I don't go to the movies much.
I enjoy movies, I just don't enjoy the theater experience.
Why pay top dollar to sit in a crowded cinema with chatty teens and people noisily crunching popcorn and nachos when I can buy or rent the DVD for less and enjoy the peacefulness and comfort of my home theatre.
I choose to go to the Metrolux today in order to get a glimpse of An American Carol
The movie is a David Zucker project. You'll know Zucker as one-half of the Airplane team.
I knew the movie would be silly going into it, and that was fine with me. With things the way they are in our political climate, it is definitely time for a little silliness.
The movie is interesting on several levels.
First of all, the storyline focuses on an anti-American film-maker named Michael Malone. There's no mistake that Kevin Farley's portrayal of Malone is a direct hit on Michael Moore. And there's no doubt that Zucker has taken on all the sacred cows of the left with a no-holds-barred approach whose lines cross from humor to sad truth all-to-often.
In the film, Arab terrorists are seeking out someone that hates America as much as they do to carry out a deadly plot to blow up Madison Square Garden during a Trace Adkins concert. They encounter Farley who is perfectly cast as Malone.
In one of the opening scenes we see Malone pontificating on the wonder of health care in Cuba as he stands outside a clinic where "common people" are treated like cattle and the truly sick are shot. He criticizes the American health care system and announces that it is time for him to head back to the U.S. When he does, the Cubans see his boat and race to get on it eager to come to our fine country. Malone beats them off the boat with an oar, a frying pan and whatever else he can get his hands on. Funny stuff.
Malone decides he is going to put a stop to the 4th of July, and on the eve of the date while watching JFK give a speech on television, Kennedy steps out of the screen to lecture Malone on his ways, reminiscent of Jacob Marley in Dickens' classic. He slaps Malone for his ignorance and indicates he is to be visited by three spirits. You get the gist.
Second, because the film has an agenda to mock Moore and the inane policies of the left, the cast is packed with conservative Hollywood stars (Oxymoron?) who undoubtedly risked alienation for daring to be a part of the project.
From slapstick king Leslie Neilsen as the grandfatherly storyteller and Kelsey Grammar as Gen. George Patton to cameos from Jon Voight as George Washington and Gary Coleman as a slave on Malone's plantation, the film is packed with stars who could care less what the Hollywood nutjobs think. And they are the first to call their fellow actors by this name. Don't blame me.
But most importantly, I was amazed how a silly slapstick film could bring home such salient points and inspire an audience.
The theatre was virtually packed and you could audibly hear people's reactions when the truth was spoken about the ACLU, the liberal media and the state of our nation's Universities. People are fed up with having liberalism forced down their throats. They know that Moore's films are barely documentaries, but instead are politically-driven fictionaries featuring major distortions and outright lies created to drive home a point that doesn't exist.
There are some classic scenes, such as the ACLU appearing as zombies in Dennis Hopper's courtroom. He pulls out his shotgun and blows them away as they try to rip The Ten Commandments from the wall. Malone is repeatedly slapped by those he encounters, including Bill O' Reilly who slaps him just because he enjoys it. And let's face it. There wasn't a person in the theatre who didn't feel the same way about Michael Moore. We just want to slap his stupid face silly. So I guess you can say it was a cathartic experience!
As cinema, An American Carol is not one for the books.
But as a much-needed voice for a majority of the country that is fed-up with liberalism and a leftist Hollywood who gives us little more than liberal propoganda disguised as entertainment, it is nice to see patriotism represented in a way that reminds us why we are proud to be Americans.
Yes, it is over the top.
But so is Barney Frank, Harry Reid, Hilary Clinton, Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi. Way over the top.
And yes, it lumps people together.
But isn't that what we always get from the democrats and mainstream media?
It's a comedy. But all humor must be based in reality in order to be funny.
The people in the theatre got it. The laughs were plenty, and I could swear I heard an "amen" at one point.
I know the critics will pan this film. They will skewer it. In their typical liberal humorless hatred, they will despise this portrayal of their ilk.
And you know what? It doesn't matter.
Don't misunderstand me. I have friends who are liberals. And they have good intentions. Very few people actually hate America the way Michael Moore does. (If you doubt that fact, go rent Michael Moore Hates America, in which a very fair documentarian makes the case quite persuasively... and without tricky editing.) It is liberal policy that I believe is damaging and just plain wrong for our country.
I applaud Zucker and the actors who participated in this film. Thanks for providing a few laughs and for reminding us that we are not alone. America is still the greatest country on the face of the earth.
It's Del.icio.us!
Furl It!
October 3, 2008 11:46 PM
Thanks for the review, Joel. I usually avoid theatres for the same reasons you do, but I've been looking forward to this movie for a while and may have to go see it, plus it would be great if it beats Bill Maher's anti-religion movie at the box office.
October 4, 2008 06:59 AM
Thank God I'm not alone! I'm an artist and surrounded by die-hard lefties who "only care about a bleeding crowd" but "how about a bleeding friend?" (lyrics from "Hair") My own artist son disowned me because I voted for George Bush in '04 and he hasn't talked to me since. I'm 66 and my liberal years have revealed to me that this left-wing political philosophy is either tauted for "show", exhaulted because of personal guilt, embraced by many of those whose lives are subsidized by someone else's money or simply adopted by peer pressure (and ignorance). Sure, those are "sweeping statements" but I'm a caricature artist and that's what I do - so this movie really hit a homerun for me! It was a conservative political cartoon which will infuriate the other side and do what political cartoons do - challenge the Talking Heads and invoke independent thought! I never go to the theater but wanted to support this effort. My daughter and I were the only ones at the matinee (Ohio) so we missed the "amens" enjoyed by Joel's experience. The caricatures of "MoveOver.org," the ACLU and Hollywood were nailed! And the Rosie O'Donnell portrait was more realistic than a cartoon - "fine art!" For those of you who have followed politics for the past 4 years, you may recognize other characters who spice up this rich, flavorful stew - like Barbara Walters and Cindy Sheehan (my guesses... don't know for sure). But like a multidimensional VanGogh painting, the viewer's mind and eye will either add richness to his experience, or will naively pass it off as scribble. Thank you David Zucker for having the courage to publish this political cartoon and challenge the Army of the Left! (I pray you're not shot for it!). I hope the silent majority will go to their local theaters and support this revolutionary effort!
October 4, 2008 03:49 PM
I'm going to see Religulous tonight. It's going to be hilarious, I can already tell.
I watch this flick when it comes out on video.
October 5, 2008 08:21 PM
Wow, thank you Joel Comm. My level of admiration and respect for you just went up 1000%. You now have a customer for life.