Second ‘Jackass’ still rude, crude and funny
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By Linda Cook | Thursday, September 28, 2006 |
Vomit.
There. If that got your attention, and it sickened you, please proceed to another review.
If you were intrigued by that word, well, you might be intrigued by “Jackass Number Two,” a sickening sequel to the original “Jackass” movie from 2002.
Johnny Knoxville and his band of moronic-acting stuntmen are thrown around by bulls, each other, and homemade rockets in this R-rated barf-fest that includes every bodily function and body part you can think of. And most that you don’t want to think of.
Need I add that this isn’t for children or sensitive viewers of any age?
In case you’re a person who haven’t spent time wondering whether you can survive giving yourself electric shocks, being chased by charging bulls, or if you can play a game of “Medicine Ball Dodgeball,” then here’s what “Jackass” is all about: Grown men doing awful things to themselves and each other. To put it nicely, they take hits to the face, the groin — anything to cause pain, disgust or that flies in the face of danger.
The movie starts with a warning disclaimer and ends with a warning disclaimer, just in case you’re dumb enough to think you should try any of these stunts.
Think you’ve never lived until you’ve seen a man force a fish hook through his cheek then act as live shark bait?
Do you ponder whether someone could eat horse droppings and not let his gag reflex get the best of him?
Have you ever wondered what you’d do if you were trapped in a limousine with a hive of live bees?
Have you ever considered whether you could attach a live leech to your eyeball?
Might you consider being branded on your rear end just to see what it feels like?
If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, then, my friend, this is the film for you. If you’re a fan of Three 6 Mafia, John Waters, or even Rip Torn, you’ll enjoy seeing their cameos in the movie.
My only quarrel with the hijinx of the “Jackass” troupe is that they involve animals in some of their stunts. Please leave the animals alone, guys — they don’t deserve to be misused or demeaned by what you’re doing.
Leave that for the human “Jackass” guys, who know exactly what they’re getting into. It’s obvious that they’re loving it, burns, broken bones and all.
Li fantastic in finale
Do you really mean it, Jet Li?
Are you serious when you tell your fans that you’re leaving martial-arts films behind you? If so, that’s a shame, because movies like “Fearless” are enjoyable on so many levels.
Li, apparently, wants to pursue the more serious side of cinema. Here, though, he struts his stuff as Huo Yuanjia, a real-life martial arts master who founded the Jingwu Sports Federation.
We see Huo as a little boy whose asthma prevents him from being a warrior like his father — or so his family thinks. Still, Huo trains secretly in order to follow in his father’s footsteps. Huo thinks he’s tougher than his father, who never killed his opponents in the ring and never earned the title of champion.
Huo wants to become famous, and, years later, that’s just what he does. He loves the adulation of the crowd, and, because his best friend runs a nice restaurant, celebrates his victories by offering all of his new followers a night on the town complete with fine food and drink.
In the meantime, his little girl waits for him to come home. Huo grows ever more arrogant because his confidence builds with every fight.
Finally, after a misunderstanding, Huo faces tragedy and loss. And he walks away from the ring and ends up in another land, where the countryside and clear water begin to heal his physical wounds and his soul.
Li’s fantastic abilities are amazing to watch. Yu’s camera work slows so that we can see just what’s going on while Li takes on multiple attackers and competes in an international bout. His lightning-fast moves can best be taken in during the slow-motion shots.
My favorite parts of the movie, however, were the sequences that depict Huo’s renewal. The quiet symbolism of the blind woman who uses the clear natural water to wash the hair of the ailing stranger is a gorgeous, tender scene. I have the feeling that Li wants to have more cinematic moments like this…and I hope he does. He has developed as an actor and has a charming presence in front of the camera — rent the undersung “Unleashed” and watch the emotions of Li’s frightened, confused character wash over his face.
This is an appropriate swan song for Li’s martial-arts films and a transition into more dramatic roles where Li may prove himself once again to be a master.
