Dogma

Rating:
Summary: A very funny movie with a so so ending
Review: I had seen both Chasing Amy and Clerks and had mixed opinions on those, but I admit I laughed out loud several times during this movie. Will there be those that dislike it for its depiction of religion and mixture of profanity and sexual innuendo. Sure, but many of those who would be offended by this get all up in arms about all sorts of trivial stuff. I like to think the "disclaimer" at the beginning of the movie that God hopefully has a sense of humor holds true. This movie while a comedy, does make you sit and think about religion itself and the way its structured. In all I found the movie both funny and somewhat enlightening. I do agree with others that I found the overall ending somewhat weak, but come on its a comedy how are you supposed to depict the almighty. I'll admit that sometime I grimaced at the comments from Jay that toe the line, but I still found the movie funny. So overall, if you are someone who likes to laugh and doesn't get all worked up about religion, rent this, maybe even buy it and you'll find yourself smiling.

Rating:
Summary: This is my favorite movie
Review: Yes i know this movie may be a little bit controversial. But youll laugh your ... off. It has a great cast. It is very well written. i own all of Kevin Smith's movies. this one is the best by far. I watched it for a month straight. I can tell you ever little quirk. That is how good it is. If you dont laugh than you need to get your funny bone checked. Oh yeah if you wana see Jay and Silent Bob as prophets. Than this is the movie for you.

Rating:
Summary: GenX-Y approved.
Review: "Satirical", as opposed to critical, investigation of certain Catholic beliefs. Give director Kevin Smith credit for be willing to abandon his early indie fan club by tackling serious ideas (his earlier film *Chasing Amy* already pointed that way, and was more successful than this movie, IMO). *Dogma* is about two fallen angels who've discovered some sort of technicality that could permit them to re-enter Heaven. If they succeed, God would be proven fallible and all existence would cease (who says, by the way?). One almost wishes that this was done as a straight horror movie rather than the showcase of smart-alleckisms that it turns out to be. Smith's ideas aren't as provoking as he thinks: with figurative chin extended, he presents a female God, a black Jesus, etc., all of which aren't new concepts, and certainly not terribly shocking to nonbelievers and agnostics. The funniest bits involve George Carlin as a bishop who introduces a thumbs-up "Buddy Christ". This is a very apt swipe at today's mushy, New Agey take on Christianity (doubtless, Smith had mealy-mouths like Donald Neale Walsch and Marianne Williamson in mind) that typifies the Clintonian Era of taking paths of least resistance. On the other hand, Smith commits the same sins with his hip, young, and marketable actors . . . the Farrelly Brothers' style of humor (a demon emerges from a toilet) . . . demons who rollerblade . . . the noisy and probably "cool" soundtrack. *Dogma* solicits cash from teenagers as readily as TV evangelists drain old people's savings accounts.

Rating:
Summary: One of the best comedies in some time
Review: Kevin Smith has a movie here that may be as good, if not better, than his classic Clerks as he takes a jab at a touchy and very noteworthy topic, the catholic religion. And if you put down this movie because you might not think Smith knows what he's talking about, your wrong. He has everything in check, which is important when making a film about a subject like this, but he is able to bring it with as much sincerity as laughs.

A woman (Fiorentino), who has lost the faith, is told that she must go on a holy crusade to stop 2 angels from entering a church in where else, Red Bank NJ, and to stop them from entering a loophole. But she won't be alone, as she is joined by 2 pot head prophets (Jay and Silent Bob, who have they're biggest role here outside of this years upcoming Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back), an outcast apostle (Chris Rock in one of his best roles) and a cast of others (Salma Hayek, for example).

Has scenes that might seem gruesome, but being that they are all in irreverent and good fun, it is worth it. One of the better satires ever. George Carlin steals his scenes, by the way.

Rating:
Summary: Good, Gets Better Each Time...
Review: If you are someone who gets bothered by sloppy direction do not buy this film. If you are a Catholic... Scratch that, if you are a Catholic without a sense of humor- do not buy this film. (If you just thought to yourself, "I'm a Catholic with a good sense of humor" you should not buy this film. People with a good sense of humor do not have to reassure themselves that they have one.)

Now do you like good writing?

Go out and rent this film. Watch it. It's not that good? It's only okay? Wait a few days and watch it again. It's better than you first thought?. Wait a couple more days and watch it again. Holy cow, this movies pretty funny. One more viewing and it's hysterical. Now add up all the late fees and realize you could have saved money if you just bought the film in the first place. Not to mention now you can watch it whenever you want to. Buy it, it gets better every time.

Kevin Smith fans should own this. Fans of clever writing should own this.

Recovering Catholics should own this.

Rating:
Summary: Required Viewing for Catholics
Review: This movie is funny, no doubt about that. But if you have the unearned luck of being a Papist (as I am), then you will derive exponentially more humor from this movie than your Non-Denominational friend. With an all star cast and an all star script it's just a fantastic movie.

