Tied for the best movie I have ever seen

The Worst Film Ever

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

Most main-stream comedies would try to have over-the-top fantasy life premises, in which the audience can lance on, because how bizarre & surreal, it is. However, some of the better comedies, known for their Seinfeldian humor, idiosyncratic focus on more conversational everyday stuff that some audience might find mundane. Then, there are those, whom can mix, both of them, well-enough, that the audience can find, the simplest of premise, funny. This is one of those movies. Directed & written by Kevin Smith, Clerks 2 is a follow-up to the highest successful 1994's movie, Clerks and Smith's sixth feature film to be set in the View Askewniverse AKA Kevin Smith's fictional universe from the first film. Ten years after the events in Clerks, Dante Hicks (Brian O'Halloran) & Randal Graves (Jeff Anderson) find themselves working at a local fast food joint, after their previous work, Quick Stop Store, burned down, a year ago. Dante has plans to move away from town and get married, but Randal cannot yet, allow his long-last friend to leave, without one last goodbye party. While, Randal set up the party at the workplace, Dante is struggles with his mixed feelings for his current boss, manager, Becky Scott (Rosario Dawson) & his love for his fiancée, Emma Bunting (Jennifer Schwalbach). Will the goodbye party go according plan, or will Dante & Randal find themselves, making a bigger mess than before? Watch the movie to find out! Without spoiling the movie, too much, I have to say, it's nice to see Kevin Smith retackling his old films; however, in retrospect, it's generally viewed as Smith trying to rebound after his commercial failure in his non-View Askewniverse movie, 2004's Jersey Girl. Much like the original movie, the sequel to Clerks, also take place over the course of one day, and loosely connected with a series of small discussion skits and gags. But unlike, the first movie, the movie doesn't make too much jokes about the settling of the film. For a movie that mostly takes place at a fast food joint. I'm really surprised on the lack of jokes about junk food. You would think, the movie would be full of it. Anyways, the movie instead, tackles other issues, such as debates over movies, sexual positions, religion, racism, and romantic love versus pragmatic life choices. Like the first movie, the dialogue is rife with obscenities. Over 130 curse words, to start, as well as a lot of homosexual & racism slurs. The movie also has explicit jokes about bestiality, rape & others that some people might feel uncomfortable with. For me, the oddest thing about the film is having Jason Mewes as Jay do his 1991's the Silence of the Lambs, "Goodbye Horses" dance. That was really out of place & inappropriate. Even with all those, kinda offensive humor and jokes. There were some witty, somewhat heartfelt moments in the film. I did like the whole Jackson 5 'ABC" musical number. For the most part, all of these scenes serves mostly as filler. It really takes forever, for the weak main plot to kick in. The fact that the majority of that scene was ad-libbed, added to the pacing problems. While, the movie is not well-paced. The acting in this film was pretty good for the most part. The main actors, supporting actors, and cameos, all did their parts, very well. I have to say, my favorite actor in this, had to be Trevor Fehrman as Elias Grover, Dante and Randal's new co-worker at the Mooby's fast food chain. It sucks that he hasn't acted since this movie, because I found him to be, very funny. The worst acting in the film has to go to Jennifer Schwalbach. I'm really didn't buy anything, she was saying. Her performance was so wooden. Another thing, that was way different from the first movie, is how this sequel was in color & not in black & white. But as mentioned in the DVD commentary for this film, the entire film was desaturated, a bit after filming, because the colors were far too bright and cheery. In my opinion, I didn't mind that it was, as it adds so much to the cartoony astrosphere, giving the film a far, greater look. It reminds me, so much of the early 2000's animated TV Series Clerks with its style. Overall: While, Clerks 2 will never outshine the original. I have to say, it's still a watchable guilty pleasure of mine. Worth checking out. Face it tiger. You just hit the jackpot!

