lortiz-2

It is not without serious consideration that I sit down and write a review of Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. I stall, just because of the fact that I don't want to be part of his lame joke. You see, in the latest Kevin Smith fiasco he tries to make us (his audience) feel ashamed for not liking his films or his style of filmmaking. So since I don't want to be one of the people Jay and Silent Bob beat up at the end of the movie, I won't review it, I'll simply give him some advise. Who am I to give advice? Well, I am a fan. And I have been very pleased with his earlier films but lately he just seems distracted and un-focused. He has lost his touch. He had, and still has from time to time, a talent for telling stories about the mundane things in life, Clerks and even Mallrats (which he hates so much for making) completely take place in everyday events. He makes it interesting. And that's a gift, but is a gift he seems to be neglecting. The past two films Jay and Bob and Dogma have been driven by a plot that is so ridiculous that they seem to be written by another man. So my first advice is stick to the mundane, you make it great.

Secondly, Stop using Ben Affleck in your movies the man sucks! There's a particular painful scene in Jay and Bob where they go to see Holden McNeil, played by Affleck, then man can't even play a character he has played before. The Holden that Jay and Silent Bob go to see is not the same from Chasing Amy, in fact I'm convinced that Jay and Silent bob ran into Ben Affleck in New Jersey. And from that scene advice three comes in from his own voice, Holden says "I'm not interested in making money off Dick and Fart jokes…" Follow you own advise man. You can make movies that matter. People still talk about Chasing Amy and about how great and how honest it is. We love honesty; we can take a story about heartbreak a lot more than another joke about pot.

Advice number four, We can never take enough Jason Lee. Give us more. Your Two best characters Brodie and Banky both played by Lee should have their own chance to shine, specially Banky who is such a endearing character. Mad is funny and Lee is the Olivier of Mad acting.

Five and the most important advice I can give, believe in yourself. Jay and Bob reeks of insecurity. All of the jokes fall flat on its face just because you apologize for the fact that is not the greatest joke in the world. Just like you apologize for Mallrats what the f@(k is that about. F*(k them if they can take a joke. Just be funny, quote Star Wars, tell it from the heart and don't get involve in silly plots, they're unnecessary.

And last, don't hate us for not being the most sophisticated audience out there. We can't help it.

Lo

I got up early on Sunday to catch a matinee of Thomas in Love. I had a horrible headache (from all the drinking I did the night before) and i almost thought twice about going to see this french Sci-Fi story about an agoraphobic. But i got up, put on my clothes and head over to the Nuart, my second favorite place in L.A. The movie was astounding, told completely thought the computer and video/phone system that Thomas uses to keep in touch with the world. The movie has a very hopeful and frightening feeling to it, simultaneously, a walking contradiction, like Thomas himself. The film has a very sterile and detached details to it, which is the reason for my fear. Internet will only separate us more, one does not need to live the house, or socialize. With great special efx (that add to the story, not take over), and a simple, almost under written characters, the director manages to pull two love stories in two hours both of them different and haunting, like love itself. The acting was difficult just because is all talking heads, but still is fascinating.

It really feels good to see a great movie and last night I saw the Best Film of the Year (so far). Actually, I liked this movie so much that it will end up in my top five list of the year. So I went to the 9:30 showing of The Center of The World, and that film worked in every possible level. The story is a simple one, dot COM Millionaire hires stripper, who he has a crush on, to go to Vegas for a weekend. She gets $10,000 he gets all the fun he can handle. We have seen this done very badly before. But what Wayne Wang does, to me, is Film History. The film doesn't go the usual route, feelings are not allowed, this movie is about the Battle of the Sexes. The Battle of the Sexes, How more cliché can one get, well if the capital of cliché is Tokyo, this movie lives in New York, that's how far away from cliché this movie is. Women and men are enemies in a battle that is never going to end and no one is going to win. Every single scene between the Millionaire and the Stripper are clear stand offs. I won't pushed the matter on, this film is a F#^( Film. There are at least seven sex scenes in it and in every one of them, the battle becomes more and more brutal. Who is in control, which has the power, who is more beautiful, who is not a wh*%@? The Millionaire thinks he has the power, Stripper thinks she has control. The Film was excellent. I could go into more detail why this movie is perfect but I won't. Some of my reasons are maybe too cruel for the public's ears. Is better just to let you come to your own results. The film was done very boldly, it was shot on DV and until now I didn't like the results but this movie once again, changes my mind about some topics. Is almost a documentary about these two people and the battle that they are both going to forfeit. So the format and the style fit the movie like a glove. Both actors, who you probably have never seen before, are great. And the writing seems to me a bit minimal. This is a movie that screams improvisation, but very well thought out improvisation. The film had a very surreal touch to it, and I think Vegas should be the one to thank for that. Hotel rooms, bars and the Vegas surroundings are the main backdrop, and it still creeps me out. Is one of the most haunting films I have seen in a while. Oh, by the way, I forgot to mention that this movie is plot-less, and is just as interesting as anything anyone could come up with. In a month were everything that is coming out are stupid Tom Green movies, I'm happy I discovered this one in time. And for the newspapers, if you want a sound bite, see what you think of this one. "One of the Best Films of the Year, and Probably the Greatest F^%( Film Ever made." Lo