It’s hard to believe that this film was made 16 years ago.  It is timeless.  Kevin Smith, you are of the finest cinematic kind.  Finding Clerks at the local video-in-a-box for a buck was a bit painful, but I didn’t mind saving the salad.

In this clip, Dante and Randall discuss Star Wars politics.

And here’s “What a Wookie” from Trey Parker’s ‘DVDA’:

For all those guys working behind the counter in suburbia this film is for you.

Convenience and video store clerks Dante Hicks (Brian O’Halloran) and Randal Graves (Jeff Anderson) are sharp-witted, potty-mouthed, and bored out of their minds. Between serving nonstop shoppers, the overworked counter jockeys play hockey on the roof, visit a funeral home and deal with their off beat love lives.

The one great thing about Clerks is that it was only made for $27,575, and it grossed over a million at the box office. The dialogue in this film is like Pulp Fiction but with much more crudeness and a lot more humor. Kevin Smith shows that he has a great ear for colorful speeches, his characters are dropouts from Generation X who look at life with distrust and talk about marriage as if they were from another planet.

The film certainly is an up-close look at the Clerks, it basically is as normal as you get it. The customers walk in they walk out and you see these two clerks interact with one another and talk about the lives they dislike but the lives they understand.

Smith creates dialogue for these characters that seem so real and we feel like we know some of these characters from somewhere. They talk with such obscurity and rawness that you are grossed out but you laugh at the same time and know this is how real people talk.

The problem I had with this film was that I just wish there was more scenes about anything. The film isn’t very long and I liked to hear the insight of these two and the people around them and I just wanted more.

Consensus: Clerks. works because of it’s raw but insightful and entertaining dialogue mixed in with  very short budget and some very original real-life characters.

9/10=Full Pricee!

I’m not even supposed to be here today!

– Dante Hicks

This is the first time I have seen Kevin Smith’s breakthrough film, Clerks. Since its release in 1994, it has a cult following with people who follow Smith. This film reeks with Smith’s staples raunchy, obscenity filled, witty dialogue. It’s not a masterpiece, but it was a enjoyable ride.

The movie revolves around the day of the life of Dante (Brian O’Halloran), a lonely convenience store worker that is trying to get through the day. He is called into work on his day off to open up the store. He doesn’t want to deal with the riffraff that comes into the store everyday.

This is a mundane take on twenty-something people that are living their unremarkable lives. Dante is friends with Randal (Jeff Anderson) who works a crappy video store that is attached the store. Randal is an abrasive personality that rubs Dante the wrong way.

Dante has to deal with his girlfriend, Veronica (Marilyn Ghigliotti) always prodding him to do something with his life instead of working at the convenience store. Dante still has feelings for his ex-girlfriend, Caitlin (Lisa Spoonauer), who he finds out in getting married.

Throughout of the movie, Dante and Randal have to deal with multiple customers with some serious problems. Have Jay and Silent Bob (Jason Mewes, Kevin Smith) loitering in front of the store selling drugs and such.

A movie shot entirely in black and white was a good choice to convey how lifeless these characters lives are. O’Halloran had some very good moments in this film. There was a long continuous shot between two characters that lasted roughly five minutes was great.

That being said, this movie is not all good. Some of the sequences dragged on a bit too much. I don’ know if Smith wanted the customers to be overtly quirky and insane. The character of Randal is such a dick; I don’t understand how Dante could be friends with him.

Judgment: All and all, not the greatest movie ever, but an interesting take on people trying to find their way in the world.

Rating: ***1/2

The fist of God needs to be lowered on Kevin Smith’s career.

Clerks 2 is one third of a good movie – and that’s because Jay and Silent Bob appear in one third of the film.

The other two thirds of Clerks 2 is as good as a three day old sweaty ass seat. So often accident is the agency of enlightenment, in this case, it is the agency of crap.

Something has gone fruity in Kevin Smith’s brain. Who could read this script and not recognise the highest possible level of funk and badass humanly achievable in one place. Apparently Kevin Smith – because he also wrote this steaming pile of fail.

The script is wrong, the tone is wrong, the dynamic is wrong and the content, at least for those bits without Jay and Silent Bob, is wrong.

Jay (Jason Mewes) the slacker freakazoid and better half of Jay and Silent Bob, carries the turgid weight of this movie, although you will need a freak to English dictionary to decode anything he says. The two best bits of the film are all Jason Mewes…..

I’m fucking bored man

Bob Rap and Bible Chat

And some enterprising soul has reduced this movie to it’s ideal running time……

the best 10 min of clerks 2

Jeff Anderson (Randal) is pompous and bombastic, being more than a little intense in his search for a laugh.

Brian O’Halloran (Dante) lacks even the most basic acting skills and is the Xerox machine of humour (by the way, have you heard of Nair?)

Rosario Dawson is appalling – with exaggerated head bobbing (just pose dagnamit) and over-acting to burn.

So, in summary, this movie tastes like dirt, and if Kevin Smith is given money to make another movie, his security guards will have to stop me pulling his hair out.

