Movies!

Sue and I made our first foray out to the movies today. We went to a theater in Secaucus, I believe it's at Harmon Meadows, right off of Route 3, about 15 minutes from campus. We saw Clerks II, the new Kevin Smith movie.

I really do have a general infatuation, as many in my generation do, with Kevin Smith movies. I mentioned the other day about Brian and I seeing Clerks for the first time in Boston, at the BU theater. Part of the mystique was that the films were made in New Jersey, and Monmouth County to boot!

I was thrilled a few years ago, going to visit my cousin in Leonardo, that I passed right by the Quick Stop. I was glad I finally found it...

Secondly, Clerks, and the following films, really nailed the attitude of my circle of friends. Did we speak in extended monologues on all subjects related to sex, Star Wars, and other idiots around us? Well, maybe not in monologues, but we did talk about it all...

What I think keeps me coming back to Kevin Smith films is that he really gets male/guy friendships. The heart of so many of his films revolves around two friends dealing with whatever is going on in their lives in the immediate moment. Clerks II continues to mine that vein, and continues to work for me as a viewer on a personal level.

There's a scene in the film where Randall and Dante go to ride the go-carts, perhaps in Keansburg. That was my mental image of where they went, even if it wasn't the actual location. It was a great moment, and what hit me, and probably most people in their 30's watching the movie, was Randall's converation with Dante afterwards, where Randall talked of the go-carts for him representing a more innocent time, when there was hope for the future.

Perhaps a bit overwrought, but it worked for me. I remember, as a kid, my grandmother taking my brother and I to Keansburg one day, and I think we managed to convince her to let us ride the go-carts. What's funny is that I don't remember if we actually rode the carts, but I remember the convincing. I *think* we managed it, but I couldn't bet money on it. We all have moments that we remember fondly, even if we don't remember all the details, and that's one of mine.

Of course, there's a lot of inappropriate humor in the film, and one totally great segment talking about trolls that live in odd places. Fantastic stuff. The Star Wars and LOTR references were actually pretty focused in one scene, much like the original film. A good cameo from Jason Lee, and Jay does a good "Silence of the Lambs" reference... Komedy!

It's something I'd love to see again, but I don't know if I'll get to see it in the theaters in this summer. Of course, it'll be a DVD I get. No doubt.

NP: Mike Keneally - Here Is What I Dreamed