Claudius recommends...

"You don't get it, do you? This isn't "good cop, bad cop." This is fag and New Yorker. You're in a lot of trouble."

Razor-sharp, witty dialogue to complement explosive action sequences is a trademark of screenwriter Shane Black. Back in 1987, Black sold a script entitled Lethal Weapon. Over the subsequent decade he continued to purvey excellent screenplays, and at the pinnacle of his career Black was indeed the highest-paid screenwriter in Hollywood. From The Last Boy Scout to The Long Kiss Goodnight, Black served up popcorn cinema saturated with sarcastic, snappy dialogue and intelligent, engaging characters. While Black's screenplays frequently spawned enjoyable movies - appealing to audiences and studios alike - the writer has long argued that directors have altered his original ideas, causing a great deal of frustration on his part. Following a few box office bombs, Black vanished for the best part of a decade. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is the writer's comeback film. Inspired by James Bond, Pauline Kael, Raymond Chandler novels, and everything in between, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang could be the greatest comeback in cinematic history. In order to avoid frustration in the translation from page to screen, Black directed the film himself. The product is this flashy blast of unfiltered fun; an ingenious genre hybrid offering an encouragingly unique piece of cinematic entertainment. Unfortunately, poor marketing spelt death for Black's masterwork at the box office...it grossed less than $16 million worldwide during its theatrical run (from a budget of approximately $15 million). A real shame.

In LA, small-time thief Harry Lockhart (Downey Jr.) inadvertently stumbles into an audition while trying to evade the police following an unsuccessful robbery. Harry's performance amazes the casting agents, and he's subsequently thrust into the spotlight as he's flown to Hollywood for a screen test. Propelled into the cutthroat world of L.A.'s pros, cons, losers and wannabes, Harry is partnered with tough private eye "Gay Perry" who'll prepare him for his screen test. For experience, Perry allows Harry to help with his latest assignment. Harry is also reunited with his childhood crush - Harmony Faith Lane (Monaghan) - who has become an aspiring actress. However, when the mysterious suicide of Harmony's sister intersects with the seemingly unrelated case Harry and Perry are investigating, the duo find themselves embroiled in a real murder mystery. As corpses surface and re-surface, Harry, Perry & Harmony utilise their pulp novel detective skills to uncover the sordid truth of the case.

Got that? Good... Now don't worry about it.

"This is every shade of wrong."

If there's a single flaw in Black's action-comedy tour de force, it's the lack of a solid plot. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is an unabashed exercise in style and wit; its plot a mere rack on which to hang endlessly entertaining spectacles. Not that this is really a bad thing, however - each segment is infinitely enjoyable as Black's script is overloaded with beguiling characters who disperse incredibly witty dialogue. The screenplay bursts with sharp exchanges and one-liners ranging from pop-culture pisstakes (a head-to-toe soaked Robert Downey Jr. at one stage proclaims himself "wetter than Drew Barrymore at a grunge club") to sneering subversions of hard-boiled posturing (Perry employs the word 'pluperfect' at a rather peculiar time) to utter non-sequitor mania. Kudos to Black for successfully creating one of the most quotable films in history! However, one may be hard-pressed to nail each twist in the story as everything is fairly convoluted. Once again, though, a minor quibble as this is a film one will want to watch multiple times...and then some.

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is (in part) based on the novel Bodies Are Where You Find Them by Brett Halliday. Director/screenwriter Shane Black has adapted Halliday's novel, added his own satiric slant on the story, inserted elements of Raymond Chandler novels, and produced this amusing concoction. References to the old masters of film noir can be found within - chapter headings are sourced from Raymond Chandler novel titles, for instance. Various other, more subtle homages have also been included. Visually, the film is a typical contemporary hodgepodge of quick edits, pans, zooms, fades, dissolves and crosscuts, combined with flashy colour alterations. However, none of these (usually irritating) gimmicks are damaging at all due to Shane Black's limitless elegance as a director. His exaggerated cinematic style is extremely appropriate for this sharp, biting Hollywood satire. Poking fun at everything from Hollywood storytelling clichés (Black conveys his overt awareness of these clichés through Robert Downey Jr.'s hilarious narration, slyly highlighting them continually) to the way filmmakers manipulate their "assets", Black has managed to craft a top-notch film that is simultaneously an engaging noir-style mystery and a hilarious observation of the film industry.

"Anyway, by now you may wonder how I wound up here. Or, maybe not. Maybe you wonder how silly putty picks shit up from comic books. The point is, I don't see another Goddamn narrator, so pipe down."

Black addresses the audience as peers; never treating them as fools. The man clearly understands that very film savvy audiences exist, and they're just as cynical about Hollywood conventions as he is. At one stage, through the voice of narrator Downey Jr., he remarks "Don't worry, I saw the last Lord of the Rings. I'm not going to have the movie end like 17 times". Throughout the course of the film, Harry the narrator also chastises himself for leaving out an important factor or making a seemingly pointless observation. This "breaking of the fourth wall" succeeds - it is sure to be appreciated by film enthusiasts and casual cinema-goers alike. A genuinely clever Hollywood script is a rare thing. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is a diamond in the rough. Sometimes scripts like these are too consciously clever for their own good. The cynical critics may have slammed Black for revelling in the cleverness of his script...but it really works! It's occasionally silly, there are loose ends and it's pretty convoluted, but it's stylish, smart and fun. Naturally, witty dialogue isn't enough for Black as he feels the urge to throw in a number of action sequences for good measure. The climax is a doozy, but it's all in the spirit of the film.

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is exceptionally well-shot owing to the exertions of director Shane Black and director of photography Michael Barrett. The budget was a minuscule $15 million, yet the low budget is never obvious. The photography is as glossy as any big-budget Hollywood blockbuster. Black's direction is also precise and tight, and the director appears to have a lot of fun with the story. There's a beer commercial with a surreal-slogan-spouting bear, Perry at one stage confuses Harry with a comment regarding a talking monkey, and Harry's narration at one stage interrupts itself to instruct some extras to move out of the camera's line of sight... Black's willingness to do the unexpected keeps his film fresh and funny. Most movies that lean heavily on self-satire exhaust the approach quite quickly, but Black and company evade this pitfall by defying audience expectations and indulging in the unusual...while frantically hopping from incident to incident. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is a flick that sends up an action genre Black helped to create and pays homage to the hard-boiled pulp novels the writer/director grew up with. This is a film that improves with every new screening. It never grows old...it's enjoyable and hilarious no matter how many times you've seen it.

"Do not play detective. This is not a book. This is not a movie."

At the centre of this exceptional noir mystery is a top-notch cast. The chemistry between Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer is impeccable. They're the most downright entertaining screen pair since Samuel L. Jackson and John Travolta from Pulp Fiction. Downey and Kilmer are an excellent buddy team, although by no means are they buddies in the traditional sense...Perry perceives Harry as a total idiot, and is only helping the crook-turned-actor because the studio is paying him to do so. If ever there was a role to shoot Kilmer's fading star back into the stratosphere, it's right here! As the ambiguously homosexual cynic, the actor steals every frame, delivering some of the best one-liners in recent memory with graceful confidence. Robert Downey Jr. (after suffering a much-publicised trip through the Hollywood wringer) is back in top form, showing a real sense of comic timing. As the narrator of the story, Downey is exceptional. He introduces himself by saying "My name's Harry Lockhart, I'll be your narrator" which establishes the film's non-serious tone. Interestingly, Robert's son Indio plays the young version of Harry at the beginning of the film.

The beautiful Michelle Monaghan also appears as Harry's former flame. She and Robert Downey Jr. share chemistry that's comfortable and exciting. Monaghan has the perfect look for the part, and the actress oozes sexiness when she wears tight dresses.

Aside from the three protagonists there's an amusing Larry Miller as Dabney Shaw (the producer who plans to screen test Harry) and a decent Corbin Bernsen as Harlan Dexter. Rockmond Dunbar and Dash Mihok also appear as a duo involved in the whole murder mystery.

Due to the extraordinary acting, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is infused with a sense of humanity not usually present in jokey actioners. Harry takes death very seriously...and when he's forced to kill, it almost kills him. You know actors have done their jobs correctly when you desperately crave more time with the characters once the credits begin to roll, and Black's masterpiece is such a case. This reviewer would be first in line for a sequel (a sequel which will probably never happen because this picture bombed at the box office).

If Kiss Kiss Bang Bang was not one of the best films of 2005 - and it was, in this reviewer's humble opinion - then it was unquestionably the most overlooked. Indeed, the Phoenix Film Critics Society voted it "Overlooked Film of the Year". Okay, so no-one knows who the hell the Phoenix Film Critics Society is, but they certainly have a good point. One should also bear in mind that the film received a standing ovation when it premiered at the Cannes Film Festival.

Perhaps the plot is too confusingly dense (eventually you'll give up trying to follow the plot, opting to just enjoy the ride) and the plot careens forward a bit too quickly, but the rapid-fire pace and the brilliantly-drawn characters keep a viewer extremely involved (not to mention the precious little explication makes more sense with every viewing, ensuring you'll pick up on something new each time you watch the film again). A satisfying mixture of fun, intelligence and wit, this tight, über-slick film suffered a fate it did not deserve. If you love detective stories, action, humour, murder and a bit of nudity, you'll find it all here in this offbeat motion picture that never takes itself too seriously. What's not to like? Shane Black has outdone himself here!!

"Thanks for coming, please stay for the end credits, if you're wondering who the best boy is, it's somebody's nephew, um, don't forget to validate your parking, and to all you good people in the Midwest, sorry we said fuck so much."

"If you're gonna get wet, might as well go swimming."

For Matchstick Men, acclaimed director Ridley Scott turns his attention away from the visceral blockbusters he's recognised for in order to deliver a finely crafted drama and character study about con artistry and family life. An adaptation of the novel by Eric Garcia, this excellent motion picture successfully combines black comedy, drama, and (most importantly) a cluster of unforseen plot twists. Matchstick Men falls into a particular sub-genre of the thriller - a sub-genre concerning conmen and their disreputable trade. Some of these movies work, while others sink without a trace. The Sting and The Grifters are examples of great additions to this sub-genre, and Ridley Scott's Matchstick Men can now be self-assuredly added to that list. Granted, this flick is a large bevy of clichés mixed together in a cauldron. However, the product is an infinitely entertaining and imaginative plot-driven little feature. With director Scott's seal of approval, a wicked little script and several utterly fabulous performances, the clichés are stylishly disguised.