Yours, will tying on a bandana and preparing to lead the revolution

Righteous

p.s. make a kilo of fat desirable. Put a nipple on it

Back when “Clerks II” was released in theaters, I was invited along with several other college journalists to interview the stars Brian O’Halloran and Jeff Anderson. Here are some highlights from the interview that originally ran in “The Battalion,” Texas A&M’s student newspaper.

This interview was originally published in The Battalion, Texas A&M's student newspaper on July 20, 2006.

Jeff Anderson on doing “Clerks II”:

I was almost the guy that ruined it. I didn’t want to do it. I didn’t think it was a good idea. I thought we had a better chance of screwing it up than actually making a good sequel. I just wasn’t anxious to do it. I wasn’t pursuing an acting career. I don’t get recognized a whole lot from “Clerks.” I’m out there writing and not wanting to do things in front of a camera. I’m not wanting to sit down and have “Clerks” discussions for the rest of my life. Doing a sequel opens me up to all that again. I’m hoping (wearing) the backwards baseball cap throws people off again.

Brian O’Halloran on life between Clerks films:

I was frozen in carbonite. So I was well preserved.

O’Halloran and Anderson on who would replace them in an all-star cast version of “Clerks”:

Anderson: Anthony Michael Hall.

O’Halloran: This is kind of upgrading myself, but Charlie Sheen.

Anderson: Wouldn’t you go see that? I know I would. Anthony Michael Hall and Charlie Sheen in “Clerks.” That should be “Clerks III,” where they just reenact the first one with those guys.

O’Halloran and Anderson on the “Clerks” cartoon:

O’Halloran: Best time I ever had on a Kevin Smith project. Although (“Clerks II”) is cutting it close with Rosario Dawson. My heart broke when I found out (ABC) cancelled it. I thought this could be a “Simpsons” career – working on this ’till I was 80 and collecting the big money and checks. The only thing we missed that we didn’t get a chance to do is that Jeff recommended we do an episode in our underwear.

Anderson: I did that.

O’Halloran: I know. It was so f*cking inappropriate. It made me really uncomfortable.

Anderson: You were looking.

O’Halloran: Kevin still wants to do (a direct to DVD cartoon movie) sometime in 2008, and that’s probably the only time you’ll see the “Clerks” characters again – in animated form.

O’Halloran on kissing Kevin Smith’s wife:

O’Halloran: I had to make out with Kevin Smith’s wife to get in the movie. (laughs) Kevin cast his wife as Dante’s fiancee in this one, and there is a long make-out scene that was made even longer by this camera movement. And there were a lot of issues with the camera movement, so we had to make out, and make out and make out.

Anderson: That was me bumping the camera. I thought it was funny that he was kissing Kevin’s wife. Gotta do it again. Okay Brian, pucker up.

O’Halloran: And that made me uncomfortable because I thought I could get fired at any moment and be replaced with Charlie Sheen or Seth Green. I remember Kevin came up and told me that he had been watching the monitor and thinking, ‘O’Halloran has made out with my wife longer than I ever have before my pants came down to my ankles. Normally, I’m like you gotta f*ck me right now.’ And I was like, ‘Really? Sir, I don’t need to know these details. Thank you very much.’

Anderson: You said ‘f*ck’ to a college student.

O’Halloran: They can print ‘f*ck.’

O’Halloran and Anderson on seeing their faces on “Clerks” merchandise:

O’Halloran: It would be nice seeing some of that cash from that merchandise.

Anderson: I didn’t even know there were action figures. My niece called me up, and I was like, ‘I’m Uncle Jeff, not G.I. Joe.’

Anderson and O’Halloran on people being able to immediately quote lines from “Clerks”:

Anderson: (If that happens), immediately leave that room. Get yourself out.

O’Halloran: I think that’s a testament to Kevin’s ability to script dialogue.

Anderson: No, it’s a testament to our delivery.

Anderson and O’Halloran on television interviews:

Anderson: We were doing television interviews last week, and there was this toilet training expert that went before us. Under her name, on the monitor, she was labeled ‘Potty Pro.’ So we were there cracking up off camera. When we went on air, you better believe I was checking the monitor to make sure it didn’t still say ‘Potty Pro.’

O’Halloran: Seconds before we go on air, the anchor turns to me and asks how it was doing number two. I started laughing, ‘Are we still doing a bit on toilet training?’

Anderson on not getting a love interest in the new movie:

Anderson: I should have held out longer. I guess Randal’s not the lady slayer.

O’Halloran: You’re the potty pro.

Anderson: The only way I’m doing “Clerks III” is if I have 10 chicks all at once.

O’Halloran and Anderson on where they see themselves in 10 years:

O’Halloran: “Clerks III: Grumpy Old Clerks.” Hopefully, maybe directing myself. Producing perhaps. I’d like to stay in the industry. It’s a good life done right.

Anderson: I’ll be in a house on a lot of land in Montana with a lot of chicks.

O’Halloran: I’m sorry, but the vice president owns half of Montana.

So recently they have changed the music at the little retail castle where I work. Now, it’s a fact that basically any job where you serve the general public is going to play shitty music, but for the majority of my time at this job, it has not been so bad. Our retail radio has been a mix of funky 70s jams (“Jungle Boogie,” I even heard the theme to “Shaft” once) and 80s pop tunes (“Don’t You Want Me,” etc). It was not wonderful all the time, no – our low was the frequency with which we played “If You Like Pina Coladas” – but it was definitely tolerable, and at least once per shift I got to hear “ABC,” and my workplace around me would transform into the following scene from Clerks 2:

You know. Except without the whole pregnancy thing at the end. And without Brian O’Halloran’s HORRIBLE acting. But basically, life was wonderful.

