Clerks II - Review Thread

[droidguy1119]

Clerks II - Review Thread

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y37/droidguy1119c/Review%20Threads/clerks2poster.jpg

Trailers, TV Spots and Media
Internet Exclusive Teaser Trailer http://www.clerks2.com/teaser/large.html
Internet Exclusive Trailer http://www.clerks2.com/trailer/large.html
Theatrical Trailer http://www.apple.com/trailers/weinstein/clerks2/trailer2/
Cannes Teaser http://youtube.com/watch?v=xhu_qDdGSNU

On the Web
Official Website (http://www.clerks2.com/)
IMDb (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0424345/)
ComingSoon (http://www.comingsoon.net/films.php?id=6174)
RottenTomatoes (http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/clerks_ii/?show=all)
Yahoo! Movies (http://movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hv&cf=info&id=1808730008)

July 21st, 2006

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y37/droidguy1119c/Review%20Threads/clerks1.jpg

Clerks II
A Review by droidguy1119
for The Following Preview (http://www.followingpreview.com)

Sequels are tricky business. I don't even have to list examples; cruddy follow-ups already litter the 2006 box-office wasteland. The worst part, of course, is that the problem is obvious: movies are motivated by money, and not the need to continue stories, and so the most earnest, well-meaning person can make a lackluster sequel even if their heart is in it. Any movie, especially one with characters that have such devoted followers as the films of Kevin Smith, should be made because there's something more to say, that these people need to keep growing, keep evolving. Clerks II has its flaws, but I can't remember the last time I walked out of any movie feeling not just exhilarated by the performances and direction but ultimately happy that to see that film, with those ideas, up on the screen.

It's been years since the events of Clerks, and Dante (Brian O'Halloran) is ready to leave New Jersey. Now employed by burger chain Mooby's, he and Randal (Jeff Anderson), Dante is celebrating his last day before he heads off to Florida with his new fiancee. People have criticized the fast food element as being too similar to last year's Waiting... (a movie that was itself criticized for ripping off Clerks), but the setting of Clerks II isn't the joke, it's a message: Dante and Randal could have gotten a job anywhere, but fast food was just the low-rent, no-effort job that was easiest to secure. Of course, it helps that Mooby's is apparently unpopular, giving Dante and Randal more time to hang out and chat instead of actually having to make food.

For those of you who are worried: there's no question that Clerks II is laugh-out-loud funny. Although it has some surreal moments (what's up with the dance sequence?) and a tendency to repeat itself a little (especially in the case of Randal's constant arguments), this is the funniest movie of the year. On top of O'Halloran and Anderson's well-honed timing and comic harmony, we get the lovely Rosario Dawson in a genuinely sweet turn as the manager, whose chemistry with Brian O'Halloran is unforced and natural. Jennifer Schwalbach's role as Dante's fiancee is a bit indulgent and straightforward (she's Smith's wife, in case you don't know) and Trevor Fehrman as Elias, a fellow employee, has his high points and low points, between The One Ring and the live-action Transformers Movie.

Of course, in hindsight, it seems hard to believe that writer/diector Smith would have trouble writing these characters, but the temptation to give them "greatest hits" scenes might have been hard to resist. Dante and Randal are still the same people, but they've been changed by the past decade. Their future is no longer defined by not having to be here today, but whether or not they'll be there for the rest of their lives, which loom on the horizon, and it's this part of Clerks II that resonates so strongly. Even moreso than the original, the need to take action and figure everything out looms over Dante, reminding him where his life seems destined to go. Kevin Smith said that if the first film was the lives of the characters in their 20s, this is the lives of them in their 30's, and holding with that, has made a film that reflects that growth as a filmmaker (although there are still dick and fart jokes).

I have a tendency for hyperbole, and I admit it. I'm sure I named at least three "best movies of the year" last year (hopefully nobody noticed). In the case of Clerks II no grains of salt are needed. This is the kind of sequel we need more of, the kind with something to say, with characters that grow and change, with a reason to tell another chapter in the lives of these people we've come to know and love. Is it Kevin Smith's best film? Quite possibly. Clerks II matches its predecessor and adds a depth and poignancy that lets you overlook its flaws (and there are a few, but they're quite minor). Of course, the best part of both films is still intact at the end: this could be you, someday, or even right now, and that's the kind of honesty that truly makes movies, or any art, worth making.

Stars (out of four): ****

Starring Brian O'Halloran, Jeff Anderson, Rosario Dawson, Trevor Fehrman and Jason Mewes
Written and Directed by Kevin Smith
The Weinstein Company (2006) | 97 Minutes
Rated R for pervasive sexual and crude content including aberrant sexuality, strong language and some drug material

[Citizen Kane]

Glad to hear it's as good as err...I thought it would be. :cool:

[Ewok Droppings]

I really liked the first one... I think, unless it was that other one. :confused:

[insaneMoViEgoer]

i think i know what it is...

[Highfire]

I'm 98% positive I know what it is.Anyways, great review ;)

[Fanible]

It's pretty obvious what it is. It's the only comedy sequel coming out this Summer that could possibly have so much "deep" thought written into it like this.

I'm just curious in what the point of throwing up a mystery review is? Why not just wait until you can for real? Is it so just in case anyone else might end up putting it up regardless of the wait time, you can simply change this and be like "Sorry, but I was first"? I hate to be critical, but it just seems so... pointless. =P

Here's a hint to the movie for anyone who wishes to truely know. Well other than the fact that I'm pretty sure it's the only sequel that's a comedy coming out this Summer, but despite most main sites not being able to post official reviews just yet (because I'm pretty sure these advance screenings are still "test" screenings), that obviously has never stopped people from posting their IMDB votes and reviews. There have been numerous screenings in the past few days.

