Disappointment From A Previously-Reliable Franchise: Jay And Silent Bob's Super Groovy Cartoon Movie!

The Good: One or two jokes, General voice performances
The Bad: Animation style, Plot, Characters, Not funny, Repetitive
The Basics: Kevin Smith cashes in on the love of his two beloved characters Jay and Silent Bob with Jay And Silent Bob's Super Groovy Cartoon Movie, a fairly short film that is bound to disappoint even the most die-hard fans of Kevin Smith's works!


Perhaps the first rule of making a film intended for fans of a certain person's works is to make sure that the fans do not already have access to the material. Kevin Smith may have written the script for Jay And Silent Bob's Super Groovy Cartoon Movie before handing it over to Steve Stark to direct, but it is hard for fans of Smith's works to call it an original work. Smith uses the opportunity of making a small animated film to take ideas, deleted scenes, outtakes, scrapped lines and commentary jokes from prior works and cobbles them into a script for a film so short it is not even feature-length.

Jay And Silent Bob's Super Groovy Cartoon Movie lifts most of its content from the Bluntman And Chronic graphic novel and Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back (reviewed here!), when it is not making dick, fart, and gay jokes alongside the weakest of super hero comic book (and comic book movie) jokes/commentaries. Despite occurring in Red Bank, New Jersey and including the familiar characters of Jay, Silent Bob and Dante Hicks, Jay And Silent Bob's Super Groovy Cartoon Movie does not fit into the canon of the rest of the View Askewniverse. It's hard to say that Jay And Silent Bob's Super Groovy Cartoon Movie fits into the Askewniverse when it fails to reference that (in the View Askewniverse), Jay and Silent Bob were already the subject of a comic book and a comic book movie. In other words , if Bluntman and Chronic popped up in the "real world' of the View Askewniverse, the media and residents of Red Bank there would see them as mere copycats of the comic book characters that Banky based on Jay And Silent Bob.

Such analysis is far more high-minded than the content of Jay And Silent Bob's Super Groovy Cartoon Movie, a film that once again utilizes Kevin Smith's disdain for movie critics on the internet as an attempt to forestall criticism of this particular film. The truth is, after growing as a writer with some bigger (and better) themes over the course of his last few films, Smith reverts to the most immature, droll and un-funny jokes of his career. Jay And Silent Bob's Super Groovy Cartoon Movie is notable most for not being funny and for using Jay and Silent Bob in ways they have never expressed in any of their prior adventures. Despite referencing Wolvering in Mallrats (reviewed here!), Jay has never illustrated any interest in comic books or super heroes and from the few lines Silent Bob has spoken, his passion has been for movies of the 1980s, as opposed to comic books or superhero films.

This is germane because Jay And Silent Bob's Super Groovy Cartoon Movie is essentially a parody of a super hero film wherein Jay and Silent Bob become vigilante super heroes on Red Bank, NJ.

While handing around outside RST Video, Jay laments the plight of the small-time drug dealer as legalized weed becomes more and more prevalent. There, they encounter various staples of super hero origin stories - an alien with a power ring crashes in the parking lot, they squash a radioactive spider in a nearby lab, and they try for eligibility to become super soldiers (but refuse when they have to get injected drugs, as opposed to smoking the serum) - before returning to the Quick Stop with five dollars each. Silent Bob uses the cash to get some scratch-off lottery tickets and he manages to win a million dollars.

They use the money to buy gadgets, costumes, and a lair (the Bluntcave) and they assume the alter-egos of Bluntman and Chronic. When they aren't getting high or spying on local lesbians, they break into local warehouses to get free stuff (under Jay's theory it's what they are owed for being superheroes). In the process, they make a number of supervillains who are broken out of the local asylum by Lipstick Lesbian, a woman slighted by Jay's offhanded remark. This leaves the duo at the mercy of a number of adversaries who they have to legitimately stop to protect Red Bank.

Jay And Silent Bob's Super Groovy Cartoon Movie is based around a line from Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back that ended up as a deleted scene and while it is a hilarious joke, it is not enough to build a movie around.

The animation in Jay And Silent Bob's Super Groovy Cartoon Movie is similar to that of Aqua Teen Hunger Force - blending animation with a few live-action elements like explosions. The voice work is fine. Eliza Dushku is decent as Lipstick Lesbian and Tara Strong gives her usual, solid, voiceover performance as Cocknocker. Jason Mewes gives an unremarkable performance for Jay and he's forcing my wife and I to go back to prior View Askew films to see if Jay actually used the word "sir" in talking to Silent Bob as much as he does in this sixty-four minute piece of crap.

At least going back through the other View Askew works is a more enjoyable use of time than considering Jay And Silent Bob's Super Groovy Cartoon Movie for even a minute more!

For other works by Kevin Smith, please visit my reviews of:
Clerks
Chasing Amy
Dogma
Clerks The Animated Series
Jersey Girl
Clerks II
Zack And Miri Make A Porno
Cop Out
Red State

1/10

For other movie reviews, please check out my Film Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2015 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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The Joke Is On The Audience . . . But We Wanted It! Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back

The Good: Funny, Allusions, Character progression
The Bad: Predictable, So much was cut!
The Basics: Funny and enjoyable for movie buffs and people who enjoy Kevin Smith's movies, Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back ages well.


Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back is one of those films that people tend to take or leave and they take it if they enjoy Kevin Smith's prior works (Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy, and Dogma) and leave if they haven't seen or didn't enjoy Smith's previous works, this one is certainly not going to get people to watch his films. The 2-DVD set is pretty much the best argument ever for DVD short of The Criterion Collection DVD set of Brazil. The magic of the DVD is that there's a whole second film of Kevin Smith et al. introducing cut scenes from Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back.

Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back is a hard sell, so I won't try to sell it to those of you who haven't seen Kevin Smith's prior works. If you haven't seen Clerks, Chasing Amy, or Dogma, go see at least one of them and then come back to this. This film is appreciable if you know the players involved.

Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back follows the exploits of Jay and Silent Bob from New Jersey through Hollywood. The plot is simple; the pair has a comic book based upon them and when they learn there is a film being made of their characters, they discover the internet and criticism there. So, the pair heads to Hollywood under the logic that if the movie isn't made, no one can badmouth them. It's solid logic from stoners. Once you accept that, you're fine. The rest of the film is the caper of Jay and Silent Bob falling in with a group of diamond thieves, losing them, and getting to Hollywood.