However, recently they’ve switched our radio to the “contemporary” station. Something about the employees dancing too much instead of doing work. But here’s the thing: In the world of retail, “contemporary” doesn’t really mean contemporary. It translates to this really bizarre mix of 90s one hit wonders, shitty pop country tracks from the early 2000s and the most soft rock-based, least offensive tracks from modern radio.

It’s pretty difficult on my brain. Typically I’m on edge all day because I have to hear Faith Hill singles, but every once in awhile they’ll slip in a Regina Spektor or Rilo Kiley track. But it’s also interesting. The 90s were when I first noticed music in a big way, and it’s weird to see which bands and singles are deemed relevant enough to make it into our weird music mix. So I decided to semi-regularly (read: whenever I feel like it) feature one track that I hear at work each day. How does it hold up? Why? Because it’s horrible and appeals to the basest interests of the masses? Because it’s one of the few really good tracks to come out of the 90s? Because people who work for corporate businesses have no damn idea what anyone likes, ever?Ultimately,

Our first selection is “Lullaby” by Shawn Mullins:

“Lullaby” was popular at a time where I listened to Billboard charts radio a lot. At the time, it was one of the songs I hated and thought was totally stupid (I assume at that age I said things like “totally stupid” a lot). Today it doesn’t get under my skin quite like it used to (not like Faith Hill, anyway), but I still certainly don’t like it. I think it’s an odd song to last ten years – I don’t dig the low narrative and the high pitched refrain. But it probably stuck around for the same reasons that the general public like country music so much: It tells a sad, general story. People like songs about small-town sensibilities flailing about in the big cities. “Lullaby” is on retail radio for the same reasons that “Meet Virginia” by Train is: “Look at this girl. She is odd but beautiful but sad. Aww.”

Unfortunately, all I hear is that high note in the refrain. I’ve decided that my preferred high pitch 90s one hit wonder is “She’s So High” by Tal Bachman. It’s just as stupid of a song, but sillier. It’s light-hearted enough to make me feel OK about it being “totally stupid.” You can tell it’s light-hearted because of the wings:

I’m not sure if my place of work plays “She’s So High.” If they did, I might forgive them for playing “Lullaby.” But as it stands, my only memory of Shawn Mullins is being annoyed by him. Sorry “Lullaby,” no nostalgia points for you.

“El mundo está lleno de tias buenas, pero no todas te traen lasaña al trabajo, sólo te ponen los cuernos”

Kevin Smith es a New Jersey, lo que Woody Allen a New York, un retrato que a diferencia del segundo, no tiene nada de glamour y grandes arquitecturas, aunque si belleza, a la manera de New Jersey.

Dante y Randal

La película es una amalgama de personajes de lo más variopinto, pero con una característica en común, el despuntar sobre el resto por alguna peculiaridad. Todos conocemos a alguién que tenga ese rasgo que hace destacar a los personajes sobre el resto, pero probablemente no es tan exagerado, ¿o sí? Eso es uno de los grandes aciertos de Kevin Smith, que es inevitable sentirte identificado con más de un personaje, y reconocer algún amigo entre ellos, lo que consigue que sin lugar a dudas, te caiga más simpatica la película.

El aspecto sucio, desenfocado y distorsionado que en algunos momentos tiene el blanco y negro acompaña al barrio de clase baja, es parte del ámbiente que se puede encontrar en esas calles o tiendas, y acaba siendo un personaje más de la película.

Sólo dos pegas le encuentro a este film, los altibajos entre las diferentes partes, las muy buenas son precedidas por otras de menor calidad, lo que provoca un extraña sensación, por suerte, al no ser demasiado largas no da tiempo a que tu cuerpo llegue a quejarse, pues de nuevo volvemos a lo bueno. La otra pega, es más comprensible, tratándose de una opera prima y los medios con los que está realizada la película, algunos de los actores no quedan del todo creibles, y es lo que tiene usar a todos los amigos disponibles. Por suerte, este hecho acaba siendo un mal menor en una película por encima de la media.

Pero si en algo destaca como el gran punto fuerte de la película, es al igual que ocurriera con Woody Allen, por sus geniales dialogos, que desde luego no dejan indiferente a nadie y te mantienen la sonrisa en la cara.

*****

Ficha IMDB

Título: Clerks

Título original: Clerks

Año: 1994

Duración: 92′

Director: Kevin Smith

Escrito: Kevin Smith

Reparto: Brian O’Halloran, Jason Mewes, Jess Anderson, Kevin Smith, Scott Mosier, Marilyn Ghigliotti, Lisa Spoonhauer

]]> http://somethingoffensive.wordpress.com/2008/12/17/i-miss-my-donkey-film-draft/ Wed, 17 Dec 2008 05:02:16 +0000 David http://somethingoffensive.wordpress.com/2008/12/17/i-miss-my-donkey-film-draft/

Just watched Zack and Miri.  Should probably rewatch Dogma before doing this, but…

Clerks II

Chasing Amy is generally Smith’s most highly regarded, but a back-to-back viewing of the original Clerks alongside its sequel kicked me in the emotional nutsack. And whether it really is or not, it feels like a bookend to the View Askewniverse.