"Clerks 2", is pretty bland should you compare it to the first movie. What was a brilliant look at the lives of two store clerks from "Generation Y", ultimately tries to update that image to the present day with a few brilliant jokes but too many stale ones.After Randal accidentally burns down the convenient store, both he & Dante take up positions at the fictional "Mooby's" fast food joint. There we are introduced to the bubbly manager Becky (Rosario Dawson), and way too innocent Elias (Trevor Fehrman). As a usual day in their life, it revolves serving multiple customers and dissecting pop culture. Successfully managing to do both at the same time, either succeeding or offending others with their arguments.Like the first movie it grows on you. The friendship between Dante & Randal (Brian O'Hallaran & Jeff Anderson) has evolved over the past 11 years (Both real life and story), and it is only getting better for us yet worse for them. Ultimately towards the ending you see the movie digs into much deeper themes than what appears to be just your average comedy, all which Kevin Smith is more than capable of pulling off well.Saying all that, "Clerks 2" isn't a bad film. It just could've been better giving the talent provided, and not focusing all it's intentions on mocking current pop culture. What I loved about the original was the situations being somewhat more adult, and such a stellar soundtrack. Still "Clerks 2" is far from a failure, and does make a strong enough impact to hope "Clerks 3" will be made.Final Verdict: You get what you're given, you just end up hoping you'd get as much as you did from the first "Clerks" (1994). Sadly that may or may not be the case. 6.5/10.

Clerks II is all that Clerks. aimed to be but couldn't achieve because of lack of funds or experience. This time around writer-director Kevin Smith had what he needed, and it unfolded the way he wanted it to. It has the same feel as it predecessor, but smoother.The acting is better, in some case because they gained experience —Brian O'Halloran, Jeff Anderson, Jason Mewes, Kevin Smith — and in others, because they're seasoned actors, like Rosario Dawson, who plays the wisest and nicest character of the bunch. The sets, camera shots, editing, and images quality are much better.The diatribes are different, but have the same vibe. They're excellent, and the points well made, as usual. You'll laugh at the various antics, and appreciate the underlying romance much more, since it has a more prevalent share of the story.The only thing negative I have to say is that the ending is a bit Hollywoodish. but it's inline with the story, and is kind of the logical conclusion, so it's difficult to hold it against Smith.

So, there I sat, expecting Kevin Smith to tickle my feet, waiting for the first wave of insane, childish giggling, making myself ready for the first burst of laughter that would never come. But then I remembered: "Clerks" isn't that kind of film. The first "Clerks" was no thigh-slapper, no "Airplane"-spoof and no Eddie Murphy giggle-jerker. Rather, the combination of freshness, frankness, obscenity and in-your-face-truth made it so charming. In the end, it was all about the characters – characters that were so close to real-life that it was impossible not to find them funny.15 years down the road, the second part had all the effects of a college reunion: yes, you were looking forward to see the old buddies again; yes, you'd know that good times and funny memories would be exchanged – but in the back of your head, it would remind you that those good times wouldn't come back, that the wildest of the bunch was now a conservative family-man and that that girl, whom everybody had a crush on, didn't age terribly well.That's the main strength of Clerks 2: seeing the old crew re-assembled is like meeting old buddies that you haven't seen in 15 years.But let us speak of the flaws: despite being arch-typical stereotypes, Jay & Silent Bob were always out-Heroding the rest of the cast. In "Clerks 2" they are merely, well, arch-typical stereotypes. Jay n' Bob stopped smoking weed? Get out of here. Whatever happened to Cheech and Chong after they put down the bong and chillum? (Well, one is doing a sorry stand-up show, and the other one turned into a conservative sell-out, but that's another story).Realising of course that the relationship and plot are vaguely reminiscent of the actors / crews relationships in real-life, but that's a bit of realism that the viewer could have done without. In simple words: unlike during "Clerks", I felt that I wasn't sharing, but puffing on my joint alone.Scenes like the rooftop dance lesson: as soon as Dante admits to not being able to dance, I cried out: "please, no rooftop dance lesson", but it didn't help.And, yes: by now we are all aware that Kevin Smith isn't a mere Christian but a practicing catholic. Whether he expects viewers to flock to Rome and kiss the popes big toe after seeing various characters flashing bibles and crucifixes, remains questionable. Unless you're Mel Gibson and cannot help it: keep your superstitions out of the movies, especially if it's called "Clerks".Ben Affleck: having ol' stone-face appear in any movie is always a bad thing. It proofs again and again that Affleck has spend all that he had to give in "Dazed and Confused", the last time he ever did anything that resembled acting (but he still can't help but gawk straight into the camera whenever there's a close-up). On the other hand, Matt Damon NOT appearing in this film, and that's a positive thing - apparently he was busy ruining some other movie. AND "Clerks 2" keeps the tradition of "Clerks": no real actors were cast in this film either.In the end, "Clerks 2" remains the parody of a film that was a satire. It's a nostalgic and often funny trip down memory lane, no more and no less. 6/10.