Criticizing Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back is as stupid as those two yo-yos that went and sued the makers of Duce Bigalow, Male Gigolo (or was it The Animal?) because there was a faux reviewer who recommended the film. If you go to see a Rob Schneider flick, you're not expecting high brow or, if you are, you're an idiot. Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back is a stupid film making fun of stupid films being made. It's stupid, but it doesn't have the pretense of being anything more. So, why should the audience?

My theory is, we shouldn't. Accept the premise and you'll enjoy it. The film makes hilarious pokes as sequels and how lame they usually are, they mock themselves and other works expertly.

The real gem of the DVD is watching the film and then going through the bonus disk for all of the additional stuff that is packed on there. The whole commentary on the cuts scenes was easily more funny than the actual film and worth the price of the DVD alone. The different clips are great.

Here Kevin Smith makes a satire of the people he has worked with and it's amusing to see Ben Affleck and Matt Damon make fun of themselves while also playing other characters they have played in Smith's earlier films.

One of the surprises here is the quality of the acting. Ben Affleck convincingly plays Holden from Chasing Amy in a cameo early in the film as well as creating a very different character in the parody of himself. Similarly, Jason Lee's presence in the film as both Banky Edwards and Brody is strangely unconfusing; his physical appearance is not significantly altered between the two roles, but he actively portrays them as different people and he successfully sells them.

While many would applaud Will Farrell as Marshal Willenholly, I think he's simply being Farrell as a Federal Wildlife Marshal and if you've seen Farrell in a few roles, you've seen his range. He does nothing extraordinary here. However, Shannon Elizabeth is great as Jay's love interest, Justice. She is more than simply a pretty face and a body here; she's actualized enough to keep our interest for the film.

The acting talent that dominates Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back is Jason Mewes. Most of the airtime is his and here he recreates the quirky, angry, foul-mouthed drug dealer we've known from the other films.

This is not a film for the young. It's hilarious, but it uses a lot of harsh language and foul sexual references. It's not a terribly intellectual film, but it is one that those who despise pop culture will appreciate a lot: many recognizable faces from today's popular culture appear to do parodies of their more serious work.

If you want a treat and you've enjoyed Kevin Smith's other works, there's no better way to cap off the adventures of Jay and Silent Bob than this. And as a hint, stay through the end of the credits. :)

For other movies by Kevin Smith, please visit my reviews of:
Clerks
Chasing Amy
Dogma
Clerks II
Cop Out
Red State

6.5/10

For other movie reviews, please visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2011, 2003 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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The End Of An Unexpected Empire: Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season Seven!

The Good: Excellent character development, Solid acting, Interesting plot
The Bad: Sad reuse of old plot devices
The Basics: The heroes who surround Buffy unite to stop the Origin of evil or go out with a bang trying in a very successful conclusion to the series.


It is a rare thing that a television show, no matter how popular, can raise itself from being a show on television to being a phenomenon that people want to spend their weekends pursuing. By that, I mean it's rare for a show to be so successful with a core of people that they will travel the country on the weekends to go to conventions and events where they can meet the stars from the show, meet others who share their passion and/or hang out with other devotees watching the show. That's why there are Star Trek and Star Wars conventions, but not NYPD Blue conventions (though I'd go for that!). Buffy The Vampire Slayer is, astonishingly, one of the few franchises with a fan base that eagerly approaches the show outside the television viewing. The seventh season of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, now out on DVD, brings the saga of the Slayer to its conclusion.

Having survived the near apocalyptic events of the sixth season, Buffy takes Dawn to her first day of high school at the new Sunnydale High. Xander, involved in building it, provides support in understanding why there are already problems at the school. And Giles and Willow work together to control her magical ability. Willow's return to Sunnydale heralds talk of the return of the greatest villain the Earth has ever known, the First. The First is the source of all evil, originally referenced in the third season of the show. Now, the First is coming back to Earth to bring chaos and death to all and it has found the perfect tool; the newly ensouled Spike.

Buffy The Vampire Slayer had six successful seasons on the air and when the seventh came, it was unclear as to whether it would continue or not. It was a fairly last minute decision, prompted by Sarah Michelle Gellar's desire to not return for an eighth season, but the seventh season was determined to be the end of the series. Unfortunately, as the season comes to its climax, there is a lot that is done to indicate that the producers were hedging their bets, looking for a way to continue the series into a eighth season without the title character. As it is, though, the seventh season is a nice, complete story that brings the focus of the narrative back to Buffy.

The season largely deals with the coming of the First and the hopelessness of the potential fight that would come with its arrival. The First can take the appearance of anyone who is dead and that makes for some very unnerving scenes in the seventh season. But hope arrives in the form of Potentials; Slayers who would be activated if Buffy were to be killed. The latter half of the season focuses on the training of the Potentials and the way Buffy becomes a bona fide leader.

As with the previous seasons, the seventh season of Buffy The Vampire Slayer focuses most on character development and the memorable characters make it understandable that the show would grow into a phenomenon. Here is how the seventh season finds them:

Buffy - Recovering from the betrayal of her best friend in season six, Buffy takes on a more parental role for Dawn. She becomes a guidance counselor and starts to connect with people for the first time. With the return of Spike and Willow and the threat of the First, Buffy finds herself coming into the role of leader and facing the fact that her fate may well be sealed,

Xander - High on saving the world, Xander comes back down to Earth as he must face the consequences of Anya's return to evil and the return of Spike, who he has no fondness for. Xander's position in the growing army against the First is compromised when evil incarnate realizes that he has unique abilities of his own,

Willow - Returning to Sunnydale alone, Willow begins to move on as a single woman without magic and without the woman she loves. Her love for Tara is challenged by one of the Potentials who makes it known she finds Willow attractive,

Anya - A vengeance demon once again, Anya reigns chaos around Sunnydale punishing the men who have wronged women. This leads to a showdown between Anya and Buffy and the result condemns Anya to a familiar punishment,

Dawn - Growing up and trying to contribute to her sister's army, Dawn finds herself in the company of misfits and the target of all sorts of evil. The lone attempt at a Dawn episode in this season yields the worst reuse of the "love spell" plot,

and Spike - Now plagued with a soul, Spike returns to Sunnydale wounded by Buffy's lack of love for him. He finds himself used as a pawn by the First and a liability to the Slayer and her forces. His soul torments him and his weakness to the First leads him to meet his destiny.

