Journal0018 - A rant on Kevin Smith

First things first: writer-director Kevin Smith. I missed Smith's last movie "Dogma". Partly because there was such a racket going on about how the movie allegedly attacked the Catholic church, which my parents didn't like (we're not even Catholic, btw). That and also because I was under 17 at the time and no one would watch it with me.

"Too controversial," they said. "Gross! Matt Damon and Ben Affleck?! Why are they always in a movie together?" and "Dude, that movie is so gay." Seriously. I heard all this from so-called friends and buncha jerks I had for classmates (I was desperate, so sue me).

And still I haven't seen it. Why? Because Dogma isn't in any of the video stores in my neighborhood. I'm convinced it's a conspiracy.

So anyway, Dogma was before I appreaciated Smith's work. I actually learnt about his movies from his work on comics.

Ya'll know what a huge fan of comics I am right? See, I had just finished Frank Miller's "Dark Knight Returns" (MILLER RULES!) and "Daredevil: Born Again". Marvel had just relaunched the Daredevil title at the same time I read the books so it seemed natural to jump to the existing work (this is before I grew disillusioned with Marvel comics). Remember the fuss about a main character being killed? That's right. Smith was the writer. And I loved his run; it made me just as interested in DD as Miller did.

Although I liked Smith's take on DD, I wasn't so sure about his other comic "Jay and Silent Bob". Gee, Jay did swear a lot, I thought. I wouldn't go so far as to say I'm Miss Priss but a lot of swearing in any form is such a turn off, you know? Nevertheless, I sat down in the library (yes the library has great comics; check out the central library in LA when you're in Cali - don't pay any attention to the sign on the freeway: IT IS NOT THE RIORDAN CENTRAL LIBRARY! who keeps putting that up?!) and read Smith's "Chasing Dogma". I kid you not, it is so feckin hilarious. I couldn't stop laughing even when the homeless guy who was reading Superman was giving me dirty looks.

(wipes away tears of laughter) I don't think I've laughed so much before (except for that one time in Bangkok when my spitball landed in the corner of my sister's eye, who was sitting right beside me). So this got me all hyped up about Smith. I ran to the nearest video store (still no Dogma, those bastards) and borrowed the animated clerks DVD. Oh, now that is funny. Even when the language is cleaned up it's hilarious. The commentary on the DVD had me laughing in stitches as well..

When the first Green Arrow issue came out, I ran and bought a copy for my little bro, Harvard, cos he's such an Ollie fan. Now I'm the one reading GA every month. Harvard, the weenie, only likes Ollie when he acts the playboy.

In my usual roundabout way, we come back to the original theme: the Jay and Silent Bob movie. How was it? I loved it. It's crass and juvenile but I love it. I'd definitely recommend it to all Smith fans. This is supposed to be the last appearance of Jay and Silent Bob. And watch for the ending! Don't leave out just as soon as the credits roll. You won't regret it, I promise.

As for the rest of youse... well.. I don't know. It's got a whole lot of profanity, a lot which would offend the general public who aren't used to swears being thrown around so casually. Plus there are the allegations (again!) that it insults gays and lesbians. Does it? I don't think so but then again, it depends on the viewer. You can't please everyone at the same time and this movie is sure to make that point very very clear.