Kevin Smith and Me

So, another journal entry is required. Because I've been so good about writing every day for awhole week, how can I stop now?
Saw Kevin Smith's latest film on Hooiser t.v. the other night. Sadly disappointed. Though, from the previews, I knew it was not one I would see in the theaters, based on my expectation level of Smith's writing abilities with characters such as Jay and Silent Bob. It was not horrible, but it was not great, it had something of a "reaching outside the boundries of my here to fore known style" for the self proclaimed master of dick and fart jokes. It was sweet, and at points, funny, but few and far between. At least, people embraced Chasing Amy, well SOME people did. The gay and lesbian groups had problems with the film because it cast a negative light on a woman who supposedly falls in love with a straight man, though she's a lesbian, perhaps that suggested to the gay and lesbian groups that she wasn't truly a lesbian? I'm not sure, I didn't follow enough of the press on that one to claim knowledge of the argument on either side. However, for my part, I thought that was a great Kevin Smith film, though also "outside the boundries" of his normal fun comedy flicks, it had a message and it had great writing. The scene in the car in which Ben Afleck's character confesses that he is falling for Joley Adam's character is refreshing in both the way it is written and acted. It isn't overdone, (which is so easy to do I think) but genuine.
Smith caught flack for Dogma too. Again, a film with great writing and a great philosophy about the way in which we all view religion, our own and otherwise. A film in which an open mind is required, and a good sense of humor is expected. Dogma is probably my favorite Smith film to date, with Jay and Silent Bob a very close second. I tend to quote both quite often in my daily life, seeing it as a challenge to pay homage to a great director and writer when I get the chance. Mallrats deserves respect as the genre of runamuck characters really gets to be explored, and Clerks, well, Clerks started it all, low-budget black and white film. Who doesn't imagine the lives of these characters as being entirely close to home? There are worthy quotes from both.
There aren't any particularly quoteworthly lines from Jersey Girl. None that I can remember. There were of course, cameos by some of Smith's favorite friends and fellow actors, which I always admire about his films. He's always willing to give work to his friends. Those friends are always willing to lend themsevles to his work. I just didn't feel that Jersey Girl was up to his standard. I'm sure he got paid quite a bit of money from Mirimax to make the film, but as Matt Damon reminds Ben Afleck in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, in "Hunting Season" you have to do the surefire blockbuster hit, before you go and make the artsy pieces. Perhaps, Jersey Girl has to be counted in that category. Jay and Silent Bob, the block buster...Jersey Girl the artsy. Though, if that's the case, I still feel it lacked something of the quality I expect from Kevin Smith. I'm sure movie making isn't easy though, so I probably should keep my opinion to myself, because I don't do it. It's probably like Loki says in Dogma "mass genocide is probably the most exhausting endurance trial one can engage in, next to soccer" - perhaps that's movie making too.