Giles appears occasionally in the season as the Watcher Council is destroyed and he attempts to learn the vulnerabilities of the First. He is not given a huge part, but his recurring presence works well as Buffy makes the transition from student to leader. Also returning is the villainous nerd Andrew, who reforms from his evil ways and Faith, who returns to Sunnydale as a heroine, not a villain.

The subtext of this season is the struggle we make as individuals to live up to our adult responsibilities and become actualized adults. Buffy makes the transition and it is rocky, but enjoyable to watch. The serialized nature of the show, where the menace of a single true villain mirrors the rising actions of the successful third and fifth seasons. The First is a compelling villain and the resolution to the conflict with this enemy promises to keep the franchise going.

Sarah Michelle Gellar and James Marsters give truly great, empathy-laced performances in this season and it's impressive to watch them work, especially when they are together.

This set looks good on DVD and the commentaries are interesting and worth the price of the set alone for fans. If you haven't gotten into Buffy The Vampire Slayer yet, this is an inappropriate place to start. I recommend going back to at least the fifth season to get into the show and working your way up to this episode. The weak link is "Him" which revisits the same type of "love spell" idea that has been done already in the show. The episodes building up to the end are wonderful and "Lies My Parents Told Me" is one of the best episodes the series ever did.

It's a shame that Buffy The Vampire Slayer ended, but that's what television shows do. At least there was still Angel . . .

For other final seasons of science fiction or fantasy shows, be sure to check out my reviews of:
Heroes - Season Four
Millennium - The Complete Third Season
Star Trek: The Next Generation - Season Seven

8/10

For other television show reviews, please visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2011, 2004 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.

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Contrasts In The Night: City By The Sea Resonates!

The Good: Honesty, Acting, Character, Well-developed and presented plot
The Bad: Moments of pacing inconsistencies
The Basics: In one of the best crime dramas in years, a father hunts a son who is accused of murder in City By The Sea.


Sometimes a film comes along that takes us by surprise, usually one we haven't heard so much about because so few people saw it or it didn't do so well at the box office. City By The Sea was one of those films for me. I had heard generally good reviews about it, but I was only going to see it because the library got it in on DVD and I could see it for free. In retrospect, I would have been just as happy buying this one.

When Joey Nova is looking to score, he takes his habit to Snake and Picasso. When Snake can't pay Picasso, a knife fight ensues and Joey kills Picasso largely in self defense. Snake pins the murder on Joey and a manhunt ensues. Leading the hunt is Vincent La Marca. La Marca is Joey's dad and a man of many issues, not the least of which is having abandoned Joseph at a young age. When Spyder, Picasso's boss, begins hunting Joey, he kills Vincent's partner and Joey is implicated for that crime as well. In a series of chases and encounters, Vincent is brought closer and closer to his son and does everything he can to bring him in alive.

The reason City By The Sea is so great is there are complicated characters dealing with a complex series of variables. There are no simple answers here. And there aren't supposed to be. It makes the film feel very real. Indeed, the film contained in its lines, a fact I had never been exposed to: it's easier to kill the second time. I did not know that before yesterday when I saw City By The Sea. It makes a lot of sense, though.

The characters are intriguing and they keep focus on them throughout the film. Vincent is compelling because he has many layers and they are not all nice. He is soft-spoken and seems decent, but he walked out on his son and he once hit his ex-wife. He is protective of his downstairs neighbor, who he has a relationship with, but he has not even told Michelle that Joey exists. Indeed, at some point in the past, he outright lied about having children. And Michelle is an interesting character of her own.

Joey is intriguing as well. He's a junkie with a grandfather who was executed and a father who is a police officer. He was once a star basketball player and he's now depressed and upset. He had a relationship with Gina, who has his son and leaves him with Vincent and Michelle. Joey is desperate and in the process of the film, his lies about getting clean at the opening become truths of necessity. We feel that Joey is a young man who is continually betrayed and as people move in on him, we begin to understand his mindset.

The acting is exceptional in City By The Sea and it's worth it for that alone. The lesser characters are all distinctive and well-acted. Eliza Dushku is convincing as a young woman fighting an addiction while trying to raise a kid. She plays Gina with fear, hurt and strength that is sapped out of her with each passing minute on camera. It works wonderfully. Similarly, Frances McDormand is great in her too-brief role as Michelle. She is soft-spoken and contemplative. She captivates as Michelle with presence that draws the eye and forces us to listen to her.

The back of the DVD box has a review that notes that Robert De Niro is acting in City By The Sea in a way that we've never seen before. That reviewer pegged it quite right; here De Niro is soft-spoken, but not particularly cunning, honorable, but practical. As a result, he realistically portrays a down to earth man with quite a bit of love and the idea that people are responsible for their actions. And that's a theme of City By The Sea, people make choices and they bear the responsibility for those decisions. But De Niro here is not quite like any De Niro you've seen before and it's wonderful.

James Franco, however, is the truly great actor here. He has a face that can be lit to make him look strung out like a junkie and his acting is amazing. Neglected in Spider-man (reviewed here!), Franco is a powerhouse of body language and facial expressions and use of voice. Much of his performance is quiet and desperate, the rest filled with fear or horror. Franco does an excellent job of creating a character we may believe has the right fundamentals but made a wrong turn somewhere.

City By The Sea has a strong sense of responsibility that is incredibly refreshing for films today. Add to that, the acting is wonderful and the plot is intriguing. Unfortunately, the pacing is a little slow, especially in the first half. Nevertheless, it is accessible to any adult who is sick of the usual crime drama and wants something special.

For other films with Robert De Niro, please check out:
The Untouchables
The Mission
Brazil
The Deer Hunter
The Godfather, Part II

8.5/10

For other movie reviews, please click here to visit my index page!

© 2011, 2003 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.

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Buffy The Vampire Slayer Graduates Into Something Pretty Fantastic With "Graduation Day Parts 1 & 2!"

