The Couch Potato Report - February 7th, 2006
This week The Couch Potato Report includes two films I love, three I don't, and one that isn't as good as the original.
If a filmmaker other than Cameron Crowe made ELIZABETHTOWN I would call it a self-indulgent, unsatisfying disappointment.
However, from FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH through SAY ANYTHING, SINGLES, JERRY MAGUIRE and ALMOST FAMOUS I have been a huge fan of his work, so I was more than willing to forgive him for ELIZABETHTOWN and I really enjoyed it.
But unless you are as big a fan of his as I am you might will probably think that ELIZABETHTOWN is self-indulgent, unsatisfying and a disappointment.
Orlando Bloom from THE LORD OF THE RINGS TRILOGY is a man who causes the company he works for to lose hundreds of millions of dollars, and he then gets dismissed by his girlfriend.
As he is attempting to commit suicide, he finds out about the death of his father.
So he travels to his family's small Kentucky hometown of Elizabethtown and on the way there he meets a flight attendant played by Kirsten Dunst from ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND.
Dunst may radiate emotion, but Bloom is bland, and by the time the film gets to the father's funeral, which is just one of its many conclusions, you probably won't even be interested in seeing how it ends.
Me, on the other hand, well I completely enjoyed it, just not as much as some of Crowe's other films.
Yes, ELIZABETHTOWN is a self-indulgent, unsatisfying disappointment, but Cameron Crowe's disappointments are better then some filmmaker's best work.
And it is certainly better than three of this week's other new releases. Releases that are so mediocre that they only deserve a passing mention.
JUST LIKE HEAVEN stars Mark Ruffalo from YOU CAN COUNT ON ME as a man who falls in love with a woman. The problem is only he can see her as she might be dead.
The recently Academy Award nominated Reese Witherspoon is the woman, and she is beautiful as always, but Ruffalo looks bored and I was bored. JUST LIKE HEAVEN is just a substandard romantic comedy, with very little romance or comedy.
DOOM is the film based on the best selling game. The Rock from BE COOL and Karl Urban from THE BOURNE SUPREMACY play Marines who must go to Mars to battle experiments gone bad.
If you are a fan of the game, or you love any film that has action and guns in it, maybe you will take something away from DOOM.
The only reason I watched this horrible movie to the end is because I find one of the actresses in the film to be very talented, and very beautiful. Her name is Rosamund Pike and you will hear me speak of her again in a few weeks when I speak about the new version of Jane Austen's PRIDE & PREJUDICE.
For now, I am done speaking about DOOM, it is just too bad to waste any more of my time on.
But no matter how bad I think DOOM is, the film WAITING is worse.
This film stars Ryan Reynolds and Anna Faris from JUST FRIENDS about a group of young people working in a restaurant.
Now that is a great idea for a movie!
But WAITING doesn't capitalize on the idea and the result is stupid and idiotic.
It was so bad that I watched the documentaries on the DVD to see if the people who made it knew how bad it was. If they knew, or admitted it, I would have been more entertained. Instead, they feel they have made a real-to-life movie about what its like working in a restaurant, and they feel that they have produced an honest to goodness great film.
Since the guy who wrote and directed the movie worked in a restaurant and I haven't, I will give him the benefit of the doubt on that one. As for this being a great movie, take my word for it, WAITING is not a great, good, or even mildly interesting movie. It is just a waste of your time!
So lets move away from the mediocre to BAMBI II, the straight to DVD sequel of the classic Disney film.
BAMBI II picks up right where the original BAMBI left off, and I mean story wise, not in quality.
Bambi's stoic and serious father decides to raise the fawn, since his mother - as you may remember - was killed by hunters.
Bambi meets new friends and learns to live in the wild as he grows into a young buck, and if you have a young child who won't sit still for the original BAMBI, because it is a bit slow, then they will probably like this sequel.
What makes me happy about the film is that the folks at Disney did a great job ensuring that the legacy of the original film wasn't tarnished by a lackluster sequel. They took their time and produced a quality film. BAMBI II is very, very good.
