Clerks 2: The Passion of the Clerks, Welcome Back Sobered up Jason Mewes

[truepictures]

http://www.clerks2.com/

[speilburgh]

don't know what to say about this.. I worked on dogma. and know how much free press Kevin got because of the Catholic church and their hatred of the film. Could he be up to it again?

I'm a Christian, And I really liked the Passion of the Christ. For Kev to mock that? doesn't offend me.. but something just seems not right about it.

but I think offending people is what he always goes for. it IS a good marketing path to take.

[Rory L. Aronsky]

but I think offending people is what he always goes for. it IS a good marketing path to take.

From what I read so far on his side, he named it that because it's not only good marketing, but it makes people think about it for more than a second.

Reminds me of the story of Sony Pictures wanting to buy Albert Brooks' "Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World" only if he'd change the title and then backing down when he wouldn't, leaving Warner Independent Pictures to purchase it with title intact.

[iEatBrainMatter]

It also makes a potential audience think about what possible gags he could be up to in relation to the Passion of the Christ. Its smart marketing. I am way too open minded to not see it even if it may mock my religious beliefs. I'm cool with a little fun poking.

[Certex]

man, talk about a fucking overrated film...it's the first one, from back in the daze when Smith was kissing FT's ass. Let's see if we can guess the script or what will happen in the sequel (and feel free to join in):

"Man, I'm in my mid-30s and still working in a convenience store! Life sucks!"
"Suck some cock you motherfucking granny-cunt-molesting buttwad! You shoulda stayed in college!"
"Tell me something I don't know! I hate the people we serve! I coulda been somebody! Coulda been a contender! All the chicks left me and I now live alone and eat spam from a can and watch TV!"
"You cocknocking fudgemuncher! Jesus hates you and that's why you suck so much! (Some random 80s film reference here)"
"Fuck God! Fuck Catholicism! Only kidding! I'm a fundamentalist damaged Cat-ho-lick at heart! Explains my scatology! Sex sex sex sex sex homosexual repression I wanna suck Ben Affleck's cock! I hate my morbid obesity! I fuck my wife! It's amazing! A woman fucks me!"

Ummm...fuck it. Just my take on Smith and his films, take or leave it.

G.

[drsweetscience]

Jay: You should have joined a JV sports team, Fat Fuck. Now you have type-2 diabetes.

Silent Bob nods.

Jay: I'm fucked by all that time I wasted on comic books. Now I can barely function in the real world. I don't know how to build equity and avoid the capital gains tax.

Silent Bob reads a pamphlet for first-time home buyers.

Jay: I never even had a credit card, but I still got a credit score. But, even with a fixed rate mortgage I can't afford a fixer-upper in this city.

Silent Bob fills in the tables of his Roth IRA workbook.

Jay: The lenders want me to have cash on hand, but I been paying down debt because that is supposed to be worth more than liquid savings.

Silent Bob speaks: I went to college for 5 semesters, but I'm still paying off student loans after 15 years. On the other hand, everyone I know with a degree makes less than me. And I don't make as much as anyone with a trade or technical certification.

[rrfrankie]

To say that Kevin Smith eats shit gives shiteaters everywhere a bad name.

[truepictures]

To say that Kevin Smith eats shit gives shiteaters everywhere a bad name.

Well-founded argument there, hoss.

[Mark Bell]

"Suck some cock you motherfucking granny-cunt-molesting buttwad! You shoulda stayed in college!"
That's exactly what my parents said when I told them I was going to be a filmmaker...

Jay and Silent Bob IRA stuff and such...
Now that was pretty funny. Kudos.

Personally, I can't wait for the sequel. I was hestitant a year ago, when the news first broke, thinking it was a case of Godfather III-itis and worried that the creation of the sequel would somehow lessen the quality of the original, or its place in indie cinema history. I don't think I was alone in that gut-reaction, but I've been pretty pumped for a while now, especially with filming a few weeks away. The prospect of hearing O'Halloran and Anderson's voices verbally batting back and forth again... that's gold to me. Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back was fine for the re-visiting of the many characters, but I've always been more interested in what's going on with Dante and Randal than anyone else (well, Brodie from Mallrats is up there).