Roy Waller (Cage) is an obsessive-compulsive agoraphobic veteran conman. As he describes it, he's a "con artist. Flimflam man, matchstick man, loser. Whatever you wanna call it, take your pick". Roy and his partner Frank (Rockwell) only pull off small cons; little games that earn them a few hundred dollars at a time. Their slippery antics employed to implement these little cons keep the money flowing in, especially for Roy who has built a comfortable lifestyle owing to his clever deception. But Roy has a conscience (consequently unwilling to pursue a "long con"), is a neurotic, and his personal life is a mess. His life takes a dramatic turn when he discovers he has a teenage daughter - a child whose existence he suspected but never dared confirm. 14-year-old Angela (Lohman) enters his life suddenly, becomes intrigued by her father's trade and wants in on the Roy/Frank partnership. But, with a "long con" job finally coming down the pipeline, Angela's entrance may jeopardise Roy's peace of mind, not to mention his entire way of life.

Matchstick Men is more or less two movies magnificently spliced into one; each enriching the other. Cage's character takes centre stage in the first. The focus is on his psychological problems, his misgivings about his profession, and (most importantly) his relationship with Angela. The abruptness of Angela's arrival in his life opens up a world of possibilities he hadn't ever previously considered, while simultaneously making him aware of how unprepared he is for major life-changing decisions. The second concentrates on the conning escapades of Frank and Roy. Matchstick Men moves along confidently and expertly, diving into the lives of these characters while displaying their weaknesses and fully involving us in their exploits. The one truly detrimental fault in the story is that, in hindsight, too much of it depends on sheer coincidence and chance. The film ends with a saccharine-coated conclusion that, while tying up all the loose ends, feels tacked-on and uneven.

On top of being moderately suspenseful on occasion, Matchstick Men is also imbued with a sly, biting sense of humour. Character behaviour sometimes results in decent laugh-aloud moments (although it isn't really a comedy overall even if it is billed as one...don't expect a large dosage of broad comedy and you'll be satisfied). Matchstick Men is also emotionally satisfying, with the association between Roy and Angela becoming central to the storyline. The interactions between them are spellbinding and fascinating. There's even a slight hint of discovery in this relationship. Angela is given the opportunity to live the fantasy and find out what it's like to have a real father, and Roy is provided with the chance to experience the wonders of what he missed when his wife walked out on him fourteen years ago.

Understandably and encouragingly, none of this actually feels like a Ridley Scott motion picture. Restrained in style and carefully-paced, Scott's artistry is in a more subtle mode here. The director's efforts are truly remarkable, and he never allows a viewer to foresee any of the numerous plot twists. The characters are also grounded in contemporary reality without ever falling prey to the ridiculous. Matchstick Men isn't overflowing with lavish locales or big-budget action sequences... it's a simple comedy-drama (trademark tension is a key feature, mind you). Ridley Scott has helmed character-driven features before (Thelma & Louise, White Squall), but he's never previously done anything this light. For a filmmaker with no prior experience with comedy, Scott has a deft hand. Considering his experience as a director, though, would it have been rational to expect anything less?

The script is moderately derivative and it does contain a number of customary genre clichés, but screenwriters Nicholas and Ted Griffin still manage to elicit fresh-feeling material (Scott's lively direction also contributes to this). Dialogue is witty (a rarity these days), and characters are both sharply-drawn and well-developed. The cinematography is especially excellent as well - dizzying POV shots are quite stunning; providing insight into the condition of agoraphobia (a truly marvellous creative choice). Han Zimmer's laid-back, jazzy score is the definitive ingredient; establishing the right mood during the drama and cranking up the tension as the film begins to wind down. Also included is a selection of eclectic music, consisting mainly of classics such as the work of Frank Sinatra as well as Johnny Mercer. Matchstick Men delivers plenty - emotional investment with the three-dimensional characters, a narrative which engages from start to finish, and mind-blowing plot twists.

One of the movie's greatest assets is undoubtedly the talented band of actors filling the cast. Nicolas Cage places forth a wonderful portrayal of conman Roy Waller. In displaying the traits of his character's disorder, Cage never exaggerates and consequently comes across as extremely believable. This is definitely one of the star's best performances. Alongside Cage is the always-reliable Sam Rockwell; playing the partner in crime to perfection. Rockwell's performance as Frank Mercer (the name is a tribute to Frank Sinatra and Johnny Mercer) is infused with the right mix of cynicism and sincerity. The dialogue between Rockwell and Cage crackles with wit and intelligence (a rarity in films these days), providing an exceptional dynamic that keeps the film rolling along at a satisfying pace.

However it's relative newcomer Alison Lohman who steals the show; unquestionably outshining the superb stars working beside her. Her vivacious performance infects us with her energy and enthusiasm, combining a girlish innocence with a brash worldliness. As Roy's 14-year-old daughter, she's both adorable and believably natural. Her attire and mannerisms are spot-on...which is especially commendable, because she was actually 22 years old during filming!

Actors Bruce Altman and Bruce McGill also supply top-notch support - the former taking centre stage as a psychiatrist, and the latter submitting a grimacing performance as the latest con victim for Roy and Frank.

Tucking away his visual athletics in favour of something more leisurely and subtle, Ridley Scott (one of the very best visual directors in history) proves he is more than capable of helming special effects extravaganzas and intricate dramas with equal aplomb. The actors also prove their versatility, especially Nicolas Cage who places forth one of the greatest performances of his career. Matchstick Men is a sublime example of old-fashioned filmmaking, with a script that's far too delicious and cunning to spoil. For an entertaining, intelligent, slick comedy-thriller, this is hard to beat.

"He handed us fiction after fiction, and we printed them all as fact. Just because we found him entertaining. It's indefensible."

In 2003, Stephen Glass - a disgraced former hotshot journalist - published his first novel, entitled The Fabulist. In this novel, Stephen detailed his experiences writing for The New Republic...or, more accurately, fabricating stories for the respected magazine. Shattered Glass is an excellent, predominantly faithful retelling of Stephen's days working at The New Republic before the falsity of his stories was finally uncovered. Written and directed by Billy Ray, Shattered Glass is an incisive, intensely engaging drama as well as a brilliant exposé of the pressures and politics of journalism. Carefully combining the facts with a pinch of artistic license, Billy Ray's extraordinary motion picture caters for both those familiar with the story as well as the newcomers. Frankly, though, if you're in the dark about the Stephen Glass fiasco, you're in for a terrific story made all the more compelling by writer-director Ray's understated approach to the material.

After starting out as a promising journalist for The New Republic (the "in-flight magazine of Air Force One") and rising to meteoric heights in his early 20s, Stephen Glass (Christensen) is on his way to the top of the journalistic profession. Seeking a short-cut to fame, Stephen began using fiction in his work; concocting sources, quotes and even entire stories. Consequently, his articles are cutting-edge; drawing on a seemingly endless supply of insider contacts and informants. His deception, however, did not slip under the radar forever...

Stephen Glass' world begins to unravel when the popular editor of The New Republic, Michael Kelly (Azaria), is sacked due to complications with his superiors (mainly due to his tendency to defend his staff). Replacing him is the unpopular Chuck Jones (Sarsgaard) who isn't prepared to show these writers the same respect.
A lowly internet journalist (Zahn) is suspicious of Stephen's latest article about a pubescent hacker from the suburbs hired by a major software company, and begins to do some digging. As accusations begin to pour in that this story is phoney, Chuck (unwilling to overlook these claims) makes it his duty to thoroughly investigate the situation. This sets in motion a chain of events that ultimately exposes the years of deceptiveness perpetrated by one of the publication's star writers. All told, 27 of Stephen Glass' 41 articles were found to be either wholly or partially fictional. This shocking revelation shook a successful journalistic establishment to its core, and forced considerable revisions of codes of ethics and proof reading procedures. That for so long he managed to avoid being found out is astonishing considering the outlandish nature of his stories.

"The New Republic, snobbiest rag in the business, the in-flight magazine of Air Force One... and their star goes out and gets completely snowed by a bunch of hackers. I mean, God couldn't have written this any better."

This dynamite character drama predominantly concerns the confrontation between the appealing, unscrupulous Stephen Glass and the pedantic, solemn Chuck Lane, and the two drastically different types of journalism they embody - one is committed to entertainment, and the other to truth. When these two men come into conflict, they both stand their ground with the staunch obstinacy of heroes in a Greek tragedy until compromise becomes unattainable, and disaster (for at least one of them) is inevitable. The product is a genuinely gripping story overflowing with strong, flawed characters and compelling drama.

Shattered Glass, the feature film debut of screenwriter Billy Ray, meticulously chronicles the rise and fall of the protagonist. Among other things, the film shows how Glass ingratiated himself with his co-workers, as well as how he constantly squirmed, connived, and deceived to elude the ever-tightening noose. It's clear that Glass is mentally messed up - he takes night school, has serious personal problems and ended up in therapy for several years. Stephen is also a brilliant manipulator, which is evident in his interactions with the staff. Playing innocent, Steve constantly protests "I didn't do anything wrong". Writer-director Ray is careful never to demonise Steve. This portrayal isn't one-sided, but his actions and accountability speak for themselves. Complimenting a secretary about her lipstick does not counterbalance falsifying stories. However, Ray's script falters in terms of depth; it fails to shed sufficient light on Stephen Glass' motives & methods - i.e. the "why" and "how" has been excluded. The film never truly gets inside Glass' head; therefore as a character study it isn't effective enough.