But it will never join BAMBI as one of the most treasured, celebrated and beloved classics of all time. It may sit beside it on the shelf, but it will never join it.
The young kids will love BAMBI II, and those who revere the original won't hate it. That is probably the best thing I can say about it.
Okay, now that I have gotten through all of those other films, let me give you the best of this week's releases, which I have saved for last.
WALLACE & GROMIT: THE CURSE OF THE WERE-RABBIT features the wonderful stop motion animated characters in their first full-length movie!
A very good, and entertaining movie!!
If you have never heard of Wallace and Gromit, or their creator Nick Park, let me briefly tell you that the latter gentleman created these stop motion animation characters for the short films A GRAND DAY OUT, THE WRONG TROUSERS and A CLOSE SHAVE. TROUSERS and SHAVE both won Academy Awards as Best Animated Short.
Nick Park also created and produced the stop motion animated film CHICKEN RUN in 2000.
That is their very successful, and well-deserved pedigree.
WALLACE & GROMIT: THE CURSE OF THE WERE-RABBIT only expands on their legacy and Nick Park and company have given us a superb movie!
When a creature with an over zealous appetite is threatening the cancellation of their town's annual vegetable competition, only Wallace and his ever silent dog Gromit can save the day!
Save it they do, entertain us they do!
THE CURSE OF THE WERE RABIT has plenty of inside jokes for longtime fans, a wonderful array of British style humour, and enough references to classic films to entertain one and all!
In a week full of films that aren't worth watching, or are only barely worth watching because you are a fan of the filmmaker or star, WALLACE & GROMIT: THE CURSE OF THE WERE-RABBIT is a superb film for the whole family that comes highly recommended.
And it is now available at your favourite local video store along with BAMBI II, ELIZABETHTOWN, WAITING, DOOM and JUST LIKE HEAVEN.
Coming up on the next Couch Potato Report
I'll talk about the new box sets for DOCTOR WHO 2005 SEASON ONE, MOONLIGHTING - SEASON THREE, CHARLES IN CHARGE - SEASON ONE and GREY'S ANATOMY - SEASON ONE.
There will also be a look at SAW II; THE RICHARD PRYOR COLLECTION - which includes his films WHICH WAY IS UP?, BREWSTER'S MILLIONS, CAR WASH and BUSTIN' LOOSE; and in PROOF the daughter of a brilliant man puts his affairs in order. The wonderful cast features Gwyneth Paltrow, Jake Gyllenhaal and Anthony Hopkins.
I'm Dan Reynish. I'll have more on those, and some other releases, in seven days.
For now, that's this week's COUCH POTATO REPORT.
Enjoy the movies and I'll see you back here next time on The Couch!
Bryan Adams strives to write 'great songs'
MUMBAI, India (AP) - Bryan Adams is writing a new album, but of the 30 songs he's already come up with, he loves just three.
"There's a saying: 'It's easy to write songs, but very difficult to write great songs.' I'm going through that right now," Adams told reporters Friday while on his fourth tour to India.
Adams spoke of the discipline and objectivity that songwriters must have.
"It's a really difficult process," he said. "You have to be methodical and focused."
The Canadian rocker recalled the rough, early days when as a struggling 18-year-old he signed a contract with a record company for just $1.
"I didn't have a manager, I didn't have a band, I was just a songwriter," Adams said. "But I needed to get my foot in the door, so I took the dollar."
He released his first album in 1980, but it wasn't until his third Cuts Like a Knife in 1983 that the hits began to roll in.
Adams has since won 10 Grammys and scored 12 platinum discs worldwide.
He celebrated 25 years in the music business last year with a collection, Anthology.
Adams played in Pakistan before coming to India. His Karachi concert helped raise money for victims of the South Asian earthquake in October that killed 87,000 people and left millions homeless, mostly in northern Pakistan.
