Rating: Summary: Just Plain Great. Review: People say they aren't offended by it's religion bashing views, just by the narrow scope at which Kevin Smith views religion... SAME THING! This is a hilarious movie, and it deserves every ounce of praise it gets. Kudos to KS!
Rating: Summary: I LOVE this movie!! Review: Long live Jay and Silent Bob!! OK, so I really rented it because Matt and Ben were on the cover, but still, I have really enjoyed all of Kevin Smith's movies.
Rating: Summary: Funny As Hell! The Place where Kevin Smith will got to after Review: this is the funniest movie in years. it has a nice spoof on religons. if you are a strict catholic you might get offended by it but if you are not uptight about religons you will love it
Rating: Summary: Kevin vs. The Idea of Faith Review: The first time I read this script it was about the time the movie went into production, and I instantly couldn't wait for it to come out. When it came out I think I saw it 5 or 6 times in the theatre. This film is not anti religion in any sense. It just looks at things in organized religion, specifially Catholicism, that are never really thought about and brings them to light. Smith is a writer before he is a director and ever since Clerks you can see that with scenes where he just sets up the camera and lets it capture his dialogue. I guess that's something to work on, but it works cause you don't really notice because the dialogue is so good. The performance are really great especially Affleck, Damon, and Rickman. I'm going to be sad seeing Jay and Silent Bob bid farewell in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, but it's for the best for Smith. THAT'S IT, I'M DONE!
Rating: Summary: Rather surprising flick... Review: I rented this mainly to see what all the Catholic backlash was about, fully expecting to be majorly offended. But, surprisingly, I rather liked it -- although I really don't understand why Hollywood always assumes that angels constantly spout bad language. Still, I was surprised by the level of theological/philosophical discourse between Matt Damon and Ben Affleck (the fact that it was those two made the exchanges even funnier since it seemed so incongruous). The weakest part, IMO, was the ending. Alanis Morrisette played God as a sort of semi-retarded child, and things just got a tad silly. But all in all, if you have any taste for the metaphysical, it is an interesting diversion (and not nearly so anti-Christian as I was led to believe).
Rating: Summary: Great elements just don't quite mesh in the end Review: There are very, very many really good things in this movie, but in the end it is marred by an inability to pull all the elements together as well as by a really weak ending. Oh, and another weak link: the depiction of God. God doesn't fare well in cinema history. Nothing is harder in a movie than to represent God in compelling fashion. Alanis Morrissette's cart wheeling Yahweh is easily one of the least convincing. Even worse than Will Smith's turn as Bagger Vance AKA Jesus in another movie featuring Matt Damon. Or George Burns in his incarnation as the I WHO I AM in a couple of dreadful films with John Denver. In fact, I can think of only one truly moving portrayal of God in film: Rex Ingram's "De Lawd" in GREEN PASTURES. This is a film of ideas, and if you don't like ideas, you won't like this film. To me, Kevin Smith is at his best when putting ideas to use. He is at his worst when engaging in physical humor or gross humor (the worst moment in the film--apart from Alana Morrissette's turn as the deity or the general ending) is the monster composed of feces). Well, he is also good as sex jokes, though perhaps a few too many are made in the course of anyone film. Also, the movie doesn't have a good pace, and sometimes lurches forward only to rock backwards again in a few minutes. I suppose I echo the editorial review in saying that Kevin Smith writes brilliant scripts but isn't nearly as polished as a filmmaker. Moving to the good side of things. It is frequently really, really funny. I laughed a lot, and a lot of the images in the film have really stuck with me. Like the "Buddy Jesus" statue from the beginning. The cast was, I thought, pretty strong, if slightly unexpected. Not including Jay and Silent Bob (their showing up in a Kevin Smith film can hardly be termed unexpected), you get Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Linda Fiorentino (I have always had a massive crush on her), Jason Lee (the lead singer of the band in ALMOST FAMOUS, here playing a demon decked out in a splendid white suit), Salma Hayek, George Carlin, Janeane Garofalo (big crush on her also), Alan Rickman, and Chris Rock. The movie is neither overly disrespectful of God (I had several friends studying for the priesthood when I was at Yale Divinity School, and I am certain they would all have had a hoot watching this) nor iconoclastic. Overall, I recommend this movie, and if you aren't expecting perfection, I think you will get a kick out of it. Kevin Smith themes: in every one of his flicks, there are references to hockey and STAR WARS. The former is fulfilled in obvious fashion with the hockey stick wielding punks. The latter in having Carrie Fisher appear in a small role near the beginning of the film. Keep a sharp eye out for her, or you might miss her. PIECE OF TRIVIA: the old fella who gets beat up at the beginning of the movie by the hockey stick wielding punks is Bud Cort, who had a small but memorable role in the movie M*A*S*H and the title role in the Robert Altman cult flick BREWSTER MCCLOUD. Since DOGMA he has become pretty active as a supporting actor.
