Zack and Miri Make a Porno

A Review - A Retrospective

First of all, I want to say welcome to the future. And a hearty welcome to President Elect Obama. Now, I don't want to make this post a political one, so let's move on from there, I just had to say it...

I took the girlfriend to watch Kevin Smith's latest film, Zack and Miri Make a Porno, over the weekend. And it was 101 minutes well spent. We actually both enjoyed it. It may not have been Kevin Smith's triumphant re-entry into the world of American cinema, but it was a fun, clever film that made you feel damn good about the world.

Like I said, it wasn't Clerks or Mallrats or Chasing Amy, but nor was it (thankfully) Jay and Silent Bob or Jersey Girl. What it was was startlingly fresh from Smith. No New Jersey or View Askewniverse to hold him back, he's broken out of his box. He's finally made another good movie that stands on its own merit. It's also not "nerd-centric", meaning you don't have to be a total geek to enjoy it. Yeah, there are still a few little nuggets there for ya ifin' you are a nerd, but it's no where near as in your face as some of Smith's previous work. Which, I think, is good, even though I am one of the nerds that eat that shit up.

As far as plot, go ahead and throw that one out the window. The third act, especially, is incredibly trite and you've seen it a thousand times. And while that does detract from the value of the movie, it's not nearly as much as if someone else had written it. Did Clerks have any kind of discernible plot? Nah. Luckily Smith is capable enough to make the mundane entertaining and the trite still funny.

I also really dug the soundtrack. The film starts out with Winona's Big Brown Beaver (Primus), which is a totally rad way to start out anything. Then we get treated to the sweet sounds of Live and MC Chris. Not too mention great usage of Pixies' "Hey". Really cool stuff in that department.

I'll tell ya, Smith directing Seth Rogen is like a cream dream. Newmo and I were talking, and I told him that I was no longer into actors in the same sense I used to be. What I mean by that is that there aren't any actors (save for my beloved genre actors - Bruce, there is always room for you) that when they put out a new film, I say to myself, "Damn, Keanu Reeves has a new film! Let's go!". But, I was wrong. Seth Rogen is that guy. I love everything that he has done since and including Freaks and Geeks. The guy is money. And this brings me to my next point: there have been a crap ton of comedies that I absolutely love come out over the last three years.

Now, these movies may not ever be enshrined with the greatest comedies of all time (see: Annie Hall/It Happened One Night), but they are so damn funny that I can watch and re-watch them. Here are the movies that I am building my case around: Knocked Up, Superbad, Hot Fuzz, Zack and Miri Make a Porno, Pineapple Express, and, yes, Forgetting Sarah Marshall (admittedly the weakest of the lot, but I have a soft spot for it). These movies make me feel good. And, it's in no small part due to the comedic genius of Judd Apatow and his great eye for comedic starpower. Of course, Hot Fuzz has nothing to do with him, but it is simply awesome.

The problem: I've seen this happen before. Most recently, the case of Stiller/Ferrell/Wilson(s)/Vaughn (before that with the SNL group, before that with the SNL group before them). Yeah. You got burnt out on them, too. I loved Old School. It was to Ghostbusters (minus the ghosts) what American Pie was to Porky's. a great throw-back, dude-oriented, romp in immaturity. Next, in the list of good, came Anchorman (which Rogen was in, briefly), which I liked quite a bit, and then...a rapid decline into WTF?-dom.

I really hope this doesn't happen to the current Kings of Comedy. Rogen, Apatow, Jason Segel, and that little bastard Jonah Hill. Really looking forward to Funny People - Apatow's (written/directed by) new one that stars Adam Sandler and Seth Rogen, with the RZA thrown in for good measure. Niiice.

7.0 out of 10

- Jordan M.
Sulphur Springs, TX