost every character that has ever been in a Kevin Smith film, which is simply amazing that he continues to be able to get them all to keep coming back. And, of course, there's the "guess the cameo" game that we get to play throughout the film. Just make sure you applaud when Mark Hammil appears.
There's only a couple of things I'd be a little critical about. The first is that I don't know how a non-Kevin Smith fan would react to it. With this being the 4th Kevin Smith film that I saw today, I suppose I can safely say that I'm a fan (as was most of the audience), so I don't quite know if it would be nearly as funny if you haven't seen his other films, because they're just so many references to them. Plus, I imagine it would be a little confusing to see Jason Lee and Ben Affleck both play two different characters, which was so cool to see for those of who got it, but might not work for the rest of the world. You can totally tell that Kevin Smith made this film for his fans, which is great because sometimes it seems like a lot of filmmakers nowadays don't respect their fans as much as they should (coughlucascoughspielberg). If you're already a Kevin Smith fan, there's no way you won't like this movie, but if you're not, I'm not convinved it will make you one. Anyhoo, my other little problem is that there was simply not enough Jason Lee. I love Jason Lee. He has such great attitude with everything he says that he belongs for all time in Kevin Smith films, but he also has some ability to make all his characters different in a way that I really don't understand but absolutely adore. He needed to be around more. Now, I suppose I can accept that with so many characters who we needed to see a bit in this movie, we can only get each one for so long. Still, he's great when he is there, and damn if everyone else isn't too.
I'm your Con, I'm your Science. Yes, I'm...
Jiminy Cricket
p.s. Make sure you stay through the credits, because the song that's played is...well...it's just perfect, and because there's a nice little touch at the very end, as View Askew comes to a close.
The Eternal Marlowe is also on the case:
But what the hell.
Call me The Eternal Marlowe.
When an artist with an established following says he's doing "One for the fans," you'll sometimes find that he has little understanding of who those fans are or little regard for their taste. Such exercises are often lazy rehashes of the artist's own better work, Kevin Smith has made this movie for his fans, and, thank Alanis, it turns out that he has quite a bit of repsect for our intelligence, wit, and love for movies, his and everybody else's.
Though there are some moments you suspect represent the seventy-eighth or senventy-ninth take of a piece of tricky dialogue, Jason Mewes acquits himself pretty admirably in this movie, and it's a good thing, too, because if he tanks, all the Hollywood in-jokes and cameos in the world won't save the film. For me, he worked, so I thoroughly enjoyed it. He mugs, yes, but he also emotes and tries very hard to bring some growth to the Jay character. Smith's script also forced the character to change, even if just a little.
My favorite comedies are often box-office bombs because I admire movies in which everyone involved will do anything it takes to get a luagh, highbrow humor, lowbrow humor, whatever. Mel Brooks used to make movies like that, movies that mixed obvious "see it coming from a mile off" schtick played with utter abandon to surprise "what in the world were they smoking" ninety degree turns. Later, he got lost in the wilderness of parody, unable, it seems until late to find his way back to that merciless barrage of wit and foolishness that got him his start. As a more recent example, _Hudson Hawk_ comes to mind, a movie almost universally reviled by everyone but me and about five of my friends who all own copies, e-mail each other when me make fresh 'discoveries' and laugh until we hurt ourselves. Now I know that I'm probably not doing Brother Smith's cause much good with that particular comparison, but It's meant as a hearty compliment.
This movie drags a little in places, and some of the scenes start off a little clunkingly, but that's more of an unavoidable offshoot of the film's focus on just the two main characters. If you've only got two people to work with, and one of them isn't supposed to talk, you end up with a few awkward moments where a character ends a scene with "Let's go!" immediately followed by the same character saying, "Here we are!" What helps here is the sharp eye Smith last demonstrated in _Chasing Amy_ for the reasons people do the things they do, the human perception that he shows us in the first scene, where the two heroes meet under throughly random circumstances, or just how sad Holden McNeill looks in his ratty little loft sans Amy, sans Banky, Sans fat Bluntman and Chronic payday, sans everything. Mr. Smith's dick and fart jokes are only the the fills and the flourishes in his music. It's these little moments of humans being humans that is the real bass line.