One must always bear in mind that Shattered Glass is based on a true story. Stephen Glass, Chuck Lane, Michael Kelly and various other key characters all exist, although Stephen's editor-girlfriend Caitlin (Sevigny) and perhaps a few others are merely fabricated composites of real people. Glass' actual articles also appear in Ray's film. Even the dialogue is reportedly extremely accurate (some scenes virtually verbatim). The dialogue can only be an approximation of what was really said at the time, but writer-director Billy Ray (striving for the highest level of authenticity) conducted extensive interviews with the main players, and even allowed the real Lane to examine the final script (according to Lane, the scene in which Lane confronts Glass in front of the TNR magazine covers is practically a precise retelling of the actual events). The film itself is therefore the very compromise its characters so glaringly fail to achieve, generating a terrific story without sacrificing its integrity or authenticity...and it remains remarkably entertaining.

This riveting drama is bolstered by incredible performances by both Hayden Christensen and Peter Sarsgaard. Christensen (actually on his way to redeeming himself for Attack of the Clones) is impeccable as the consummate conman, manipulating his peers and superiors by telling them what they want to hear as well as exuding innocence. His juvenile refrain "Are you mad at me?" is so disarming one almost wants this guy to succeed in his lies...almost. The actor perfectly presents the character as a wide-eyed and seemingly naïve kid with many childish mannerisms, and an almost pathological need to be liked. Played with a skilfully handled combination of insouciance, charm and indefatigable conceit, Christensen places forth his best work to date.
Christensen may be exceptional, but it was Sarsgaard who was the breakout star of Shattered Glass, earning several awards (including a Golden Globe nomination) for his portrayal as an editor who slowly grows furious at the lie that has been pulled on him and the magazine. His work is subtle and keenly-observed. It's the type of acting that's so natural one gets lost in it; losing sight of the actor as an actor and only seeing the character he's embodying. Chuck is a character under pressure from everywhere. His allegiance to Michael Kelly is tested, his integrity is questioned, his colleagues dislike him, his young star is under fire from a rival publication, and the whole reputation of The New Republic itself is on the line. It'd be easy for an actor to mismanage these threads and overplay crucial moments. Sarsgaard, however, never falls victim to this... not even for the briefest moment. His performance is unreservedly perfect. Why he was overlooked by the Academy Award committee is frankly bewildering.

But Christensen and Sarsgaard aren't the only ones submitting remarkable performances, as the movie also boasts a plethora of supporting talent. Chloë Sevigny (still recovering from the Brown Bunny fiasco) and Melanie Lynskey are superb as loyal co-workers manipulated by Glass into acting as his mother hens. Steve Zahn (known for his comedic work) is confident and compelling in a more dramatic role as the determined online editor who brings the scandal into the open, and he's supported by the capable Rosario Dawson. Hank Azaria is also sublime as Stephen Glass' first editor who adamantly defends his staff and demands the highest level of journalistic honesty. Most of Glass' fabricated stories, however, were published when Kelly was editor of The New Republic...the appeal of the young man blinded his editor. There is not a single weak spot in this cast.

Shattered Glass is amazing for its faithfulness and accuracy, and (most shockingly) it proves that Hayden Christiansen can actually act (erasing awful memories of his soulless performance as Anakin Skywalker in Attack of the Clones). Writer-director Billy Ray's incredible motion picture pulls no punches and makes no villains out of anyone. Shattered Glass is an incredibly spellbinding film that pulls you in from the very first frame with characters that seem instantly familiar. Most of these actors (all of whom are uniformly excellent) will never be better than their performances here. This is an outstanding first directorial effort from Billy Ray. Utterly suspenseful and strongly paced, Shattered Glass manages to build a sense of dread and anxiety that's exceptional considering the ending is obvious and well-known. Although the film lacks a certain depth as a character study, this transfixing, claustrophobic drama proves that a good story and a subtle approach can be just as effective as any SFX-loaded blockbuster. A fascinating, highly mesmerising morality tale!

I am not under any orders to make the world a better place.

Written by Helen Childress and helmed by Ben Stiller (his directorial debut), Reality Bites focuses on Generation X and effectively encapsulates the era of the early nineties. From the word go it was clear this nostalgic romp would cart a viewer down a dull river of Gen-X blues, concentrating on the depressing career and lifestyle choices confronted by these specific youths. Stiller's first effort as a director is a straightforward, independent-style movie about a love triangle that seems keen to impart a strong message: life is dismal and tough when you're young. The picture emphasises this message, but with such a bleak tenor it doesn't even offer a glimmer of hope. Time has been surprisingly good to Reality Bites; its themes still potent and music still beguiling (at least in my eyes). At the end of the day, however, stripped away of its hyped relevance the film possesses little to make it superior to your average, generic rom-com. Interestingly, the title of Reality Bites is irritatingly ambiguous: does it imply that life bites or does it purport that small bites of reality are presented within?

Reality Bites primarily concentrates on four Gen-X youths fresh out of college (three graduating, one not). Lelaina (Ryder), more or less the main character, is a disillusioned young girl in the process of making a pseudo-documentary on the lives of her friends that focuses on post-college life. She acts as an intern for the insufferable host of a Good Morning programme, but her aspirations are far higher. Troy (Hawke), a grungy, unemployed slacker who failed to graduate from college, is her best friend who moves into her apartment after being fired from his latest job. Also living with Lelaina is Vickie (Garofalo); a woman who has disregarded her morals and has become manager of The Gap, but who's also paranoid she might have AIDS. Then there's Sammy (Zahn) who's confused about his sexuality.
Lelaina meets a tense young studio executive named Michael (Stiller) who takes an immediate shine to her. But Troy doesn't approve of this relationship as he harbours unspoken feelings for Lelaina underneath his slacker veneer. As a love triangle forms, Lelaina must choose which she values the most - an affluent life of materialism with Michael, or a possibly unstable life of philosophical musings with Troy.

By its conclusion, Reality Bites is unsuccessful in demonstrating any positive outcome one can experience in life, even if it means one has to place their ego aside momentarily. Michael offers Lelaina a wonderful opportunity, and I personally feel she should have accepted it. But no - the ending is instead a big dud.

Director Stiller and screenwriter Helen Childress (who was 19 when she completed the script) endeavoured to capture the lives of Gen-X youths with brutal honesty in this film, and they succeed. The lives of these young people are actually quite mundane, however. Granted, Gen-X youths lived mundane lives, but these characters are feebly written. The four friends living together speak in confusing, poetic riddles. Some lines are quotable ("There's no point to any of this. It's all just a random lottery of meaningless tragedy and a series of near escapes"), other instances are unnecessary and ultimately seem forced ("You've reached the winter of our discontent"). In addition, the characters are very poorly delineated. The heroine comes across as whiney and full of contradictions (she's valedictorian of her college class, yet isn't able to continue her speech with palm-cards missing, not to mention she's curiously inarticulate and embarrassingly coy on dates). Troy is the ultimate definition of a lay-about loser (he didn't even graduate from college!), but he spouts wisdom incessantly. Despite a charismatic portrayal courtesy of Ethan Hawke, he appears to be the character we're supposed to hate. On the other hand, the guy we're supposed to hate (Ben Stiller as Michael) is the only likable guy in the film! By the film's end, Steve Zahn's Sammy and Janeane Garofalo's Vickie also seem merely perfunctory and redundant.

"You can't navigate me. I may do mean things, and I may hurt you, and I may run away without your permission, and you may hate me forever, and I know that scares the living shit outta you 'cause you know I'm the only real thing you got."

Various critics found the characters inhabiting Reality Bites to be predominantly cookie-cutter and therefore boring. But to me this seems deliberate in order to capture the era faithfully. Gen-X youths were cookie-cutters. In Roger Ebert's review for this production, he discussed the poor filmmaking skill of Lelaina whose footage is frequently nauseating. However, again, this seems deliberate to me, and at no stage does the film attempt to make us believe that Lelaina is a genius of verité cinema. After all, her footage is frequently rejected by professionals, and ultimately made commercial by Michael's company in order for their target audience to enjoy it. On that note, Reality Bites is an insightful picture...it offers an extraordinary glimpse of the cultural mentality of Gen-X and how it plays out in practise.

In his directorial debut, Stiller appears to go to great lengths to satirise MTV Programming (In Your Face TV!) as well as other culture points, slyly nodding at everything from the Big Gulp to The Gap. Thrown in the mix are also the spectres of AIDS, homosexuality and parental divorce (at an early age), not to mention there's a lot of on-screen smoking. On top of this, Reality Bites is infused with a satisfying cocktail of classic songs. It has everything from Peter Frampton to Alice Cooper to Crowded House to U2 to The Knack (My Sharona). Perhaps one can look upon this movie as horribly dated as everything is essentially eighties and nineties, but it can also be perceived as an authentic window into an era which is long behind us. Reality Bites is, however, much more than this. It's a genuinely enjoyable and engaging slice of cinematic entertainment. It provides a few great laughs (Lelaina goes out with a side-splitting bang from her job) as well as poignant, absorbing drama.

Before Winona Ryder hit the media on account of her kleptomania, she was a stunning actress. Reality Bites features one of the finest performances of her career. All those years ago she was beautiful and possessed fine acting skills. In this movie she's impeccable - cute, funny, exasperated and tortured in all the right ways. The standout of the cast, however, is Ethan Hawke as the overplayed Gen-X character that's smart yet down on the world and against conformity. Hawke inhabits his character with eye-opening realism, and is perfect for the role (some predicaments with the writing of his character notwithstanding). Director-star Ben Stiller has offered a few fascinating comments in relation to his onscreen antagonism with Hawke mirroring their offscreen relationship. Stiller delivers a heartfelt, sincere performance as Michael, sometimes raising questions as to whether this yuppie is a better choice for Lelaina. It's a shame, though, that Stiller's great comedic talents have gone to waste here.

In the supporting cast, Steve Zahn and Janeane Garofalo turn in terrific early performances. Also look out for Renée Zellweger in her feature film debut. Members of director Stiller's family also make appearances - his sister Amy voicing a psychic phone friend, and mother Anne playing the character who asks Winona's Lelaina to define "irony".

All things considered, Reality Bites is a movie not for all tastes. For me, Ben Stiller's feature film debut as a director can be labelled as perfectly acceptable entertainment. It's a fresh, unique comedy-drama (with an awesome soundtrack) and an incisive examination of Generation X that depicts these youths as intricate human beings. It may not be the definitive document of Gen-X, but Reality Bites is a touchstone for anyone fresh out of college and stuck with more ideals than job prospects. It's worth 95 minutes of your time.