"Jersey's sold out sir." "I BEG YOUR PARDON?" "I suggest you never underestimate the staggering drawing power of the Garden State, and show up at least two hours in advance."

Rating:
Summary: Dear God
Review: The good thing about getting a DVD from writer/director Kevin Smith is all the goodies that's sure to come with it. Dogma is the story of two fallen Angels, Bartleby and Loki (played by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck) who have been banished from Heaven and condemened to spend eternity in...Wisconson.
Bartleby finds a loophole in Catholic Dogma that will allow him and his fallen comrade to re-enter heaven. So God taps his right hand man, an angel named Metatron to recruit the last descendent of Christ to stop the fallen Angels from achieving their plan.
In essence, Dogma, is the Bible according to MAD magazine. It's satirical and thoughtful spin, along with the movie's comic book quality make it impossible to take offense to Mr. Smith's jibes regarding his own faith. Throughout the film the question is never in doubt that Mr. Smith is indeed a believer. His good natured gesting of his own creator never amounts to anything more then a fifth grader who pulls at his girlfriend's pigtails.
The only sin of this flick is that at times the direction is a little off. The visual style amounts to little more savy then "The Blair Witch Project," and the cast which includes Affleck, Damon, Chris Rock, Jason Lee, Alan Rickman, and Linda Fiorentino sometimes seem awkward and uncomfortable with their deliveries. The only one who seems at all comfortable is Jason Mewes playing his cult favorite character of Jay. He delivers his lines with seeming spontiniety, and virtually steals the show from his A-lister Co-stars.
And for those who are already fans of the feature the DVD boasts an hour of deleted scenes, and a amusing commentary track featuring Affleck, Smith, Jason Mewes, Jason Lee, and Scott Mosier. While most commentary tracks are hardly worth the effort Smith ingratiates his audience with perfect candidness saying of Linda Fiorentino, "she was not the easiest woman to work with," and that after filming the cameo with Jeaneane Garafalo that he should of cast her as the lead.

Rating:
Summary: We couldn't wait for the special edition??
Review: Kevin Smith's DVDs are not just movies with a few special features, they act as an archive of the hard work and pleasure that went into each of his first threee movies. The Special Edition disks for "Clerks", "Mallrats" and "Chasing Amy" are what all DVDs SHOULD BE - a record of not only the artistry, but of the personalities that created the art. In each we understand how the director thinks, feels and works and has been a chronicle of Smith's growth as a writer and director. However, "Dogma" looks like it was time to throw the film on a disk for retail sale.

The much-anticipated "Special Edition" is coming soon, and Smith has promised it to be a great companion edition to a sharp, witty and (in some ways) groundbreaking film. So why couldn't we just wait for this?...

I am a great fan of the Askewniverse, and the effort by Smith and Co. to even bring out the Special Edition reinforces my respect for View Askew...

Rating:
Summary: More Irreverent Than Blasphemous
Review: Dogma is the story of two fallen angels, Bartleby (Ben Affleck) and Loki (Matt Damon), who have found a loophole that will let them get back into Heaven. The only thing is that by taking advantage of this loophole they will have proven God fallible and will have doomed the world to destruction. It's up to a rather strange group of crusaders to ensure that this doesn't happen. Oh, and by the way, no one knows where God is so the avengers are on their own.

Dogma is the third installment in Kevin Smith's New Jersey chronicles. The previous two were Clerks and Mall Rats. Dogma is clearly a different type of movie from these two in that it is more satire than straight comedy. The one constant through these three movies is the presence of Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Smith). While not having large roles in Clerks, Jay and Silent Bob steal both Mall Rats and Dogma.

Don't be put off by the supposed blasphemy that the Catholic Church said was contained within this movie. Dogma is not anti-religious so much as it is irreverent. The movie doesn't poke fun at religion but at the rituals and processes that we humans have built up around it. Coming from a Catholic background, Smith knows all too well about this.

Smith has become the kind of director who can get immensely famous people to have cameo appearances in his movies. He also got some very famous and funny people to appear in this movie, like Chris Rock, Salma Hayek, and George Carlin. Jason Lee, whose acting career Smith may have made, is very good as usual as Satan's evil imp Azrael. Azrael is one of Satan's followers who were tossed out of Heaven and who is helping Bartleby and Loki in their quest to re-enter Heaven. Their success will mean the destruction of Hell and Azrael's release from there.

Dogma has been one of the better comedies to come along in awhile. It is not quite perfect; but, you will enjoy it nonetheless.

Rating:
Summary: Good but not Kevin Smith-ish....
Review: Great movie, I adored it's plot, but it doesn't fit with the rest of his movies, except for jay and silent bob, I know that this is no reason to hate a movie, but in this case, the name Kevin Smith means anti-streamlined, and this was way to streamlined, it doesn't matter, it's still impressive, I never tell any part of the story, because it means you already know about the movies, all I can say is it's good, but not up to par with his other movies. George Carlin is great as he plays a bishop. "I am 15 but I should not be questioned because of my age but because of my thoughts."