The Good: Funny, Quirky, Action-packed, Decent character development, Good acting
The Bad: Fairly predictable plot
The Basics: In a near-perfect two-parter, Buffy takes on the Mayor after being forced to take out Faith, the rogue Slayer, on her "Graduation Day!"


Buffy The Vampire Slayer is a show that did a pretty remarkable job at reinventing itself as needed over the course of the seven years it was on. Some might wonder why a show would need to restart itself so frequently, but to those of us who watched it, this is less of a mystery and more of a selling point. To that end, there are a few milestones that were pretty much essential times when the series needed to reboot. The first major one was at the beginning of the fourth season. The reason for that reboot was quite simple: in the third season finale, "Graduation Day, Parts 1 and 2" Buffy Summers and her friends graduate from high school.

For sure, the show could have tried to keep the Scooby gang Seniors forever (anyone looking closely in the first season will catch that Buffy is listed as a Senior on one of the computer monitors, despite being reduced to a sophomore for the television series), but wisely, Joss Whedon and the other show runners kept the group evolving, growing and growing up. As a result, "Graduation Day" represents the closing of the high school chapter of Buffy The Vampire Slayer and for those who like the richness of the metaphor in Buffy The Vampire Slayer, this might make for the most sensible ending point of the series.

"Graduation Day, Part 1" finds the Mayor of Sunnydale in a state of virtual invincibility as the day of his Ascension nears. At Graduation, he will become something different, something horrible and in preparation for that, he has made himself impervious to any attacks from Buffy and her gang. Defended by his own Slayer, Faith, the Mayor seems poised to destroy Sunnydale and transform into something that could threaten the entire world. Recalling all that they know about the Mayor and the Ascension, Buffy and Angel - with Anya's help - stumble on part of the key to defeating the Mayor and Buffy commits to taking out Faith.

As Faith and Buffy fight for their lives against one another, Giles and Xander make preparations for graduation and a fallback for the impending Ascension.

In "Graduation Day, Part 2," a deeply wounded Buffy gets the last of what she needs to defeat the Mayor from the comatose Faith. Armed with the information and a plan, Buffy makes her fellow students into an army to survive the legions of vampires the Mayor has called in to protect him in Faith's absence during his Ascension.

In some ways, "Graduation Day" is a predictable Buffy The Vampire Slayer season finale. The Big Bad of the season is rearing its ugly head and it is about time for Buffy to put an end to it. This series does a pretty decent job of building up the evil force for an entire year, but then, by the end of the season finale, one way or another, the creature is dispatched. In this fashion, for all of its greatness and decency as a television program, "Graduation Day, Parts 1 and 2" are not terribly surprising. The viewer has a pretty decent idea that the Mayor will be defeated and Sunnydale will go on.

But, in true Joss Whedon fashion, the mystery in this two-parter is: at what price will Buffy and her gang succeed? Angel has already - in prior episodes - alluded to his intent to leave Sunnydale and Buffy behind following the Ascension. In reality, Angel is off to star in his own spin-off and that's a fine excuse for him to make the plot a little more complicated. But the true gem of the price of Buffy's success comes in a three second (if that) throwaway shot that will change everything. Yes, one of the supplemental characters is taken out in the finale in a way that makes them a much more interesting character when they recur from this point forth!

And, in truth, what makes "Graduation Day" so interesting is the character work. After a large part of the season at each other's throats, Buffy and Faith come to a head with their conflict, just as the romance between Buffy and Angel is more or less resolved as well. The thing here is that Buffy has always been an archetype for good and Faith has been far more chaotic. In the second part of "Graduation Day," Buffy and Faith share a special link and it is in that meeting that Faith is given the opportunity to show her true colors.

As well, the Mayor has always been a more intriguing villain than most because he is nowhere near as monolithic as most of the Big Bads in the Buffy universe. Instead, he has been quirky, often expressing a disgust at germs. He is known to be at least as old as Sunnydale itself and he has maintained a special relationship with Faith that provides the young woman with the closest to a father figure that she has ever had. Following Buffy dispatching Faith, the Mayor proves his character by illustrating that he still has a love for Faith and that is a clever and decent trait that makes him possibly the most interesting Big Bad to come along.

"Graduation Day's" gimmick hinges - yet again - on the second season episode "Halloween" and it does not spoil anything to say that Xander's legendary Army training from that episode is part of what allows Buffy to achieve her victory. It's a card that keeps getting played and this might well be one of the last times that it is played reasonably and well, in a fashion that the viewer thinks is plausible. The clever aspect of it is that while Xander's character is enhanced with Army training from a spell gone wrong, none of his peers have had such luck. As a result, the carnage that comes up in the climactic battle after the sun is blotted out is realistic and deadly to many of its participants.

In fact, arguably the only character that does not have any real growth in the two-parter is Principal Snyder. But, he has his moment and having met Armin Shimerman at various conventions, he is quite pleased with the resolution to Snyder's arc.

"Graduation Day" works as well as it does because of three truly outstanding performances (and some fun CGI work). The actors who truly move this two-parter are Harry Groener, Eliza Dushku, and Sarah Michelle Gellar. Groener plays the Mayor and as Richard Wilkins III prepares to Ascend, Groener is given the difficult task of making the Mayor seem quirky and confident without being seen as ridiculous or just offbeat for the sake of offbeat. He does this in large part through his body language. He manages to keep a very serious posture, no matter what comes out of his mouth. And when the Mayor discovers Faith has been wounded, it is Groener's eyes that one needs to be watching because he sells the plot point that's coming through the performance there.

Similarly, Eliza Dushku makes the viewer believe that Faith is not all bad. Dushku takes a pretty simple script - especially for the second part - and layers her character with real depth involving her ability to emote with her voice. Indeed, after the big battle scenes, it is Dushku's quiet performance as a wounded Faith that makes her worth watching. And the scenes she shares with Groener are precious.

But it is Sarah Michelle Gellar who is charged with selling the reality of the extreme situations that Buffy is put into in this two parter. Gellar takes the role seriously and she makes Buffy into a serious character, transforming her finally from a pawn or tool into a true leader. Gellar infuses Buffy with serious confidence in this episode, especially in the climax of it, that makes the episode work wonderfully.