"What came first, the music or the misery? People worry about kids playing with guns, or watching violent videos, that some sort of culture of violence will take them over. Nobody worries about kids listening to thousands, literally thousands of songs about heartbreak, rejection, pain, misery and loss. Did I listen to pop music because I was miserable? Or was I miserable because I listened to pop music?"

As the title implies, High Fidelity is a quirky, humorously philosophical romantic comedy driven thematically by music - in other words, music matters to the protagonists and more or less defines them. Containing over 50 credited songs, this is a pop-music-soaked study of failed relationships (and the obsessive elitism of pop-culture fanatics) through the eyes of a music geek. This filmic appropriation of Nick Hornby's 1995 novel probably seemed like a daft idea on paper, as the setting was altered from London to Chicago and the decidedly British tone would be difficult to retain. Yet, against all odds, director Stephen Frears and co. have crafted an appealing, engaging, witty, smart meditation on the prattles of sex; retaining the attitude of the novel and adding a broader, more accessible feel. Hornby's amusing and undeniably honest insights into the male condition remain intact in this cinematic adaptation as well. High Fidelity is also extraordinarily well-crafted - it entertains from the very first shot 'til the closing credits, the script is terrific, performances are zingy all-round, and Frears' direction is inspired.

"John Dillinger was killed behind that theater in a hale of FBI gunfire. And do you know who tipped them off? His fucking girlfriend. All he wanted to do was go to the movies."

The story primarily concerns reflection, self-discovery and realisation about the nature of love. It additionally concerns (and is in a way for) those obsessed with pop culture - books, music, movies, etc.

Rob Gordon (Cusack) is an underachieving former DJ seemingly cursed with a romantic hex. Ever since a brief liaison under the football benches as a kid, his love life has been catastrophic. Speaking directly to the camera, Rob takes us on a guided tour of his life; mulling over his favourite music and the bittersweet history of his romantic failures. Rob is a downright music enthusiast - his apartment is lined with shelves of coveted vinyl records, and he owns his own (failing) record store 'Championship Vinyl'. He begins going through a crisis of self-confidence when his latest girlfriend Laura (Hjejle) dumps him. Rob proceeds to recount his top five most memorable break-ups of all time, reflecting on his romantic troubles to determine why his relationships are so luckless.

To capture the freewheeling style of Hornby's book, director Frears is heavily dependent on direct-to-camera addresses and voiceovers which are initially jarring. However, with Cusack's eminent amiability functioning as a conduit, one can eventually slide into the movie's rhythms and get drawn into Rob's little universe. Not a lot actually occurs throughout the course of the film, and it can't eschew the clichés, but it's the way director Frears tweaks it that makes it seem fresh and welcome. In a meandering fashion that could easily alienate an audience accustomed to action pictures and broad comedy, High Fidelity takes us inside Rob's struggling record business; cinematographer Seamus McGarvey's camera spending a great deal of time tracking events occurring inside the store. Rob specialises in vinyl records of pop music, and his two workers Dick (Louiso) & Barry (Black) are willing to work voluntarily for twice the time that they were hired to do. The comedy succeeds because the makers are aware that they must create well-drawn characters a viewer can come to care about in order to stage a successful humorous situation. High Fidelity finds the delicate balance between hilarity and dramatic resonance, without ever resorting to character caricaturisation or going over the top in its depiction of true-to-life situations (perhaps once, granted, when three different takes are presented of a confrontation between two characters).

"I can't fire them. I hired these guys for three days a week and they just started showing up every day. That was four years ago."

High Fidelity pays particularly astute attention to the typical life of an aging Generation-X male in contemporary society; absolutely nailing even the smallest details of his existence with droll, sagacious charm, such as those cruel, nagging phone conversations between mother and son. From its observant take on late twenty-something romance, to its faultless recreation of the record store set and music scene (not to mention the terrific portrayal of the denizens dwelling within), High Fidelity does virtually everything right. There are countless wonderfully original, touchingly funny scenes. The humour is wry and clever, and the movie maintains a generally upbeat tone. It also occasionally toys with the significance of pop music to a person's psychological development. There's even a slight hint of Woody Allen in the project (from the neuroses of the protagonist to the Annie Hall-type dissection of a dud romance), but without the stigma some movie-goers attach to Allen's excellent oeuvre. Due to its quirky characters, smart dialogue, and sporadic bursts of incisive humour, High Fidelity stands out as a small movie that deserves wide exposure.

The distinguishing point of High Fidelity is that it's much closer to the authentic feel of British films as opposed to the crisp perfection of Hollywood. All of the characters come across as actual people not unlike those you'd encounter in a record store. The first-rate screenplay was written in part by John Cusack who also stars as the protagonist. Cusack is an apt choice; admirably pulling off Rob as both a character and as a narrator. The "breaking the fourth wall" technique seems completely natural. He constantly addresses the audience via narration or speaking directly to the camera, but it never feels excessive thanks to his boundless geniality. Cusack's character is clearly miserable, yet he never craves too much sympathy - he recognises our intelligence. Your tolerance of High Fidelity will most likely depend on your tolerance of the lead actor.

While Cusack is excellent in the title role, there's a gallery of supporting actors who wonderfully make their mark. Jack Black and Todd Louiso absolutely steal the show as two socially-inept clerks working at Rob's vinyl shop who live and breathe pop music, and spend their days arguing about pop trivia while comparing various "top 5" lists. These guys have their music aficionado characters nailed down to a tee. Jack Black is a particular stand-out; his characterisation of Barry is full of energy and attitude, and he imbues every line with comic punch. One of the film's best scenes features Barry ferociously telling off a middle-aged man looking to buy I Just Called to Say I Love You for his daughter.

Relatively unknown Danish actress Iben Hjejle is believable and likeable as Rob's latest girlfriend. Despite little experience as an actress in American movies, she's clearly mastered her American accent. Beyond these characters, there's merely a bunch of cameos from a variety of actresses. Catherine Zeta-Jones is the most memorable for fairly obvious reasons. Lisa Bonet is also appealing for every frame in which she appears, and John Cusack's sister Joan (a frequent guest in her sibling's movies) is predictably good as Rob's pal Liz. Look out for Tim Robbins as well, who's visibly enjoying himself (this is contagious).

High Fidelity is a charming, whimsical little film that perfectly captures the temperament of retail folks who are both knowledgeable and passionate about their product, and who prefer discussing their commodity as opposed to being paid for it. This is a fantastic flick; an excellently-constructed romantic comedy for the pop generation. The characters inhabiting the picture are believable and very well developed, and the performances are strong. The humour is sharp and witty; never feeling forced. The accompanying soundtrack is scene-appropriate and extremely enjoyable. It even rightfully recognises Evil Dead II as the cinematic classic it truly is. On top of this, a boundless energy pervades the movie - there's hardly a dull moment at any stage during the 110-minute runtime. High Fidelity also succeeds because it deeply taps into the male psyche with an emotional honesty that anchors the drama and ensures the characters (Dick and Barry included) are never treated as caricatures. It's fairly clichéd, but Frears' terrific direction strongly distracts us from the unoriginality. All things considered, High Fidelity is high value cinema and it's simply a delightful way to spend a couple of hours.

"It would be nice to think that since I was 14, times have changed. Relationships have become more sophisticated. Females less cruel. Skins thicker. Instincts more developed. But there seems to be an element of that afternoon in everything that's happened to me since. All my romantic stories are a scrambled version of that first one."

"You already cheated death by walking off the plane. Now you gotta out when and how it'll come back at you. Play your hunch, Alex. If you think you can get away from it. But beware the risk of cheating the plan, disrespecting the design... could initiate a horrifying fury that would terrorize even the Grim Reaper - and you don't even want to fuck with that MacDaddy."

By the year 2000, the slasher genre seemed to have utterly run out of steam given the disappointing final instalment in the Scream trilogy. Final Destination, however, ably proves that there's still life and originality left in the ailing sub-genre. Not a genuine classic by any means, and it's essentially B-Grade horror schlock infused with genre conventions and endowed with A-Grade production values, but this first chapter in what promises to be another never-ending horror saga is superior to your usual horror outing. Blending intriguing supernatural elements with spine-chilling moments and general gory carnage, Final Destination is an extremely entertaining, inventive Friday nighter. Stylishly filmed and tautly directed, this flick deals with a variety of fairly heavy topics which are discussed candidly by teenage characters (in accurately written "teen-speak" as opposed to highly intellectualised dialogue even Harvard scholars wouldn't use), all the while developing into a darkly foreboding, eerie suspenser.

The main story is built on a simple question: what if you cheated Death, but the Grim Reaper still demanded his due?

Alex Browning (Sawa) is a senior French high school student about to embark on a class trip to Paris with his fellow peers. At the airport prior to departure, everything seems a little off. Upon boarding the plane, Alex suddenly has a vision that the plane will explode after takeoff. His vision is so vivid and intensely real that it provokes a violent reaction. This causes a disturbance, and Alex is consequently booted off the plane along with a few other students as well as a teacher. They're furious with Alex's behaviour...but this emotion quickly changes when they witness the plane promptly exploding moments later, killing all on board. However, the seven who stepped off the plane have cheated Death, and Death wants to balance the ledger. Alex and his friends begin to be methodically hunted down by the forces of the Grim Reaper who's intent on collecting the souls of those who cheated him.

"In death there are no accidents, no coincidences, no mishaps, and no escapes."

After this set-up is established, the film indeed turns into a slasher movie, albeit a more thoughtful one than usual. Nobody takes their clothes off, and the usual invincible knife-wielding monster is replaced with the never-seen granddaddy killer of them all, the Grim Reaper. Final Destination doesn't use Death as a killer with superhuman abilities who must be overthrown by the protagonists...it's a truly unstoppable supernatural force instead. However, Final Destination succumbs to far too many genre clichés. The FBI agents are, of course, completely useless in the proceedings, and the adults are equally hapless. Also thrown in is an all-knowing mortician who babbles on for two minutes about "Death's design" (portrayed by none other than Tony Todd of the Candyman fame). The protagonists occasionally do boneheaded things (some characters practically walk into their death as opposed to being alert), and they usually act antagonistic towards one another for forced "tension". On top of this, the standard chase finale is silly, and it lacks intensity from time to time.