[droidguy1119]

I'm just curious in what the point of throwing up a mystery review is? Why not just wait until you can for real? Is it so just in case anyone else might end up putting it up regardless of the wait time, you can simply change this and be like "Sorry, but I was first"? I hate to be critical, but it just seems so... pointless. =PAs I said in my note, I hope you can figure out what the movie is, and you seem to have done so. I wanted to share my thoughts on it, and I thought it was a truly fantastic movie, and if I have to work around restrictions to share that opinion, I'll do it, because the film is worth it.

[Fanible]

Fair enough. I can understand that, especially since some random dude might end up coming on here and post it regardless of the fact that people were requested not to. I'd rather you post yours then some stoked up, one-time poster. :meanie:

[carnage4u]

This movie blew me away
I couldnt belive what I was seeing
I have no idea what im talking about
God help me

[hei1spawn1]

Thank you Droid. This review has made me so happy now. I cant wait for the movie.

[droidguy1119]

An Interview with Brian O'Halloran and Jeff Anderson

Tyler Foster: What, in the past, would you have said, not when Kevin brought you the script, but before, when fans would ask about a Clerks II?

Jeff Anderson: I wasn't a big fan of doing a sequel to Clerks, when Kevin came to me with it, we had lunch, I didn't want to do it. You know, Clerks is a weird movie, it's had a lot of odd things going for it, and somehow caught on, and it's not a movie that screams for a sequel, you know, and Kevin coming off Jersey Girl, I was curious what his intentions were, it didn't seem like a good move on his part. It was...the whole thing was kind of odd, I didn't immediately warm up to it.

TF: Do you think maybe the existence of the cartoon maybe helped the fans feel that you could go back to this universe without doing injustice to the original film?

JA: I don't know, 'cause the cartoon is so different...

Brian O'Halloran: Separate worlds...

JA: ...it's like it's completely different, you're doing stuff in the cartoons that you could never do, you know, shoot live-action, so, it was, I think it was kind of a different animal.

BH: Yeah, it was something that had no effect time or storyline to the originals, and the other parts of that world, it was just something that reminded people of these characters, is pretty much about all. I mean, when he approached me to do it, you know, I was, being a working actor, wanted more work, I was like, "Yeah, sure," you know, just having faith in Kevin and his writing, that he'd be able to tackle it. When we were doing the cartoon, I remember he was telling me about some of the ideas, that some of the future episodes, if it had gone on, where he was drawing some of the ideas for the sequel from, which I thought was pretty funny.

TF: Just as a curiosity, what exactly was it like audition for the infamous, apparently horrible live-action "Clerks" TV pilot?

JA: You know, that was really weird...that came about...I don't think any of us even knew about it.

BH: Yeah, I found out, I was actually meeting with different agents at the time, out in L.A., and I remember this one agent I was having a meeting with, I was interviewing with, said, "So you're going in for the "Clerks", you know, the Clerks TV sitcom, right?" And I thought she was kidding, like, "Ha ha, yeah, wouldn't that be appropriate," And this agent is, "No, there is," and she brought out the treatment, she's like, "Look." I'm like, "No, this is the first time I'm hearing about this." "Well, would you like me to send you in on this?" You know, trying to gain my business, so to speak, so I was like, "Yeah, sure, set it up." And I had called Kevin and Kevin didn't even hear about it at the time, either. And I had called Kevin, going, "Kevin, what's going on," he wasn't involved with it at all, because Disney owned Miramax, they had the rights to it, and Warner Brothers came and wanted to get the license to do it, and they were given the permission to do it, and that word got around this circle of us, and we were like, "Did you hear about this?" "No, I didn't hear about it," and they started sending us in, and we were like, late into the audition process.

JA: Yeah, when I went in there, it was again, it was already...my part was cast already, and it was a TV show, and I don't know what we were doing, some sort of publicity thing I was doing with a film crew, and they thought it would be funny to film me going in and auditioning for this, and I was like, "But my part's already taken." So I actually went in and auditioned for Dante, and I read the script and thought it was horrible, and I'm like, A, I'm not going to go here because it's horrible, but B, I'm going to audition as Dante? That's a little bizarre. And they were like, "It's going to be fun for TV." So, I went in and did the audition, but really had no interest in being part of it, and actually when I saw it afterwards, it was a couple years later, I think Kevin got a copy of it, and it was like "Saved by the Bell: Clerks," it was just horrible.

BH: It was the production value like that. That's just the thing, it's a television thing, if you're going to make a sitcom for Clerks, it's gotta be something like, on HBO...

JA: The Randal character, he worked in an ice cream parlor, it was an ice cream parlor attached to a convenience store.

BH: And I remember Kevin just flipping out, going to the production company, going, "You can do anything you want, but you can't have Jay and Bob, the Jay and Bob characters," and he arranged it somehow so they couldn't do...they had no intention to, apparently, but yeah.

JA: Well, it was kind of funny when it came about, because Kevin didn't know about it, right, and then all of a sudden, he became the executive producer on it, and then when I was going to audition, I was literally walking onto the lot as Kevin and Scott were walking out, and I was like "So, you're both producing it?" and they went "No. We're out of here." And I was like, "Well, I'm going to go in and read for Dante for these TV guys and then I'm out of here too."

TF: Do you think a new live-action show could be done following the events of Clerks II if Kevin was involved?

BH: I don't know, I don't think so.

JA: I think pretty much the live-action Clerks stuff is over.

BH: I mean, if there was any interest, I mean, if they threw boatloads of money, and even then it would be hard...it would have to be on a cable format, it just could never work on mainstream TV.

TF: Will you return to the cartoon show?

BH: Well, that's actually in the works. Not so much as a series, but as a direct-to-video unrated movie. I think Kevin has talked in other interviews about how he's working on that in, I think, 2008.

JA: That animated stuff was hard to believe we were paid to be there. We would be in there crackin' jokes, some of the stuff that was going on in some of those recordings...