Yes, I am a very big fan of the short-lived cartoon series, and I'm a fan of Smith's work overall. Judge me if you will, but I'm one of those guys who goes to the Vulgarthon festivals, posts on his messageboard (and have been posting since 1996-97) and stands in line outside the Secret Stash for signings.

[Certex]

because Jersey Girl didn't do too well Smith feels the need to go back to his old cinematic haunts, where he can make a swift buck or two. At least Jason Mewes (of whom I am a big fan and am glad to see him sober again) gets to be back onscreen again, but the rest of it will be rubbish.

G.

[truepictures]

Smith acknowledges the shittiness of Jersey Girl and his other past failures on the video blog. He can openly criticize himself and that's the sign of a humble artist (who sells a ton of merch, but still, he has to make a buck somehow.)

[Certex]

He is rich and couldn't care less how he is perceived, but still likes piling up the cash. He was even slagging that Jay & Silent Bob film before it came out, knowing it was crap himself. He knows he is not a good filmmaker - never has been, never will be, and slags himself because it truly doesn't matter. He has made a mint from this crap and doesn't even care to hide it or wax lyrical about his 'art' because there is none. And never will be.

G.

[bizzlejig]

I would almost bet money that 11 years ago almost everyone who has posted to this thread was singing Smith's praises. But now that he's made a name for himself and has a few films behind him, you all feel the need to bash him and his work as if you or your work are any better.

Like it or not, Kevin Smith is talented. Granted, he may not be as talented with his visual storytelling, but the man has a way with words. His dialogue is always interesting, funny, sometimes quite literate, and very entertaining. He's no dummy.

Saying that he's not a real artist is rather short-sighted in my opinion. He is an artist. He creates art with his words. The way that you can look at any frame of a John Carpenter film and know almost instantly that Carpenter directed it is the same way you can listen to any of Smith's dialogue and know almost instantly that he wrote it.

He is very self-deprecating, which is the only point of contention I have with him, because I don't like that he feels the need to put down his own films just because people on forums do so or just because they don't make a billion dollars at the box office. He likes to say that he doesn't have a style, but he does. His style is his dialogue. And there are many, many people out there who enjoy his movies. Despite the fact that he puts down his own movies, I think he definitely realizes how big a following he has.

I, for one, enjoyed "Jersey Girl," and I'll tell you why. It showed that he could write something different. It showed a sense of maturity in his writing. And I applaud him for going out on a limb like that. He knew that it wasn't going to win him any points with the dick-and-fart-joke crowd. I love dick and fart jokes as much as anyone else, but I also recognize when someone puts something more of themselves into the film they're making, and I appreciate that.

I haven't seen any of the teasers for "Clerks 2" (I still have the ancient and ever-so-fucking-crappy dialup), but I would like to see the movie when it comes out. I have enjoyed Smith's films up to this point and will continue to support his future endeavors because I think he is a very entertaining individual. I worry about his head getting too big, but I still think he's talented enough as a writer and a speaker that I can overlook that.

I hate when snobby "film school students" go out of their way to trash someone who you know they used to idolize just because it's not "cool" to like that person anymore. And that really feels like what's going on with this thread. If you don't like the guy, fine. Stop watching his movies and go off and live your life. But if you feel the need to spend so much of your time writing posts to forums bashing the guy, then I think you're actually trying to cover up for the fact that you really do like the guy but it's just not the "in" thing right now to feel that way so you cover up your true feelings with abject and unfounded hatred and vitriol.

[Mark Bell]

However, I think you overshot things. Read through this thread again, and let me know where the "film school snobs" are and where the blatant hatred of Kevin exists. I mean, Certex has his opinions (and he's had time to form them), so that doesn't bother me in the least (because G deosn't care if people perceive him as "in" or no, if he dislikes Kevin and his films, it's for the exact reasons he posts and even if I disagree with a lot of it, I respect G). Beyond him, the only one with a negative word to say is rrfrankie, and he's just irrationally protective of shit-eaters (a truly under-protected group of people).

I would almost bet money that 11 years ago almost everyone who has posted to this thread was singing Smith's praises. But now that he's made a name for himself and has a few films behind him, you all feel the need to bash him and his work as if you or your work are any better.
Like I said, re-read. Your post is well-thought out but a bit wasted here, because we're not overly hostile to the guy. I have been, and still am, quite a big Kevin Smith fan.

