Napoleon Dynamite
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Movie Reviews of Napoleon Dynamite
Movie Review: My first thought; "This sucks." In 30 minutes, my favorite!
Summary: 5 Stars
I did not watch Napoleon Dynamite until it came out on DVD. The first words out of Napoleon's mouth in response to a question about what he's going to do that day were, "I'll do whatever I want to do. Gosh!" Then he proceeds to throw an action figure out the window of the school bus tied to a piece of string. My brothers-in-law who had already seen the movie repeated the line and then all started laughing hysterically when he threw the GI Joe out the window. I said to myself, "This is stupid." My wife muttered to me, "I can't believe we're wasting out time watching this."
Then you start to realize that the stupider the movie got, the funnier everybody who had seen it thought it was. By about twenty minutes in, I started laughing out loud. By the end of the DVD, I started watching it again and found myself repeated the lines. Now, three weeks later, I find that Napoleon Dynamite's "dorky," "geeky," "nerdy," and all the other adjectives that reviewers have used to describe him have become part of my vocabulary. My wife and I regularly find ourselves responding to each other like Pedro, "Yes," "No," "Build her a cake or something," and "Is she hot?" We mutter, "Idiot," "Freakin' idiot," "Lucky," Gosh," "This is pretty much the worst video ever made," "What kind of gun did you use; A freakin' 12 gauge, what do you think?" "I already made like infinity of those," "I see you're drinking 1%. Is that 'cause you think you're fat? Because you're not. You could be drinking whole if you wanted to," "I'm so T.O. [ticked off]", "Sweet," "Yessss..." ""Come get your dinner you fat lard," "My lips hurt real bad," and many others.
This movie is great because it really is a waste of time and is a story about nothing and the producers acknowledge it. There is nothing amazing about the cinematography; the amateurishness of it adds to the humor. This has already become a cult classic for good reason. It's popularity will only grow. This is certainly one of my favorite movies I've ever seen, although I'm not sure I could ever describe to you the reason why.
Movie Review: Been there, done that
Summary: 5 Stars
As someone who has been to Preston Idaho, has a good friend from there (who is currently in Afghanistan), and currently lives in Utah, (but went to High School in semi-rural Massachusetts, class of 84), this movie moved me quite a bit. I won't say I was a Napoleon in school, but the situations, and the characters, should be familiar to anyone who went to a small town high school. While it does not have a plot in a normal literary sense, it very definitely has a meaning. It is a humorous, subtle, revenge of the nerds. Everyone who was not a jock or cool dude in High School can probably relate and enjoy.
For those people who are confused about the setting of the movie -- it is in the current time, probably 2004 (in the opening credits the HS ID card is labeled 2004-2005). This is "small town", and in Idaho, where, like Utah, trends take 10 years to show up from the West or East coast. The everage student at Preston High in the movie looks like they are from the current age -- Napoleon, who seems to shop at the local "DI" (Deseret Industries -- Idaho, Utah, NV, Arizona thrift store chain), like many people in small towns who don't have lots of funds, probably do -- looks like the 80s some of the time because of his economic "class" which leads to his choice of stores to shop at (see above).
All the "Flip", "Fetch", "Sweet" and such words bring a smile to anyone who has lived in Idaho or Utah. There is a "local" feel but excepting some of the Idaho/Utah culture that sometimes shines through, this could have been set in Indiana or Nebraska or Iowa or anywhere else with small rural towns.
I thought it was great. My brother back in New Hampshire thought it was funny, but probably would have given it 3 stars. My wife, who is from Japan, left after the first 30 minutes -- she doesn't have the cultural background to relate at all...
The last scene of the movie, with the dodgeball, brought it all to a touching conclusion for me. In their own ways, the geeks or nerds find friendship and "love" as well...