Plus, it features my, I think, all-time favorite song.  And a donkey.

by The Great White Gypsy

“Hello?  What?  No, I don’t work today.  I’m playing hockey at two.”

Dante could have stayed home and played hockey, but with this first line of 1994’s Clerks, he had no idea what was waiting for him.  I’m sure Kevin Smith felt the same way.

It is likely that there was a small pool of disturbed and possibly high individuals who went to see the black and white indie project that promised raunchy, irreverent humor and witty banter between two of America’s elite; a video store clerk and a convenience store clerk.  Most of the reviews I remember from family friends were extremely negative.  “It’s just two guys talking about sex and drugs for two hours, and it’s in black and white.”  The nay-sayers were totally clueless (as nay-sayers usually are) that their criticisms about Kevin Smith’s films are the exact reasons guys like me think he’s a genius.  It was black and white.  It was just two guys talking about sex and drugs for two hours.  But they were guys like me, and my friends.  Sure, I didn’t grow up in New Jersey, but it was so relatable, so real.

I’ve always felt like Kevin Smith is playing the part of the horse in the Animal Farm that is modern cinema.  Not only is he hard working, he speaks for the working stiffs, the underprivileged.  He speaks for everyone who graduated high school, and didn’t stray far from home, didn’t get a degree, didn’t find the love of their life.  He’s not their political advocate, he gives them a place in entertainment; he makes the lives of everyday people interesting.  Not with drama or CGI, but with realism.  Arthur Miller gave salesmen a seat at the table, and Glengarry Glen Ross gave them seconds on turkey.  Smith is no different.

His follow-up, Mallrats (1995) was pretty much the same stuff, but in a mall.  All these characters, trying to figure out life, deal with relationship and sex problems, and stay off the mall cops’ radar.  Who didn’t do that in high school?  I mean, I’m sure there were people who didn’t, but…no one I knew.

Smith made a pretty bold move two years later, when he directed Chasing Amy.  After the disgusting, whimsical tone of his first projects, he made an emotional film about the confusion and pain of love.  It was the only time I felt really bad for Ben Affleck (most of the time I feel like you do for the retarded kid down the street that uses training wheels well into his teens).  It was still real, still witty, but all stops, blocks, and pretenses were pulled out, and Kevin Smith’s tin man found his heart in the hands of lesbian Joey Lauren Adams and bi-curious Jason Lee.  It seems lame in the midst of all his other masterpieces to say that Chasing Amy is my favorite, but everyone feels that way, they just say Mallrats because “Snoochie Boochies” is funny as hell.

I will now make a bold statement:  Dogma (1999) was the pinnacle of Kevin Smith’s career.  Now, I doubt anyone in a crowded room would’ve thrown popcorn at me for that, but your immediate reaction is to go over Smith’s resume and plead the case for Chasing Amy, or Mallrats, or Clerks II.  But here is what I mean:  Dogma was irreverent not only in everyday life, but it was borderline sacrilegious.  It was more fantastical than any of his other films.  But my point is, not only did he maintain his creative directing style, his compelling character development, and his witty, real dialogue, but his humor as directed towards organized religion (essentially dogma itself) didn’t come across as pretentious or hostile, or even that sacrilegious (for those open-minded Christians such as myself).

Many Kevin Smith fans will say that Jersey Girl (2004) is his worst film.  I would tend to agree, but mainly just because I’m not a big Ben Affleck fan (wait, what’s the opposite of fan?), and I do hold it against Smith for encouraging him.  But even in this film, he was trying to gear it a little more towards family values and the domestic dynamic.  There is nothing wrong with that, and in a genre that most people my age won’t admit to supporting, he actually did pretty well.

Like any good leader, Smith is defined just as easily by the company he keeps.  Jason Mewes, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Jason Lee, Scott Mosier, and Brian O’Halloran appear repeatedly in his work, as do Claire Forlani and Joey Lauren Adams.

Now, you could also call him narcissistic, trying the Alfred Hitchock bit about being in all your own films.  But Silent Bob, although many people’s favorite character, is not a dynamic stage-hog.  He says one, maybe two lines in every film, and they’re always great. Stan Lee does the same thing in all the Marvel movies, and no one says anything (he was in Mallrats, too; nerdy, but cool.)

As far as the breadth of a career goes, Kevin Smith’s quality and consistency of work almost demands respect from cult aficionados.  Oliver Stone has politics.  David Fincher has psychological nightmares.  M. Night Shayamalan has…garbage.  And Kevin Smith has New Jersey.  True, no one was really using it, but he took it anyway.  Because he can.  And with his most recent film (Zack and Miri make a porno, the only one not set in New Jersey), he still gives Joe-sixpack words to live by:

“Let us Fuck.”