New CD Releases For February 7th, 2006
Aceyalone Magnificent City (produced by RJD2) (Project Blowed/Decon)
Acid Mother's Temple Starless and Bible Black Sabbath (Alien 8)
All-Stokz A Bronx Tale (Papercha$e)
AM Syndicate Empire (Sickroom)
Arctic Monkeys When the Sun Goes Down EP (Domino)
AV Club AV Club (Insubordination)
The Avett Brothers Four Thieves Gone: The Robbinsville Sessions (Ramseur)
Latrice Barnett Illuminate (Ultra)
Belle & Sebastian The Life Pursuit (Matador)
Bola Abimbola Ara Kenge (Fast Horse)
Pat Boone Hopeless Romantic (ballads album; w/Chet Atkins) (The Gold Label)
Carol Bui This Is How I Recover (Drunken Butterfly)
Bullets for My Valentine The Poison (enhanced CD) (Trustkill)
Shauna Burns Every Thought (33rd Street/Bayside)
Burst Origo (Relapse)
Rachel Cantu Rachel Cantu EP (Q Division)
Century Faith and Failure (Tribunal)
Chamillionaire The Sound of Revenge (Chopped & Screwed) (Universal Motown)
Richard Cheese The Sunny Side of the Moon: The Best of (includes new versions of hits) (Surfdog)
The Chuck Norris Experiment The Chuck Norris Experiment (Devil Doll)
Clogs Lantern (Brassland)
Jason Collett Idols of Exile (Arts & Crafts)
Chick Corea The Ultimate Adventure (Stretch/Concord)
The Corrs Home (produced by Mitchell Froom; traditional Irish songs; w/the BBC Radio 2 Orchestra) (Atlantic/Rhino)
Cross Culture Proof Positive (Selectric)
The Danger O's Little Machines EP (Blackout!)
De/Vision Subkutan (Dancing Ferret)
deadboy and the Elephantmen We Are Night Sky (Fat Possum)
Jack DeJohnette and Bill Frisell The Elephant Sleeps but Still Remembers (Golden Beams/Kindred Rhythm)
Dem Franchise Boyz On Top of Our Game (Virgin)
Désolé A Story to Tell (Reybee)
DJ Reflex Sandunga Music (Cutting)
Doomriders Black Thunder (The Magic Bullet)
Dave Douglas Keystone (2005 album reissue) (Koch)
Everlovely Lightningheart Cusp (Hydra Head)
Frankel Chatterbox EP (Three Ring)
Burnt Friedman and Jaki Liebezeit (ex-Can drummer) Secret Rhythms 2 (guest David Sylvian) (Nonplace)
Frank Gambale Natural High (Wombat)
Gastr del Sol Harp Factory on Lake Street (Table of the Elements)
Gate The Dew Line (Table of the Elements)
A Global Threat Where the Sun Never Sets (BYO)
Sarah Harmer I'm a Mountain (Rounder)
Walter Hawkins Live Songs in My Heart (Coda)
Hem No Word from Tom (covers and new versions of originals) (Nettwerk)
Himsa Hail Horror (Prosthetic)
Charlie Hunter Trio Copperopolis (Ropeadope)
In Flames Come Clarity (Special Edition w/bonus DVD available same day) (Ferret)
The Ladies (members of Pinback and Hella) They Mean Us (Temporary Residence Ltd.)