The mediation on fate found within the concept of Final Destination would most likely seem more appropriate for a foreign art film as opposed to a teen slasher flick. These provocative questions about premonitions and destiny are employed merely as a hook. The point of the film has nothing to do with the survivors coping with guilt and uncertainty (a potentially fascinating premise). It instead has other things on its mind: concocting graphic bloodbaths, and proving that death cannot be cheated. Final Destination is certainly serviceable as a teen slasher flick...but it's too clichéd, and the premonition aspect is barely touched on. Interestingly, the story was originally the concept for an abandoned X-Files episode.

At least the kill sequences are imaginative and enjoyably gory; evoking the spirit of Rube Goldberg. X-Files alum James Wong directs with style and flair, usually judging the timing of the shocks flawlessly (one particularly nasty road accident will leave audiences gasping with surprise), and in the opening 20 minutes he delivers one of the most devastating air disaster sequences ever committed to celluloid. However, Wong occasionally falters when the death sequences are elaborately built up. This is a fault of both those that choreographed these sequences as well as Wong's handling of the material. The kills are constantly far too elaborate to be believed, and the foreshadowing fails in building sufficient suspense. A "less is more" approach could possibly have proved more effective here. To the credit of everyone involved, though, the "don't go in there" syndrome never kicks in when a character is due to die.

"We're all on the same list."

It comes as no surprise that the "teenage" portion of the cast look more like adults in their mid-to-late twenties as opposed to 18-year-olds. As Alex Browning, Devon Sawa is appealing and subtle. Despite not looking like a teen at all, Sawa offers a certain believability that's beneficial during the film's key moments (after his initial premonition, he looks genuinely terrified). As Clear (the object of Alex's affection), Ali Larter is extremely effective. Ali is undeniably beautiful, but Final Destination never exploits the females of the cast, therein lying one of the best creative decisions of the entire film.

As the movie's resident asshole, Kerr Smith stars as Carter Horton. Alongside him, Seann William Scott places forth a surprisingly decent and charismatic performance as one of those who survives the plane disaster. He's the sort of person who gets inadvertently caught up in awful situations. He's also the only student not to leave the plane voluntarily. The rest of the cast is competent at best, including the requisite adult role (Kristen Cloke).

True fans of the horror genre will realise the characters are named after famous horror icons. For instance: Alex Browning (Dracula director Tod Browning), Larry Murnau (Nosferatu director F.W. Murnau), Agent Schreck (Nosferatu star Max Schreck), Agent Weine (Cabinet of Dr. Caligari director Robert Weine), Billy Hitchcock (Psycho and Rear Window director Alfred Hitchcock), as well as a few others.

In a genre normally devoid of wit, intelligence and originality, Final Destination is a diamond in the rough. Director James Wong's horror movie has the ability to shock (although these moments lose their effectiveness after repeated viewings) and surprise - two qualities rarely found in modern horror flicks. It's ultimately let down, however, by excessive genre clichés and some bad judgements on the part of the filmmakers in relation to some of the death sequences. Instead of a dark horror flick, Final Destination is unfortunately more of a teen slasher. Enjoyable as the latter, but it may have been a superior experience as the former. In spite of a few irritating shortcomings, this is probably the most innovative addition to the genre for years.

Followed by multiple sequels, beginning with Final Destination 2 in 2003.

"Look, I know this sounds crazy but... you guys all heard about Flight 180, right? The kid who got off the plane? Well, it happened a year ago, today. My premonition was just like his."

According to the Hollywood rulebook, a commercially viable motion picture should be succeeded by a sequel in order to capitalise on this success. The original Final Destination - a cult horror film about the Grim Reaper finishing his ghoulish work after a group of teens cheat death - contained no visible killer, as well as a tonne of creative, gory death sequences. The bearers of this franchise, realising a wallet-stuffing film series could be on the horizon (ala Friday the 13th, A Nightmare on Elm Street), consequently green-lit this inevitable follow-up. Virtually none of the main characters from the first film lived to appear in the second, but this isn't a problem...the filmmakers merely needed to create a new batch of victims.

Less of a sequel, more of a retread...2003's Final Destination 2 adheres to the template of the original to the letter, replaying all the riffs and rhymes of its predecessor, from the wonderfully orchestrated deaths to the in-jokes (a few character surnames are again those of horror movie icons, such as Tim Carpenter and Kimberly Corman). This sequel to the 2000 horror sleeper actually works, however, emerging as a slick and downright enjoyable entry to the world of blockbuster cinema.

On the first anniversary of the Flight 180 tragedy (that transpired in the first Final Destination, for those unaware), a group of teenagers are driving to Daytona for Spring Break. Driving along Route 23, everything seems rather off (like the beginning of the first film). Kimberly Corman (Cook) then experiences a vivid vision of an apocalyptic pile-up. Petrified by her intensely real vision (or was it a premonition?), Kimberly uses her car to block traffic, which prevents the queue of motorists from being involved in this catastrophic road accident. Lo and behold, the pile-up actually occurs. By blocking traffic, Kim has caused another "rift" in Death's design. As the survivors come to terms with their lucky escape, Death begins to methodically pick them off and complete his work... In desperation, Kim turns to the sole survivor of the Flight 180 tragedy: Clear Rivers (Larter).

Those familiar with the original Final Destination will recognise this set-up. Final Destination 2, as previously stated, is extraordinarily derivative. The central concept - a string of precise, domino effect deaths - is starting to look tired. The unoriginal screenplay is additionally beset with hokey dialogue as well as being anorexic in the plot department. Unfortunately, as well, the characters are without adequate development. It's therefore quite difficult to genuinely feel for the characters (with the obvious exception of the three protagonists, purely because they're allotted the most screen-time) when they're stalked and dispatched by the Grim Reaper. The characters also arrive at conclusions about things far too quickly, the premonitions occur conveniently (eventually the sheer number of premonitions is ludicrous), and there are some pretty sappy moments throughout the flick.

On a positive note, Final Destination 2 surpasses its predecessor in one aspect - the kill sequences. The original Final Destination featured intricate, Rube Goldberg-esque deaths. For some of these sequences, the elaborate disposition made them truly preposterous. Several minutes were dedicated to building up the imminent death...and as a consequence, the actual death lost it shock value as it was no longer a surprise. Final Destination 2, on the other hand, offers far less complicated killings. In this sequel the whole domino effect technique is retained, but it's under normal circumstances that things go haywire, resulting in eventual deaths. Yes, these kill sequences are generally built up (the hospital, for instance), yet director David R. Ellis is a superior suspense-builder, and the eventual death remains unpredictable which in turn makes them more shocking. Once again, the filmmakers make no attempt to personify Death. Instead, the Grim Reaper remains a supernatural force capable of manipulating anything and everything. There's also a mind-blowing twist; tying the characters into the events of the original movie.

In the capable hands of first-time director Ellis, Final Destination 2 effectively elicits thrills at every turn. Ellis directs with flamboyance and assurance, utilising his experience as a second unit director to craft this slick horror/thriller. His compositions are inventive, slick and spectacular, hitting the ground running by kicking into high gear with a superbly-staged freeway pile-up (a true action tour de force). This jaw-dropping, chaotic motorway sequence has appeared on several "best car crash/accident" lists, and even acclaimed director Quentin Tarantino was quoted as calling it a "magnificent car action piece". For the death sequences the stunts are incredible, the special effects are marvellous, the CGI is seamless and the make-up department...had a proverbial field day. Exertions in all departments come together, conjuring up nail-biting tension. The competent filmmaking almost counterbalances the feebler moments.

The cast is once again comprised of young actors in their mid-twenties trying to pass themselves off as teenagers. And once again, the cast don't even bear a slight resemblance to actual teens.
Ali Larter reprises her role of Clear Rivers from the original film who's recruited to find a way to cheat Death's design for good. Like the first film, this actress is a saving grace. Her acting is solid, and she's very appealing.
In the new cast there's the extremely charming & beautiful A.J. Cook as the premonition-seeing Kimberly, and Michael Landes as a charismatic but generic police officer on Death's list. These two share adequate chemistry, but their eventual romance seems contrived and clichéd. Of the new cast, only Landes, Cook and T.C. Carson (as an uptight black man) bring any depth to their characters. The rest of the cast are quite cardboard, and they lack diversity. A more diverse congregation of actors, and perhaps a better-written group of characters would've made Final Destination 2 a real winner.
CineSchlockers will snap to attention nearly an hour into the movie when Tony Todd (of the Candyman fame) returns to reprise his role from the 2000 original. Todd is memorable as he delivers cryptic prognostications about Death's doings, generating a brilliantly dark mood.

For all its flaws, Final Destination 2 is a slick-looking and well-paced horror sequel. This violent, brutal genre schlock knows precisely what its target audience wants...and delivers it with cleverness and playful exuberance. Granted, the ending is silly, the novelty factor has diminished, there's little substance and plot is at an all-time low...but we don't seek logic or deep characterisations in a horror flick - we want to see people being killed on the most inventive and disgusting scale imaginable. On these terms, Final Destination 2 succeeds. Frankly, this sequel is about as good as its predecessor - equally as flawed, yet equally as enjoyable.

Followed by Final Destination 3 in 2006.

"A rollercoaster is just elemental physics, a conversion of potential energy to kinetic energy."

By this entry in the Final Destination series, the central premise - the unstoppable force of the Grim Reaper stalking and slaying those who've evaded his scythe - had grown more than a little tired. Fortunately, the pleasure of these flicks has never had much to do with the story, but rather the visceral thrills they serve up - a new selection of spectacular, gory death sequences ensuring each entry to the franchise is as enjoyable as the one preceding it. Fortunately, too, each sequel thus far has belied its generic storytelling with advantageous upgrades in the filmmaking department. Final Destination 2, for instance, contained slick direction, marvellous visual effects and more believable death sequences. Final Destination 3 ups the ante in the gore department once again, as well as delivering a more appropriate, believable and all-round superior dénouement.