Kevin Smith Filmography

Zack and Miri Make a Porno (2008)

Clerks II (2006)

Jersey Girl (2004)

Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001)

Dogma (1999)

Chasing Amy (1997)

Mallrats (1995)

Clerks (1994)

Note: This marks the third in a series of “Movies Of The Day” that covers writer/director/actor Kevin Smith’s View Askewniverse films. For the reviews of the first two films, Clerks. and Mallrats, click here and here respectively.

Holden McNeil and Banky Edwards are two comic book artists working on Bluntman And Chronic, a superhero series they created based on the dealing/mischief making duo Jay and Silent Bob. At a comic book convention, Holden meets female colleague Alyssa Jones and quickly develops an attraction, but there’s one problem, the fact that she’s lesbian. The two nevertheless strike a strong friendship and Holden falls harder and harder for Alyssa, much to the annoyance of Banky.

Chasing Amy stars Ben Affleck (Hollywoodland), Jason Lee (Alvin And The Chipmunks), Joey Lauren Adams (The Break-Up) and Dwight Ewell (The Guru). Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith reprise their roles from the previous films, Brian O’Halloran makes an appearance as another of his Clerks. character’s cousins and Ethan Suplee (Mr. Woodcock), Casey Affleck (Gone Baby Gone), Matt Damon (the Bourne series) and comic book legend Joe Quesada all make appearances. Trailer and review after the jump.

Mallrats‘ critical and financial disappointment paired with the studio’s refusal to let Smith use the actors he wanted for Chasing Amy led the filmmaker to rejoin the “independent” route for the film. This is actually rather positive in that despite the severely reduced budget, originally supposed to be 3 million dollars, the movie thus retains the essence of what’s good in Smith’s style and gets rid of the worse elements of the somewhat overloaded Mallrats.

As with all of Kevin Smith’s works, Chasing Amy is filled with references to various comic books and movies, including of course Star Wars in a very funny rant near the beginning of the film. His other staple, the large presence of profanity, is of course also followed, but as in his previous movies the profanity isn’t offensive but genuinely funny and written with taste. And aside from all the jokes, which are plentiful, one must acknowledge that this is easily the most serious-minded of Kevin Smith’s first three films, and that the filmmaker pulls off perfectly the balance between drama and comedy.

It’s thus easy to see why Chasing Amy is widely viewed by critics as Kevin Smith’s best film, winning two Independent Spirit Awards and receiving nominations from several sources including the Golden Globes and the MTV Movie Awards. The film was also a big financial success, earning more than 48 times its budget of 250000 dollars and is often credited as the film that helped make a star out of Ben Affleck.

Verdict: Funny and serious at the same time in a perfect balance. Chasing Amy currently holds a 7.5/10 on IMDB and a 91% on Rotten Tomatoes.

More “Movies Of The Day”

Note: This marks the second in a series of “Movies Of The Day” that covers writer/director/actor Kevin Smith’s View Askewniverse films. For the first films review, Clerks., click here.

Set the day before Clerks., Mallrats centers on Brodie Bruce and T.S. Quint, two best friends who’ve been dumped by their respective girlfriends on the same day. At Brodie’s urging, the pair decide to go hang out at the local mall where, as luck would have their exes are spending the day too. Amidst pop-culture-related debates, sex talk, and run-ins with  dealers/mischief makers Jay and Silent Bob, Brodie and T.S. will attempt to win back their significant others.

Mallrats stars Jason Lee (Alvin And The Chipmunks), Jeremy London (7th Heaven), Shannen Doherty (The CW’s 90210), Claire Forlani (Hallam Foe/Mister Foe), Ben Affleck (Hollywoodland), Joey Lauren Adams (The Break-Up), Ethan Suplee (Mr. Woodcock) and Marvel Comics legend Stan Lee. Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith reprise their Clerks. roles, and Brian O’Halloran makes an appearance as his Clerks. character’s cousin. Most of these actors have gone on to appear in subsequent Smith films in these and/or different roles. Trailer and review after the jump.

Following Clerks.‘ mega-success, Kevin Smith was naturally approached by movie studios eager to cash in, thus Mallrats had a much bigger budget than its predecessor and it shows, sometimes a little too much. As in every Smith film, the script is filled with modern cultural references, be it to various comic books, Jaws, and of course Star Wars, but it is often underlined with unnecessary and sometimes distracting sound effects, meant to evoke said reference.

Mallrats was rather poorly received upon its release, probably due to expectation of a film more in line with Clerks. when the two films are very different. Indeed critics have labeled the film as silly and messy, but hey, that’s true and why is that such a problem? Mallrats is louder and sillier than Clerks., but it’s still incredibly well-written silly. Smith continues to prove he’s a master of dialogue and that he can write profanity with taste, a great example of that being the incredible finale for the movie. Some people seem to write profanity for the sake of profanity in unfunny comedies, while others talk of romance in films that don’t seem to have much of a soul. Smith somehow manages to do naturally blend the aspirations of both trends successfully. And that’s why he’s a great filmmaker, not just because he can reference popular movies.

Mallrats is generally regarded as one of Kevin Smith’s weakest films, but I still think there’s plenty to be found here, and enjoyed. It doesn’t have exactly the same feeling as Clerks., but why should it? It’s a film made by someone who clearly knows his stuff, with inventiveness, originality, some great dialogue, great characters and just a great feel to it overall. There’s a reason Kevin Smith is as famous as he is today, even his “lesser” films are great. Mallrats was a consequential flop, making slightly more than a third of its budget, and thus remains Smith’s only film made within the confines of a major studio.