I, for one, enjoyed "Jersey Girl," and I'll tell you why. It showed that he could write something different. It showed a sense of maturity in his writing. And I applaud him for going out on a limb like that. He knew that it wasn't going to win him any points with the dick-and-fart-joke crowd. I love dick and fart jokes as much as anyone else, but I also recognize when someone puts something more of themselves into the film they're making, and I appreciate that.
You would've really enjoyed the cut he showed at Vulgarthon. He put back all the Jennifer Lopez stuff he cut and... it made for a much better film. Lots of things that happen that weren't moments in the earlier cut made a lot more sense and I was pretty impressed with the Vulgarthon cut. I wasn't a fan of the theatrical cut, mainly because it didn't do anything for me. But the Vulgarthon cut... so much better.

I haven't seen any of the teasers for "Clerks 2" (I still have the ancient and ever-so-fucking-crappy dialup), but I would like to see the movie when it comes out.
The production office video blog clip they did like an oldies Hollywood newsreel is pretty hilarious. Plus, technically sound. I'm really enjoying the video blog so far.

I hate when snobby "film school students" go out of their way to trash someone who you know they used to idolize just because it's not "cool" to like that person anymore. And that really feels like what's going on with this thread.
Well, your feelings are wrong in this case. I know a lot of the people on this thread and I wouldn't characterize any of them as "snobby film school students" who care about what is or isn't cool to appreciate.

But if you feel the need to spend so much of your time writing posts to forums bashing the guy, then I think you're actually trying to cover up for the fact that you really do like the guy but it's just not the "in" thing right now to feel that way so you cover up your true feelings with abject and unfounded hatred and vitriol.
Dude, you're just off-base here. Take this post of yours to a board that truly despises and hates Kevin, because it's more necessary there. Here... most of us don't hate Kevin, and this thread is not a bashing thread at all. It's got some negative opinions in it, sure, but it ain't like all we're doing is badmouthing the guy. Re-read the thread.

[Certex]

I never sang Clerks's praises 11 years ago. I saw it and thought it was pretty crap. but I LOVED Jason Mewes in it, and, as I said and I MEANT, Mewes is the ONLY reason I watch Smith films. I only saw Jersey Girl cos it was in-flight and I couldn't escape, otherwise I never woulda bothered my backside seeing it.

Smith occasionally writes decent dialogue. Trouble with it is this: every character speaks with one voice, KEVIN'S voice, chattering inanely about misogyny or popular culture shit or literal shit, cos the man writes some of the dumbest, sickest, most pointlessly scatological dialogue the world has ever seen (well, heard). He always says something (yawn) 'shocking' too, like it's what's expected of him and he's being a regular, down-to-earth guy instead of a retarded, damaged asshole adolescent. He's a fucking bigmouth clown, pure and simple.

Saw him at some film festival or something recently, where he introduced Tenacious D onstage. He said there were "only ten dicks in the world I would suck, and I knocked off Affleck, so these two guys have two of the others." And I actually kinda-sorta-maybe believed him about his Affleck quote, cos he does come across as being a repressed homosexual misogynist a lot of the time who kisses Affleck's ass at every opportunity. Ever read Silent Bob Speaks (I wrote a review of it I might post in the book section of this site eventually)? I did, in the hope there would be some stuff about him talking about Jason Mewes. unfortunately, there was hardly any, and I was ultimately glad I bought it for 50c second-hand from a local library. But his rambling about fucking dogs (as if it's the height of wit to talk about bestiality) or his sex life with his wife (understand he wrote about their first sexual experience on a website already, which is creepy as fuck) is skincrawling misogynist and damaged and creepy.

I am no film student. I couldn't fucking care less what is 'in' or 'out'; never have done, never will do. I hate cool (NEVER been a cool person) and crap people think is cool, because most people are fucking herd-led morons who couldn't even tell you what a decent TV show was, let alone what's (sneer) 'cool'. I think for myself, form my own opinions, as revolutionary a concept as that may be in poser indie film fan land. And I have NEVER idolized Kevin Smith; there has never been anything worth idolizing, to me, about dick and weed and fart jokes.

And that's fucking well that.

G.

[Pirate Duck]

Hey G. I think you have an unhealthy obsession for Jason Mewes... Be careful!