BH: Yeah, it was just so much fun. Exactly, it was great just to meet some of these great guest stars that we had, they were just so hysterical. Michael McKean, he was a pisser to work with, Dana Gould, he's executive producer of "The Simpsons" now, he was funny as hell, you know, all those guys...it was just like, God, so much fun, I think he had a suggestion where we should do an episode where we're all just in our underwear, and record it that way, and that was like, "Well...okay...", but to think that we could do that...no one would ever know, just so funny.

TF: Well, there's always the example of "Family Guy", and do you think if the cartoon movie was a big success and another channel offered, you'd be willing to do a new incarnation of the cartoon show?

BH: I'm already reserving my seat at that microphone already, I've been crying about that cancellation ever since 2000. I mean, I was thinking, I'm set, this is the job where I can do other projects, and then just come down and lay down tracks, not even be in the city and lay down dialogue tracks. As a kid, I've always had a fantasy and a dream of working on cartoons, I've always been into voices, and stuff like that, that was my dream job...you'd just have to tell me when and where, and I'd do it.

JA: Yep. Animated, I'm there.

TF: Do you think if the animated series had continued you still would have done Clerks II?

BH: Hmm, that's a good question. I don't know if we'd have needed to do a Clerks II at that point.

JA: I think the animated series, the way it was, helped put it back in Kevin's mind, to do the movie was sort of back there, but, that's a good question, if it had kept going, maybe we wouldn't have come back to this. I think maybe he would have exercised some of the stuff that he wanted to tell in an animated fashion.

TF: How much, if any, of the version of this film that turned into Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back made it into the finished film? Did you ever see a script for that version?

JA: I don't know, that wasn't...I very rarely keep up on any of this...

BH: Yeah, I don't think any of this came out of Jay and Bob at all, I mean, he had ideas, what if, he were ever to do a sequel, he had, I think just three elements, that eventually made it into the film, that he was like, I definitely want to do it, you know, I want this in it, I definitely want to have something like this in it, and I kinda want it to wind up where they're like this, and the rest was all done... 'Cause the idea came to actually do it after, when we were working on the ten year anniversary DVD, we went into the studio to put down the vocal tracks for the missing scene, which was the funeral scene, in which we animated similar to the style of the cartoon, and I guess after coming off an underperforming Jersey Girl, and hearing these characters, and reminding himself of a time when we just had a fun, fun time shooting a very funny script, he just wanted to do it again, and he came to us, "what do you think, do you want to do a Clerks II," and then after we said yes, and Jeff saying, "Well, you know what, let me see a script first, and we'll see what happens," when he pounded that out, I think it was only within 30 days or 40 days that he pounded out Clerks II, and then us reading it, but I was like, "Wow, this is great," and so the elements from the other world and the other films, there wasn't much in it.

TF: What, if any, was the one element you felt you had to preserve from the original Clerks?

JA: I don't know if there was a specific element...I mean, even when Kevin came to me, like, trying to sell me on the idea of doing it, even in my own mind, I didn't really know what it had to be, the sequel. That's why I couldn't figure out why he was so set, like "I know what it has to be." It didn't seem that obvious to me, and I wasn't quite sure what needed to happen in II, but I was sure it was something, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it, so I was just curious to read it like that. And I think some of the stuff that helps it, the new one, is the emotional stuff that's in it, and I wouldn't have thought that that's what it needed. Like, if you had asked me, I would have said, "I don't know what it needs, but it can't be just us sitting behind the counter making fun of people again." I wouldn't know what it is that it needed, but I think the surprise thing, the thing that's going to catch people off guard is the emotional levels this time around as opposed to the first time, where it's similar that it's a day in the life, but there's stuff going on with these guys this time, so I think that's what was needed.

BH: Exactly, I couldn't have...I wouldn't have been able to pin it. I mean, yeah, you're going to want to have one or two customers being shouted at, or whatever, because people love that, that type of ****, but yeah...he tackled it, I think, brilliantly.

TF: Kevin has always said that if Clerks is his life at 20, then Clerks II is his life at 30...

BH: Absolutely, I mean, all his films are that way. I mean, it's definitely...every one of his films is pretty much where he stands on life and what he's questioning about life at that moment, you know, religion in one sense, relationships with best friends and a lesbian thrown in, and Jersey Girl and Mallrats, I mean it's pretty much you can see it going on, so now he's in his 30s, and he felt like he could see where these guys would be, where their fears of where they're lacking are to be, I think it was something that he could totally pull from his heart, and get the best of each film and plop it into there.

TF: Well, do you think you also needed to be where you are now to make this movie?

BH: I think so, I mean, you know, if he wrote these characters as they were in their 50's, I think it would be hard for us to relate in a sense...it's helpful to be playing characters that you are age appropriate for, so you can play it identifying with their problems and their fears.

TF: Was anything major cut out of the film?

BH: Well, actually, there was this really funny one scene, which is a second half of the driving scene, coming back from the go-karts, which was Randal's, which was hysterical, which I'm kind of upset to see go, because it was just so hysterically funny.

JA: You're upset to see go?

BH: Well, yeah, you had to memorize seven pages of dialogue.

JA: Seven pages, and he cut the scene out. You'll definitely see that as a deleted scene, and it's gonna be a deleted scene, and I hate to start hawking the DVD already, but that scene alone is worth the price of a DVD, it's a scene coming back from the go-kart track, whereby, I in a quite convincing fashion, I try and convince Dante how he could in fact impregnate his own mother through masturbation. It's a seven page scene in which I lay out every possible argument.

BH: It's funny as hell, all during this drive. And then there's another scene with Wanda Sykes and this other stand-up comic by the name of Earthquake, who are two customers waiting for food, and there's a scene going on between me and Rosario while making the food, and then there's their little side conversation, where Kevin just said, you know, talk amongst yourselves, just make it look on camera like they're talking, and it was so funny that he immediately flipped the camera around and said, "Just go," for a full eleven-minute mag of film, and we just let them riff, and that was just so, so splitting, so I'm sure you'll have that customer rant on the DVD as well.