This is one of the essential episodes (or two episodes) of Buffy The Vampire Slayer and it is one that will appeal to anyone who likes a good action-adventure story. It will be appreciated much more by those who have seen - at least - the rest of the third season as the entire season has been building to this. It's fun either way and it does manage to be something more as well.

[Knowing that VHS is essentially a dead medium, it's worth looking into Buffy The Vampire Slayer - The Complete Third Season on DVD, which is also a better economical choice than buying the VHS. Read my review of the graduation season here!
or the complete series is available here!
Thanks!]

"Graduation Day, Part 1" - 9.5/10
"Graduation Day, Part 2" - 10/10
VHS - 8.5/10

For other television reviews, please be sure to visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2011, 2008 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.

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The Predictability Of "Enemies" Lessens The Edge Of "Earshot" For Buffy The Vampire Slayer.

The Good: Stories, Moments of character, Moments of acting.
The Bad: Times when the plot overwhelms character and acting aspects
The Basics: Despite how predictable and poorly-acted "Enemies" is, "Earshot" makes those who are not fans of Buffy The Vampire Slayer notice.


Buffy The Vampire Slayer is one of those television series' that when it was on, it seemed to be quite popular and powerful in the world of science fiction/fantasy fandom, but once it was off the air, it seems to have fallen hard in the collective unconsciousness. Conversely, it seems like certain seasons of Buffy are almost idealized while others are just forgotten. In fact, many fans of the show that I meet at conventions seem to hold the third season of Buffy The Vampire Slayer in such high regard that it is almost surprising to learn that they continued watching the series after that. While a perfect season of television is not necessarily made up of absolutely perfect episodes, it still has to hit the mark with consistent greatness.

With "Earshot," Buffy The Vampire Slayer fans who argue on behalf of the third season have quite the compelling case to make. Sadly, they often neglect "Enemies," which appears on a single tape with the superior episode. "Enemies" is overrated and in some ways a "necessary evil" plot that needed to be made, but could have been pulled off much better. Instead of being clever and compelling, "Enemies" simply advances the plot of the third season . . . ridiculously.

In fact, the only reason this VHS is ultimately recommended by me is that "Earshot" is just that good; it is so good it ought to be seen.

In "Enemies," Faith's transition to the Dark Side as the new henchman for the Mayor is complete and that pits Buffy and Faith on opposite sides of the Sunnydale law. While Faith is wooed by the Mayor, who takes on a rather fatherly role in her life, Buffy and her comrades try to figure out how to stop the Ascension from occurring. Faith is given her latest assignment by the Mayor, which is to separate Buffy and Angel and to bring Angel over to their side. To make the Mayor's plan work, Faith robs Angel of his soul and sets him to tormenting Buffy.

In "Earshot," Buffy starts by taking out a demon that she does not recognize, in the process getting some of its blood on her. Soon, though, she develops a side effect to the fluid; the ability to hear the thoughts of her peers. Sadly, the ability soon becomes a curse as she hears the thoughts of everyone around her all of the time, leaving her disoriented and in tremendous pain. As Giles and the gang work to cure her of her ailment, she overhears one of her peers planning a shooting spree.

That both of these episodes are put on a single tape is almost an insult to fans and collectors. "Enemies" is a remarkably standard and bland plot. Villain works to overcome the heroes and tries to drive a wedge between the two most powerful heroes. Oh, wow. That's not new and while the viewer can understand Joss Whedon and the Buffy team going there in order to keep the overall arc of the series realistic (obviously one of Buffy's strengths is her relationship with Angel and to weaken that bond would certainly, quite reasonably, fracture the power of the heroine), fans of genre works want something better than how this is executed. On the plot front, "Enemies" is predictable, droll and possibly one of the least original or clever episodes the series ever produced.

Furthermore, it falls down completely on the character and especially the acting fronts. As written, the lines are not terrible, though it is disappointing to see a character who is characterized as so streetsmart as Faith treated like an imbecile who has never seen "Defeat The New Villain Plot #2" on television. Faith is treated as remarkably naive in "Enemies" and it is more than unfortunate, it seriously undermines the credibility of her character. It is astonishing how little credit the writers gave her for her character's intelligence in this episode. Before this, Faith might be reckless, in "Enemies," she is just stupid.

The only thing worse than the treatment of Faith's character in "Enemies" is the acting. Eliza Dushku plays along as Faith just fine, the problem is who she is acting opposite. Anyone who has seen Buffy The Vampire Slayer before will know the ending by the acting of Sarah Michelle Gellar and David Boreanaz. Boreanaz gives a terrible performance that gives away the supposed surprise of the episode to anyone who has ever seen Boreanaz act as Angelus on prior episodes. He is bland as the soulless Angelus in this episode and it informs the end in one of the earliest scenes.

But Sarah Michelle Gellar's performance is unforgivably bad in "Enemies." Her performance is dull and lacks any sense of subtlety, nuance or even genuine emotion. Instead, the episode illustrates how stiff she can be. This makes both Buffy a weaker character and Faith dumb for not recognizing how Buffy is trying to swindle her.

In contrast, "Earshot" is a truly wonderful episode of Buffy The Vampire Slayer. Years ago, I was doing a convention and I had the opportunity to meet James Marsters (who plays Spike on Buffy). While getting his autograph, he was especially talkative and when I told him I had never seen an episode of Buffy The Vampire Slayer (which was true at the time) he began to give me a lecture on why I should be watching it. He cited the show's audaciousness and specifically referenced "Enemies" as being groundbreaking and more daring than anything on television at the time. While some of that is hyperbole, Marsters was right; "Earshot" is intelligent and surprising, everything that Buffy The Vampire Slayer could be consistently good at . . . if it were consistent.

As far as the storyline goes, "Earshot" is an intriguing combination of the obvious science fiction conceit (the mind reading plot) and intelligent social commentary (the student shooter plot). When Jonathan takes to the clocktower, the series becomes darker and a commentary on the state of our times and the struggles of those growing up in today's world. The episode was delayed in its airing because of the Columbine shooting and on VHS it is refreshing to see it restored.

Moreover, "Earshot" becomes something smarter than one might expect from Buffy The Vampire Slayer because it surprises the viewer with the ultimate resolution. Instead of being exactly what one might expect of a drama with a teenager with a gun, it becomes something that is surprising and in the final moments, it reminds the viewer that television can still be audacious and realistic while making commentary on the problems we suffer in the United States in this age.