Verdict: Laugh-out loud fun, with a heart. Mallrats currently holds a 7.1/10 on IMDB and a 50% on Rotten Tomatoes.

More “Movies Of The Day”

Note: This marks the first in a series of “Movies Of The Day” that will cover writer/director/actor Kevin Smith’s View Askewniverse films, which will be complete in around six weeks.

Made for a little under 30 grand, filmed mostly at night because of day jobs and starring basically some of Kevin Smith’s friends and first time actors, Clerks. is a true independent film, a dialogue-driven comedy inspired by Smith’s own job at the time.

Clerks. tells of Dante Hicks and Randal Graves, two 22 year olds who work next to each other, one at a convenience store, the other at a video rental store. Through the course of a day, Dante has to deal with girl problems, annoying customers, Randal’s unprofessionalism, the two dealers who hang outside, Jay and Silent Bob and of course the fact that he isn’t “even supposed to be here today”.

Clerks. stars Brian O’Halloran, Jeff Anderson, Marilyn Ghigliotti, Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith himself among others, most of whom are best known for their contributions to subsequent Smith films. Trailer and review after the jump.

If you haven’t seen or haven’t even heard of Clerks., stop reading this right now and go get yourself a copy. If you have, well you already know how great it is, so this is pretty useless. Clerks. is simply superb. An inspirational film to any would-be filmmaker, it proves you don’t need big budget high concept movies to entertain the people. All you need is a good script, and good actors. Smith had both.

Smith truly being a master of comedic dialogue rants, some of Clerks.‘ scenes have become legendary, such as the Empire Strikes Back vs Return Of The Jedi debate. It’s no wonder his characters have become so iconic seeing as how well he writes them. These characters are cool, funny, memorable, relatable, realistic, etc… The only faults to be found with Clerks. are due to its tiny budget and even then, I wouldn’t really consider them flaws. And honestly the fact that there’s a lot of profanity really isn’t an issue, and it’s done with taste.

I really don’t have anything to say, it’s a great film and everyone knows it. Clerks. was huge hit, earning over a hundred times its original budget and won well-deserved awards at the Cannes Film Festival, the Deauville American Film Festival and the Sundance Film Festival. The film obviously launched the career of Kevin Smith, now a very well-known name in comedy, who made five subsequent films set in the same universe, with Jay & Silent Bob serving as the main links.

Verdict: An absolute must-see masterpiece. Clerks. currently holds a 7.9/10 on IMDB and an 86% on Rotten Tomatoes.

More “Movies Of The Day”

Name: Clerks II (2006)

Imdb page: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0424345/
Rotten Tomatoes page: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/clerks_2/
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLvhJ0m5ask

mFacts:

01. You never go ass to mouth!
02. Porch Monkey is not a racial slur. Nigger is!
03. You can fuck a donkey in New Jersey for 500 bucks.
04. Anne Frank was deaf blind and dumb.
05. You caint be charged for watching a donkey show.
06. Kelly can be a guys name too.
07. Anyone knows how to slow dance.
08. Sam and Frodo are gay for each other.
09. They are not gay… They are hobbits.
10. The Transformers are not a gift from God, they’re from the beast we call the desolate one, the first of the fallen, the spoiler of virgins, the master of abortions!
11. Kinky Kelly is born to fuck.
12. Don’t look at Dante’s wee-wee.
13. At carstobots.com, you can get an avatar that’s your picture morphed to look like a robot.
14. Sometimes, in the heat of the moment, it’s forgivable to go ass to mouth.
15. Never take a piss next to a back door of a burger joint.
16. Throwing the pig in with a Martain IS something to be proud of.
17. Never accept free food from a picklefxcker.
18. It’s aparently illegal to drive around LA with a Deployed airbag.
19. Elias would have kissed her already if it wasn’t for Listerfiend.
20. Love at workplace is the best.
21. Jail cells haven’t changed much in the past 200 years.
22. Working on your birthday builds character.
23. An abnormally large clit is just one step short of a really small cock.
24. Jesus was a Jew.
25. Freedom Toast is a possiblity. Even Anne Frank could see that…
26. Go-Bots are like the K-mart Transformers.
27. It takes 4 bites of a pickle before it fits.
28. Sometimes, Moobys tastes like piss and flys.
29. Getting Mayo in your cooch is nasty.
30. You can tease someone about a movie so much that they will vomit.
31. People will go into a fast food joint to buy food but not actually eat it.
32. Parents put pussy trolls inside their daughter’s vaginas when they are born to stop them from having pre-marital sex.
33. Dante isn’t supposed to be here today.
34. Whenever you leave your current working place, you should leave huge “Eat Pussy” sign.
35. Arwen’s replica sword is the best go away present.
36. Lord of the Rings was a massive achievement, even recognized by Academy.
37. There’s only one “return” and it’s of the Jedi.
38. Among those who practice it, bestiality is known as interspecies erotica.
39. Lord of the Rings is a movie about a bunch of people walking to the crater of the volcano.
40. There ARE people, who will jerk off watching a donkey show.
41. There’s only one trilogy.
42. Jay’s gonna be the first homeboy to fuck a martian.
43. If you’re mean to the jewish kids, they’ll put the sheeny curse on you.
44. It’s ok to use bad language if there’s nobody from your church around.
45. A broken beer bottle is also a nigger knife.
46. Two hot chicks will always fight over the same ugly (but nice) guy.
47. No matter how sweet your grandma is… she might be a racist.
48. We can’t all be internet millionaires.
49. Never trust an on-line sex order form if there’s no pictures.
50. Internet millionares dress like ’80s villians. (Members Only jacket, upturned collar, Magnum P.I. mustache)
51. Six hours of walking will get you an Academy Award.

