Following from Clerks...
Clerks 2 (Kevin Smith, 2006)
Twelve years after Clerks, Kevin Smith returns to the Kwik-Stop, except it's burned down and Dante and Randall are now working at fast food joint. Surprisingly, and I say this because the movie does include a donkey show after all, it's a really good film, with an strong emotional core. I guess a lot of the credit goes to Rosario Dawson, who creates an immediately likeable and naturalistic character in Becky. Sadly, I've come to realize that between Becky and Chasing Amy's Alyssa Jones, I really want to date Kevin Smith. Preferably in Rosario's body. The DVD has the usual commentary shenanigans, including Jason Mewes' admission that he pleasured himself to Rosario's scenes in Alexander in his trailer.
Clerks Uncensored (various, 2000)
AKA Clerks: The Animated Series. I wrote a couple words on it in a Geekly Roundup once, which gives you a taste for the extras. But indeed, what ISN'T an extra here? With only 2 of the 6 episodes ever aired, the majority of the release is brand new. I held out for a while, unsure of how it would play against the films, but it's a good bit of fun, in the outrageous cartoon style that's now become the standard. Not just for Jay & Silent Bob completists (you know you're out there, stop denying it).
Coffee and Cigarettes (Jim Jarmusch, 2003)
A recommendation from fellow movie buff and former roommate Carolynn, this was my first taste of Jim Jarmusch's work and I wasn't disappointed. Coffee and Cigarettes features a number of vignettes over coffee and you guessed it, cigarettes, filmed over a number of years with various celebrities. The White Stripes discussing a Tesla coil? An irascible Tom Waits sitting across from the too-nice Iggy Pop? Cate Blanchet playing both herself and her own sister? All that and more. Our favorite: The last skit starring playwright, actor, and Andy Whahol inner circlist Taylor Mead. That and an interview with the old guy has made him a rock star in my home. I kid you not.
Constantine (Francis Lawrence, 2005)
Another recommendation from a friend, this time frequent responder Pout. Now, Pout has had a man-crush on Keanu Reeves for years, so I wasn't surprised, but he's got another reason for liking it (he's got to because Keanu is barely acceptable in this). Due to my RPG experimentation, Pout was exposed to In Nomine and has since gone off on his own to GameMaster that particular game of angels and devils. And Constantine - the film - is really an In Nomine movie more than a Hellblazer movie. As an adaptation of the comic, it fails thoroughly. They use the same names, and elements of Garth Ennis' cancer plot (which ends exactly the wrong way), but that's it. But reviewed on its own merits, it's a perfectly good supernatural action movie, with good action bits, nice effects, a twisted plot, and Tilda Swinton who can apparently do no wrong (the demons are all sinfully overacting however).
Contact (Robert Zemeckis, 1997)
I saw Contact in a theater with some friends and it led to a late night discussion on the nature of faith (as opposed to the specific objects of faith, which is a downward spiral conversation in mixed religious company and should be avoided at all costs), so yeah, this had to go in my collection one day. We just don't get enough scientific thrillers from Hollywood these days. This thing makes prime numbers seem interesting.
But what did YOU think? Next: Crash to Daredevil.
Clerks 2 (Kevin Smith, 2006)Twelve years after Clerks, Kevin Smith returns to the Kwik-Stop, except it's burned down and Dante and Randall are now working at fast food joint. Surprisingly, and I say this because the movie does include a donkey show after all, it's a really good film, with an strong emotional core. I guess a lot of the credit goes to Rosario Dawson, who creates an immediately likeable and naturalistic character in Becky. Sadly, I've come to realize that between Becky and Chasing Amy's Alyssa Jones, I really want to date Kevin Smith. Preferably in Rosario's body. The DVD has the usual commentary shenanigans, including Jason Mewes' admission that he pleasured himself to Rosario's scenes in Alexander in his trailer.
Clerks Uncensored (various, 2000)AKA Clerks: The Animated Series. I wrote a couple words on it in a Geekly Roundup once, which gives you a taste for the extras. But indeed, what ISN'T an extra here? With only 2 of the 6 episodes ever aired, the majority of the release is brand new. I held out for a while, unsure of how it would play against the films, but it's a good bit of fun, in the outrageous cartoon style that's now become the standard. Not just for Jay & Silent Bob completists (you know you're out there, stop denying it).
Coffee and Cigarettes (Jim Jarmusch, 2003)A recommendation from fellow movie buff and former roommate Carolynn, this was my first taste of Jim Jarmusch's work and I wasn't disappointed. Coffee and Cigarettes features a number of vignettes over coffee and you guessed it, cigarettes, filmed over a number of years with various celebrities. The White Stripes discussing a Tesla coil? An irascible Tom Waits sitting across from the too-nice Iggy Pop? Cate Blanchet playing both herself and her own sister? All that and more. Our favorite: The last skit starring playwright, actor, and Andy Whahol inner circlist Taylor Mead. That and an interview with the old guy has made him a rock star in my home. I kid you not.
Constantine (Francis Lawrence, 2005)Another recommendation from a friend, this time frequent responder Pout. Now, Pout has had a man-crush on Keanu Reeves for years, so I wasn't surprised, but he's got another reason for liking it (he's got to because Keanu is barely acceptable in this). Due to my RPG experimentation, Pout was exposed to In Nomine and has since gone off on his own to GameMaster that particular game of angels and devils. And Constantine - the film - is really an In Nomine movie more than a Hellblazer movie. As an adaptation of the comic, it fails thoroughly. They use the same names, and elements of Garth Ennis' cancer plot (which ends exactly the wrong way), but that's it. But reviewed on its own merits, it's a perfectly good supernatural action movie, with good action bits, nice effects, a twisted plot, and Tilda Swinton who can apparently do no wrong (the demons are all sinfully overacting however).
Contact (Robert Zemeckis, 1997)I saw Contact in a theater with some friends and it led to a late night discussion on the nature of faith (as opposed to the specific objects of faith, which is a downward spiral conversation in mixed religious company and should be avoided at all costs), so yeah, this had to go in my collection one day. We just don't get enough scientific thrillers from Hollywood these days. This thing makes prime numbers seem interesting.
But what did YOU think? Next: Crash to Daredevil.
Comments
And, begrudgingly, I did like the Constantine movie. It's hard when you've enjoyed the comics but thinking of them as two separate entities helps - sort of like an Elseworlds Hellblazer.
In all seriousness, Contact is one of my favorite films of all time. I saw it twice in the theater (where that opening is nothing but breathtaking) and it was one of the first discs I ever demonstrated 5.1 surround with (Stargate was the other).
Although there are some changes from Dr. Sagan's novel, it's a terrific cinematic exploration into some pretty heady territory.
You know, I never saw Contact-- I was in my
post-Gump, hate-Zemekis phase-- but a good friend has always raved about it, so, combined with your take on it, perhaps that's reason enough to drop it in my Netflix queue.
"Culture of the stupid" indeed-finally, a term for one of my biggest annoyances.