What makes the episode work is the character of Jonathan and the acting of Sarah Michelle Gellar and Danny Strong. Jonathan is a recurring character in Buffy The Vampire Slayer who is essentially a geek and a loser who tries to get noticed in Sunnydale. He is almost universally mocked and he is even lower on the school's ladder of popularity than Xander. In "Earshot," it becomes utterly believable that he would get a gun and potentially menace the school. But even better is how his loser character ultimately defines him and in the final moments he reinforces the integrity of the concept of his character.

In large part, "Earshot" works in its resolution because Danny Strong is a consistent actor who makes the improbable believable. Strong is usually goofy as Jonathan and in "Earshot" he plays the character as quiet and disturbing. Strong infuses a quiet and very desperate quality into his performance of Jonathan in this episode and it is masterful.

But it is Sarah Michelle Gellar who carries "Earshot." She is funny as Buffy realizes her new power and Gellar has the ability to play giddy well, something she is not usually able to do. As the character is imposed upon by her gift more and more, Gellar makes her more desperate and harmed. She develops the ability to play Buffy as sleepless and deeply hurt. She is wonderful and her performance is dark. She is exceptional and her performance makes the idea of "Earshot" seem new.

On the balance, this VHS is a tough sell. "Earshot" is as brilliant as "Enemies" is droll and this makes it hard to recommend. Ultimately, I fell toward recommending it because the message of "Earshot" is too smart to neglect.

[Knowing that VHS is essentially a dead medium, it's worth looking into Buffy The Vampire Slayer - The Complete Third Season on DVD, which is also a better economical choice than buying the VHS. Read my review of the graduation season here!
or the complete series is available here!
Thanks!]

"Enemies" - 4/10
"Earshot" - 6.5/10
VHS - 5/10

For other television reviews, please visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2011, 2008 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.

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Buffy The Vampire Slayer Goes Dark And Murderous With "Consequences" For (Slayers) Being "Bad Girls!"

The Good: Character, Serialized nature of the plots, Decent acting
The Bad: No bonus features, Very much a middle act.
The Basics: Faith and Buffy go out on the town and suffer the consequences for their actions in this two parter on one tape!


For those who do not follow my reviews, I am a huge fan of serialized television. I like stories that develop over many episodes and characters who are vibrant and made more distinct by having space and time to breathe over many years. The best character-driven works almost universally involve growth through characters dealing with the consequences of their actions. It is perfectly appropriate, then, that Buffy The Vampire Slayer - a show which takes what appears to be a throw-out episode in the second season ("Halloween") and makes it one of the most important episodes of the series - appropriately and in an engaging fashion builds its stories and characters over many years. In the third season, this takes the very literal sense in a de facto two part arc called "Bad Girls" and "Consequences."

The thing is, even understanding the full richness of "Bad Girls" and "Consequences" means that most viewers will need to watch episodes that precede these and after the way "Consequences" is resolved, they will be eager for what comes next. "Bad Girls" and "Consequences" make for a compelling character study on their own and the episodes work well, even on video.

In "Bad Girls," Buffy opens up to the reckless ways that Faith, the other vampire slayer, represents. Faith has essentially dropped out of high school and she exposes Buffy to the philosophy of the street whereby she encourages her to take what she wants. Faith and Buffy go on a minor shoplifting spree while tracking down swords from deadly vampires who have arrived in Sunnydale. In their attempt to thwart the Mayor's plans, Buffy and Faith roam Sunnydale in a delinquent fashion, looking to recover the swords.

Unfortunately, disaster ensues in the final moments of "Bad Girls," which leads to "Consequences." As Sunnydale police search for who killed Finch, the Mayor's attache, Buffy and Faith spar about their involvement in the incident. Wesley insists they investigate and the conflict between Faith and Buffy reaches a head.

"Bad Girls" has moments that are thematically disappointing when viewed separate from the rest of the series. Quite frankly, young people doing stupid things simply because they are young bores and disappoints me. Faith is street-hardened and reckless, fueled by adrenalin and her characterization is based on being the anti-Buffy. She works beautifully as that. Buffy, on the other hand, is largely wholesome and good, in a way that is sometimes almost bland. But, she is characterized as a young woman with a strong moral core.

In "Bad Girls," Buffy not only tests that moral core - which is normal and a decent character aspect to explore - but she loses it completely. The appeal of things like shoplifting weapons makes little sense, even with Buffy being a goody two-shoes most of the time. Sure, thwarting the dimwitted Sunnydale police makes sense, but not causing them any harm. The only way "Bad Girls" truly works is when viewed in the context of the entire series; the extremity of Buffy's reaction and ability to abandon herself is a much-needed test. On its own, it just seems like stupid kids doing stupid things.

What makes it palatable is "Consequences" and not having to wait a week to see it is pretty wonderful. "Consequences" cements the divide between Faith and Buffy and restores her character to the side of good and reasonable. Having broken the cardinal rule of being a Slayer, Buffy and Faith fight over how to deal with that and that is not an easy decision. The moral implications of the death of Finch are explored and make for a compelling character struggle.

Moreover, "Consequences" gives Harry Groener the chance to truly shine as the Mayor. Mayor Wilkins is a far cry from his cerebral turn on Star Trek: The Next Generation as Tam Elbrun in "Tin Man" (reviewed here!) and "Consequences" finds him behaving even more loopy than normal. He has the ability to make the absurd sound reasonable and he turns his character's emotions on a dime. He goes from being enthusiastic and chipper to menacing with the blink of an eye. Groener is compelling and funny.

Similarly, Eliza Dushku creates a character that is tormented and intriguing. Dushku knows how to run, jump and fight, even in the abysmal Wrong Turn (reviewed here!). In "Consequences," she brings out her ability to play more emotionally tormented, like she does with her quieter character from City By The Sea. In "Bad Girls" and "Consequences" she plays Faith with an easygoing stride and a loose body language that is unlike any other role she has. It is an unlikely place, but on Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Dushku performs and lives up to her amazing potential by believably playing a tormented character who has so much anger in her.