Th' Legendary Shack*Shakers Pandelirium (guests Jello Biafra and Rev. Horton Heat) (Yep Roc)
Lesbians on Ecstasy Giggles in the Dark (remixes) (Alien 8)
Jackie Leven Shining Brother, Shining Sister (Silverline/Immergent)
Lil Al Hood Raised (SMC)
Lil Uno The Streets (Toltec Music)
Lokyata Purified by Anger (Indianola)
Magnet The Tourniquet (Filter)
Mastodon Call of the (Relapse)
Matson Jones The Albatross Mates for Life, but Only After a Lengthy Courtship That Can Take Up to Four Years EP (Sympathy for the Record Industry)
Mean Reds/Wires on Fire Split (CD/DVD combo; live performance from bands' recent tour) (Buddyhead)
Jason Miles What's Going On? Songs of Marvin Gaye (Narada)
Lynn Miles Loves Sweet Love (Red House)
Minus 5 Minus 5 (aka "The Gun Album"; w/members of R.E.M., Wilco, the Decemberists, John Wesley Harding and more) (Yep Roc)
Misstress Barbara Come with Me... (mix CD) (Koch)
Monday Morning Fool's Paradise (Selectric)
Cindy Morgan Postcards (Reunion)
Mylo Destroy Rock & Roll (RCA)
Oceansize Everyone Into Position (Beggars Banquet)
Pauline Oliveros Primordial/Lift (Table of the Elements)
Beth Orton Comfort of Strangers (Astralwerks)
Penuckle the sun beckons... (Basement)
Prefuse 73 Security Screenings (guests Four Tet and members of TV on the Radio) (Warp)
Psychic Ills Dins (The Social Registry)
Remy Ma There's Something About: Based on a True Story (Universal Motown)
Sherri Roberts The Sky Could Send You (w/Phil Woods and Lew Soloff) (Pacific Coast Jazz)
Ray Russell Goodbye Svengali (Cuneiform)
San Quinn The Rock: Pressure Makes Diamonds (SMC)
Shrift Lost in a Moment (Six Degrees)
Sibylle Baier Colour Green (Orange Twin)
Slowride C/S (Deep Elm)
Sly and the Family Stone Different Strokes for Different Folks (covers and remixes of Sly & the Family Stone songs by Maroon 5, the Roots, John Legend and more) (Epic/Legacy)
Small Arms Dealer A Single Unifying Theory (Deep Elm)
State Radio Us Against the Crow (Nettwerk)
Stereo Total Discotheque (Disko)
Kelley Stoltz Below the Branches (Sub Pop)
The String Cheese Incident On the Road: Big Summer Classic '05, Fall 2005, Spring 2005 and Vegoose 2005 (SCI Fidelity)
Stroke 9 Café Cuts (acoustic versions of old songs, plus two new tracks) (Rock Ridge)
Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives Live at the Ryman (2003 concert) (Universal South)
The Suspicions The Suspicions (Rip Off)
Swearing at Motorists Last Night Becomes This Morning (Secretly Canadian)
Telepathe Farewell Forest EP (The Social Registry)
Thrill Seekers Nightmusic (two CDs) (Water Music)
Bill Toms and Hard Rain The West End Kid (BT)
Truckfighters Gravity X (Meteor City)
The Derek Trucks Band Songlines (Columbia)
KT Tunstall Eye to Telescope (Virgin)
Univers Zero Live (Cuneiform)
Jason Whitton Thriftstore Cowboy (VAVV)
Mary Lou Williams Collective with Geri Allen Zodiac Suite: Revisited (Mary)
Joachim Witt Bayreuth 3 (Dancing Ferret)
Trisha Yearwood Jasper County (w/new Garth Brooks duet, "Love Will Always Win," not included on 2005 release) (MCA Nashville)
VA A Six Degrees Collection - Traveler '06 (new and exclusive tracks and remixes from Karsh Kale, Niyaz, the Real Tuesday Weld and more) (Six Degrees)
VA Asthmatic Kitty Compilation - Mews Too (Asthmatic Kitty)
VA Hi Power 2006 (Thump)
VA Idol Tryouts Two: The Ghostly International Company Vol. Two (two CDs; exclusive tracks from Matthew Dear, Dabrye, Mobius Band and more) (Ghostly International)
VA It Came from the Hills, V.1 (w/Nitro Tokyo, Forensics, Earthen Sea and more) (The Magic Bullet)
VA Lowrider 2006 Tour (Thump)
VA New Arrivals: Vol. 1 (w/Jill Sobule, Noe Venable and more) (Mpress)
VA Not Alone (Durtro Jnana)
VA Perfecto Chills Vol. 3 (two CDs; remixes of Massive Attack, Faithless, Postal Service and more) (Thrive/Perfecto)
VA Run the Road Volume 2 (compilation of UK hip-hop/grime artists; w/Lady Sovereign, Sway, Miss Beats and more) (Vice)
VA To: Elliott From: Portland (covers of Elliott Smith songs) (Expunged)