All this I read about this being his last trip into the Askiewniverse saddens me. I want to live in a world with a Hooper X in it, where he might even get his own movie someday, just as I hope Brother Tarantino will do a modern dress remake of Yojimbo with Smauel L. Jackson's Jules Winfield in the Toshiro Mifune role. These are movies I long to see but almost certainly never will. If he feels he's got to move on, then Godspeed, Mr. Smith, and thank you for one last trip to the secret Stash.
All is forgiven.
The Eternal Marlowe
The Thoroughly Modern Genevieve has a crush on Paul Dini. Poor, poor, girl... I had to run her review just out of sympathy for her "condition."
Hi there!
Well, I heard from a very hush hush inside source (ok, an usher who goes to my school and has a crush on my best friend) that there was a sneak preview of this newest Kevin Smith film that’s been getting a ton of ‘net press. Being the caring, understanding, loving, selfless, and stunningly beautiful (wait a minute—that doesn’t follow the theme! Ah well…) baby sister I am, I happened to know that all three of my older brothers are big fans of Mr. Smith. So, obligingly, I notified them and then tagged along for the ride to Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back. I went mostly because it was bound to be way funnier than the last movie I saw, “Dying To Dance” (which, I’d like to add, I watched with a group of ballerinas who during the course of the movie ate two whole pies, four bags of jumbo potato chips, two large bowls of popcorn, and about four large pizzas) and, well, because I heard there was a cameo from Paul Dini, and I love Paul Dini (you’d understand if you saw the size of my Batman collection--let’s just say that I single handedly support Sweden through the purchase of easily assembled bookcases).
My thoughts:
I’m afraid I’m not usually a big fan of movies that involve a lot of swearing, drug jokes, and potty humor—I know, I know, tsk, tsk, Miss Dillmount—but my feeling is that when I want tons of swearing, drug jokes, and some of the dirtiest humor I’ll ever hear, I’ll just take my earplugs out at school. This movie, though, was different. It had tons of those types of jokes—but they were funny! And they didn’t get on my nerves like they normally do, helped by the fact that the film didn’t rely solely on potty humor (coughcoughScaryMoviecoughcough) for laughs and knew when they were getting tired (coughcoughSNLcoughcough). PLUS, the previews didn’t give away the whole movie or the funniest jokes—woohoo! I don’t know who cut the trailers, but some film marketers should be taking notes. A lot of the inside “Clerk” type jokes went over my head since I haven’t seen the other Kevin Smith movies, but I managed to pick up on most of them. The poking fun at Hollywood was hilarious Plus, Mark Hamill uses his Joker voice—yeay! I almost cheered in the theater then and there (pathetic, I know).
Any problems? The pre-movie trailers were pathetic--only two! One for Iron Monkey which I couldn't decipher--was it supposed to be a joke, or to be taken seriously?, and another that was so bland I've already forgotten it. With the actual movie? Not really. One or two jokes fell flat for me, but the rest of the audience was cracking up. I was extremely happy to see the two of the most annoying young actors in Hollywood get their hineys whooped, yet alas, Freddie Prinze Jr. was not among them (curses! I had to sit through Head Over Heels and I demand retribution!).
To summarize: Jay And Silent Bob is no Casablanca, but then again, I fell asleep during Casablanca and managed to stay awake during the entire duration of this movie. Out of a possible ten, I’d give it a nine, and that’s only ‘cause I’m a tough scorer :).
Have a nice day!
- Thoroughly Modern Genevieve
P.S. I forgot, The Others was the last movie I saw with a group of friends, not “Dying to Dance.” My verdict? Definitely scary (I screamed twice and totally freaked out the poor guy sitting next to me), but no classic like Sixth Sense, or, perhaps the best horror film of all time, Wait Until Dark. Then again, Sixth Sense didn’t give me any nightmares, and I had two after seeing The Others...
Slash0723 fired off a quickie...
Just came back from the sneak preview of Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back and I gotta tell you that it was the movie I was waiting all summer for. All the cameos (especially of a certain dog and some meddling kids) and well thought out humor makes this the summer flick we really needed.