It is Sarah Michelle Gellar who holds up the dramatic end of "Consequences." After performing with a greater sense of ease and using a very different type of body language than Gellar is accustomed to on the show, Gellar opens up with some real emotional gravitas. She has the ability to say a lot without speaking and she emotes with her eyes frequently in "Consequences" to make clear to the viewer just what her character is thinking and feeling. It is no surprise to those who have heard other actors talk about working with Gellar that she is truly as good as she is in this episode. In fact, the pair of episodes works very well together if for nothing else than to see how well Gellar may perform from the extreme range of recklessness to that of responsibility.

Fans of the franchise will likely also enjoy going back to the early episodes with Wesley Windham Pryce, who is still stuffy in his role in this episode. Wesley goes on to Angel and his role on that is vastly different from his appearance in these two episodes. On their own, "Bad Girls" and "Consequences" makes for a great way to become acquainted with the character for Angel fans without having to buy the whole third season on DVD.

Of course, given the quality of these episodes, odds are people who watch this video will want to pick up the season in its entirety!

[Knowing that VHS is essentially a dead medium, it's worth looking into Buffy The Vampire Slayer - The Complete Third Season on DVD, which is also a better economical choice than buying the VHS. Read my review of the graduation season here!
or the complete series is available here!
Thanks!]

"Bad Girls" - 7/10
"Consequences" - 8.5/10
VHS - 7/10

For other television reviews, please check out my index page on the subject by clicking here!

© 2011, 2008 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.

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Wrong Movie: Wrong Turn Is Unredeemably Bad (And Ruined My First Marriage).

The Good: It ends . . . eventually
The Bad: Ridiculously gory, Atrocious acting, Utter lack of character motivation, Crappy plot
The Basics: In a horrible gorefest, Wrong Turn leaves the viewer unafraid, slightly nauseous and mostly baffled at how such garbage could make it to the big screen.


When Wrong Turn was first released in the theaters, my wife at the time wanted to catch something kitschy. The thought was we would go see a horror flick and we would have a good time mocking it and enjoying the complete kitsch value of it. The problem is, this isn't the early '80s and horror films have become less about being scary and more about being violent, gore-filled and supposedly shocking. Wrong Turn is the perfect example of how bad the genre may be.

Following a pointless opening wherein two young climbers meet a mysterious and bloody death, we meet Chris Finn. He's an impatient guy headed to a job interview in Raleigh, when he gets caught in traffic. Deciding to take a shortcut, Chris makes a u-turn, goes back down the road and attempts to take a shortcut that will bypass the stopped traffic. Instead, he runs into a damaged SUV filled with young twenty-somethings. The SUV is populated by ridiculously good-looking Jessie, Carly and . . . who cares?

From the moment they come onto the screen, none of the denizens of the damages SUV make us care. The only recognizable actor in the bunch is Eliza Dushku (of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the film City By the Sea) and anyone with an ounce of intelligence or more can figure that the two people who will survive the film are going to be Chris and Eliza's character Jessie. Along for the walk to civilization is Jeremy Sisto's annoying character Scott who we hope will get killed if for no other reason than to shut him up.

Within ten minutes of the film's opening, Chris and three of the people from the SUV are walking for help and the two left behind are getting high. Within fifteen or twenty minutes, the two left at the SUV are slaughtered by people we see on screen only briefly and when the other four find the cabin these mutants live in, we know they are in trouble. The rest of the 95 minute flick is the three inbred mutants hunting down and slaughtering the remaining young adults.

The question has to be raised "Why was Wrong Turn made?" It certainly wasn't for the kitsch. There was nothing enjoyable and delightfully ridiculous in this film. Instead, it is pointlessly bloody and does nothing but promote the attitude that differences should be feared and ridiculed. After all, the mutant West Virginians that are the film's villains lack any motivation. So, they are different and have hideous deformities from inbreeding. Why then are they cannibalistic (and wasteful ones at that)? The scenes in their cabin wherein they butcher Francine and their stock of teeth, boiling human remains and other dead human wastes are revealed are flat out disgusting and not scary. In short, the film is simply gross, never suspenseful, never classy, never engaging.

I think I went to the wrong film. In fact, I know it. Why? I was far too intelligent for it. Despite the rapid camera movements that imitate a panicked three year-old's views of the world, every movement by the mutants was predictable. They always attacked from the side of the screen I knew they would and they always followed the tactic I called in advance (i.e. when three of the people make it to a tower, the usually noisy mutants manage to make a stealth climb which is foiled, so they begin to burn the tower. That I knew they would set fire to the tower the moment I saw them tromping through the forest with torches and yet the doctor protagonist didn't guess it says something about the quality of the film).

Moreover, the film seems to exist in an utter vacuum of logic. When the quartet makes it out of the mutant cabin where the mutants have brought Francine home to carve up, we see an eye looking out the keyhole, letting us know that either Carly or Scott is watching them do this horrific act. As they rush out of the house, both of them are collapsing and their explanation to Chris and Jessie is "You haven't seen what we saw." Now, this defies any sensibility that a rational person would have by the simple physics and common sense of the situation; both of the characters should not have been traumatized by this. Why? Only one could be looking through the keyhole at a time. Let's say it's Scott. Scott stands there watching Francine getting carved up (her leg is amputated on screen) and while this traumatizes him, he could: a. close his eyes, b. stop looking or c. fall away in shock. Under any of those circumstances why would Carly start looking through the keyhole and why would Scott let her?! There is no way both of the characters could have seen what happened to be traumatized. Not unless one is a sadist ("Hey, want to watch them cut up Francine?") and the other is an idiot ("Sure, that would be fun!"). It's details like that that stand out as glaringly ridiculous and insulting to the intelligence of the viewer.

The only thing more insulting is what this does to the actors. Jeremy Sisto is an accomplished actor. While I was not fond of his character of Billy on Six Feet Under, Sisto played the character well. Similarly Eliza Dushku has a budding acting career with accomplishments such as holding her own with Robert De Niro in City By the Sea. Why would these accomplished actors stoop to such a crappy film? It could not have been just for the money. I have to believe it.

This film has absolutely no value and the only reason to watch it is to induce vomiting.

For other horror works, be sure to visit my reviews of:
Quarantine
Predators
Hannibal Rising

0/10

For other movie reviews, please visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2011, 2008, 2003 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.