TF: Did the Miramax/Weinstein split interrupt the film?

BH: It delayed it, it delayed it by about a year and a half, I know that much, between that happening, and Kevin getting involved with and being cast in a film called Catch and Release, which comes in out in January, with Jennifer Garner, between that, the pushback that Miramax, with the Weinsteins leaving Miramax, and then also him being cast...year and a half. I remember I was putting things on hold for quite awhile, thinking, "oh yeah, we're going to do it this month," or "Oh, we're gonna do it in two months."

JA: That actually almost caused more trouble than anybody knew, because in that push time: my feet were cold. And Kevin got a few phone calls during all the time pushing it and pushing it, where I was just like, "You know...still not convinced. This isn't a good idea." We went to dinner more than once, he had to talk me off the ledge a few times.

TF: And Jeff, your film is still scheduled to come out on DVD from them this year?

JA: Scheduled to come out on DVD by the Weinstein Company, should be out alongside Clerks.

TF: Well, the sequel is great, and it's pretty amazing how close you guys have stayed to the characters even after 10 years, watching Clerks and Clerks II, it's almost identical...

BH: Yeah, that carbonite really helps us out. We're well preserved that way, Kevin's like "Okay! Here you go, Bri!" "Ohh, what year is it?" "Ten years later. Boy, carbonite really fattened you up." "Well, what do you want me to do, it's edible."

TF: And lastly, just another curiosity...how many members of the Hicks family do you think there are?

BH: I don't know...they're very well inbred, that's for sure...the name alone, "a bunch of hicks..." I dunno, there's probably like 20 or 30 of them, take over a town...I wouldn't be surprised if there's a Mayor Hicks out there somewhere as well, the mayor of Leonardo.

JA: There's only one Graves.

BH: Yeah, he killed everyone else.

[darthspielberg]

Thanks Droid. Awesome Interview. I hope you get things off the ground with your site, as it will be fantastic, with material like this.

[Diablo]

Oh so the review was for Clerks II!!



;)

[Brenzi51]

I honestly didn't find the first film very appealing, however, I really want to see this film for some reason...

[Citizen Kane]

Does anyone know if they're doing midnight screenings for it?

[SaltyDog]

Does anyone know if they're doing midnight screenings for it?.

Critics walked out on Clerks 2 saying it is nothing but SMUT. Yet the director thinks of himself as something special. It doesn't take anything special to put smut on the screen. Wow. I thought that was what the critics have being approving and rating highly all these years. Foul language, nudity, urination, acts of fornication, etc etc.

[boydston_14]

I hope I can find a way to see this when it comes out....

[halo7]

.

Critics walked out on Clerks 2 saying it is nothing but SMUT. Yet the director thinks of himself as something special. It doesn't take anything special to put smut on the screen. Wow. I thought that was what the critics have being approving and rating highly all these years. Foul language, nudity, urination, acts of fornication, etc etc.

I think we should all listen to SaltyDog.

He is basing his facts on nothing and if he actually knew anything about the response to Clerks II he would know that the majority of reviews are positive.

I mean. How could he be wrong?

[droidguy1119]

Critics walked out on Clerks 2 saying it is nothing but SMUT. Yet the director thinks of himself as something special. It doesn't take anything special to put smut on the screen. Wow. I thought that was what the critics have being approving and rating highly all these years. Foul language, nudity, urination, acts of fornication, etc etc.The movie is more than smut, and, for the record, ONE SINGLE CRITIC walked out on the movie, not plural. The critic in question was Joel Siegel, and Siegel has since said that he respects Kevin Smith as a filmmaker but the movie just was too much for him.

[Citizen Kane]

.

Critics walked out on Clerks 2 saying it is nothing but SMUT. Yet the director thinks of himself as something special. It doesn't take anything special to put smut on the screen. Wow. I thought that was what the critics have being approving and rating highly all these years. Foul language, nudity, urination, acts of fornication, etc etc.

You are so worthless. :)

[SaltyDog]

You are so worthless. :)

Well who am I to say it isn't ok for people to wallow in crap..smut....but many like to bathe in it. And since you seem to enjoy this kind of crap you are hardly the one in a position to call me worthless...

.OK... put up your fists...lets go at it....Nah, just kidding...your worthless posts I take for granted and let them wash off my shoulders.

[Citizen Kane]

I see. So, the organizers of the Cannes Film Festival, the Sundance film festival, and the countless critics and people who have respected Kevin over the years, all of us like to wallow in crap? And I suppose you, SaltyDog, are some kind of shining beacon that will lead us out of this den of filth and into the Kingdom of Heaven. :rolleyes:

[SaltyDog]

The movie is more than smut, and, for the record, ONE SINGLE CRITIC walked out on the movie, not plural. The critic in question was Joel Siegel, and Siegel has since said that he respects Kevin Smith as a filmmaker but the movie just was too much for him.

Yeah...many people and critics liked that smutty downright vulgar film "Team America" also. So what else is new.

[SaltyDog]

I see. So, the organizers of the Cannes Film Festiival, the Sundance film festival, and the countless critics and people who have respected Kevin over the years, all of us like to wallow in crap? And I suppose you, SaltyDog, are some kind of shining beacon that will lead us out of this den of filth and into the Kingdom of Heaven. :rolleyes:

I liked that film "kingdom of Heaven" a lot. Now that was a good film.

[Citizen Kane]

Do you have ADD or something?

[SnoBorderZero]

Is this guy serious? Salty, just please be quiet and keep yourself from embarrassing... yourself any more. Did you tell him to put up his fists over the internet? Wow. And since when did vulgarity make a movie bad? No love for Scarface or Pulp Fiction?

