Be Kind Rewind
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Movie Reviews of Be Kind Rewind
Movie Review: Fantastic
Summary: 5 Stars
When this film was first released, I think many will agree that it didn't really receive that much recognition. In a way it's a shock considering it contains one of the big comedy stars of the moment, but hey there you are. This is without a doubt one of the more kooky pictures by Black, and let's be honest he's been in some pretty bizarre movies not counting Pick of Destiny. His character, Jerry also seems to be completely insane with a certain level of sanity that is quite endearing in its own way.
Be Kind Rewind, although the title of the film is the name of an ancient VHS store, and like the VHS this store is pretty much dead. One problem with the VHS which has plagued it from its birth to its death is that when exposed to magnetism, everything disappears. This is the basis of the story for which the film revolves.
The store of Be Kind Rewind is close to a century old and is rumoured to be the birth place of famous Jazz musician Fats Waller. Mike (Mos Def) and his friend Jerry (Black) are left in charge of the store while the current owner Elroy (Danny Glover) goes to do some research into the competition. The store doesn't have long left as Elroy is left an Ultimatum that he needs to bring the building up to safety codes or it will be torn down to make room for a new condo. For whatever reason, Jerry being completely insane and all wants to raid a power station which leads to the electricity raiding Jerry making him magnetic. After that event Jerry returns to the video store and due to his new found magnetism he incidentally erases all the movies on the video. Much to Mikes dismay, Jerry recommends they shoot their own versions of the movie starting with Ghostbusters.
This film is as unusual as it sounds and has some really side rippingly hysterical moments. The movie remakes by the duo are something to be experienced and make you wish they would be released as a seperate entity to this film. Jack Black as always has the viewer (myself) roaring with laughter as he makes the illusion of him being a complete nut job entirely believable. Mos Def's character, it has to be said was nothing entirely special and I just found myself becoming annoyed by his presence on screen. The presence of Danny Glover gives this a feel of authenticity as it's a film in which the main stars find themselves recreating classic movies, and although they didn't remake any of the Lethal Weapon movies, it would have been fun if they did simply due to Danny Glover being a part of this picture.
Overall it's an hysterical piece which starts off as completely bizarre in every way, but turns into one of the more heart warming and genuine films of the year. Black does it again with the ability to make us both laugh and cry at the triumphant end to such a wonderful but under appreciated picture.
Movie Review: A Sweded Smiler
Summary: 5 Stars
The writer/director of this picture is European, and it shows. "Be Kind, Rewind" has the friendly, bumbling, everyman feel of comedies like "The Full Monty" or "Waking Ned Devine" (although obviously, set in a New Jersey ghetto and not in picturesque Ireland). Like those comedies, "Be Kind, Rewind" is generally a smiler, and not a knee-slapper, but that's OK with me - I like to smile.
The basic premise of this picture has been covered here by other reviewers - inner city video-store clerk and kooky pal try to cover-up accidental erasure of the store's VHS tapes by remaking blockbuster Hollywood hit movies with a hand-held video camera.
I really like the premise - in today's prefab comedy market, I think that a screwball premise like this one should be appreciated and encouraged. I, for one, am sick and tired of all the witless parodies (like Scarey Movie 943, Meet the Spartans and Epic Movie). Film comedy has suffered terribly over the past decade or so from those kinds of cheap products.
And speaking of cheap products, these two film auteurs turn out some truly smile-worthy efforts as they producer "Sweded" (where they got that word, I don't know) remakes of films as diverse as "The Lion King, "Robocop", "Driving Miss Daisy" and "2001".
The film starts off somewhat slowly, but it has some interesting characters, including Sigourney Weaver as a hardball-playing copyright infringement attorney and Mia Farrow as a depressed, yet tidy video customer. I imagine all the actors involved had fun with this movie.
What was saddening to me is that, at the video store where I rented this, there were large displays of idiotic, brain-dead parodies, like "Meet the Spartans", and only three copies of "Be Kind, Rewind". Although I would normally have given this picture four stars, I am giving it five as a political act, and as a protest against all the unimaginative ideas that pass for comedy these days.
CUSTOMERS UNITE!!
DOWN WITH CORPORATE, COOKIE-CUTTER COMEDY!!!