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As Graduation Approaches, Buffy Becomes Something Better With Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season Three!

The Good: Excellent villain, Good acting, Interesting character development, Decent plots
The Bad: Occasional soap opera feeling
The Basics: In the third season, Buffy returns to Sunnydale to find the Mayor planning carnage, her friends estranged and a new Slayer on the prowl.


Buffy The Vampire Slayer is something television executives should wish for. As a mid-season replacement show, Buffy had the odds stacked against it, but it found a very loyal audience and became a cult t.v. show that people write papers on and go to conventions for. Television executives love things they can merchandise. The third season of Buffy The Vampire Slayer was the last guaranteed season the show had; as the final season of Buffy's high school experience, it was the last season where the formula that had sold an audience on the show could be executed. And the makers of Buffy The Vampire Slayer used that to their advantage.

The third season of Buffy The Vampire Slayer finds the gang getting into Senior year after Buffy returns to Sunnydale. As they struggle to get through classes, a new Slayer arrives in town searching for a new force of evil. As the gang learns that the Mayor of Sunnydale is planning a genocidal Ascension, they come to discover their new Slayer, Faith, may be easily as much of a threat to them.

The worst aspect of the third season of Buffy The Vampire Slayer is that too often is feels like a soap opera with the relationships. The characters are great, but how they interact sometimes comes across as sappy, melodramatic and a hyperbole of emotions. This is especially true in the relationships of Xander, Willow, Oz and Cordelia. But that's the only real drawback of the season and - for the most part - that melodrama is over with by the end of the tenth episode.

With that, then, there is much to recommend the third season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The first is that it is very easy for people who have not been fans of the show to get into this series with this season. Because the season begins with Buffy estranged from those she knows, it makes it easy for new viewers to come into Sunnydale with her when she returns. Everything about Slayers and the whole vampire among us world of Buffy is re-explained with the introduction of Faith.

As always, the characters and their journeys are the real meat of the show and the series. Here is how the third season finds them:

The Mayor - Alluded to at the end of the second season, here he is revealed as a quirky germophobe with the desire to become fully demon through the Ascension,

Anya - A vengeance demon whose tenure at granting the wishes of tormented women comes to an abrupt end via an alternate universe version of Giles. She finds herself trapped in the persona of a 12th grade girl,

Faith - Unstable and unsure of herself or her new powers, she enters Sunnydale as a moral ambiguity and the season creates her as a foil of Buffy as she makes one bad choice after another,

Oz - His love for Willow is tested as he becomes more and more comfortable with his werewolf alter-ego,

Cordelia - Her love for Xander leads her to feelings of betrayal and ultimately needing to distance herself from Sunnydale,

Xander - His love for Cordelia comes into conflict with an older passion and leads him to feelings of abandonment. When he finds his place with his friends, he finds that the situation in Sunnydale is far more dangerous than he ever anticipated,

Angel - Is resurrected by forces he does not understand after spending a long time in Hell; his conflicted love for Buffy causes him to choose another path,

Willow - Her burgeoning skills as a witch continue to grow, impressing everyone and causing her to become a greater asset than ever before. Her love for Oz goes through some rocky patches, but she remains fairly steadfast,

Giles - Is tested along with Buffy by the Watcher Council, resulting in his being fired and yet, harboring a deep, parental, love for his charge. His choices leave him the most alone often,

and Buffy - Her return to Sunnydale is complicated by her new honesty with her mother, her love of Angel, the pressures of school life, and the threats posed by the Mayor and Faith. Here, she grows finally into a mostly-confident young woman in control of her destiny.

All of the characters are dynamic in Buffy The Vampire Slayer and, as a result, all change in some significant way throughout the season.

So, if you're not a fan of this series (mostly by virtue of never having seen it, I'll assume), why should you put down your hard earned money on this set? The first reason is that it is fun. This is enjoyable, fairly light entertainment. Unlike the first two seasons which are straight out candy, season three has some substance. It's a cake as opposed to the cotton candy of its predecessors; still sweet, still often without any deeper meaning, but thoroughly enjoyable and satisfying nonetheless.

The acting is surprisingly good. For a group of young people, the third season of Buffy The Vampire Slayer goes a long way toward reminding the viewer that there is some legitimate young talent out there that is not simply defined by ridiculously good looks. That's not to say the adults on this show slouch; indeed, two of the best actors are, in fact, Anthony Stewart Head (Giles) and the amazing Harry Groener (the Mayor).

But, it is the younger talent that shines the brightest and star Sarah Michelle Gellar uses season three to come into her own, illustrating her range of emotion to make her character a great deal more real. Gellar does more than simply weep over Angel and kick butt in this season; for the first time there are real scenes of her strategizing and reasoning. Gellar does an excellent job using facial expressions and body language to clue the viewer in to what her character is thinking.

The real winner of the season has to be Alyson Hannigan, who makes every scene with Willow pop. Hannigan comes alive especially in "The Wish" and "Dopplegangland" where she is forced to play alternate versions of her Willow character and she does so with complete competence and convincing performances. Hannigan gets the opportunity to start drawing Willow out of her insulated life and she makes the transformation gradual and subtle enough to seem quite real.

As with the prior two seasons, the show works on both the surface level and as an allegory for growing up. As the gang approaches graduation, the obvious parallels between leaving school and leaving childhood are exploded for the viewer, but it is done in an entertaining way. For those who are fans of the series, this is a great chance to sit back and respect what a deep game series creator Joss Whedon is playing. Angel's resurrection is related to events in Season 7, the emergence of Anya to replace Cordelia (who would go onto Angel in the next year), it's impressive what a big picture Whedon was playing with.

All in all, the third season of Buffy The Vampire Slayer is essential to anyone who likes comedy-infused horror or coming of age science fiction/fantasy pieces because it exemplifies the best that can happen when one tries to defy all the genres, but still make something meaningful for fans of them.

For a better understanding of what this boxed set entails, please check out my reviews of episodes contained within, like:
"Bad Girls" / "Consequences"
"Enemies" / "Earshot"
"Graduation Day, Parts 1 & 2"

8.5/10

For other television reviews, please visit my index page on the subject by clicking here!

© 2011, 2008, 2004 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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