Dogma

Rating:
Summary: Snoogans
Review: The fourth movie by writer/actor/director Kevin Smith, 1999's "Dogma", is a hilarious look into the ideology behind organized religion, specifically Catholicism. With a great cast and laugh-out-loud humor, you can not go wrong with this movie.

The storyline of the movie is pretty interesting: Two angels (Ben Affleck and Matt Damon) are trying to re-enter Heaven through the usage of a loop hole in Catholic Dogma. Their re-entrance would mean the end of existance. The movie brings in and questions many of the beliefs behind religion, such as the gender of God (played by Alanis Morissette), the ethnicity of Jesus (as told by Chris Rock's character, Rufus, the 13th apostle), descendants of Christ (Linda Fiorentino), and the infallibility of God (as told by the Voice Of God, played by Alan Rickman).

The best part of this movie, as well as the other Kevin Smith movies, is the involvement of Jay And Silent Bob (played by Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith, respectively). Jay's vulgar mouth and passion for getting high combined with the mystery of Silent Bob just makes the movie all the more funnier and entertaining.

This movie is a comedy delight for those who love this kind of humor (pot jokes, swearing, and all around stupidity). If you like this movie, you should also check out the Kevin Smith movie "Mallrats".

Rating:
Summary: Incredibly hilarious and exciting comic epic
Review: Despite the stupidity of the religious fanatics out there who believe this film to be an exploiting, blasphemous waste of celluloid and Panavision scope, the amazingly insightful and faithful "Dogma" has got to be Kevin Smith's finest hour as a writer and as a director. My mom tried to keep me from seeing this movie based on the opinion of a radically over the top Bible thumper who lives next door. But, you see, like the ridiculous televangelist freaks before her, she had never seen one frame of the film; not even the trailer. Being raised Catholic myself, I know what blasphemy is, and "Dogma" is the farthest thing from it. Smith has actually textured his screenplay with a very deep love for God and everything he has created; he only refutes the word of the church as opposed to the actual word of God, which I believe carries infinitely more weight than the obnoxious rantings of the money-grubbing carnival freakshow acts who began panning this film long before it was even released. But I'm not here to defend Kevin Smith: I'm here to praise this involving, hysterically funny, insightful, comedic race against time that I have come to include in my list of my all-time top ten favorite films.

Bartleby (Ben Affleck) and Loki (Matt Damon) are two angels who have been banished to Wisconsin since the Plagues who discover a loophole in Catholic dogma that would allow them to reenter Heaven. But there's one catch: By doing so, they would upset the delicately held balance in the universe and destroy existence in the process. With the Almighty mysteriously missing, the powers have no choice but to rely on a sardonic Planned Parenthood worker named Bethany (Linda Fiorentino) and two "prophets" dubbed Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Kevin Smith) to stop the angels from entering the church with the papel-sanctioned plenary indulgence. Along the way, we meet the long forgotten thirteenth apostle Rufus (Chris Rock, hilarious), a muse with a case of writer's block (Salma Hayek), and James Bondian demon with a devilish agenda (Jason Lee, always terrific).

"Dogma" has one of the most diverse and well put together casts I've ever seen in a film. Jay Mewes steals almost every scene with his astounding deliveries; I don't think we'll see him any better than this. And Alan Rickman as the Voice of God, Metatron, supplies some great laughs as well as mystical speeches. Fiorentino provides a strong emotional center to the film, because we can identify with her feelings. Affleck has a hard job of making the biggest emotional change in the film, but we believe him every step of the way. The performances in the film are terrific all around, but the real success of the film lies in the writing, full of details, in jokes, and wonderful originality. Each scene, one after the other, keeps us rolling in the aisles. God helps us if Kevin Smith makes something better and funnier than this. If laughed any harder, I probably would've killed myself. "Dogma" is quite possibly the funniest and most original comedy ever made.

Rating:
Summary: Stunning
Review: Stunning isn't a word usually assiociated with Kevin Smith films, but that was exactly what I thought the first timne I saw this one. Dogma takes a complicated, and often very touchy, subject and turns it into a simultainiously hilarious and thought-provoking film. To call this movie bible bashing or anti-god is naive. Kevin Smith has managed to present all the doubts, inconsistencies, and tragically hilarious aspects related with organized religion, speaking to a generation in a way very few have even tried. If anything, Dogma has brought me closer to an understanding and acceptance of god, not driven me away. The idea that it is faith, not belief or religion, that matters, is comforting, and not too forced in Dogma.

