where: EDWARDS FAIRFIELD STADIUM 16 in Fairfield, CA
when: Saturday, June 20th, 2009
show: 9:45 pm
auditorium: 4
seat: 3rd row, 7th column
This movie is about an incompetent hunter, Zed (Jack Black), and an effeminate gatherer, Oh (Michael Cera), who are forced to leave their tribe and embark on what is to become "The Father of All Road Trips" after Zed eats a fruit--which looks like a LITERAL Golden Delicious Apple-- from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. They soon meet up and interact with Biblical characters in the persons of Adam, Cain, Abel, Abraham and Isaac in a Time-Warp sort of way. (Strangely enough, Lilith is mentioned but not Eve. Go figure ....)
Meanwhile, the rest of their tribe is overrun by a competing tribe and then is sold into slavery.
Both parties meet up again in Sodom for the climactic battle between good and evil when the respective objects of Zed and Oh's affection are chosen to become virgin sacrifices to appease the pagan god and give the drought-striken land much needed rain.
noteworthy scene: The scene wherein Abraham "invents" circumcision is a very funny one.
who? Is that Adrien Brody doing a cameo in an un-credited role as the royal advisor? The nose looks familiar. But I don't think that I saw his name listed in the ending credits.
audience reaction: The audience laughed through-out the movie.
recommendation: This comedy is a must-see for atheists, agnostics, and rebellious teens. Otherwise, stay away.
spoiler alert! Although this movie is played for laughs, it is a subtle form of anti-Semitism with its skewed presentation of Old Testament accounts meant to challenge tradition and perhaps incite anarchy.
What's next for this Dumb-namic Duo: A road-trip into New Testament times? Yes, I see it now: They're hanging-out with Jesus Christ at the crucifixion--O Lord! what is the passionate Mel Gibson gonna say about this?
fyi: On the whole, religious Jews and Christians (and perhaps Muslims) will find this as offensive, if not more so, as how last year's THE LOVE GURU, by Mike Myers, was to adherents of Hinduism.
word of advice: For the reason stated immediately above, you may want to skip this one. But if you do decide to go see this movie, make sure that you're not eating anything when Zed picks up something off the ground for a closer look and further ANALysis (a barf-bag alert in the making?).
tidbits: I remember the day of my circumcision very well. A beautiful nurse came in and started "prepping" me for surgery, and I was sheepishly enjoying it. But, then, the doctor walked in--and my penis tried to hide from him because it sensed what was about to happen. Hey! circumcision is no laughing matter. It wasn't to me when I was circumcised before my 12th (?) birthday on Philippine Independence Day--the anesthetic didn't work (surgery is not the time to use a placebo on a helpless patient); and the damn doctor took his time ( I think because the beautiful nurse was his girlfriend ) and still didn't do it quite right! Yep, while the rest of the country celebrates its independence, I observe a somber memorial dedicated to my liberation from my own foreskin! My parents sure displayed a sadistically crazy sense of humor in picking that particular day of the year. But I ain't laughing!
I walked out of that surgery room trying to look dignified despite the fact that I was just tortured. But my little brother, who also was circumcised alongside me, was crying the whole time and holding the crotch area of his pants away from his painful penis. My cover was blown. I just wanted to turn around and kick my brother in the balls!
I walked out of that surgery room trying to look dignified despite the fact that I was just tortured. But my little brother, who also was circumcised alongside me, was crying the whole time and holding the crotch area of his pants away from his painful penis. My cover was blown. I just wanted to turn around and kick my brother in the balls!
