This is probably my least favorite Kevin Smith movie. Not because it's the worst, but because it had so much potential and was held back by a few annoying things. The poop monster and the kids on roller skates were incredibly lame. The script was great, but Kevin Smith couldn't get out of his own way. Perhaps it should have been directed by someone else. Still, it is always good seeing Affleck and Damon together. Alan Rickman was pretty awesome as well.
This is, by far, my favorite Kevin Smith film (Red State/Clerks is up there too). Now, Kevin Smith films aren't ever spectacular - visually speaking - but the dialogues and social commentary are typically what have me coming back for more. However, in this film it's the cast. This is pretty much an A-list dream team of actors here who give some great performances - it's no easy task to truly show fear when dealing with a rubber poop monster. No, it's not Schindler's List or anything, but it's damn entertaining, original, and insightful examining man's idiosyncratic relationship with God and those apart of both Heaven and Hell.
ReplyDeleteI can understand this not being everyone's favorite Smith film (if they do have one)... but least favorite?! You would really place Cop Out over this? Not trying to rag on the guy - he's witty and funny as Hell - but there have been some not-so-great movies churned out by him. This is not one of them.
When I say Kevin Smith movie, I guess I just mean the ones he wrote and directed. Anyway, Dogma is my least favorite because of what it could have been. It's an amazing script with an amazing cast, I just think there are a few unnecessary things that kept it from being his breakout movie.
DeleteWhile we're talking Kevin Smith, I've got to admit - I used to love the guy, or at least probably would have called him my favorite director ten years ago (for whatever that's worth), but I no longer think of him as anything but a smug, awful, whiny asshole. This isn't to say I can no longer enjoy his movies, past or present; I tend to like them a lot. I just really, really don't like the guy as a human being anymore, and all of this happened in the last five years or so.
ReplyDeleteHere are some snippets from his Wikipedia page:
Smith also implied on Twitter that he may charge critics for advance screenings of his films, a service which has typically been provided free; this subsequently ignited a strong response from some critics condemning his stance as "dishonest" and "disingenuous."
Smith only began smoking marijuana at age 38 after working with Seth Rogen on Zack and Miri Make a Porno.
Smith also released 24 video statements on YouTube further describing the [Southwest Airlines] incident.
In response to the critical drubbing his 2010 film Cop Out received, Kevin Smith lashed out at the community of film critics on his Twitter account saying, "Writing a nasty review for Cop Out is akin to bullying a retarded kid. All you’ve done is make fun of something that wasn't doing you any harm and wanted only to give some cats some fun laughs."
A talent rep associated with the production of Cop Out reported conflicts on set between Smith and Bruce Willis, saying of Smith, "He smokes way too much pot. He sat behind his monitor. He didn't interact with the actors. The actors felt they were on their own."
I listen to a lot of Kevin Smith podcasts. A lot. Like I listen to him talking close to 4 hour a week. Anyway, these excerpts from Wikipedia do shine a negative light on him. However, there are two sides to every story, and I think they come from a place of complete and utter self-diagnosed fat-kid syndrome. Yes, he needs to be loved, which often manifests itself as self-obsession. In fact, the guy used to read and respond to almost every article ever written about him. He doesn't take criticism well.
DeleteAs far as Bruce Willis goes, he is a notorious asshole. Not sure I believe Kevin Smith, someone who talks and talks and talks for a living, did not interact with people.
And yes, he smokes pot, and a lot of it, but it has made him calmer, funnier and less self-obsessed. Also, when he got into pot, he got more productive, not less. As far as I'm concerned, that gets him off the hook. If you spend some time looking into what he has been up to the last few years, you will see that he has been very busy. He gets to talk for a living. Hours and hours a day, but he gets to talk for a living.
Also, don't fault the guy for the Southwest thing. I'm not sure I would have reacted differently after being completely embarrassed like that. He wanted to affect Southwest the only way he knows how.
Granted, the guy still takes things too personally. He does not have a thick skin and doesn't know how to react when people don't love him. His self worth is definitely tied to what people think about him, but I can relate to that. I don't think he's smug, he's sometimes whiny, but what person who talks and talks and talks isn't?
I'm sorry about this long-winded response. I'm cool with your opinion and if I come off as upset I assure you I am not, but Kevin Smith brings me tons of joy. In fact, there are few people I admire more. I think if you listen to his podcasts you might like him a little bit better.
This is far from my favorite Kevin Smith movie but it is also far from the worst in my opinion. I really loved the social commentary in this film and I still think the buddy Christ is the funniest jab at the catholic church I have ever seen.
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