Movie Review: Thoroughly Enjoyable...Incredibly Entertaining And Fun
Summary: 5 Stars
"Be Kind Rewind" is one of those feel-good movies. It has enough laughs and gags and touching moments to make it a dramedy masterpiece.
The film is about the friendship between Jerry (Jack Black) and Mike (Mos Def). Def is the adoptive(?) son of a video store owner, Mr. Fletcher (Daniel Glover). One day, Glover goes on a train ride to another town for a memorial of a famous jazz musician, Fats Waller.
He leaves Def in charge, but forgets to tell him never to let Black into the video store. In a botched invasion of a nuclear power plant, Black is electrocuted, causing him to become magnetized. When he goes into the store, the magnetism erases all of the film on the VHS tapes in the store.
Black devises a plan to re-record all of the tapes to please the patrons, who have been complaining about the blank tapes. And when people enjoy the videos they make, they begin to re-create all of the movies in the store, until copyright-infringement laws come into play.
I absolutely loved "Be Kind Rewind." The acting was incredible, and I must admit that Jack Black, who I have never been a fan of, was very funny, along with touching companionship from Mos Def, and Daniel Glover and Mia Farrow (yes, the Rosemary Woodhouse Mia Farrow) contributing with their stellar performances.
The plot was original, the immitation movies were hilarious and incredibly clever. They were so funny I almost fell out of the seat in the theatre in laughter. I had to shut up because I was causing a scene.
"Be Kind Rewind" is an incredible film, and is definitely good for the family, despite its PG-13 rating. It's definitely a feel-good movie that will make anybody smile from a slightly slow but thouroughly entertaining beginning to a sad, almost tear-jerking ending. Incredible movie. Two thumbs WAAAAAAAAAY up! =)
Movie Review: Sweded
Summary: 5 Stars
I have seen this flick twice, once on a plane and now on DVD. To think that someone would come up with a movie about movies is just hilarious. Jack Black with Mos Def as his straight man is a brilliant combination.
The movie is a little slow at the beginning as each one is getting into character and you are getting the lay of the land with the video store named "Be Kind Rewind," which is way behind the times. You see there are all VHS and absolutely no DVDs. The owner (Danny Glover) goes on a trip leaving Mike (Def) in charge of the store, being told to keep Jerry (Black) out of the store, but he really does not 'get' what he is being told since it is a note written in reverse. This takes on a few minutes of the flick, and is really funny.
Jerry gets a shock of his life, make sure to watch this scene closely when they are both near the fence, and he becomes electrified, causing the tapes to erase. This is where the movie takes off and where we scene the ingenuity of the plot to take off. Sweded is a term they use in the movie that is what they do to make their own version. Like they are making fun of movies like Blair Witch where the viewers really love the new kind of flick.
There is a lot of scenes around Pasaic NJ, although a farce, it is a movie about community and pokes fun of the big movie makers who take things like this way too seriously. Glover does an admirable job as a supporting actor as does Mia Farrow. There are some new faces as well and Jack Black is very funny although somewhat silly at times. The making of the last movie is a lot of fun and fast moving and it brings a lot of the plot together.
If you are looking for a light evening that is really just fun, this is worth it. So, sit back and relax and watch as Passaic NJ gets Sweded.
Movie Review: A tribute to the youtube generation coming from 35mm reels! Forget the production values, this is humanity daring to create!
Summary: 5 Stars
I've watched this movie the other night and just had to show it to my friends as well who loved it just as much.
This is so fresh in vibe, characters and most importantly spirit. It's an in your face criticism to the big corporations, the hollywood machine who does nothing more than recycle old themes, plot twists or dialogue from countless other lower common denominator flicks. What the big movie dinosaurs so often fail to understand is that you cannot reach the human heart or inspire our brain through statistics and market testing. This movie proves this fact fully in an inspiring, goofy but stylish and satirical response to this trend to "compute the human mind through statistics.
Humans aren't statistics and one unaltered vision - that doesn't fear what the audience might think of it, one that always focuses on the purity of its art and not the reactions from box offices or the frowns of people disliking its style or ideas - proves that we as humans CAN appreciate pure art and CAN love and relate to a concept one has and follows.
But perhaps what strikes me the most is that personally this movie makes me very quick to jump in its defense.
A movie you love is like a good friend. You know it has its flaws but you won't stand anyone criticizing it. THIS is what movies are about! THIS is what art is about!