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ZOHAN = GENIUS

By Zach Selwyn | June 5, 2008

Maybe it’s because I grew up Jewish – hearing about the massive dominance of the Israeli army… Maybe it’s because everybody told me it sucked… but I really, really really, really liked YOU DONT MESS WITH THE ZOHAN.

Normally, this is the kind of film I wouldn’t even Jew my way into by purchasing a senior citizen ticket from the theatre computer for 2 dollars less than regular price… Yet, after my viewing, a few thoughts came to mind…
Funny, stupid, humorous, full of gags, embarrassing moments and hummus… I thought this was the best comedy Ive seen all summer – and Ive seen Rainn Wilson do his best Jack Black in THE ROCKER, saw Steve Carrell do his best Jack Black in GET SMART and saw Jack Black do his best richard Grieco in Be Kind Rewind… (I know, not a summer comedy, but I finally saw it for free in my Philadelphia hotel room last week…)

Nobody had anything good to say about this film in the LA Times this week, but I say SCREW ALL CRITICS. I am not a fighter, I’m a lover… Of hummus and Sandler and Mossad and GOD DAMN! This is a stupid film that is brilliantly crafted and executed with old school Sandler charm and a perfectly cast over 35 role for an aging SNL alum… Sandler is still making a film a year, like Woody Allen, and recently they haven’t been exactly perfect (Although CHUCK AND LARRY and 50 First Dates balanced frivoulous humor and fantasy perfectly…) and since he is one of the few who can produce this type of material every 5 years, he should be commended.

I would be willing to take my relatives to another viewing of the Zohan.

But were buying Senior citizen tickets, of course…

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  1. Matt Sigur says:

    I thought Tuturro was hilarious. All in the all, the movie was better than the last eight movies Sandler’s done.
    Punch-Drunk Love and his comedies before Big Daddy are his watermark. Hopefully that Apatow.Sandler movie coming soon will be good!

  2. Michael Ferraro says:

    Hey Mark, let’s show some respect for the director of Shakes the Clown…

  3. Felix Vasquez Jr. says:

    “Not as much cash raking as “Kung Fu Panda,” though. Jack Black is the new Adam Sandler is the new Bobcat Goldthwait is the new Fatty Arbuckle is the new Aristotle…”

    Who starred in “River’s Edge” with Kevin Bacon!

    I WIN!

  4. Rory L. Aronsky says:

    “And it’s also a bit of a take from Jesus in “The Big Lebowski.””

    “That’s right, man. Nobody fucks with the Jesus.”

    Just had to.

  5. Mark Bell says:

    Not as much cash raking as “Kung Fu Panda,” though. Jack Black is the new Adam Sandler is the new Bobcat Goldthwait is the new Fatty Arbuckle is the new Aristotle…

  6. Felix Vasquez Jr. says:

    He’s not a rip off of Borat, I wouldn’t say that.

    Pete had it dead on when he described it as another one of his fish out of water, outsider makes good movies.

    And it’s also a bit of a take from Jesus in “The Big Lebowski.”

    Ah well, this movie will rake in cash by the barrels, anyway.

  7. Mark Bell says:

    “YES! F**K YOU TOO!”

    “Coming to America” kicks a*s…

  8. Rory L. Aronsky says:

    Oh, and Eddie Murphy in “Coming to America.”

  9. Rory L. Aronsky says:

    Considering that Zohan isn’t a journalist and isn’t really riling the populace with his lack of tact, which was a big part of “Borat,” not entirely. Only on the surface with a foreigner arriving in the country and affecting a few people. This goes back to Tom Hanks in “The Terminal,” Robin Williams in “Moscow on the Hudson” and probably others that I haven’t thought of.

  10. Matt Sorrento says:

    Zohan = Sandler trying to cash in on Borat

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