If you've seen the first two Final Destination flicks, you'll know the drill - an unsuspecting teen foresees a horrible disaster, takes steps to avoid this nasty end, and in the process saves a few lives. As a consequence, Death gets annoyed that his design has been messed up, and sets about offing those who cheated him. Final Destination 3 is no deviation from this template.

This time around, the Grim Reaper comes calling at an amusement park where a bunch of high schoolers are celebrating graduation. While climbing aboard the rollercoaster, young Wendy Christensen (Winstead) experiences a vivid, violent premonition of the rollercoaster running off the rails. In a fit of panic she disembarks the ride with a few others, and they all watch in horror as the rollercoaster actually malfunctions, running off the rails and making mince meat of those onboard. One-by-one, the Grim Reaper then begins to pick off those who cheated death in a string of elaborate "accidents" leading to an assortment of inventive violence and gratuitous female nudity.

The mythos of the Final Destination franchise has now grown quite stale, and Final Destination 3 feels like a redundant instalment of this now-thrice-told joke. A third entry to the series could have been an opportunity to solve the irritating mysteries surrounding these films, but once again it leaves us with more questions than answers. Where do the premonitions come from? What's so special about the people experiencing these visions? Is it possible to permanently cheat death? Final Destination 3 stubbornly refuses to expand the mythos and address these queries; using a large amount of gore as compensation. Not even Tony Todd returns to star as the enigmatic mortician again, which a true shame as Todd offered tantalising explication in the preceding instalments. Todd does, however, star in voice-only form during key scenes at the beginning and end, making him the only actor to be involved with all three instalments so far.

With the Final Destination blueprint growing sour, the creative team behind every instalment are required to push the envelope in new and inventive ways. For Final Destination 3, James Wong (who helmed the first entry) made a return to the director's chair. The script is also the joint effort of Wong, Glen Morgan and Jeffrey Reddick (all of whom penned the original film).

The premonition set-piece is yet another spectacular disaster; definitely on a par with those crafted in the previous films. Final Destination 3 also benefits from an element absent in the two predecessors: the innate creepiness of a carnival. The title sequence features images of out of control rides, a mechanical fortune-teller, and a chilling montage of sideshow attractions (upon close scrutiny, one will realise this sequence also foreshadows impending deaths). The swirling strains of a pipe organ set the stage for an uncertain experience, establishing a fitting atmosphere.

Final Destination 3 has been composed with tremendous skill. There's legitimate tension built up during the pre-death scenes, for instance. There is a formula associated with how the death scenes develop, but the fun lies in figuring out how a character's grisly demise will play out. The film's greatest assets are definitely Wong's skilled direction and Robert McLachlan's sublime cinematography. For the opening disaster sequence, McLachlan provides excellent POV imagery and intense shots of the rollercoaster as the chaos unfolds. Employing remote-control power pods with affixed mini-cameras, the cinematographer captured actual movement in the practical shots of the cast on the rollercoaster, resulting in an experience more frighteningly realistic and riveting than anything stationary cameras could deliver. Director Wong additionally insisted upon using the actual actors in as many of the action sequences as possible, thus presenting an audience with a more honest depiction of the horrifying events that befall the characters. Granted, some of the CGI shots are slightly sub-par (mainly suffering from poor contrast matching), but these are minor killjoys of an otherwise skilfully crafted sequence.

Without a doubt, the real stars of this franchise are the effects. Wong and McLachlan have skilfully taken the delivery of gore to a new level, showcasing gruesome deaths in excruciating detail. It's refreshing to see that some filmmakers understand the appeal of practical effects. The sole drawback of these sequences is that the deaths are occasionally CGI enhanced, and the CGI blood is usually quite obvious. Nonetheless, the killings are spectacular. Delivering creative, gory kills at every turn, this series caters to its target audience without insulting them - and that's probably why these flicks are so successful at the box office. At least the Final Destination films are more inventive than, say, the Friday the 13th series which stopped being interesting after the very first movie!

The central fault of every Final Destination film so far is simple: the characters are stereotypical cookie-cutters. Predictably, Final Destination 3 is no different. Although the two main characters (one male, one female) claim to not like each other, they naturally grow a bond and are virtually ready to proceed into romance territory. The high school conventions also come out to play: there's the egotistical jock, the completely air-headed girls, and the Gothic couple. Virtually none of these characters are developed past the first dimension, and little character development means they come across as caricatures rather than people. They're all interchangeable characters; included to provide the Grim Reaper with some folks to off. Just like the previous films, some of the characters are named after famous horror icons - Lewis Romero, Jason Robert Wise, etc.

No characters from previous Final Destination films make an appearance in this third film (except for Death of course), although there are multiple references to the events in the forerunners. Naturally, a good-looking girl is essential for films of this type. For Final Destination 3, Mary Elizabeth Winstead carries out the duties as the smart, attractive female protagonist. Young Winstead is a competent actress whose emotions seem genuine. Her hysteria after experiencing the premonition is frighteningly believable. She's definitely one of the more convincing horror movie heroines of recent memory. Winstead's male cohort is Ryan Merriman, whose prior acting experience is mainly in television. He's a generic young male, and the limits of his talent are never truly tested by the screenplay. The rest of the cast are decent without being remarkable, and they effectively carry out their primary function - i.e. moving the plot ahead to the next gruesome death sequence. There aren't any breakout performances in this film, but that isn't why you're watching this flick in the first place.

This is Sequelcraft 101 - if you enjoyed the first two Final Destination films, you'll most likely enjoy this one too. Final Destination 3 is enjoyable and technically sound, but the formula has been wringed too much and there isn't a slight trace of originality left in the plot department. If this series is going to continue, the filmmakers need to introduce something new into the tired formula. Nevertheless, for a sequel to a sequel, Final Destination 3 still doles out the goods in fine form. Not a perfect movie, but very tolerable and one helluva ride (c'mon, you knew that pun was coming). And think about it: how many Part 3s turn out to be anything besides awful?

Followed by The Final Destination in 2009. (Interestingly, Final Destination 3 was meant to be filmed in 3-D but the process was deemed too complicated. For the fourth film, however, the filmmakers ultimately decided to use 3-D technology.)

"Careful Bill, you'll give yourself a heart attack and ruin my vacation."

Running at a hair under three hours, Meet Joe Black is a multifaceted and deeply absorbing character study as well as a ponderous, contemplative exploration of the concept of death. The finality of death is the greatest sadness faced by humanity. At any instant, any of us could cease to exist - one's life could conclude without any warning and without the opportunity to farewell those closest to you. It's a morbid and depressing reality, but every single one of us is going to die someday. Meet Joe Black explores a number of questions regarding death. If your life was to terminate in a few short days, how would you spend your final hours on Earth? Would you spend it with loved ones? Pursue the fulfilment of all your lifelong dreams? Watch your favourite movie and listen to your favourite music just once more? Give up, and simply mourn your imminent passing? The protagonist of Meet Joe Black - William Parish (Hopkins) - is faced with these questions and situations. While featuring fine performances and exhibiting excellent filmmaking, the beguiling and seemingly bullet-proof premise is transformed into a pointlessly lengthy, somewhat pretentious bore.

For Universal pictures, Meet Joe Black probably seemed like a great idea...but it gradually developed into something of a nuisance. This remake of the 1934 film Death Takes a Holiday ran over-budget and its production period was far longer than scheduled. With its overstuffed three-hour runtime, the film received predominantly negative reviews (the general opinion: "glacially slow and uneventful") and audiences generally stayed away (it wasn't an utter box office bomb, though - its budget was only about $90 million, and its approximate worldwide gross was $140 million). Meet Joe Black travels along at a fairly leisurely pace, ultimately unable to sustain a viewer's interest until the end credits. Although certainly not the worst film of 1998, the picture simply has absolutely no reason to drag out a relatively straightforward story to such a colossal, excessive length.

William Parrish is a multi-millionaire and a successful corporate tycoon on the verge of celebrating his 65th birthday. As he approaches such a considerable milestone in his life, Bill begins to question his mortality. Unfortunately, he's about to suffer a fatal heart attack. During the days leading up to his birthday, Bill begins to hear a mysterious voice in his head. After initially dismissing this as a mere hallucination, he's soon visited by an enigmatic figure - Death personified in human form, otherwise known as Joe Black (Pitt). The Grim Reaper offers the aging businessman an extraordinary proposition: he will grant Bill extra time, and in exchange he must act as Death's earthly guide as Death enjoys a self-appointed holiday. During his vacation Death learns valuable lessons about humanity, as well as learning about love as he develops strong feelings towards Bill's daughter Susan (Forlani). Death additionally learns about trust and integrity, and he realises that William Parish is a much-loved man who has lived a terrific life and has touched a great many other lives. As long as Death remains interested, his vacation will not conclude. But once he tires of life and returns to the "next place", he'll take Bill with him.

Helmed by Martin Brest, Meet Joe Black is a loose remake of the 1934 motion picture Death Takes a Holiday (itself based on a Broadway production which was an adaptation of an Italian play). After being initially intrigued by the premise of Death Takes a Holiday, Brest spent roughly 15-20 years gradually developing a screenplay with which he felt comfortable. After completing Scent of a Woman in 1992, Brest turned his attention to Meet Joe Black which was at long last released in 1998. This is a labour of love for Brest, who aimed to create a motion picture exploring all the potential of the concept. There are unmistakable divergences between Meet Joe Black and Death Takes a Holiday, primarily in regards to the setting, how the story unfolds, as well as the genre, focus and characters. Brest's movie has been strongly criticised since its 1998 release due to its decidedly slow pacing and slow-moving story, which is considerably amplified by its substantial runtime. This is a two-hour motion picture unnecessarily dragged out to three.