New Jersey, anni ‘90, due migliori amici che lavorano in due negozi sulla stessa strada [l'uno di fronte all'altro]. E’ sabato, il giorno libero di Dante Hicks [Brian O'Halloran], che lavora in un piccolo negozio di quartiere; lui non dovrebbe essere al lavoro ma viene svegliato al mattino e gli viene comunicato che il suo collega non ci sarà. Una giornata come tante, almeno sembrerebbe, finchè si iniziano ad intrecciare avvenimenti sempre più incredibili e devastanti per Dante.

Al suo fianco c’è Randal [Jeff Anderson], perennemente nel negozio di Dante anziché nel noleggio video in cui lavora, che combina casini su casini ma che allo stesso tempo riesce sempre a fornire una sua risposta ai dilemmi di Dante, ossessionato dalle sue responsabilità sul lavoro e da una vita sentimentale titubante.

La sceneggiatura ha molti momenti idioti e volgari -cmq divertenti e aventi nulla a che vedere con la piega che prenderà la commedia americana per adolescenti- ma affronta in maniera brillante tematiche importanti sebbene semplici e ordinarie; la chiave del film la si può trovare nei dialoghi tra Dante e Randal [amici sì, ma coi caratteri agli antipodi l'uno dall'altro] e nella ragione prevalente nelle affermazioni di Randal ["Dillo che sono il tuo eroe!"], superficialmente il personaggio più maleducato e sconveniente, ma sul piano profondo, quello che porta il grosso del “messaggio” del film.

Girato con un budget davvero esiguo [ho letto che il regista e sceneggiatore Kevin Smith ai tempi lavorava in quello stesso negozio e gli era stato concesso di girare le scene solo mentre era chiuso; le cingomme nelle serrature che impediscono di alzare le serrande del negozio di Dante sono un espediente per giustificare l'illuminazione in scena in quanto non si potevano permettere un'attrezzatura adeguata], “Clerks” è una commedia ben riuscita, impreziosita da divertenti intrecci nella trama e dai personaggi secondari, quasi tutti molto caratteristici.

Sostanzialmente, un buon prodotto del cinema indipendente statunitense, piacevole da guardare, magari senza troppe pretese ma nemmeno scadente come tante altre commedie -lo stesso Clerks II è deludente, non fate l’errore di guardarlo e perdervi questo, sebbene la comprensione del film sia indipendente dal primo Clerks.

fabio

“No Experience Necessary.”

We’re Kevin Smith fans, so when Clerks II came out, we were all over it. It picks up 10 years or so after the original with Dante [Brian O'Halloran] and Randal [Jeff Anderson] watching the Quick Stop go up in flames. Needing jobs, they both end up at ‘Mooby’s’ – a McDonald’s-esque type chain, run by Becky [Rosario Dawson], a friend of Dante’s. Dante’s doing what he thinks he should be doing at his age – getting married and giving up on his dreams. Randal’s pissed. Hijinks ensue. 

As with most Kevin Smith movies, there are plenty of fun cameos to go around from the usual suspects. There are some hilarious conversations, some crazy customers, and a little sexual deviance thrown in. There’s even a moral to the story…

Jay and Silent Bob are back as well – this time trying to stay off the junk. Jay tells a story in the movie about getting caught and ending up in the chokey. Turns out the story was true and they literally just picked him up after he was released from completing his sentence to have him in the movie. I’m not sure if he actually did find Jesus, though.  ;)  

We both thought this movie was hilarious and bought it as soon as it came on DVD and have since watched it many times. The star of the show for us is Trevor Fehrman, who plays Dante and Randal’s coworker, Elias. A young and very naive kid Randal has fun torturing. His explanation for why he hasn’t had sex with his girlfriend is priceless. 

It’s raunchy, stupid fun and it’s a 4 out of 5 because we both laughed our ‘tocks off, over and over. If you liked the first one, you should check it out. Even if you haven’t seen the first one, don’t worry. As long as you’re a Star Wars fan [original trilogy] who laughs at toilet humor, you’ll dig it.

Add’l Info: Released: Jul 21, 2008 • Runtime: 97 minutes • Rated R for pervasive sexual and crude content including aberrant sexuality, strong language and some drug material

Tik mežonīgi es biju smējie tikai aptuveni pirms gada pie…kā to filmu sauca…ak, jā pie pirmajiem “klerkiem”. Taču šie ir vēl lieliskāki! Skatīties obligāti TIKAI angļu valodā, pat labākais tulkojums nespēj nodot visu burvību. Un citējamības indekss, protams, atkal sniedzas aiz horizonta, lai arī būtībā bez megacitātiem tur nekā īsti arī nav. Pieci ēzelīši no pieciem!

in 2006 martcore says
apmier. ī-ā!