BTW, Kingdom of Heaven was awful.

[droidguy1119]

Please let this discussion end now. I don't want my thread closed like the Nacho Libre thread. Let's keep it to the movie, folks -- only a little over a day away.

[boydston_14]

I see. So, the organizers of the Cannes Film Festiival, the Sundance film festival, and the countless critics and people who have respected Kevin over the years, all of us like to wallow in crap? And I suppose you, SaltyDog, are some kind of shining beacon that will lead us out of this den of filth and into the Kingdom of Heaven. :rolleyes:
pwned!

Good job CK.;)

[SaltyDog]

Is this guy serious? Salty, just please be quiet and keep yourself from embarrassing... yourself any more. Did you tell him to put up his fists over the internet? Wow. And since when did vulgarity make a movie bad? No love for Scarface or Pulp Fiction?

BTW, Kingdom of Heaven was awful.

OH, I WAS JUST KIDDING about the fist thing. I believe i stated that with my comments. As for Clerks 2...I think Film Scholar and film critic Emanuel Levy has done a great review of the film putting the film and Director Smith in his place. Since I won't be seeing the film I myself cannot review it but maybe when it comes on TV with all the vulgarities edited out i might take the time to look at it. Maybe. Too bad you didn't like KOH. One of the underrated film of that year.

[boydston_14]

Wait, why are you spending so much time in this thread just so you can bash the movie you already said you won't see?

[SaltyDog]

Wait, why are you spending so much time in this thread just so you can bash the movie you already said you won't see?

Did you see the way Director Smith came after Critic Seigel just because he walked out on his vulgar film. No wonder this is what one critic says about Smith:

"Kevin Smith has made a history of attacking people GREATER THAN HIM in an insecure, rude, slanderous manner. The guy can't keep his mouth shut. He has an angry management issue."

After reading Smith behavior I can say with all honesty this guy is deserving of all the criticizm he receives.

[Citizen Kane]

What, so Smith is evil for complaining about a critic who walked out of his film, and loudly spoke obscenities as he left? Oh man, that Kevin Smith, he's so evil for being pissed off that someone would DISRUPT HIS MOVIE.

[halo7]

Please let this discussion end now. I don't want my thread closed like the Nacho Libre thread. Let's keep it to the movie, folks -- only a little over a day away.

Just quoting this for reference.

[sshuttari]

Kingdom of Heaven Ext Edition is one of the greatest movies Ive ever seen, better then GLadiator thats for sure.

anyways,

Clerks 2 looks alright, After watching Joe and Silent bob strike back. I dont know if i really want to see it.

Because that movie is was absolutley horrible.

[halo7]

What people need to realize about JAY and Silent Bob strike back is that its what fans clamored for at the time. A whole movie about essentially sidekicks to other main characters was a pretty bad Idea. Especially at the immaturity of these paticular characters. Dont get me wrong I love Jay and Silent Bob, but they are best in smaller doses. Having a whole movie about them sort of ruins the point of why they are there. So in turn we got a cartoony, silly, Immature, sometimes fun comedy that strayed away from Smiths usual stuff and made every 12 year old's top 10 list. Jay and Silent Bob strike back is Smith's worst film (although I do enjoy it at times). But Clerks II is not Jay and Silent Bob 2. Jay and Silent Bob are the co-stars, Like they should be.

[sshuttari]

What people need to realize about JAY and Silent Bob strike back is that its what fans clamored for at the time. A whole movie about essentially sidekicks to other main characters was a pretty bad Idea. Especially at the immaturity of these paticular characters. Dont get me wrong I love Jay and Silent Bob, but they are best in smaller doses. Having a whole movie about them sort of ruins the point of why they are there. So in turn we got a cartoony, silly, Immature, sometimes fun comedy that strayed away from Smiths usual stuff and made every 12 year old's top 10 list. Jay and Silent Bob strike back is Smith's worst film (although I do enjoy it at times). But Clerks II is not Jay and Silent Bob 2. Jay and Silent Bob are the co-stars, Like they should be.

Alright Ill have to see it then. I did like Dogma alot though, If the story is well written and its not made for a 12 yr. old

Ill go see the movie

But i need to see Clerks I first:D

[droidguy1119]

OH, I WAS JUST KIDDING about the fist thing. I believe i stated that with my comments. As for Clerks 2...I think Film Scholar and film critic Emanuel Levy has done a great review of the film putting the film and Director Smith in his place. Since I won't be seeing the film I myself cannot review it but maybe when it comes on TV with all the vulgarities edited out i might take the time to look at it. Maybe. Too bad you didn't like KOH. One of the underrated film of that year.Unless you've seen the movie it's kind of impossible to say whether a review is honestly good. That would require you to assume that the reviewer is right -- maybe you're actually the one that's closeminded. People in real life use obscenity, and that factor alone does not define something as a bad movie.

[darthspielberg]

I get to see this tonight, and I for one am damned excited, and the Joel Sigel thing has only made that excitment go up.

and to sum up how i feel about the attack on the critic, CHUD.com had a editorial that says the following "Opie and Andy, along with Mr. Smith, gave Joel Siegl all the tools he needed to make an ass out of himself, and what do you know, Joel is a handyman."

This looks like one of the best films of the year, and I honestly don't care about hearing a few F words, or 'vulgar' statements, now go back to your fellations of Superman Returns, SaltyDog.

[iv3rdawG]

I'll definitely see it. Clerks is one of the funniest movies i've ever seen.

[boydston_14]

Jay and Silent Bob strike back is Smith's worst film

No, that title belongs to Jersey Girl :D

[halo7]

Ive seen Jersey Girl. It wasnt a bad film in my opinion. It was definitley out of the norm for Kevin though.

Jay and Silent Bob strike back is just...ugh.