Rating: Summary: Alanis Morisette??? What the f.... Review: Come on Kevin...the whole movie was really pretty good until we get to the end. Were you just bored with it or what? A horrible end to, what was looking to be, a pretty descent movie. Jay and Silent Bob were good, like always. The end of the movie was approaching, and then, Alanis Morisette pops on the screen and whalaa, it's over. Stupid end. To those who haven't seen it, oops, oh well, I gave it away. You'll thank me later.
Rating: Summary: A Film of Extremely Mixed Blessings. Review: Kevin Smith is, in My opinion, the new Millenniums answer to Orson Welles, "Clerks" will go down in history as his "Citizen Kane" as it was his First film, he Wrote, Directed and Acted in it, it was Controversial and he will Probably Never Top it. "Dogma" is Kevin's most Ambitious film to date, and it ranges from Infinitely Clever to Irretrievably Crap, some scenes Fly by, some scenes Crawl, some Performances are Spot On, some are Cringe-worthy. We All know he is a Talented Writer, but his Directing skills are Far from Polished. No Tricky Camera work, no Imagination in the Shots, he just Points and Shoots. With all of his Previous films, he could just blame the Lack of Budget as the reason the Production wasn't Top Notch, but Here, he has no Excuses. An A-List Cast, a Good Budget and a Bucket Load of Potential... Kevin's Script and Directing are the Letdowns. Now to the Performances... I'll Start with the Great ones. Ben Affleck and Matt Damon may play Fallen Angels in the film, but for Kevin Smith, they are a God Send. They make his Dialogue sound Great and when they are on the Screen, the Film is at it's Best. Jason Lee is a Close Second, (Ben and Matt tied for First) as he and Ben have worked with Kevin a couple of times before, ("Chasing Amy" and "Mall Rats") they know how to deliver his dialogue. They are to Kevin what Laurence Olivier is to Shakespeare. Alan Rickman comes off Next Best, every time he was on screen; I had an Ear-to-Ear smile. Jay and Silent Bob are as Good as Ever, their Comedic Styles are as Fresh as Ever and they don't look like they'll be getting Dull any time soon. The Same cannot be said for Linda Fiorentino, Salma Heyek or Chris Rock. They have been given Large Quantities of Dialogue which could Easily have been given the Chop, it Embarasses them and Bores the Audience. Every time they open their mouths, Biblical Speeches follow and It slows the film to a Crawl. Especially Chris Rock, he does his best with the films Worst Lines, not even Eddie Murphy could have saved This Character. Overall, it is Worth Seeing. Opinions of "Dogma" Vary like you Wouldn't Believe. To some It the Best Movie Ever, to others, it's the Worst. You just may be One of the Many who Adore it.
Rating: Summary: Knee slapping Funny! Review: This is the funniest movie I've ever seen! God is a woman, the 13th apostle was a black man, not to mention Jesus is black too. A muse who looses her touch, two prophets, one who goes by Silent Bob, and another that has the most foul mouth a man could have. It's so funny, I'd recommend it to anyone, you can't help but laugh. Check it out,
Rating: Summary: Best religious comedy since Life Of Brian. Review: I can honestly say that Kevin Smith is one of my top few favorite directors. I love all of his films. Clerks was a very smart comedy. Mallrats was a dumb comedy(that's why that's my favorite one.). Chasing Amy was a very charming comedy. Next on that list comes Dogma. Dogma is a story of two fallen angels, a faithless woman, the voice of God, two prophets, a 13th apostle, a muse, an angry demon and Alanis Morrisette(Once you'll see it, you'll know what I mean). All these characters blend together in a hilarious comedy that makes you think about Catholicism in a different way. On to Brandon's DVD scale. (1 the lowest, 5 the highest) Movie: 5. It's not Mallrats, but it's close. Picture and Sound: 5. No complaints here. Special Features: 3. Languages and Subtitles and a trailer. Nothing that great. I guess I'll have to wait for the Special Edition. All in all. 9/10. Highly recommended. P.S: Jay and Silent Bob rule!
|