[Certex]

I'm a fan of the man because he makes me laugh, is all, cos he's such an obnoxious wee shite in the films. I mean, when you look at the first scene where you see him in Clerks quoting Dennis Hopper in Blue Velvet ("I'LL FUCK ANYTHING THAT MOVES!"), you just KNOW that that's how he really is, or at least was back then (though the Blue Velvet line may well be a Smith popcult-referencing one), in real life, and you're seeing the real deal; reminded me of many people I have known back in my home town. Then he went crazy on drugs. Shame, cos he's a talented, funny wee shite. And of course the irony here is that Smith writes many of Mewes's lines (based on Mewes's own patter) so my ranting about his scatological dialogue is kinda piecemeal and poorly thought out. Fuck it.

(Sniggers with attitude)

Anybody remember this documentary they were making about his detox? Can't remember what it was called, but on the website for it many people just started posting about what a nut the director was, a con artist and a scumbag...and the doc just quietly disappeared. Shrug. But that's good, cos I would rather see the man funny and in decent health as opposed to sweating bullets and screaming and vomiting and going through heroin withdrawal symptoms. But that's just me; I'm weird that way. This site's very own Chris Gore says that Mewes (who was on Gore's movie quiz show on IFC) is kinda fried from doing too many drugs, so it'll be interesting to see what he is like in Clerks 2, which I will see purely because he's in it. And Kevin Smith will laugh all the way to the bank, knowing he has my money and lack of respect.

G.

[Mark Bell]

The few times I had met Mewes prior to his rehab he had been quite unresponsive. He was quiet, and it seemed like he was always a second away from falling asleep. When he did talk, it was kind of a mumble, and I remember wondering where the energetic, over-the-top Jason that had inspired the Jay character was. Not that I expected him to be on all the time, but it wasn't what I expected.

Since the rehab, however... Mewes is awesome. For one, he could beat the shit out of any of us he's in such insanely great shape. He's quicker with the words and he's got a manic energy that he didn't have the first few times I met him. Now he's not falling asleep, he's just changing his attention rapidly. Watch the Mallrats X Q & A. He's funny, he's energetic and it's great. A healthy Jason Mewes is a hilarious Jason Mewes.

[The Baron]

Fuck it. Kevin Smith's movies make me laugh. A lot. For me, that's the bottom line of comedy. Did I laugh a lot? If the answer is "yes," then I deem it good. I don't watch Smith's films looking for art. I watch for laughs.

Besides, art is where you find it.

I have seen neither The Passion of the Christ. nor Jersey Girl, and I don't plan to see them, simply because the subject matter of each film is of no interest to me.

Hmm... A sober Jay Mewes... I hope this won't be like musicians who get sober and suck. I know I wish Eric Clapton would start doing heroin again.

[truepictures]

I know I wish Eric Clapton would start doing heroin again.

Yeah, while you think it's the heroin that makes them talented, I think it's just the excitement of new art. When you first start creating something, it consumes you, it invigorates you. No artist could afford heroin when they started making music. They made it big sober, then got caught up in the partying and then got f'ed up on drugs.

I think drugless art is a beautiful thing and something to be sought after. When we say shit like we wish our favorite artists would go back to drugs so that they could restore their repertoire to the glory it used to one reach - it's not treating them with any type of respect or admiration. We're being selfish fucks who are responsible for their demise.

I know if I was Eric Clapton and just getting over my habit and coping with the loss I've faced in my life, after reading some statement like yours - or another fan - I'd just be super depressed.

Jason Mewes will continue to be funny because Kevin Smith will continue to write witty screenplays. I watched Jersey Girl and it didn't suck.

[El Duderino Diablo]

No artist could afford heroin when they started making music.

Actually, heroin's pretty cheap.

[The Baron]

We're being selfish fucks...

I've never claimed not to be. Actually, my favorite ways I've heard others describe me are: "high-handed, arrogant prick" and "morally bankrupt toadstool."

In actuality, I agree that it's not the drugs that produce the talent. However, more often than not, the drugs cause a relaxation of mental and emotional stress, which in turn allows the talent to flow.

Do I really want to see Clapton back on smack? No. I was making a joke. At the same time, IMO, he's done nothing worth listening to since he got clean. (Unlike Lou Reed, who has continued to produce art, regardless of his sobriety.)

And yeah, heroin is really cheap. At least black tar is. China white's still pricey.