VA Totally Country Vol. 5 (BMG Heritage)
OCR Billy Elliot (two CDs; score by Elton John; includes three of his original songs performed solo) (Decca)
OST Curious George: Sing-A-Longs and Lullabies for the Film (w/new songs by Jack Johnson and G. Love) (Universal)
OST Date Movie (romantic comedy spoof w/Eddie Griffin) (Lakeshore)
OST Elizabethtown - Volume II (w/My Morning Jacket, Tom Petty, Ryan Adams, the Temptations and more) (RCA)
OST Transamerica (w/exclusive new song by Dolly Parton and songs by Lucinda Williams, Old Crow Medicine Show, Duncan Sheik and more) (Nettwerk)
DVD Hip Hop Elements (live MC, DJ and breakdancer battles) (Street Life Films/Koch)
DVD Rebel Roads (documentary on motorcycle culture; w/performances by Disturbed, Journey and Twisted Sister's Dee Snyder) (Immergent)
DVD Jim Brickman The Disney Songbook (Walt Disney)
DVD Brotha Lynch Hung Ghetto Celebrities Vol. 2 (Real Talk/Koch)
DVD Bireli Lagrene and Gipsy Project Live in Paris (Dreyfus)
DVD Mint Condition Live (Image)
DVD Sasha and John Digweed Present Delta Heavy (documentary of 2002 DJ tour) (System)
DVD Yonder Mountain String Band Mountain Tracks: Volume 4 (Frog Pad)
DVD VA Buddyhead: Punk Is Dead (music videos w/TV on the Radio, the Jesus Lizard, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and more) (Image)
DVD VA Get Crunk'd (behind-the-scenes footage of Lil Jon, Jazze Pha, Pastor Troy and more) (Koch)
DVD VA Gotta Serve Somebody: The Gospel Songs of Bob Dylan (Image)
DVD VA Tribunal Records: The Video Collection (music videos and rare live performances from Facedown, Age of Ruin, Animosity and more) (Tribunal)
UMD 50 Cent The Massacre (Interscope)
Super Bowl Ratings 2nd Only to 'M-A-S-H'
NEW YORK - The Pittsburgh Steelers' victory over the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl was watched in an average of 45.85 million homes, the second-highest total in television history behind the final episode of 'M-A-S-H' in 1983.
Pittsburgh's 21-10 victory Sunday got a 41.6 preliminary national rating, Nielsen Media Service said Monday, up slightly from the 41.1 rating last year. The share remained the same at 62.
The game was watched by an estimated 141.4 million people in the United States, ABC said, the second-highest total to view a program behind the 144.4 million who tuned to New England's victory over Carolina in the 2004 Super Bowl. That number estimates the total amount of people to watch the game at any point.
The estimated average of 90.7 million people — or the estimated number of viewers throughout — was the largest Super Bowl audience since the Steelers last played in the title game in 1996, a loss to Dallas that attracted an average of 94.1 million people watching. This year's audience was 5 percent bigger than the 86.1 million people who watched the Patriots beat the Philadelphia Eagles last year.
In 1983, the final episode of `M-A-S-H' was watched in an average of 50.15 million homes.
Super Bowl viewers feasted on another halftime show controversy, when the NFL briefly shut off Mick Jagger's microphone to avoid sexually-suggestive lyrics in two Rolling Stones songs. ABC also scored solid ratings for an episode of "Grey's Anatomy" following the game.
While the Steelers won by 11 points, the game wasn't really decided until the final five minutes or so, which kept the audience attracted, said Larry Hyams, ABC research executive.
"The Super Bowl obviously is a national event and people are going to tune in regardless of whether the teams have national appeal," Hyams said. "It's up to the game to hold the audience."
The Super Bowl is traditionally the biggest television event of the year. The Academy Awards, jokingly called the Super Bowl for women, often comes in second; last year, 41.5 million people saw the Oscars.
Pittsburgh had the largest Super Bowl rating (percentage of all sets, whether on or off) of any media market, with a 57.1, Nielsen said. Seattle followed directly behind with a 55.