[droidguy1119]

Ive seen Jersey Girl. It wasnt a bad film in my opinion. It was definitley out of the norm for Kevin though.

Jay and Silent Bob strike back is just...ugh.The first time I watched it, I thought it was hilarious. The second time I watched it, I hated it. The third time I watched it, I still hated it. The fourth time I watched it, I realized that it's not awful, but the middle section really has nothing going for it. I think Ben Affleck being so goofy is really funny, though, and if the middle had more of the other characters besides the jewel thieves and Will Ferrell, it would have improved it...maybe Willam Black, or Hooper? I don't know. It needed more self-parody in the middle, though.

[sshuttari]

No, that title belongs to Jersey Girl :D

I enjoyed Jersey Girl, I dont know how else you could have made that movie better.

[slinger]

Went to the theatre tonight on a date, this girl approached us and offered us free passes to Clerks II. So we thanked her and took them. I just saw Clerks a few months ago, and watched a few episodes of the animated series when it was first on ABC.

One of the best comedies you'll see this year. And perhaps Smith's best film. It leaves you wanting more, but a lot was crammed in the film; all the screen time was well used. As mentioned in the interview in this thread, the movie has an emotional side that balances well with the offensive comedy. This will probably surprise some fans who were just expecting more of the same old. Thankfully Smith just didn't take the characters move them to a new setting and repeat what they did in the original. Well it probably won't offend most people who see the film; I did see four senior citizens sit down before the movie started. I don't know if they left since I was looking at the screen and laughing throughout the entire film.

Hicks and Graves do come out of frozen carbonite, they slip into the roles quite easily and can tell they had fun. Trevor Fehrman plays the their young Christian co-worker and steals many scenes. There are plenty of stereotypical co-workers that could've been used for the film; a 19 year old Christian nerd who loves Transformers and LOTR is a perfect fit for Clerks II.

Jay and Silent Bob, of course follow Randal and Dante to Mooby's and, are in full supply of eye averting-gross out-hilarious moments. Rosario Dawson lights up the screen when she appears. A worthy addition to the film. If you thought a young woman screwing a dead fat guy on a toilet think he was someone else was sick... Smith easily tops it here ...Cameos ... Well most know Ben Affleck appears, Jason Lee turns thing sour for the clerks, Wanda Skyes gets so angry you would think Larry David is in the building and the other man who help make Clerks: Scott Mosier makes an appearence. My date hadn't seen Clerks, but really enjoyed the sequel. Seeing the original made a few moments even more enjoyable. It wasn't just a sequel just to make money, it was able to evolve the characters even more. That can be rare in Hollywood.

The original has it's catchphrases and memorable lines. This one probably has twice that many. Inter-species erotica, Ass to mouth, Porch Monkey 4 Life, That homeboy ****ed a martian and pickle****er are just some. If you yourself are in the service industry or have, go see this. See the orginal on DVD if you haven't too.

[Fanible]

I wouldn't say Jersey Girl is completely out of the norm. Smith has done goofy/satire films and slightly more serious romantic comedies. Chasing Amy and Jersey Girl fall into that second category. I liked Jersey Girl better than Chasing Amy though.

[darthspielberg]

Just got back (well, kinda, Early Breakfast/Late Dinner got in the way) and I loved it. The first film this year to not disappoint at all. It was amazingly awesomely hilarious.

The whole Sigel thing was totally unfounded, because at the mark that Kevin and the witnesses say he left, there was TWO SECONDS of description, and it was nothing that Smith hasn't said before, besides featuring...an animal. If he had stayed, his review would only have gone up.

Great Movie. Great Writing, Great Cast (Trevor Ferhman is the friggin man...) and oh yeah...

oooh, cake.

[Citizen Kane]

Just got back. This is Kevin Smith's best film. More later.

[JBond]

I thought it was pretty good, I was coughing from laughing at the LOTR vs. SW discussion.

And my god, the finale...

8/10

[boydston_14]

I really want to see this movie now....

[Browntown Johnn]

Clerks 2 Review (post #1)
http://www.browntownjohnny.com/index.php

Clerks 2



The movie you all have been waiting for......."Clerks 2"! Wait a minute.......aren't all the movies that Kevin Smith makes a sequel to "Clerks"? Well, I guess it's a technicality, but the new Clerks film is a continuation of the original 'slackerfest' Jersey lowbrow comedy. Sure you get Jay and Silent Bob (always a treat but getting a little stale) and Dante and Randall (Mamet like banter keeps on going). They move the action from the quick mart/ video rental shop in Leonardo NJ to the local fast food joint "Moobys" (a Smith staple since Dogma).



The bull**** keeps on rolling as Dante (Brian O'Halloran can't act) and Randal (Really, it's all on Jeff Anderson's court) skate through life in adolecent dreams (into their 30's). Dante has a girlfriend and is moving to FLA to get a house and a real job. Jay and Bob still sell dope out front (they are now Christians, but not too good at it). The manager of Mooby's is Becky (a welcome and very talented Rosario Dawson), and she has a thing for Dante. Will Dante confess his true love of Becky?


Kevin Smith made this movie with a little heart, but it's got a weak script. His fanbase will approve but he could have tried a little harder and recognized that his main problem is believing in the romance between Becky and Dante. O'Halloran is pretty bad here (I liked him in Vulgar) and it's the biggest fallback. Another little problem is the repeating of the same 'thats gay' jokes.......try something else for a change. Clerks 2 is full of laughs and the final 3rd is so over the top vulgar that I has off the seat.


Casting his wife Jennifer Schwalbach in the (Baxter) girlfriend role is not a good idea. Cameos by ....you guessed it...Bennifer..........and a funny role for Jason Lee as "Pickle ****er"......Wanda Sykes and Earthquake as black people (my favorite scene...wont give it away)...and a good supproting role for Trevor Ferman as the virgin Christian geek, Elias. Good for fans only (MEEEE!)