Movie Review: Soooo FUNNY!!!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
I loved this film. It is funny like the mainstream films try to be but usually don't live up to. Its got some really gross parts to so watch out. Every scene is laugh out loud. I was laughing so hard I was crying. It also has a really good theme. The minority actually gets the upper hand by using creativity, not giving up and still being themselves. The actors were absolutely outstanding! The story is fresh and original without the cliches that seem unending in many films. Napoleon is a boy in high school who would be considered a nerd. He is different because normally the nerd cliche would be to not stand up for yourself but Napoleon has a temper and isn't afraid to speak out for himself. Its just that he does it so funnily. Napoleon is not the only funny character, the film just overflows with creative characters, his brother who is 34, still living with grandma who cooks steaks all the time. He is also nerdlike and possibly slow. But he is so funny, he wants to be a karate fighter, he and Napoleon get into a slap fight, its just hilarious. The brother has a girlfriend he meets on the internet, who shows up and changes the brother into Mr. Cool, but it just isn't possible. The Uncle is Uncle Rico who loves football and is stuck in the 80's. He wants to go back and play in the 4th quarter and become a pro, which he didn't get to do. He buys a time machine on the net, another lol scene. Pedro is from Juarez, Mexico who gives a deadpan performance. His acting alone makes the movie a winner. He decides to run for president against the most popular girl in school. He never gives up and neither does Napoleon. Napoleon's love interest switches to Mel who is also another interesting character. Into photography and also somewhat nerdy. She is played by Tina Majorano (sp.) She was that little girl in When a Man Loves a Woman. Another great performance. I can't say enough about the film. I think most ages would like this film, there is some cussing and some gross out scenes, no sex. Go see it!Lisa Nary
Movie Review: My son's FAV, next to Donnie Darko - a HOOT
Summary: 5 Stars
5 stars just cause, I wanna...
This movie was recommended to me by my son. So, I finally got it and watched it. WOW. wicked cool. Funny, interesting, insightful.
My son, the Marine, over in Iraq, he loves this movie, and I must agree. This is something! Don't you just get tired of the run of the mill, cranked out Hollywood spatter, that we are suppose to rave over, even if we know in our hearts that it's not that great?
Well, then, this is a breath of fresh air!
The kid, Napoleon, played by Jon Heder, is about as ugly a kid as you'll ever meet. Not terribley bright either. But, there is something loveable about him. Maybe it's the "Me" in him. He is me, he is you, he represents all of our insecurities, faults, dreams that go unfulfilled. We all blunder, we all blow it, we all have dreams that get poo pooed by a family member or friend. We pretend that it doesn't bother us. but, I think it does.
Napoleon embodies all our fears and hopes. that is what makes him so special. His idiot-ness is out, in plane sight, for all to see. we laugh, but we FEEL him, and FEEL his pain. His family, brother, and uncle, are an extension of his painful dumb-assedness. they are a hoot! but, in a way that is embarrassing. like an uncle that is so absurd, you hope your friends don't come over when he's there, because you will be embarrassed by him.
Life isn't all pretty, and we don't all look like Paris or Brittany or Tom or Leonardo.. life is cruel. life is hard. And most all of us can relate to Napoleon. Great acting, great humor. Great humor with a straight face. And great dancing at the end. Which reminds me, I enjoyed his friend, the Mexican kid, can't remember his name. Good on him too!
My dear man, Norman, laughed his bum off (can i say ass?) He liked it too.
It's a slice of real life, that's what makes it great.
thank you, son, be safe.
Movie Review: "Revenge of the Nerds" for the new generation
Summary: 5 Stars
Easily the latest cult classic.
I must admit, when I first heard of this movie I had no idea it even existed! Upon
watching the trailer on television some few days later, I was literally in stitches on the floor. Just the look of Napoleon's face ("You better watch it; it's the greatest movie ever" or something like that) was enough to send me into hysterical laughter.
It's plotless; completly pointless, I am totally admitting. But the way it revolves around Napoleon's strange and twisted life, from his stay-at-home, Internet-obsessed older brother to his out-and-about grandmother and his living-in-the-past uncle (1982? Need I say more?), I found myself not looking for a plot. Simply observing the way they lived and engaged with other people was so hysterical I didn't even think of a plot (save for Pedro's race against Summer).
Napoleon Dynamite is confusing. It has a kind of dry humor that I haven't really seen in many other kinds of films. Personally, Napoleon wasn't the easiest character to love; he often barked at family members and randomly expected people to do orders for him (which is later explained in the DVD commentary), but in the end I found myself rooting for Napoleon as he won over his school during Pedro's skit.
Before I end, I'd like to personally address reviewer Donna who totally criticised the movie over the Mexican "racism." I am Mexican and found absolutely nothing offensive. It appears to me that you don't watch absolutely any TV since that is how most Mexicans are portrayed and while I don't act like that at all, I do know many who do just like in the movie(s). This movie isn't trying to make a point. It's just trying to be funny; it's not trying to piss anybody off.
I highly recommened this film. While some may not immediately understand the film's rather dry sense of humor, those who do take part in it will eventually see it and find themselves laughing all the way.