gbheron

When I rented Buena Vista Social Club I didn't have any appreciation for the type of music played by the Club; I still don't know what it's called. I rented the movie because I'm a Ry Cooder fan, and have seen some Wim Wenders' movies I liked. I wasn't expecting much, but the result is that I've just seen one of the best documentaries in my life. The premise is very simple, it's all about the old musicians and the wonderful music they make. You get to visit their modest homes, hang out in their neighborhoods, and listen to their music. Nothing more than that, but done so well, so effortlessly, you wish you could step through the screen and join them. I would recommend this film to anyone.

Junior High must be the tenth circle of Hell. How do any of us scrawny, not-cool geeks survive it? Perhaps we don't, and all our adult neurosis trace back to 7th grade homeroom and not Mom after all.

Not convinced? Watch Welcome to the Dollhouse and relive Hell.

Dawn Wiener is the protagonist, an awkward 7th grader who is put-upon by everyone from her family to schoolmates. She suffers a multitude of insults, all too small to register with adults who could help, but which inflict a thousand darts to her soul. The movie made me cringe, unearthing long suppressed memories of adolescent cruelties and torment at the hands of bullies. Is this entertainment? Absolutely, Todd Solondz did an admirable job in his freshman movie.

I'm not hip anymore, if I ever was. But in my teens I sure was a dopey, foul-mouthed, slacker and relying on the memories of that experience I can understand the appeal of JSBSB. That squirrelly demographic surely has to be Ken Smith's target audience, he's sure not shooting for the Merchant/Ivory crowd. That said then, does he hit his intended targets?

Yes, but not nearly enough of the time. What is essentially sketch comedy is forced into a (dumb) linear plot and stretched out far too long. Jay and Silent Bob could thrive within the confines of a 30-minute TV program, albeit it would have to be on cable. But trying to tell a movie-length story? Nope. There are some very funny bits, but plenty more time is spent on trying to establish a narrative arc that just isn't there. It didn't work.