‘Flyboys’ causes a split
This time, I simply had to split my vote.
You see, “Flyboys” is a strange movie, with so much going on in the skies and not enough in the plot. I wanted to see more of parts of the film, and at other times I simply wanted to cut sections out to get to the next dogfight.
The plot — 2 stars
The movie does have some foundation in truth. The Lafayette Escadrille was a squadron of American pilots who flew with the French outside of Paris.
A batch of newcomers arrives, and among them is Blaine (James Franco), a courageous Texan who is a born leader.
You have a cliché character in a rich lad who wants to make his father proud, a mysterious young man whose background is suspicious, a former boxer (and the squadron’s only African-American), and the usual bunch of guys you might see in any war movie. These are wide-eyed recruits who are trying to act brave but are terrified of their futures…as well they should be. The planes don’t look like they have the strength to take off, much less gain altitude. The fate of pilots is so uncertain that the men are trained to kille themselves in case the planes catch fire.
The movie “Lafayette Escadrille” was directed by William Wellman in 1958. Among its stars were Tab Hunter and Clint Eastwood, incidentally, and one of the major story threads is the romance between a soldier and French girl. Is this a remake? I can’t say for sure, but they sound very similar. Because here Blaine falls for a French girl who helps him after an accident.
You’ve seen these characters before in countless other war movies and sports flicks. There’s very little to see — at least, when you’re talking about the plot lines.
The look — 3 stars
There’s so much to see in “Flyboys” that you can’t help but be entertained.
First, there’s Whiskey, the lion, who serves as the squadron’s mascot (the squadron actually had two lions, and the other was named Soda). Every time Whiskey’s on screen he steals the show.
But mainly, there are the planes, the motorcycles and the uniforms. It’s so impressive to see all this on the big screen, and any history buff — especially a fan of air shows — will appreciate the look of this picture.
My favorite scene? Blaine hears something coming out of the fog and suddenly four planes emerge out of the cloud. This moment is simply beautiful, and I wished it could have lasted longer.
The real eye candy is in the skies, where computer-generated imagery blends with vintage aircraft to create terrific battle scenes.
If you don’t care much about the plot and you want to see World War I planes aloft, then fly out to this.
‘King’s Men’ falls apart
Even the brightest stars lose their shine in a dull sky.
Here’s proof on film. Despite its all-star cast, “All the King’s Men” is hobbled by too much and strangely placed time changes.
There was another “All the King’s Men” before this one, but this one isn’t so much based on that film as on the novel by Robert Penn Warren.
The movie is loosely based on controversial Louisiana Governor Huey Long, a character who here is known as Wille Stark, beautifully portrayed by Sean Penn.
Stark becomes part of a corrupt political machine from the moment he becomes a candidate who is put on the ballot just to split the vote.
When he finally becomes aware of what is happening, he decides to dispense with his planned speeches and speak from his heart to the “poor folk” who are his constituents. And to the surprise of those of everyone involved, Stark/Long wins by a landslide. Stark promises to use oil money to build schools and roads for poverty-stricken
3 stars
Vomit.
There. If that got your attention, and it sickened you, please proceed to another review.
If you were intrigued by that word, well, you might be intrigued by “Jackass Number Two,” a sickening sequel to the original “Jackass” movie from 2002.
Johnny Knoxville and his band of moronic-acting stuntmen are thrown around by bulls, each other, and homemade rockets in this R-rated barf-fest that includes every bodily function and body part you can think of. And most that you don’t want to think of.
Need I add that this isn’t for children or sensitive viewers of any age?
In case you’re a person who haven’t spent time wondering whether you can survive giving yourself electric shocks, being chased by charging bulls, or if you can play a game of “Medicine Ball Dodgeball,” then here’s what “Jackass” is all about: Grown men doing awful things to themselves and each other. To put it nicely, they take hits to the face, the groin — anything to cause pain, disgust or that flies in the face of danger.
