Reboot, Restart (Jay and Silent Bob Reboot, 2020)

Kevin Smith created a splash with Clerks in the early 90’s. He had a string of hits, but somewhere around 2001 he started to fall out of favor. Now, I actually like Smith’s general work and some cringe takes over the years, he comes off as a well meaning guy who wants to entertain through stories. He started doing national tours where he pretty much just chatted and told stories about his career (this has resulted in some rather entertaining DVD sets). His movies have not fared as well among critics and general audiences (though I liked Red State and Tusk).

I like Smith and feel like people are a little too hard on him. Maybe I have missed something unforgivable. But anyways… 2001 was the year that Smith put out Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. Unlike previous works, there was no real “message” or exploration of ideas about relationships and the like. The film was just a wacky hijinks filled raunchy comedy.

Jay and Silent Bob find out that Banky sold the film rights to a major studio to create a Bluntman and Chronic (the comic Holden and Banky created in Chasing Amy). Angry that they are not seeing any of the profits, they set out to sabotage the film.

I worked at a video store when it came out on DVD. Every night when we closed up shop, we threw in that DVD and laughed our asses off as we did our closing duties. Jay and Silent Bob Reboot feels, well, inevitable.

Picking up around seventeen years later, Jay and Silent Bob discover that Bluntman and Chronic is getting rebooted and they are not being compensated. So they set off to sabotage the film by going to Comic Con. The hiccup is the discovery that Jay’s beloved from Strike Back- Justice- had a daughter with Jay that she never told him about named Millenium, or Milly. Justice is now married to a woman named Reggie Faulken. Yes, Smith is geeking out hard here.

After meeting, Milly forces Jay and Silent Bob to take her and her friends to Comic Con with them (without knowing who Jay is, as Justice makes him promise to not reveal he is her father). Hijinks ensue.

There are some good laughs, mainly falling into cute references, rather than joke based hilarity. The cameos are ranging from fun to “because they could get them”…but what really stands out with the film?

Smith wanted to say something here. Like, his desire to communicate overwhelms the film. And not in a terrible way, I actually like what he is saying…it feels far more personal than some of his other attempts at sentimentality. Family seems to have been the spirit here, and I truthfully like that. Even when we revisit characters like Holden and Alyssa from Chasing Amy, it is to show them both at a better place in their lives and their relationship. Smith pushes the notions that family is bigger than traditional ideas of a nuclear family. Family is what you make of it, don’t fear parenthood, no matter how scary it may seem.

This is not to say the film is not goofy, it is…and while some humor feels repetitive or just fell flat for me early on, by the end of the film, Smith won me over.

March 2, 2020 0

Baked Goods Part 8 (American Reunion, 2012)

And the franchise came full circle with the first theatrical release since American Wedding. Overseen by director Jon Hurwitz, (director of Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay), American Reunion completely ignores the films that came after American Wedding. This was, of course a wise decision. Also wise? Centering the film around a class reunion. This keeps from having to come up with weird plot devices as to why everyone would be located in the same area.

And they brought everyone back for this round. Granted, in some cases it is a blip and you miss it moment (such as Natasha Lyonne’s character Jessica). The film introduces us to Jim and Michelle’s life as parents, with a scene reminiscent of the first film’s opening sequence…except this time around, it is being caught by the kids. Truthfully, this scene does not fully work. I get they are setting up that their relationship is strained. But I think they might have been better to set this scene up with the couple trying to have together time that they sorely miss. Most parents have tales of the kids walking in on intimate moments and there is all sorts of ways to play that.

However, Biggs and Hannigan really work well together. We also meet Kevin, who is now a happily married father and house husband (for the most part). Oz is now a successful sport-caster on a sports network and Finch is appearing the wandering soul he has always tried to be. Stifler (with no acknowledgement of his supposed Girls Gone Wild career in Band Camp) is now working as a temp for a Geek who has made it big. Apparently his biggest nightmare. Tara Reid returns as Vicky, who causes Kevin to question the could have beens. Heather and Oz are no longer together and their story line focuses on the re-kindling of their relationship.

The cast remains likable in the film, especially when they get to channel the qualities that made them sympathetic.

The film focuses on marriages/relationships in trouble and questioning where people find themselves years after high school and the disappointment they may feel. Some of this actually works well in the film. Jim and Michelle are struggling to make it work, and Jim’s dad is struggling with being a widower. Jim shows a lot of his dad’s heart, even in scenes where things are starting to fall apart. Jim has an opportunity, but really walking out on Michelle or cheating on her are not true options for him. Oz and Kevin deal with temptations against their relationships. Oz keeps thinking his girlfriend (played by Katrina Bowden) is cheating on him, due to him finding her in many compromising situations. But, of course, his heart yearns for Heather.

This is a fairly decent return to form for the franchise. American Reunion has welcome laughs and heart. The ongoing story line of Stifler’s mom is actually resolved in an unexpected way that works nicely. It does not abandon it’s gross out humor, but it is not so overwhelming as to becoming off-putting. If you enjoyed American Pie and American Wedding, this is a decently enjoyable enough follow up.

March 17, 2016 2

Baked Goods Part 3 (American Wedding, 2003)

American Wedding focuses heavily on the next step for Jim and Michelle, which was a wise move. It’s secondary focus is on Stifler, which dominates the beginning of the film. That is a very rough start.

