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Reviews
Clerks: A Dissertation on the American Justice System by People Who Have Never Been Inside a Courtroom, Let Alone Know Anything About the Law, But Have Seen Way Too Many Legal Thrillers (2000)
Second best episode in a consistently brilliant series
Even though this episode is fourth in the series, it was the first to appear on ABC in 2000. And, as Kevin Smith himself says on the audio commentary, it probably best represents the style of the show. It's got a rapid-fire, wicked sense of humor about it, the animation is good (but seldom great), and the voice-work is second to none.
With vocal appearances by Judge Reinhold, Dan Patrick, and several NBA stars, this episode chronicles the lawsuit wherein Jay tries to sue Dante and the Quick Stop for $10 million, all because he fell in a puddle of soda left on the floor by Randal.
The pop culture references fly by so quickly that you may not catch them all in a single sitting. There's Fast Times at Ridgemont High, JFK, Beverly Hills Cop, a great rip on The Phantom Menace, and that's just to name a few.
This may not be the series' best episode in it's six show run (the best is episode two, the flashback episode), but it's great for what it is, and shows what the show could've been had it stayed on the air for a full season or two.
Unbreakable (2000)
High-concept comic book film, I love it!
**Possible spoilers**
Directed by the genious that is M. Night Shyamalan, Unbreakable is, in a word, mesmerizing. Of all the films out there about superheroes/comic books/etc., Unbreakable is definitely one of the best. The story centers around a security guard named David Dunn (Bruce Willis), who emerges the sole survivor of a catastrophic train wreck. Soon afterward, he meets Elijah Price (Samuel L. Jackson). Elijah is convinced that David is some sort of superhero, "Put here to protect the rest of us." The film follows David as he tries to cope with Elijah's theories. When David comes to realize who he and Elijah really are, the effect is spellbinding. Excellent storytelling on Shyamalan's part. A beautiful story, masterful directing and camerawork, and a chilling climax make Unbreakable an unforgettable film. It's a shame that this film was so poorly recieved. The masses didn't know what they had here. Originally, this was to be the first part of a trilogy. I hope (though it's a fool's hope) that Shyamalan brings Unbreakable back to the fold. Absolutely brilliant.
Hellboy (2004)
Why can't they make more comic book films like this?
To start, I don't want to explain the exposition, because the origin of Hellboy and the villians is part of the movie's fun. Suffice it to say, Hellboy is a demon raised as a human, who works for a secret organization fighting monsters (think Men in Black). Certain mythical beasts are let loose, and it starts hitting the fan in about 3 minutes. Hellboy (Ron Perlman) works alongside aquatic creature Abe Sapien (voiced by David Hyde Pierce) and pyrokinetic Liz Sherman (Selma Blair). Along with a team of slightly inept humans, our heroes set out to find and destroy the source of the monsters. What follows is one of the best comic book adaptations in recent memory. Great action sequences, superb special effects (the opening sequence is a killer!), and a wonderful sense of humor makes Hellboy a very enjoyable experience. Despite his horns and tail, Ron Perlman plays Hellboy as though he were as normal as the rest of us. In effect, the audience sympathizes with Hellboy as he clashes with his emotional troubles. Though the plot degenerates in the last few minutes, the nearly 2 hours leading up to it are a lot of fun. Even if you're unfamiliar with the source material (guilty), give this movie a chance. It's worth it. 3 stars.
Dawn of the Dead (2004)
Zombies were never so much fun.
Though I haven't seen the original (but do intend to soon), I was drawn to this movie like the zombies to the mall. The premise, people seeking refuge in a mall from a zombie epidemic, is a very intriguing one. Normally, I'm not one for zombie films (The Romero's and the Raimi's being the exceptions). But I found this to be a very entertaining film. It is by no means scary or frightening, but it does have its share of creepy moments. Compared to 28 Days Later, this film seems to be going more for audience gratification, rather than the classiness of independent films. In this aspect, Dawn of the Dead delivers time and again. There's a great sequence involving celebrity look-alike zombies; though I won't ruin it for anyone. The movie's got a good sense of what it's trying to accomplish. Director Zack Snyder and co. intend to bring George Romero's 1978 classic a modern touch, for a modern audience. More often than not, the film works. The plot (though altered) remains viable after 25 or so years. Also, Dawn of the Dead has an excellent sense of humor. Occasionally, the film seems to be mocking the whole concept of the end of the world. Great action, great tunes (you ain't heard nothing 'til you've heard "Down With the Sickness" performed by a lounge singer), lots of fun. I really enjoyed this film. 8/10.
Starsky & Hutch (2004)
Finally, a TV-show film done right!
Going in, I was apprehensious of Starsky and Hutch. Todd Philips isn't my favorite director. Road Trip was decent, but I thought Old School was extremely overrated. But I was pleasantly surprised by this movie. Right off the bat, the main characters are established and the story gets set in motion without a whole lot of needless exposition. Ben Stiller plays Starsky, the uptight (at first) straight man. Owen Wilson plays Hutch, unorthodox and full of swagger. Unlike the TV show, we're shown how the two become partners (albeit, its only "Hey, you two are partners now."). Right away, I started noticing all these little nuances about the film that seem to reference the show, and just the 1970s in general. Starsky's Torino, for example. This is defintely one film that nails the 70s look. The plot revolves around a drug dealer named Reese Feldman (Vince Vaughn) and Starsky & Hutches' attempts to bust him. What follows is the funniest film thus far in 2004. Snoop Dogg is priceless as Huggy Bear. I can't stand the man, but he makes every scene work. But the funniest thing about this movie is the amount of gay jokes, either overt or implied. For some of them, if you aren't looking for them, you'd never notice them. Starsky and Hutch makes good on its homage to its TV predecessor, even including a cameo from the original Starsky and Hutch themselves. I definitely recommend thi movie for anyone looking for lots of laughs, or a loving tribute to a great TV show. Go see it. "Do it."
The Last Temptation of Christ (1988)
Jesus Christ, Hypothetically
I don't profess to be a theology expert, but I feel I know my way around the New Testement fairly well. And I don't ever remember half of the events in this movie ever showing up in the bible. Don't get me wrong, I like a good "What if?" as much as the next man, but Martin Scorcese takes so many liberties with the text that it's almost laughable. To the film's credit, it has Scorcese's trademark style (of which I'm a huge fan). Willem Defoe does a decent job portraying Jesus. What makes this just weird, though, is the casting choices. In my mind, Harvey Keitel does not make me say, "Judas." Not even with the redhead afro-thing. I actually laughed when David Bowie showed up as Pilate. I'm sorry, but Ziggy Stardust is not synonamous with Pontius Pilate. The film makes some very thought-provoking points, many of them in the last half of the film. This makes the first half of the film seem needlessly long and dull. Couldn't the film have started at the Last Supper and have had the same effect? Well, I'm not going to slam the film too much, because despite the bizarreness of it all, it's actually a very well made film. I recommend it, if only for its discussion value.