Posted on 01/06/2005 4:40:46 AM PST by goldstategop
Illegal aliens are invading our country and an army of some 20 million now occupy it.
150,000 are known dead in South Asia and up to 1 million are homeless due to the tsunamis.
The 109th U.S. Congress is convening.
But, don't worry. I've got some good news for you.
And, no, I didn't just save a boatload of money on my car insurance.
There's a movie sweeping the nation right now, capturing the imaginations of young Americans, making them laugh and entertaining them – and doing all that without sex, violence, obscenity or profanity. There's nothing politically correct about it. There's no deep message in the film. It's not intended to be socially redeeming. And, unlike the biggest box-office hit of the hour, there's nothing even offensive about the name of the film.
But it is funny.
Very, very funny.
Very strange and very, very funny.
This independent film was made on a budget of $400,000 and has grossed more than $44 million.
When the DVD was released for Christmas, Fox shipped 2.5 million copies – about twice the number you would expect for a movie that grossed $44 million. It sold 1.35 million copies the first day, making it the top-selling DVD for Christmas week. As a result, Fox ordered another million copies.
Yet, when I tell you the name of this movie, many are going to say: "Never heard of it."
Are you ready?
"Napoleon Dynamite."
Ever hear of it?
If you haven't, your kids have.
And it might be a good idea to buy the DVD, sit down and watch it with them.
It's just good, clean fun.
Grown-ups are not supposed to get the humor in this movie. And some of them clearly don't. When it was released, stuffed-shirt critic Roger Ebert described it as "a kind of studied stupidity that sometimes passes as humor." Another critic said it "may be the most condescending comedy ever ..."
Like I always say: There's no accounting for taste.
I admit this is a very different kind of movie – and not for everyone. But I have seen it three times now and I could easily watch it four more. I laugh a little harder every time.
The appeal of the movie is that it captures life in high school. Yet, aside from a few language quirks peculiar to this particular generation, there's transcendency to "Napoleon Dynamite." This 2004 glimpse of high-school life is strikingly similar to my own experiences some 35 years ago.
Don't ask me what happens in this movie. The only answer is "not much." That's not the point. It's not about plot. It's about characters – funny, goofy, recognizable misfits of all ages.
Imagine "Seinfeld" set in a suburban high-school environment. If you can picture that, you may begin to picture what you are in for when you rent or buy the DVD this weekend.
I don't recommend movies often. I only watched this one because my 18-year-old daughter brought home the DVD and asked her parents to watch it with her. I'm glad she did.
Your son or daughter might not bring it to your attention.
Why don't you get the jump on them and bring it home yourself?
If you do, here's my advice:
See it with an open mind.
Don't let me raise your expectations too high and ruin it for you. (After all, nothing much happens in this movie.)
And tell me if you don't think there is something redemptive about this geeky movie.
I watched it. It has no meaning. There's no main point to look for. It wasn't very funny. I figured it would eventually pick up but it didn't. All in my opinion.
Wait, so Farah == Stale Cracker?
my 13 yo son bought this and thinks it is hilarious. i watched it with him for about a half hour without expectations, but i just couldn't hack any more of it. i didn't find it remotely funny and can't see what the hullabaloo is about. Bill McCuddy on FoxnFriends had it in his top 9. i just don't get it, and i am not some highbrow humor type either. i do like that it isn't profane or suggestive, but it just wasn't funny to me.
Humor me and try, please.
read my short review above. It pretty much says most of it. A synopsis of the plot doesn't really give you the tone and feel of the movie.
I listened to some of the commentary track on the DVD, and the director often mentioned that many of the things in the film, including some of the more bizarre parts, are inspired by autobiographical bits -- they actually happened to him in high school, or to his friends/family. Including the "schoolbus full of kids and the cow" scene, which happened to his little brother.
My wife and I rented the DVD last week, and it was hilarious, but probably not for everyone (some people just won't "get" it). My best description is that the film is about the people who even the nerds make fun of. "Dweebs" might be the word, or "geeks". And I'm surprised that Orson Scott Card mentioned Asperger's syndrome, since I remarked to my wife during the film that Napoleon and his school friend seemed "half autistic". They're not dumb, but they're extremely "socially challenged".
And it is not as good as monty python IMO and nothing ever will be.
Fair enough. As I said, I like his reviews and he suited me well. But nobody can have an identical taste with another person in everything. When I'll I see the movie, I'll know if agree with OSC here or not.
We liked it a LOT...though yeah, it's weird.
My nieces and nephews love it, I brought them a bootleg of it a few months ago, I love independent offbeat films, but this one did nothing for me. Amusing, but for me, that was about it.
I sat down and watched this bomb of a movie after a co-worker compared it to "Election." I thought it was awful. I love both South Park and Seinfeld. Napeoleon Dynamite, sir, is no South Park or Seinfeld.
For some odd reason, some people like this film. Couple of funny lines/scenes, but not a funny movie.
It is weird and different. Maybe that's why I enjoyed it. I think there's a little bit of Napolean in all of us.
The cow and the shotgun was about the funniest part.
I watched this movie with my 22 year old son a couple of nights ago. It was the second time he saw it, and he thought I would enjoy it. We both laughed out loud, over and over. I liked the ending too. As others have posted, it has no profanity, no sexual stuff, just dialogue between characters. I seldom watch a movie from beginning to end, but I watched this one & listened carefully. I would recommend this one for a great break from reality.
my kids are raving about this movie...they rented it and want to buy it. They're constantly quoting lines from it.
Guess I might break down and buy it...and watch it with them.. :)
For some odd reason, some people don't like this film. Lots of funny lines/scenes, but a very funny movie.
:-)
I watched South Park with my 24 y.o. son. He was ROTFLHAO, I never got the first giggle. hmmm.
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