Directed by Michel Gondry Starring Jack Black,Mos Def, Danny Glover and Mia Farrow Review by Eli Manning
SYNOPSIS:
A man whose brain becomes magnetized unintentionally destroys every tape in his friend's video store. In order to satisfy the store's most loyal renter, the two men set out to remake the lost films.
REVIEW:
In a lot of ways this is a film that is a tribute to movies and how they are important in our society. Any movie -- mainstream, indy, action, comedy etc.. This is a movie talking about movies and how its imaginations effect who we are today!
Like the movies the characters are making within this movie, Director Michel Gondry keeps things very simple and tells the story in a very sweet and lackadaisical way. And that's a surprise in many ways coming from Gondry who is known for his flash and style in his previous films (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) and many Music videos.
Gondry chooses this style because the theme of the film is how movies effect us emotionally and it's not about the special effects or action scenes that intoxicate us in many present films! The plot forces the two main characters (played well by
Jack Black and Mos Def) to remake films like Ghostbusters and Rush Hour 2 -- and because they have no budget, they are forced to tell the story strictly from the angle of how they were effected by it when they originally saw it.
There's a scene in the middle of the movie that defines this film. The characters are eating lunch in a diner as they prepare to figure out to remake the animation film The Lion King. They chat about the film and then the rest of the customers and workers chime in on how much they liked this Disney film too. No one talks about the cool animation or effects. They all talk about how much they like the theme and story and how it effected them! Then the next scene the characters remake The Lion King taking in the information the customers said! There's no money and only heart which is why they make an entertaining film.
In a lot of ways this is an anti-Hollywood film, which is ironic since I viewed this film at a Multiplex. They are indirectly telling Hollywood that making movies is about heart not flare!
In the end, we know these guys are doomed and that the VHS Indy video stores are a thing of the past. But for a moment in time at least this community in the corner of the world has banded together to make heart and tell stories the way people want stories to be told. And the film's underlying theme is that if everyone is having fun while making the movie -- then many times this effects the film in a good way and people enjoy it.
I really like this film and it's a must see for any fan of movies.
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