[halo7]

So I saw it.

It was vulgar, Lude, Downright hilarious. Some would even use the word genius.

But above being all these things. It ended a story that needed this paticular ending. By ending this story, Kevin Smith has done something that it takes a lot of guts to do. He has ended a Generation. Our favorite boys have grown up. Seeing these voices of a generation grow up right before eyes. Well it made me sad knowing that we might never see them again. But I needed this. All of us needed this. So many people can identify with these characters. So when they grow up.

We all grow up in some way too.

Best movie of the year.

10/10

[Keith Moore]

I made the trip today, a break from the 100 degree heat. Well worth it if you're a Smith fan, as all the pop culture dialogue was hilarious. And the ending was cool, nice way to tie off the characters. Still, there were some story issues that were distracting for me (possible spoilers). IMO, Randall's poking fun at the Christian kid was mostly funny, but early on he was an all out bully...didn't seem funny to me. And Dante ended up being a bit of a scumbag, IMO. I mean, I guess it depends on how you interpret his situation with the ladies.

But the scene with Rosario Dawson dancing on the roof? Wow, I'm in love...

[Alien]

I'm not sure about Clerks 2, I just hope it's not a sell out like Jay & Silent Bob was. I don't want to read any reviews coz I don't want any spoilers at all. The Fact that it's getting 10 out of 10 doesn't mean too much coz I don't know how loads of you felt about (what I believe to be a poor poor movie) Jay & Silent Bob.

[JBond]

I didn't like Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back at all, I liked this movie.

[halo7]

I explain on the page before this one how this is different from Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.

[the elmo zombie]

best of the year

10/10

[fantasticfour40]

I hate to bring down the house. But I found this movie to be offensive.

[halo7]

Yeah, Really?


;)

[WuTical]

I hate to bring down the house. But I found this movie to be offensive.
http://www.clerks2.com/images/elias.jpg



?????

[iv3rdawG]

The whole part where Jay was doing his Buffalo Bill dance, I was cracking up. And the part where he was naked and dancing... lmao. Dante and Randal are some of my favorite movie characters, its great to see that the film ended like it did. 9.5/10

[darthspielberg]

I hate to bring down the house. But I found this movie to be offensive.

Thats not much of a surprise.

[the elmo zombie]

I hate to bring down the house. But I found this movie to be offensive.

is that you joel???

[boydston_14]

is that you joel???

Yeah, because fantasticfour40 is really.....

*tries to pull off mask*

****. It really is just fantasticfour40. No surprise then.

[Alien]

I explain on the page before this one how this is different from Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.
Like I said I didn't want to read any reviews in case they had spoilers, I realise you might not put spoilers in your reviews but some aren't so good at hiding them.

But that is good to know.

[The WupZter]

I hate to bring down the house. But I found this movie to be offensive.

LOL. No kidding?

[halo7]

Let me also say the movie had a great soundtrack.

"Misery" by Soul Asylum was the perfect song to end it on.

[ip_guru]

10 out of 10, even 9 out of 10? Wow.

[droidguy1119]

Years ago
I was an angry young man
I'd pretend
That I was a billboard
Standing tall
By the side of the road
I fell in love
With a beautiful highway
This used to be real estate
Now it's only fields and trees
Where, where is the town
Now, it's nothing but flowers
The highways and cars
Were sacrificed for agriculture
I thought that we'd start over
But I guess I was wrong

Once there were parking lots
Now it's a peaceful oasis
you got it, you got it

This was a Pizza Hut
Now it's all covered with daisies
you got it, you got it

I miss the honky tonks,
Dairy Queens, and 7-Elevens
you got it, you got it

And as things fell apart
Nobody paid much attention
you got it, you got it

I dream of cherry pies,
Candy bars, and chocolate chip cookies
you got it, you got it

We used to microwave
Now we just eat nuts and berries
you got it, you got it

This was a discount store,
Now it's turned into a cornfield
you got it, you got it

Don't leave me stranded here
I can't get used to this lifestyle

[darthspielberg]

^ I have been listening to that song alot since i saw the flick. A friend leans over to me at the preview and goes "that sounds a lot like the Talking Heads"

me: "It IS the talking heads."

him: "Oh...well, then i was right.."

[the elmo zombie]

5 best scenes of the movie(no order)

The john Hughes dance sequence
Lord of the Rings rant
Racial Slurs
Pillow Pants
Buffalo Jay

[NastyNas04]

I was sooooooo disapointed to have to give this movie a generous C+ but it didn't have enough funny banter to back up the drama and when it was trying to be funny it came on to strong instead of being laid back and in your face like the first and don't get me started on the John Hughes dance scene and the go cart scene.

[iv3rdawG]

8 Best Scenes In Order (I couldn't only put 5 in :P)

1. Buffalo Jay
2. The Go-Karts
3. Star Wars vs LOTR
4. The Prison
5. When Randal finds out Becky is pregnant and hits the guy who is walking by with his food.
6. The Dance Sequence
7. The Donkey Show
8. The Racial Slurs

[iv3rdawG]

the go cart scene.
Please explain why you didn't like the go kart scene. I really digged it.

[DVDAVE]

I loved this movie 10/10 best movie of the year so far...

[WildCard]

This movie is the 2nd best in the series(below the original of course). I've seen it twice and I loved it just as much as the 1st. Can'y wait to hear the commentary on the DVD. MUST SEE!!!

Side Note:

I love Randal's reply when anybody finds 'Porchmonkey" Racist

"It's alright, i'm taking it back"

Like thats gonna make it better.

[darthspielberg]

This movie is the 2nd best in the series(below the original of course). I've seen it twice and I loved it just as much as the 1st. Can'y wait to hear the commentary on the DVD. MUST SEE!!!