The scenes with Jim and Michelle work well. They are likable characters. And to play Michelle’s parents, they got the terrific Fred Willard and Deborah Rush. The early scenes where “Stifler Ruins Everything” are tiring. But, somehow, they start to transform Stifler. Oh, sure, he is a douche, but they really play up just how badly he wants to be liked. This results in the homophobic character trying to prove to the patrons of a gay bar that they totally want him. The dance off he starts is actually quite amusing.

Again, a lot of the heart is from Jim’s dad. There is a genuinely heartwarming moment where Michelle is feeling uncertain, and she seeks the advice of Jim’s Dad. When she mentions Jim told her he is the person he trusts most for life advice, Levy’s face lights up, like he always wished this was true, but never believed it.

This installment is notable as Shannon Elizabeth, Mena Suvari, Natasha Lyonne and Tara Reid are completely absent. I suspect they had no idea how to fit them into the tale.

There are gross out jokes, embarrassing moments with Strippers at the bachelor party (Aspects of this scene work well, as everyone tries to cover up, when Jim unexpectedly brings Michelle’s parents back to the house). Despite a rocky start, American Wedding is a surprise, and one of the best of the franchise.

March 10, 2016 0

Baked Goods Part 2 (American Pie 2, 2001)

The first film was a big enough hit that we got a sequel. This time there is no pact, the guys are back from their first year of college and get a summer house so they can party hard. Pretty much all the girls are gone. They make appearances, but they are brief. So it is focused on the boys. Kevin is feeling apprehensive that Vicky is off having lots of sex, even though he is not her boyfriend…but he is concerned because he has not had much sex since the first film. Oz is bummed by his long distance relationship with Heather. Finch continues to be obsessed with Stifler’s Mom.

Jim is hoping to have sex with Nadia who is coming to visit him, and seeks the help of Michelle. This is the real heart of the movie. Michelle grows as a character who is sweet but blunt. These scenes work the best. But other than this, women exist only as fantasy in the film. They are there to entertain men. And the portrayal of some of the women suggests the writers do not know any.

Seriously, if a couple women in their underwear discovers a bunch of guys hiding in their bedroom, do you really believe their response would be “Let’s play a “sexy” game?) No, I think it is safe to say they would be running to get help. On the other hand, I totally believe the gag where Jim accidentally super-glues his hand to…himself. That a guy might be that stupid is plausible to me. That scene also allows for a Patented “Jim’s Dad Speech”. Dad tries to defend his son, but admittedly makes it a bit worse.

But overall, this sequel is a bust. Only the Jim/Michelle story works or is sympathetic, it is hard to care at all about the other characters.

March 9, 2016 0

Baked Goods Part 1 (American Pie, 1999)

American Pie was a movie released promising to bring back the spirit of films Like Porky’s, Hot Dog, Ski School and Revenge of the Nerds. They were going to push the boundaries, starting with the plot. The plot is real simple. Four buddies make a pact to lose their virginity before graduation in their senior year.

And the film follows their fumbles as they race for that goal. Sensitive Athlete Oz (Chris Klein) joins the Choir to woo cute and sweet Heather (Mena Suvari). Kevin (Thomas Ian Nicholas) is trying to get his girlfriend Vicky (Tara Reid) to give up her virginity. “Worldly” Finch (Eddie Kaye Thomas) ultimately tries by being cool and aloof. Then there is Jim (Jason Biggs), the nerd of the group who pins his hopes on the sexy and sexually available foreign exchange student Nadia. Jim is repeatedly humiliated in the film.

The thing that is surprising? This film has a lot of heart. A lot of that is between the well written and performed scenes between Jim and his Dad (Eugene Levy). Jim’s dad is part bumbling dad stereotype, part wise sage. He loves his son and wants his son to succeed in life. He also tries to help his son navigate the world of relationships. He stumbles through the attempts, but his kindness is a high point in the film.

The problem is, while the male leads are clearly defined, Jessica (Natasha Lyonne) and Michelle (Alyson Hannigan) are the only female character who seem to have lives when they are not onscreen. Nadia gets the worst treatment as her character is literally only there to be someone Jim wants to have sex with. And when she and Jim have an embarrassing situation involving a webcam? She disappears from the story completely. And Jim, aside from humiliation, suffers no consequences.

The film’s gross out humor goes back and forth between disgusting and amusing. While Jim’s experiences are funny, the character of Stifler (Seann William Scott) gets the crude and disgusting moments. The character is pretty repulsive, constantly putting down the guys and making terrible sexual come ons (bordering on harassment) to the women around him. He is a sexist homophobic guy, and an all around unpleasant character.

The film also has the characters come to the realization that the pact is absurd. That sex is not the most important thing, and their pursuit of it was fruitless. And then the film ends with all the guys getting laid. So, way to undermine the revelation. Admittedly, it plays an important role for Kevin and Vicky dramatically (their experience is awkward and uncomfortable, and is spelling the end of their relationship, not fulfilling it). And Jim’s experience has a comedic payoff.

The film has it’s laughs and it’s heart does make it stand better against the test of time than films that tried to follow it’s success. But it is at best a flawed but entertaining comedy.

March 8, 2016 2