Meet Joe Black mainly suffers from feeble screenwriting. It seems fifteen to twenty years of script development isn't enough to achieve perfection (interestingly, Sylvester Stallone penned Rocky in a few days...and that script is far more solid). There is far too much narrative flab, for instance. An unnecessary subplot following a patient in hospital is a key example - only spawning lacklustre speeches and tedious scenarios. Inconsistencies abound as well, principally relating to Death's naivety. In human form, Death doesn't possess the expected aura of authority and seems virtually childlike in his lack of familiarity of the simplest human behaviour. Just as a viewer correctly adjusts to and accepts the kind of innocent, untutored person that Death is being depicted as, he suddenly summons the ability to converse in the native tongue of a dying woman in hospital (in the aforesaid unnecessary subplot). He seems unaware of common phrases and customary rules, he doesn't know about peanut butter, and he even has difficulty engaging in conversations...yet he's perfectly capable of concocting a plot about an IRS agent to save Bill's company! It's a challenging premise to swallow, and with these discrepancies it's doubly taxing.

"Death and Taxes."

My intention isn't to compare Meet Joe Black with the original Death Takes a Holiday as Brest's film is an independent entity - a further exploration of the fundamental concept. Yet, Meet Joe Black lacks an extremely crucial constituent in its story which was a major feature of Death Takes a Holiday - how the universe would manage with the Grim Reaper taking a vacation. The 1934 picture goes to great pains to illustrate a world with sickness and injury but without death. This fascinating aspect is almost entirely ignored by Meet Joe Black, which wastes the bulk of its duration developing a passionless romance and a corporate takeover scheme. Even the TV shows Family Guy and The Simpsons have explored this idea, albeit with a tongue-in-cheek, comic tone. The only shred of evidence of this concept being explored in Meet Joe Black is with the subplot involving a dying woman. But the dying woman's pain is superficial. She implores Death to "take" her, however this isn't developed to a more satisfying dimension - it remains a vapid inclusion.

The runtime is once more augmented by the director's tendency to force his actors to insert frequent, lengthy pauses into their dialogue. The dialogue needed to be delivered faster, with lines cut shorter. This wouldn't be as detrimental if the conversations were interesting and well-written, but unfortunately the characters predominantly say sophomoric dialogue rarely of much interest. Scenes hardly ever conclude naturally; Brest usually keeps dialogue running long past the point where the audience has lost interest. The ending is also an utter dud. Not only is this dénouement quite ambiguous, but it also takes far too long. There are farewells, reflections, confessions, reassurances, reconciliations, partings and surprises. Following all this, it's ultimately unsatisfying and hardly worth the prolonged lead-up. Instead of a poignant, powerful conclusion it ends on a boring note; failing to move on an emotional level.

Regardless of the aforementioned abundance of flaws, there is still much to appreciate in Meet Joe Black. It's perfectly passable and serviceable entertainment, albeit too long. Despite previous criticisms, this isn't an overly bloated or indulgent affair - it's merely in no hurry to examine the lives of a family. It does occasionally feel its three-hour length, but somehow it manages to frequently maintain interest on account of wonderful acting and great filmmaking. Everything looks beautiful - superb cinematography and first-rate production design are perhaps the film's chief strengths. The $90 million budget is employed effectively, creating an expansive mansion in which the characters navigate, as well as multiple other locations. A truly wonderful score by Thomas Newman is a particularly excellent contribution as well. Additionally, the subject matter isn't handled in a clichéd Hollywood fashion (it isn't as hokey as Ghost, for instance).

"I thought I was going to sneak away tonight. What a glorious night. Every face I see is a memory. It may not be a perfectly perfect memory. Sometimes we had our ups and downs. But we're all together, and you're mine for a night. And I'm going to break precedent and tell you my one candle wish: that you would have a life as lucky as mine, where you can wake up one morning and say, "I don't want anything more." Sixty-five years. Don't they go by in a blink?"

Brad Pitt's performance as Death will undoubtedly divide opinions. Pitt plays his character with great conviction, and his demeanour is beautifully understated, naïve and unique, as if he's actually experiencing life for the first time and slowly taking in all that surrounds him. To his credit, Pitt comes across as being in the world but not of it. If you can accept the premise, there'll be no trouble accepting the exceptionally engaging Pitt in the title role.
Anthony Hopkins is officially incapable of delivering a dud performance. This role affords Hopkins a number of scenes where he can convey the humanity and contemplation of a man who has lived a great life, but is forced to come to terms with the fact that it's drawing to a close. Hopkins is strong-willed as William Parrish; he's somewhat comical at times, while intimidating and chilling at other times.

Claire Forlani shows great promise as Bill's daughter Susan. She's convincing and engaging, despite zero palpable chemistry between her and Brad Pitt. At times Forlani resembles a deer caught in a car's headlights. Jake Weber is suitably contemptible as the treacherous Drew, and he's given adequate support by Marcia Gay Harden and Jeffrey Tambor.

With better editing and faster pacing, Meet Joe Black could've been a far superior film. A main subplot concerning the takeover of William Parrish's company could have been trimmed and streamlined. The film needed to stay true to its central focus - i.e. the relationships of the protagonists, and the pain the universe would endure with death on holiday. Be that as it may, there are charms to discover despite the film outstaying its welcome by a good forty minutes. Meet Joe Black is certainly worth watching for its penetrating views of mortality, its fascinating characterisation of Death, and its audacious intentions. The definitive version of Death Takes a Holiday is yet to be made, but Meet Joe Black is a solid attempt.

"Love is passion, obsession, someone you can't live without. If you don't start with that, what are you going to end up with? Fall head over heels. I say find someone you can love like crazy and who'll love you the same way back. And how do you find him? Forget your head and listen to your heart. I'm not hearing any heart. Run the risk, if you get hurt, you'll come back. Because, the truth is there is no sense living your life without this. To make the journey and not fall deeply in love - well, you haven't lived a life at all. You have to try. Because if you haven't tried, you haven't lived."

"As the 21st century began, human evolution was at a turning point. Natural selection, the process by which the strongest, the smartest, the fastest, reproduced in greater numbers than the rest, a process which had once favored the noblest traits of man, now began to favor different traits. Most science fiction of the day predicted a future that was more civilized and more intelligent. But as time went on, things seemed to be heading in the opposite direction. A dumbing down."

As Idiocracy commences, we're presented with a fairly convincing theory regarding the future of the human species. For centuries, science fiction stories have usually portrayed a future world as a crisp utopia of science and advanced learning with flying cars and phenomenal technology. The future has also been illustrated as a desolate post-apocalyptic wasteland. These are perfectly believable theories. However, Idiocracy - a film helmed by Mike Judge, a man also responsible for Beavis and Butt-Head and 1999's Office Space - tosses these theories in the toilet and offers an alternate vision of where mankind is headed. According to Judge, in the future humans may have a lower IQ than a muffin.

Judge's theory may appear outlandish, but think about it... the Jackass flicks are able to reach #1 at the box office while intelligent, provocative movies such as Michael Clayton and Children of Men perish at the box office (still earning a modest profit, but very slowly). One factor Idiocracy brings to the fore is that destitute, dim-witted families screw and breed like rodents while smart, well-off families restrict themselves to one or two offspring. Hence, the smart population may develop into an endangered species before ultimately becoming extinct. Judge's savage attack on American idiocy (which went through many title changes, originally being known as 3001 and Amerikwa) takes the form of an eye-wateringly hilarious hybrid of sci-fi and comedy. Judge's script is pervaded with endless wit and creativity, never becoming preachy in its depiction of the future but ensuring it'd be quite possible to ponder Judge's message about modern man. Mike Judge is simply the perfect guy to produce a movie about a future overrun by morons, as his entire career is built on mining the stupidity of North America for laughs. Idiocracy is loaded with a frighteningly realistic concept...but it's in an amusing wrapper.

"The years passed, mankind became stupider at a frightening rate. Some had high hopes the genetic engineering would correct this trend in evolution, but sadly the greatest minds and resources where focused on conquering hair loss and prolonging erections."

Private Joe Bowers (Wilson) is the dictionary definition of an "Average Joe". So incredibly average, in fact, that the Pentagon selects Joe to be a guinea pig for their latest experiment - labelled the "The Human Hibernation Project" which will test whether the best men in the military can be frozen indefinitely until they're needed the most. Joe - along with a hooker named Rita (Rudolph) - are cryogenically frozen for the military experiment...only to wake up to a 26th century in which morons have inherited the planet. Suddenly it's discovered that Joe is the smartest person alive, and is recruited to solve all the world's stupidity-caused problems.

"Comin' up next on The Violence Channel: An all-new "Ow, My Balls!""

When Idiocracy is boiled down to the essentials, it's an uproarious comedy and a potent bitch-slap of a social commentary. After initially conveying the alarming concept that America's future has fallen into the hands of the moronic and irresponsible, Judge's script begins to attack not only America's commercial sponsorship culture, but the entertainment tastes of the citizens as well. In this future the most popular show on television is called Ow! My Balls!, which is precisely what you'd expect - a string of scenes showcasing a character being repeatedly hit below the belt. Everyone's favourite channel is The Masturbation Network. Winner of eight Oscars in 2505 (including Best Original Screenplay) is Ass - which is just 90 minutes of a flatulent bare butt.

Judge also proceeds to criticise Gatorade (labelled "Brawndo" here), using the general futility of sport drinks to accentuate the misleading nature of predatory corporations as well as the gullibility of consumers who will believe anything they read. Conversations are now sponsored as well. 2505 is a world where it has become commonplace for citizens to be named Hormel and Beef Supreme. Starbucks is now an establishment that only sells hand-jobs, Butt-F**kers is a restaurant which hosts birthday parties for children, and if a topic doesn't pertain to sex, balls or farting, nobody wishes to discuss it. Idiocracy eventually ventures into the political realm, transforming a presidential address into a wrestling main event and revealing that positions in the White House can be won in competitions! As a satire, Mike Judge's gem is a cold steel blade to the gut. Judge is a brilliant satirist, relishing his opportunity to expose our insatiable need for stupidity.