The "Grey's Anatomy" episode after the game was seen by 38.1 million people, Nielsen said. That's 15 million more than has ever watched a single episode of the medical soap. It was the most-watched entertainment program of the season so far — even beating "American Idol."
Since 1991, only two post-Super Bowl programs have drawn a bigger audience: "Survivor" in 2001 and "Friends" in 1996. It was solid exposure for a series that has already been growing in appeal during its second season.
At halftime, Jagger was silenced during portions of the songs "Start Me Up" and "Rough Justice." An NFL spokesman said the band knew ahead of time that the league — still skittish over Janet Jackson's wardrobe malfunction from two years ago — wouldn't accept the particular lyrics.
"It wasn't that big of an issue for us," said Frank Supovitz, the NFL's senior vice president, who said the league wanted to make the halftime show family entertainment.
Did You Hear the One About 'Brokeback'?
NEW YORK - Some of the "Top Ten Signs You're a Gay Cowboy," courtesy of David Letterman:
_You enjoy ridin', ropin' and redecoratin'.
_Instead of a saloon, you prefer a salon.
_Native Americans refer to you as "Dances With Men."
Is the bottomless font of "Brokeback Mountain" humor — late-night monologues, fake Internet movie trailers, movie poster imitations — harmless and fun, or insulting?
Most gay groups find it fairly benign, and note that in any case, the movie's overwhelming publicity can only be a good thing.
"Some of the humor may be insensitive, but even that has spurred positive conversation," says Susanne Salkind of the Human Rights Campaign, the largest national gay rights group.
But Matt Foreman, executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, says he's sick of it: "It may be funny, but there is a real element of homophobia. It's making jabs about sex between gay men."
Jay Leno made at least 15 "Brokeback" jokes in January. Many were references to gay sex. One that wasn't: "The cold weather continues to spread across the United States. In fact, down south it was so cold people were shaking like Jerry Falwell watching "Brokeback Mountain."
The Internet is saturated with "Brokeback" imitations. One of the best is a fake movie trailer called "Brokeback to the Future," which uses deftly edited shots from Michael J. Fox's "Back to the Future" to make it look like Marty McFly and that wacky Dr. Emmett Brown are falling in love. There's also "Top Gun 2: Brokeback Squadron," with Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer.
And then there are the poster imitations. Like "Kickback Mountain," with the faces of indicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff and Rep. Tom DeLay superimposed over those of Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal.
Andy Borowitz, author of The Borowitz Report.com, says people get insulted by everything — "so the safest bet is to make jokes about everything."
Besides, he says, "I run into so few gay cowboys in Manhattan. So I think if I'm at a cocktail party and I make a good 'Brokeback' joke, I'll be safe. I guess if I were on a ranch and there were a few strong, silent types, I'd be careful."
Of the movie's iconic line, "I wish I knew how to quit you," Borowitz says he's "hoping it'll become the new 'Show me the money.'"
Paul Rudnick, a playwright and comedy writer, sees the humor as coming from heterosexual men who are both fascinated and very uncomfortable with the content of the movie.
"They're not quite sure what to make of it," says Rudnick, who is gay. "They know their wives are going to fall in love with the movie, and with the men in it."
Rudnick hasn't written about "Brokeback" yet — but only because he'd have to find something really original.
"Just joking about a gay cowboy isn't enough anymore," Rudnick says. "If you're going to joke about it now, you really have to be up to the challenge."
___
On the Net:
"Brokeback to the Future" video: http://www.youtube.com
Howard Stern's brand of shock radio hits Canadian satellite airwaves
TORONTO (AP) — Shock jock Howard Stern's Sirius satellite radio show made its belated Canadian debut Monday, with a lengthy discussion about the Super Bowl followed by the usual raunchy fare and his assertion that the Canadian government is no fan of his brand of entertainment.
Stern's arrival on Sirius Canada came nearly a month after his U.S. debut.
"That whole Canadian Sirius thing is weird," he said. "Like on the one hand they want us because they know that we sell radios, but on the other hand they kinda want to keep us low key because the Canadian government hates us."