Now, on DVD specifics, this is exactly what every DVD strives to be. It has a plentitude (hehehe, I said plentitude) of extras, all of which are well-presented and thankfully not just advertisements for the movie. The commentary and the over two hours of deleted scenes are the most-used features on mine. I personally would have bought it just to hear Ben Affleck and Kevin Smith dissing Matt Dammon's acting skills, and to see Jay and Bob performing the theme from Fat Albert.

Rating:
Summary: Poor humor, flawed theology, but suspenseful
Review: This movie tried to be three things at the same time:

1) A rant against Catholicism. Here the movie failed. The writers obviously know nothing about Catholicism by their grossly inaccurate representation of what the Catholic Church professes.

2) A comedy. Here the movie also failed. Despite a few humorous scenes, the movie was loaded with foul language, toilet humor, genital humor, and drug humor (although I know this kind of humor is appealing to so many moviegoers).

3) A suspense/thriller. Here the movie succeeded. If one can check reality at the door, one can really enjoy watching Bethany, Rufus, Jay, and Silent Bob try to stop two angels from unmaking the world.

The movie would have done better to stay on one or two of the above points. Instead, it bounced back and forth among the three. The fact that it only did well on one of them, and great performances by Linda Fiorentino & Alan Rickman, makes this a two-star movie (barely).

Rating:
Summary: Satirical Excellence
Review: This movie is, simply put, a masterpiece. Kevin Smith shows his talent and brilliance in this well written epic. It's full of laughs at the suface and crawling with deep, philosophical questions beneath. This movie brought me closer to God than nine years of Catholic grade school ever did.

Rating:
Summary: great film
Review: A great film that questions the ideas of religious hypocrisy and extreme fundalmentalism. Nothing more than a fantasy , it puts forth the idea that ideas count more than beliefs , and how we shouldn't take every page of religious literature so seriously..after all thats how cults are started. Kevin Smith's writing is brilliant in this one , the humor while forced lowbrow is still hillarious. Jay and Silent Bob are as hillarious as ever , and they were given better screen time than in most of their previous films (except the new film which probably bites )...see it...it's not as offensive religiously as it was played out..but to you softcore types it's "vulgar"..

Rating:
Summary: Not smith's best, but it ain't terrible
Review: Ok, there are a few things that save this movie. The cast, the jokes, and the fact that Smith made it. But it pales in comparison with his other films, like Chasing Amy and mallrats. Dogma is funny and all, but it goes a bit to far sometimes. The hole bash the bible plot gets tiresome, but Jay and Silent bob are still lots of fun. If oyu are a die hard Kevin Smith fan, then you might like it a bit more. I found it tiresome and annoying, but Jay and Silent Bob are funny!

Rating:
Summary: A offbeat fantasy film, based the people beliefs on religion
Review: An homeless man (Bud Cort) with a special gift inside him get beat up by three teenagers are actually from Hell. A man from hell (Jason Lee) wants to start a War between Heaven & Hell. Then a priest (George Carlin) is changing a new regilion in a church in New Jeresy. Two fallen angels (Oscar-Winners:Ben Affleck and Matt Damon) may trigger the Apocalyspe if they succeed in reentering Heaven. An lasped Catholic woman (Linda Fiorentino), who has lost her faith has to stop them with the help of Two Slackers (Jason Mewes, Kevin Smith), a muse (Salma Heyek), The 13th Apostle (Chris Rock) and the voice of God (Alan Rickman).

DVD's has an sharp anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1) transfer and an fine Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. This is a oddball comedy fantasy, which is not for all tastes. DVD's extras are great, including Commentary tracks, Deleted Scenes, Outtakes and more. This was also an modest hit at the Box Office. Smith, who directed and written the film made a unique one. Kevin Smith recieve an Independent Spirit Nomination for Best Screenplay. Super 35. Grade:A-.

Rating:
Summary: don't get mixed up
Review: Be sure to buy the special edition DVD rather than the first one which has nothing. The special edition is only about a dollar more.

Otherwise, Dogma is a great film that should teach a lot of people to lighten up about religion. It's a very funny film with great performances by the entire cast. A lot of good points are made and I highly reccomend this for anyone.

Rating:
Summary: Sophomoric & boring
Review: This film wastes a lot of time & talent poking holes in the absurd angelology & theology which the medieval Catholic church swallowed wholesale (from a neo-Platonist forgery, what's more!). (The author responsible is now known as pseudo-Dionysius.)

This strikes me as an enterprise almost as interesting as devoting two hours to an argument that the Tooth Fairy does not exist.

Somehow, although everyone says this film is a hoot, and I really admire Matt Damon and Ben Affleck for "Good Will Hunting" and other efforts, this puppy just bores me to tears.