Side Note:

I love Randal's reply when anybody finds 'P****monkey" Racist

"It's alright, i'm taking it back"

Like thats gonna make it better.

unless YOU are taking it back, you might want to um, edit, the term a bit in your post. Just so as not to offend anyone who might be offended by it.

but you are right. "I'm taking it back" was hysterical. down right tear driving hysterical.

[Inval1d]

i love it. it was super funneh.

[NastyNas04]

Please explain why you didn't like the go kart scene. I really digged it.

I wanted to dig the randomness of it but even though it showed that Randal did have an unspoken soft side it made me feel like he wasn't the same and even though it's supose to be different I just couldn't adjust.

[halo7]

I liked the Go Kart scene. Nothing about it was meant to be random. I felt it was neccesary to show people how strong Dante and Randal's friendship is.

[JBond]

I disagree, it was suppose to be silly to atleast some degree.

[iv3rdawG]

Eh, I don't think so. I'm pretty sure Halo is right. Although you can see some silliness in the car scene on the way back from the go karts

[Peter_Porker]

This was definately funny, I really like it, but it was a different funny then Clerks was.

Laughed my ass off though.

[Jack]

I thought that the go-cart scene showed that, with immaturity, also comes an innocence that is inescapable. Randall was just retreating back into himself. Seeing him that vulnerable was a little jarring, but hit me as true.

I liked this one. Over-soundtracked, and Brian O'Halloran can't act for the life of him, but I liked it. Lost my **** laughing so hard at the "Pillow Pants" scene.

Solid B

[sshuttari]

Really liked cant give it a perfect 10 becuz of the donkey scene a lil to much for me, but besides that.

I digg the movie

7/10

[xshatteredstardropsx]

:( Our theatre isn't getting Clerks II, grrr. :(

[FVD]

Saw this last night. It was hilarious when they were talking about A2M's. But it was even funnier when Kevin Weisman (Marshall from Alias) walked in being a big fan of LOTR talking about it with Elias and Randall dissing the trilogy.

I've never heard the term Porchmonkey before either. Had no idea it was offensive though I finally realised why. And that donkey scene was a bit much. But it's a Kevin Smith film after all.

And don't ask me why but I kinda found Rosario Dawson to be hot in the movie even though I don't really rate her highly. She's come a long way since I first saw her in the abysmal Josie and the Pussycats. Where's Tara Reid now? Being denied entry in Hollywood nightclubs etc. And Rachael Leigh Cook? What about her? I do like her though despite being married to one of my fellow countrymen. Dawson's obviously doing better than the other two.

Score: 8.5/10

[adt100]

Was I watching a different film to you guys!??

Based on the Empire Review I actually went to see this drivel, and it was absolutely bloody AWFUL. Awful with a capital A and then some! I actually found myself agreeing with Johnathon Ross on this one, (not something I usually do). The original was passable, but this was just a waste of time, like something the beforementioned backward cap wearing teen would come up with.

I though Jackass 2 was bad, but this was even worse, 2 movies in 2 weeks that I've seen on the basis of apparently 'decent' reviews and both have turned out to be utter garbage. It really must have some kind of surreal cult appeal for a certain audience, but come, 10/10 for a movie like this. If people are this easily pleased then Hollywood execs must be laughing their behinds off! :rolleyes:

[Alien]

Pillowpants is a classic!

I can't wait for the DVD this has been one of the best movies of 2006.

"I hope that donkey doesn't have a heinie troll!"

[randomchild]

Saw it last night pretty good. Their were some iffy, just not funny parts, but overall the movie was great. The prison scene really got to me and that has to be the best climax to a movie ever.

[Alien]

I've been wondering hoe Jay and Bob had the money for the quick stop, I thought, is selling some weed really that good but then I remembered didn't they get paid at the end of Jay and Bob Strike Back?

[IanTheCool]

it was a hilarious movie, though i dont know if i'll buy it yet

[Alien]

I'll totally buy it, I have the rest so I'll get this.

[spide-ed]

Pure Marmite film-making, you'll love it or hate it.

I loved it, the LOTR metaphor especially

"man those hobbit movies sucked, 3 movies about people walking, walking to a ****in volcano"

Not that i dislike LOTR i just thought that was damn funny.

Brian O'Halloran is a bad actor but the genius of his buddy Randal sorta covered it up.

8/10

[droidguy1119]

Was I watching a different film to you guys!??

Based on the Empire Review I actually went to see this drivel, and it was absolutely bloody AWFUL. Awful with a capital A and then some! I actually found myself agreeing with Johnathon Ross on this one, (not something I usually do). The original was passable, but this was just a waste of time, like something the beforementioned backward cap wearing teen would come up with.

I though Jackass 2 was bad, but this was even worse, 2 movies in 2 weeks that I've seen on the basis of apparently 'decent' reviews and both have turned out to be utter garbage. It really must have some kind of surreal cult appeal for a certain audience, but come, 10/10 for a movie like this. If people are this easily pleased then Hollywood execs must be laughing their behinds off! :rolleyes:Most of the critics liked it too, so I think it's more a matter of YOUR personal taste as opposed to ours sucking.

[spide-ed]

^^^ to be honest, i dont think he was ever gonna like the movie, if you dont like Clerks 1 or any other Kevin Smith pictures, why would you like Clerks 2?

[TexasBoy]

I enjoyed the first one better but still its CLERKS :applaud:

[Alien]

^^^ to be honest, i dont think he was ever gonna like the movie, if you dont like Clerks 1 or any other Kevin Smith pictures, why would you like Clerks 2?
Well I hated Jay and Silent Bob but it's probablly the only Kevin Smith movie I've seen that sucks! Mallrats isn't great either, it's ok but not up to par with the rest.

[Rptyle]

JUST HIT UP KEV SMITH! He'll TELL YOU THE REASONS 4 EVERYTHING. I will buy the dvd if it is unrated and blah blah blah!!!!

[Tony Montana]

Love this movie!