Os opostos se completam? Selando uma grande amizade?

“O Balconista” foi o primeiro filme de Kevin Smith. Que por conta de ter pouca verba, o filmou em preto e branco. Conseguindo com isso um ar mais intimista. Esse filme é a prova de que não é necessário nem grandes efeitos especiais, nem tão pouco um grande capital.

Kevin Smith, nos leva a um hilariante – para nós – dia na vida de um balconista, o Dante. Aliás, na vida de dois, pois temos o Randal, seu melhor amigo. Os diálogos são de ter que voltar a fita algumas vezes, por querer rir outra vez e não deixar escapar nada. O primeiro filme que assisti dele, foi o “Barrados no Shopping” (Mallrats), também hilário. E a tônica nesses dois filmes são os diálogos e os atores. Cenários, são coadjuvantes.

Sabem aquele dia que parece que levantamos do lado contrário da cama?

Pois foi por aí o que aconteceu com Dante. Primeiro, porque era o seu dia de folga. Um dia sagrado para ir jogar hóquei. Mas seu chefe pede que vá abrir a loja; e lá foi ele. Depois, porque um dos atributos dele, é não saber dizer não. O oposto de Randal.

Dante, atende na loja de conveniência. Já o Randal, deveria atender aos clientes na locadora de vídeos ao lado. Mas ele até tenta ficar por lá. Acontece que gosta mesmo é de prosear com o amigo. Como também em zombar da clientela. Bem diferente de Dante.

Entre um cliente e outro… Cada cliente que aparece… Eles vão trocando impressões sobre: sexo, HQ, filmes… Randal apresenta, ou melhor, nos presenteia com a sua Teoria sobre o “Retorno de Jedi”. Great!

Uma outra dupla também faz parte desse circo… ops! desse cotidiano, são: Jay e Silent Bob. Os dois passam o dia vendendo drogas na frente do estabelecimento. São hilários.

Dante, descobre algo de suas namoradas. É, é no plural sim, vendo entenderão. E o que vocês pensam das transas no tempo de colégio? Principalmente, do sexo oral? Teriam a mesma reação de Dante?

E há um jeito “eficaz” de parar uma pequena revolta na loja. Quem nos ensina é a atual namorada de Dante.

Assistam!! Nota: 10.

Por: Valéria Miguez.

O Balconista (Clerks). EUA. 1994. Direção e Roteiro: Kevin Smith. Elenco: Brian O’Halloran (Dante Hicks), Jeff Anderson (Randal Graves), Marilyn Ghigliotti (Veronica), Lisa Spoonhauer (Caitilin Bree), Jason Mewes (Jay), Kevin Smith (Silent Bob). Gênero: Comédia. Duração: 92 minutos.

regia: Kevin Smith
interpreti: Brian O’Halloran, Jeff Anderson, Rosario Dawson, Jason Mewes, Kevin Smith
durata: 97 minuti
nazionalità: USA

Ancora non so se consigliare o meno questo film a chi è legato a quel piccolo cult, autoprodotto dal regista vendendo la sua intera collezione di fumetti, che è Clerks, un film in cui il bianco e nero sgranatissimo trasuda la voglia di fare cinema fin dalla prima inquadratura, a chi è affezionato a quei dialoghi surreali, serratissimi e sboccati che sono diventati ormai un marchio: quando si pensa a Clerks si pensa agli anni ‘90.
Questo sequel, a dieci anni di distanza, mostra tutte quelle falle su cui nel primo capitolo si passava volentieri sopra attribuendole all’inesperienza e preferendo piuttosto premiare l’impudenza divertita dello sguardo su una generazione.
Il quick stop market è andato in fumo, e il bianco e nero del piccolo store viene scalzato dal coloratissimo Mooby’s, il fast food à la McDonald gestito dalla bella Becky (Rosario Dawson), dove adesso, un po’ invecchiati, Dante e Randal “lavorano”.
Le cose quindi solo in apparenza sono cambiate, è vero: ci si confronta con le nuove generazioni, c’è il proposito di sposarsi e “sistemarsi”, Jay (il ragazzino che vendeva erba fuori dal market) si è ripulito, è arrivato internet, non si può più dire “muso nero” e dalla porta fanno capolino gli ex compagni di scuola, “quelli che hanno sfondato” appositamente giunti per prendere in giro la routine e la mollezza delle vite dei due protagonisti.
Ma alla fine il ritmo e lo stile dei dialoghi sono quelli di Clerks, volgari ed esilaranti, la location, anche se tutta sgargiante in giallo e viola, è la stessa per quasi tutto il film, Dante non sa se sposarsi è davvero la scelta giusta, Randal insiste a parlare di sesso e ancora di sesso e Jay, nonostante la comunità, continua a spacciare appoggiato al muro al fianco del fedele Silent Bob, sempre silente.
Clerks II riesce a strappare più di una risata e si lascia guardare, ma un sospetto al termine del film rimane: che di nuovo ci sia solo un asino.