Stern sidekick Robin Quivers observed that the Canadian carrier didn't want to have to field expected complaints from listeners.
The talk show had no shortage of profanity and political incorrectness. There were also commercials despite Sirius being a subscription-based service.
The self-proclaimed King of all Media was dropped by CHOM-FM in Montreal in 1998 and in 2001 by Q-107 in Toronto after thousands of complaints to the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council — the industry's voluntary watchdog agency.
Sirius Canada has said it does not expect Stern to run into censorship trouble this time because his satellite show is a pay service and has developed special lockout technology for customers.
But a representative for the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission has said that any abuse of human rights under the Broadcasting Act would still be investigated if there are complaints.
Sirius Canada is 40% owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corp., 40% by Standard Radio and 20 per cent by Sirius in the United States.
Stern announced last year that he was jumping from conventional radio to satellite to avoid the jurisdiction of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission. He's also taken potshots in the past at Canadian regulatory bureaucrats he said lacked a sense of humor.
'Clerks II': Growth and gross-outs
Director Kevin Smith's sequel to his groundbreaking Clerks is a coming-of-age story for guys in their 30s who never grew up.
The first film, which came out in 1994, was a homemade, grainy, black-and-white chronicle of one slacker's daylong shift of misery at a tiny convenience store that became a cultural touchstone for Generation X and inspired a wave of do-it-yourself filmmakers.
Clerks II, set for release this fall, picks up more than a decade later with the two cashier-jockeys from the 1994 original: sweet-but-stagnated Dante (Brian O'Halloran) and his insult-spewing friend Randal (Jeff Anderson).
A calamity at their shops sends them looking for new horizons - but they ultimately settle at Mooby's, a fictional Disney-McDonald's-style fast-food empire.
Not exactly a promotion.
"I've got nothing to say about fast food," director Smith says during an exclusive USA TODAY visit to the yellow and purple restaurant he's using as a set. "But I've got everything to say about getting past that period of life where you've been one person for 10 or 15 years and suddenly you have to change."
Free from his dead-end job (and lodged in a new one), Dante begins to break free of his rut, planning to move away with his clingy fiancée, played by Smith's wife, Jennifer Schwalbach Smith, who used to work for USA TODAY. Dante is ready to leave the horrors of minimum-wage New Jersey behind, but Randal - always the more hostile of the two - starts to become overwhelmed by his own rancor.
"I wanted to see what happened to the characters when they lost their center point," Smith says, sitting on the creaky merry-go-round outside the restaurant building they've co-opted for the shoot. "It opened up a world for Dante. He met somebody, fell in love and got engaged, then he met somebody else (the restaurant manager, played by Rosario Dawson). He reacted well to the outside world, while Randal just got more closed up and scared and angrier.
"The whole flick comes down to whether or not the two of them can reach a compromise of some sort," Smith adds. "It really comes down to the choice a friend makes for another friend."
The writer/director, speaking as a giant fiberglass cartoon cow stares from the restaurant roof, calls it a series of love stories.
But Clerks II is so audaciously raunchy - one scene is sure to challenge the squeamishness of even the most ardent gross-out comedy fan - that Smith says the film may ultimately make its debut unrated, even if that restricts its availability at some theaters. (Clerks initially was rated NC-17 for its frank talk, but on appeal, it got an R.)
Smith's screen alter ego, the trench-coated drug dealer Silent Bob, and his oversexed "hetero life mate" Jay ( Jason Mewes) also return for the sequel, still hanging around, but no longer using - a reflection of Mewes' sobriety after fighting drug addiction, and a sign that even Smith's most cartoonish characters grow and change.
"This is talking about the movie in far loftier terms than most people ever will," says Smith, whose script relies heavily on sex and gross-out jokes.
"In terms of the edginess of the humor, I don't think we've ever gone this far before," the director says. "People who are really critical of us and dismiss us for making (dirty-joke) pictures: They're right, they're not wrong. But at the same time, that's not all we do."