The movie starts with a warning disclaimer and ends with a warning disclaimer, just in case you’re dumb enough to think you should try any of these stunts.
Think you’ve never lived until you’ve seen a man force a fish hook through his cheek then act as live shark bait?
Do you ponder whether someone could eat horse droppings and not let his gag reflex get the best of him?
Have you ever wondered what you’d do if you were trapped in a limousine with a hive of live bees?
Have you ever considered whether you could attach a live leech to your eyeball?
Might you consider being branded on your rear end just to see what it feels like?
If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, then, my friend, this is the film for you. If you’re a fan of Three 6 Mafia, John Waters, or even Rip Torn, you’ll enjoy seeing their cameos in the movie.
My only quarrel with the hijinx of the “Jackass” troupe is that they involve animals in some of their stunts. Please leave the animals alone, guys — they don’t deserve to be misused or demeaned by what you’re doing.
Leave that for the human “Jackass” guys, who know exactly what they’re getting into. It’s obvious that they’re loving it, burns, broken bones and all.
Running time: 95 minutes.
Rated R for disgusting stunts, cartoonish (but real) violence, nauseating bodily functions, graphic nudity and foul language.
3 stars
Do you really mean it, Jet Li?
Are you serious when you tell your fans that you’re leaving martial-arts films behind you? If so, that’s a shame, because movies like “Fearless” are enjoyable on so many levels.
Li, apparently, wants to pursue the more serious side of cinema. Here, though, he struts his stuff as Huo Yuanjia, a real-life martial arts master who founded the Jingwu Sports Federation.
We see Huo as a little boy whose asthma prevents him from being a warrior like his father — or so his family thinks. Still, Huo trains secretly in order to follow in his father’s footsteps. Huo thinks he’s tougher than his father, who never killed his opponents in the ring and never earned the title of champion.
Huo wants to become famous, and, years later, that’s just what he does. He loves the adulation of the crowd, and, because his best friend runs a nice restaurant, celebrates his victories by offering all of his new followers a night on the town complete with fine food and drink.
In the meantime, his little girl waits for him to come home. Huo grows ever more arrogant because his confidence builds with every fight.
Finally, after a misunderstanding, Huo faces tragedy and loss. And he walks away from the ring and ends up in another land, where the countryside and clear water begin to heal his physical wounds and his soul.
Li’s fantastic abilities are amazing to watch. Yu’s camera work slows so that we can see just what’s going on while Li takes on multiple attackers and competes in an international bout. His lightning-fast moves can best be taken in during the slow-motion shots.
My favorite parts of the movie, however, were the sequences that depict Huo’s renewal. The quiet symbolism of the blind woman who uses the clear natural water to wash the hair of the ailing stranger is a gorgeous, tender scene. I have the feeling that Li wants to have more cinematic moments like this…and I hope he does. He has developed as an actor and has a charming presence in front of the camera — rent the undersung “Unleashed” and watch the emotions of Li’s frightened, confused character wash over his face.
This is an appropriate swan song for Li’s martial-arts films and a transition into more dramatic roles where Li may prove himself once again to be a master.
Running time: 104 minutes.
Rated: PG-13 for violence and scenes of death.
2 stars/3 stars
This time, I simply had to split my vote.
You see, “Flyboys” is a strange movie, with so much going on in the skies and not enough in the plot. I wanted to see more of parts of the film, and at other times I simply wanted to cut sections out to get to the next dogfight.
The plot — 2 stars
The movie does have some foundation in truth. The Lafayette Escadrille was a squadron of American pilots who flew with the French outside of Paris.
A batch of newcomers arrives, and among them is Blaine (James Franco), a courageous Texan who is a born leader.
You have a cliché character in a rich lad who wants to make his father proud, a mysterious young man whose background is suspicious, a former boxer (and the squadron’s only African-American), and the usual bunch of guys you might see in any war movie. These are wide-eyed recruits who are trying to act brave but are terrified of their futures…as well they should be. The planes don’t look like they have the strength to take off, much less gain altitude. The fate of pilots is so uncertain that the men are trained to kille themselves in case the planes catch fire.
