Wednesday, June 21, 2006

JACK'S BACK!

I soooooo hated Jack Black in King Kong! His character in that film was real irritating as the camera basically kept showing his face in one surprised look after another; nothing really to display his enormous natural comic talents whatsoever.

This past weekend however, it was good to see Jack Black once again in great comic form in the very stupid but hilarious Nacho Libre. The film is very simple, full of quirky characters, and loaded with one dumb gag after another. If you liked the inane Napoleon Dynamite, this is your film, directed also by the same Jared Hess.

Filmed entirely in Oaxaca, Mexico with a solid mostly Mexican cast and a really cool soundtrack, Black shines in the film because he is allowed to make all kinds of ridiculous facial expressions, sing silly songs, show off his grotesque body, and speak with the dumbest Antonio Banderas accent ever. I would say that the audience I got to see the film with (which was made up of many Hispanics), really enjoyed the film, despite some possible insulting stereotypes. All in good fun though, and if it made me laugh, then so be it.

The movie is very appropriate for kids too, as it is very sweet and innocent in its overall message without any gratuitous violence or sex scenes which are so common in today's films. I found that aspect quite refreshing actually!

I first noticed Jack Black in the mediocre Orange County which he steals, and next in the tremendous School of Rock, which still stands as his greatest and truly starmaking performance.


And while admittedly, Nacho Libre is full of some flaws here and there and perhaps is really quite stupid and banal: it is worth the fun, the silliness, the absolute innocence and overall enjoyment it brought to me.

¡Viva Jack Black! ¡Viva Nacho Libre!

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I wasn't sure about this one, but after your review I want to see it. I read in some other places the humor is innocent. I miss Charles Chaplin.

Anonymous said...

I hate NAPOLEAN DYNAMITE but I might give this director one more chance...

The Gay Guru said...

Havent had a chance to see it yet, but kewl post, now I definitely will see it before it goes to video. I have loved jack black for a long time, If you are not familiar with his "band" Tenacious D, you gotta check that out too, some funny stuff and some kewl music. hopefully, you can check it out HERE

G-Man said...

I absolutely LOVED Napolean Dynomite, but have to admit I can't stand Jack Black. I didn't mind him too much in King Kong...he seemed slightly understated...but otherwise, no thanks. I know Jack Black is one of those actors that a lot of ppl are manic about, I've just never been one of them.

Great review, though! Perhaps I'll rent it!

Wolfie said...

Oh well no wonder people were laughing if the audience consisted of "mostly hispanics". I guess the heavily buttered corn on the cob scenes were reminiscent of times gone by.. lololo..but actually are reminiscent of whats going outside on my street~ *HONK HONK*

I still can't believe the oh so very biased counterboy bastardo told me it was a better movie than "superman". How prejudiced can a person GET???! He must have fuckin low self esteem to be that racist. I paid for Superman and then went to see Nacho Panson instead, who looked about as latin as "Powder".

Pinchi Nacho Cagado Vales Madre pooto! Vete al diablo con este pelicula alote desgrasciado. Te odio!