Jay and Silent Bob find out that Bluntman and Chronic (their comic book alter egos) are being turned into a movie and are hellbent on getting money for their likenesses, so they head out to Hollywood. On the way there, they meet up with gorgeous animal activists (Shannon Elizabeth, Eliza Dushku, Ali Larter), a wildlife agent (Will Ferrell), and some other cameos that I'd rather not disclose (Just go out and watch it. You'll love it).
The furor that GLAAD has made about it being offensive must be to muster up free publicity, because I saw it as being one thing: JUST A MOVIE!! I support the gay community but this move was not locical in anyway, shape or form. Getting back to the flick, the scene that cracked everyone up in the theater was the Movie Poop-Shoot scene and the responses that the making of the movie brought about (remind anyone of a certain place?). All the subtle humor from the other Askew flicks make the rounds and plenty are well hidden. Keep an eagle's eye out for them all.
There wasn't a thing that felt wrong about this movie. It was filled with laughs from beginning to end and if you're View Askew fan, REJOICE!! If this is the last Jay & Silent Bob flick, then it ends with a bang.
Call me Slash0723
... as did Boo Boo Kitty Fuck...
Just got back from a sneak preview showing of Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back in Fullerton, CA. I have to say that the film was funny as hell. The film is about Jay and Silent Bob's likeness being portrayed in a film, Bluntman and Chronic. That doesn't seem to bother them, but being made fun of on the internet does. They get pissed off at being called ball-lickers and cocksuckers. So they decide to go to Hollywood to ruin the movie. They are basically ribbing all those that go to websites like this and other similar to it to critique and criticize films.
Those that have not seen any of the other View Askew films will probably not get the film, but get a few general laughs. However, if you have seen all the previous View Askew films, you will not be disappointed. This film is chock full of cameos from all the films, and even from people that you would never expect to be in the film. And everyone seems to have a good time at poking fun at themselves, especially Ben Affleck, Wes Craven and of course Mark Hamill (who's cameo is the best out of all of them. He had some great lines - "That will teach you to mess with a Jedi master").
Overall, I thought the film was awesome. You will probably have to see the film twice to get all the View Askew in-jokes as they pop out a mile a minute. Unfortunately, the rest of the audience might have as good a time not being in on all the jokes.
3 1/2 out of 4.
... a guy named BobCan...
Mori, Harry, and the rest of the AICN Crew, I don't care what you call him, just don't call me late for dinner HA! ok sorry bad joke there, anyways, Saw jay and Silent Bob tonight at the Warren Theatre in Wichita, and just to let you know I found out about this sneak yesterday afternoon and drove 5 hours across Kansas to see this flick, talk about dedication to see a movie, was it worth a 5 hour drive, I believe it was. J&SBSB is by far the slickest, cleanest looking and yet foulest movie I believe Kev has put out and I enjoyed every second of it. DON NOT Go to the bathroom I did and I regretted the minute or so I was in there. To break it down, the acting was good but nothing real outstanding, a couple of thoughts, Jeff Anderson( Randel) looked like he buffed up a little, I didn't recognize Renee Humphrey at first, has it really been that long since 'Rats? And Joey Lauren looks like she has put on a few pounds (not that there is anything wrong with that).
Call me Bob Can
... and a dude called cartOOn.
Yo, Harry,
I just got back from a preview of Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, and I thought I'd share my opinion of it with you. Let me first say that the film is one of the funniest I've seen in quite some time, but those who aren't fans of all the other New Jersey films may be left cold during much of the picture. Simply put, this is a film made for Askewniverse fans, period. If you haven't seen the first four films (Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy, and Dogma), rent them, now, before you see this one--because this movie is riddled with inside jokes that only true fans will understand. It would also help to be a fan of genre movies in general (especially Miramax films). If you meet with all the above criteria, this film should knock you out. Helpful hint, make sure you stay for the credits, because there are a few jokes in-store for you guys as well.
Anyhow, if you use this, the name is cart00n. Later!
That's gonna close it out for this whole Saturday cavalcade of reviews. I would say that by this point, you've heard everything you're going to hear about the film. See it if you're interested. Don't see it if you're not. I laughed my ass off. Some people didn't. What more is there to say?
Kev... Miramax... if buzz was what you wanted, then tonight paid off in spades.
"Moriarty" out.