The movie “Lafayette Escadrille” was directed by William Wellman in 1958. Among its stars were Tab Hunter and Clint Eastwood, incidentally, and one of the major story threads is the romance between a soldier and French girl. Is this a remake? I can’t say for sure, but they sound very similar. Because here Blaine falls for a French girl who helps him after an accident.
You’ve seen these characters before in countless other war movies and sports flicks. There’s very little to see — at least, when you’re talking about the plot lines.
The look — 3 stars
There’s so much to see in “Flyboys” that you can’t help but be entertained.
First, there’s Whiskey, the lion, who serves as the squadron’s mascot (the squadron actually had two lions, and the other was named Soda). Every time Whiskey’s on screen he steals the show.
But mainly, there are the planes, the motorcycles and the uniforms. It’s so impressive to see all this on the big screen, and any history buff — especially a fan of air shows — will appreciate the look of this picture.
My favorite scene? Blaine hears something coming out of the fog and suddenly four planes emerge out of the cloud. This moment is simply beautiful, and I wished it could have lasted longer.
The real eye candy is in the skies, where computer-generated imagery blends with vintage aircraft to create terrific battle scenes.
If you don’t care much about the plot and you want to see World War I planes aloft, then fly out to this.
Stars: James Franco, Jean Reno, David Ellison, Martin Henderson, Jennifer Decker, Abdul Salis and Phillip Winchester.
Director: Tony Bill.
Screenwriters: Phil Sears, Blake T. Evans and David S. Ward.
Running time: 139 minutes.
Rated PG-13 for violence and sexual situations.
2 stars
Even the brightest stars lose their shine in a dull sky.
Here’s proof on film. Despite its all-star cast, “All the King’s Men” is hobbled by too much and strangely placed time changes.
There was another “All the King’s Men” before this one, but this one isn’t so much based on that film as on the novel by Robert Penn Warren.
The movie is loosely based on controversial Louisiana Governor Huey Long, a character who here is known as Wille Stark, beautifully portrayed by Sean Penn.
Stark becomes part of a corrupt political machine from the moment he becomes a candidate who is put on the ballot just to split the vote.
When he finally becomes aware of what is happening, he decides to dispense with his planned speeches and speak from his heart to the “poor folk” who are his constituents. And to the surprise of those of everyone involved, Stark/Long wins by a landslide. Stark promises to use oil money to build schools and roads for poverty-stricken Southerners.
The narrator is Jack Burden (Jude Law), a newspaper reporter who becomes Stark’s right-hand man. When Stark faces impeachment, he asks Jack to dig up dirt on his own godfather, Judge Irwin (Anthony Hopkins).
Jack’s other connections from childhood include Anne Stanton (Kate Winslet) and her brother, Adam (Mark Ruffalo).
In the meantime, Jack realizes that Stark has quite an eye for strippers, and also — from time to time — for his press agent Sadie (Patricia Clarkson).
Penn’s performance is pitch-perfect in a less-than-perfect screenplay that’s made even more murky by Steven Zaillian’s direction — a surprise, because Zaillian wrote the brilliant screenplay for “Schindler’s List.” and directed “Searching for Bobby Fisher.”
The strange flashbacks and flash-forwards don’t help the plot move along but instead confuse the viewer. The characters talk, talk and talk, but reveal very little about their motives and histories.
The look of the movie is appealing. The cinematography, the sets and the costumes reflect the post-Depression era South and the social gap between the privileged and the poor.
The lengthy movie slogs along except for when Penn is on screen delivering an oration and mesmerizing a crowd. Otherwise, it’s bland despite its talented cast.
This could have been a contender, but probably won’t be in the Oscar competition early next year.
Linda Cook reviews movies for GO! and KWQC-TV6. Contact her at (563) 383-2400 or lcook@qctimes.com.
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