This tour de force of satiric savagery is bitingly hysterical, shooting arrows at the Jackass crowd and highlighting the general dumbing down of humankind. Once a viewer tunes into Judge's jaundiced wavelength, one will recognise how drop-dead hilarious this flick truly is. There are levels to the humour here - broad + subversive, and scatological. These two levels are incredibly proficient in allowing a viewer to accept the premise. When, say, a fart joke occurs, the real gag isn't the actual passing of gas but how funny the stupid population finds it. Virtually every scene is full of genuinely hilarious moments, not to mention it's packed with little details, from hairdos to the colossal futility of the law system in 2505 to the latest technological advancements. Subtle visual gags are also hysterical - unfinished highways where cars keep driving off before piling up at the bottom, appalling misspellings everywhere, and a Costco the size of a city. Stupid characters are usually a turn-off, but Idiocracy features characters so completely and surrealistically brainless that it's practically impossible not to laugh.

"Don't worry scrote. There are plenty of 'tards out there living really kick ass lives. My first wife was 'tarded. She's a pilot now."

Luke Wilson's laidback style has never suited him better. As the poor schmuck accidentally sent five hundred years into the future, Wilson is impeccable and oddly appealing. His introductory scenes - establishing him as the laziest, most under-achieving average bloke in the army - are some of the best-written segments of the screenplay. Dax Shepard is also excellent as Joe's astonishingly dumb, dim-witted best friend Frito. It's hysterical watching Dax giving Joe a look of total vacancy. Even Maya Rudolph, who usually signifies the end of all things good (Duplex, American version of Kath & Kim), is a riot as a hooker from 2005 who's convinced her pimp will manage to come forward in time and kick her ass.

Terry Crews, as well, is an absolute hoot as President Camacho. Also look out for cameos by Judge regular Stephen Root, and even Justin Long.

As enjoyable as Idiocracy is, it most certainly isn't without its faults. The low budget couldn't accommodate state-of-the-art special effects...and the film is stuck with awful, cartoonish CGI creations (interestingly, some of the special effects were done for free by Robert Rodriguez). The low budget is frequently obvious. Despite being enjoyable, the film is also unable to conceal the almost lethal plot holes. In the future, the technological advancements are frankly amazing; from identities tattooed onto citizens to gigantic cars with advanced gizmos, and even special effects in television programs...not to mention televisions are huge and impressive. But this begs the question: with the world populated entirely by idiots with no knowledge of how to create such technology, how the hell could these technological advancements have occurred? And how could they be so widespread when the morons wouldn't know how to manufacture more of them, let alone repair them when one is broken? In addition to these faults, there are some minor pacing issues. There's also too much narration which indicates plain lazy filmmaking.

"Unaware of what year it was, Joe wandered the streets desperate for help. But the English language had deteriorated into a hybrid of hillbilly, valleygirl, inner-city slang and various grunts. Joe was able to understand them, but when he spoke in an ordinary voice he sounded pompous and faggy to them."

Here's what happened to Idiocracy: Fox test screened the movie with a reportedly catastrophic reaction. Unsure with what to do with Judge's little film, Fox granted it a tiny theatrical release - not even bothering to create posters or a trailer - before dumping it on DVD (even though legions of Mike Judge fans were highly anticipating it). As audiences began watching it on DVD, conspiratorial murmurs were sparked, talking about how good the movie is and that the studio just didn't get it. Or perhaps Fox grew nervous on account of Judge skewering big commercial industries. Fox is the pet of Rupert Murdoch, after all, who's the captain of industry and baron of big business. Nevertheless, studios release dozens of indefensible films every single year. Especially when compared to some of the diabolical dirge rushed into cinemas each year, Idiocracy was undeserving of its treatment. It isn't the unfunny flop one would expect...the jokes are usually dumb, but the final result is subversively intelligent. Funny? Yes, and it's also a potent wake-up call to a very probable future. Be sure to stay until the end of the credits.

"When I was 16 years old, I fell in love..."

The directorial sibling duo of Bobby and Peter Farrelly earned themselves a revered place among the gurus of the comedy genre after unleashing There's Something About Mary upon the unsuspecting movie-going public of 1998. There's Something About Mary can best be described as an unalloyed exercise in gross-out humour and plain bad taste, punctuated by a surprisingly heartfelt screenplay and an intriguing plot designed to steer its characters from one gag to the next.

Without a doubt, There's Something About Mary is the best film the Farrelly Brothers have created thus far in their filmic careers. This is a gigantic step up from prior Farrelly Brothers titterfests wherein a string of extraneous gags were supplied to conceal the lack of depth (and variety, for that matter). Perhaps the brothers had just grown up by this stage, or perhaps this was the consequence of the brothers collaborating with Ed Decter and John J. Strauss to pen the screenplay. Whatever the case, There's Something About Mary is endowed with a delightful wide appeal. For sure, it's gross-out comedy to extremes, but there is a heart and a believable, grounded storyline. A plethora of explosively hilarious set-pieces such as the prom night saga have taken their place in contemporary comic history. Yet, this sequence isn't a mere succession of unrelated gags. The building ridiculousness serves as a suitable introduction to the film's central premise: a well-meaning person inadvertently inviting chaos at every turn.

"Franks and Beans! Franks and Beans!"

Ted Stroehmann (Stiller) is a metal-mouth geek in his high school days in Rhode Island. It's the lead up to his Senior Prom, and Ted is seeking a date. Enter the beautiful Mary Jensen (Diaz) who asks the bewildered Ted to be her date for the prom. Ted is amazed and overjoyed, to say the least. But the prom night ends in tears when an unfortunate zipper accident leaves Ted in hospital. Thirteen years following this episode, Ted still pines for his lost Mary, whom he considers the love of his life. Ever since the end of school, though, Ted hasn't seen Mary at all - she's disappeared off the grid. With some encouragement from a friend, Ted opts to hire sleazy private eye Pat Healy (Dillon) to track down his old flame. However, after Pat takes one look at the radiant Mary, he decides he wants her for himself. Much conniving, back-stabbing and lying ensues in order to steal Mary's affections.

The story is episodic, to be sure. It exists as a vehicle to convey masses of uproarious gags. Also, characterisation is at a minimum. However, some of the characters are satisfactorily developed through the gags. The aforementioned prom night saga establishes Ted's character, for instance. The jokes are frequently hilarious (rarely, if ever, hit and miss) and the characters are extremely endearing, and at the end of the day that's what counts in this genre. There's Something About Mary also offers something to offend almost everyone - it's politically incorrect (usage of the word "retard" is an example), outrageous, uncouth, bawdy and unapologetically lowbrow...truly nothing is out of bounds here. The true allure of the flick, however, is its sweet core - a quality the Farrelly Brothers have yet to replicate to the same effect. Some viewers may dismiss this flick as a simple gross-out comedy unworthy of a second glance, but the film's genuine charms extend beyond the repulsive jokes. Of course, it does rely on this humour heavily to entertain...nevertheless, There's Something About Mary remains an appealing romantic comedy that delivers a sweet payoff.

"Is that... is that hair gel?"

In all fairness, the Farrelly Brothers don't entirely depend on genitals, breasts, bodily fluids, or an assortment of other tasteless subjects to manufacture each joke. A group of travelling minstrels who follow Ted around, singing about his exploits in Greek chorus fashion, for instance, is a wonderful withdrawal from the lowbrow moments. This may not be subtle or intellectual humour (these two words simply don't apply to any Farrelly Brothers production), but it is less bawdy than their usual material. Similarly, the entire cast sing along to Build Me Up, Buttercup during the closing credits. There's Something About Mary additionally manages to be fairly light on emotion, yet distinctly memorable, which is a tribute to the strength of its brilliant comic structure. It wears its influences (from the Marx Brothers to Porky's) clearly on its sleeve, but is able to wrap them in a tight, original story where each joke serves a purpose.

One reason why There's Something About Mary succeeds is on account of all the actors being utterly perfect for their chosen roles. With different casting, half the jokes would most certainly have fallen flat. Ben Stiller appears to understand comedy. His lines are delivered with impeccable comic timing, and he allows a viewer to sympathise with Ted while concurrently laughing at him. Getting one's dangly bits excruciatingly snared in a zipper is a fear faced by every male on the planet, but due to Stiller's fine acting we don't feel bad as we laugh at his agonising situation.
The actors surrounding Stiller are top-notch. The vivacious and gorgeous Cameron Diaz is perfect as Mary. Not Oscar material, but she immerses herself into the character suitably and gives her character the required charm. This is proof that Cameron Diaz used to be hot. The Farrellys were so keen to cast Cameron that they delayed the filming start date in order to accommodate the film in her schedule. "Cameron is Mary," asserts Peter Farrelly. "Like Mary, Cameron seems like the ultimate woman. Every guy on the set was crazy about her."

Matt Dillon is equally excellent. He manages to build great charm, but at the same time be contemptible in his methods. Dillon is perfect in tacky clothes and a seedy moustache.

In the supporting cast there's Lin Shaye as the extremely tanned Magda, and Lee Evans as yet another man in love with Mary. Other performers, such as Chris Elliot and W. Earl Brown, are terrific. In a comedy flick such as this, actors of this calibre are required in order for the gags to work to their full potential. Thank God for this delightful bunch!

"Have you seen my weiner?"

There's no doubt about it, There's Something About Mary is one of the funniest comedies you'll ever encounter - a harmonious cocktail of over-the-top physical gags and raunchy humour. To be fair, though, the film is far from perfect. It runs a tad long at almost two hours, and (to be expected) a few of the characters aren't developed past the second dimension. This isn't Academy Award material, but it certainly achieves its evident goal: to entertain and deliver laughs aplenty. The fact that the geeky loser gets the girl - Mary predictably choosing Ted over the supposedly perfect Brett (real-life pro quarterback Brett Favre, a typical Farrelly casting) - makes this a curiously bloke-friendly rom-com. Adding to its unisex appeal (and therefore justifying its box-office success), There's Something About Mary is simultaneously one of the most romantic gross-out comedies, and one of the most gross romantic comedies. Laughter is such a blessed relief when one is in a bad mood, and this film is guaranteed to work as well as anti-depressants. After watching this hysterical gem, you'll never look at hair gel the same ever again.

"His friends would say stop whining

They've had an enough of that

His friends would say stop pining

There is other girls to look at

They've tried to set'em up with Tiffany and Indigo

But there's something about Mary that they don't know.

Mary, there's just something about Mary."