Posted by QuickStopRegular at kipa2pp25.alltel.net on August 24, 2001 at 02:58:53:
This is a post to simply congradulate Kevin on. I work at a movie theater and mere hours ago I was given privelage to seeing his new flick, and you all know the one. Let me go on record that Kev leaves his everpresent alter ego and hetero lifemate in the past with great grace, heart, and emotion, it's just bundled up into Kev's classic dick & fart dialogue. I will admit when I heard about View Askew 5 and How he would revisit all his old characters and some new ones I thought it would be a jumbled mess in the form of an ensemble picture. I saw the complete opposite. With J & SB in their last picture, Kev realized he could have a lot of fun with all the talented friends he has made over the last four pictures (And finally given liscense to a bigger budget, he could actually get them all.) and also invents some fresh faces to stir things up. I know Kev reads these and if you think my opinions are longwinded then, Fuck You, Don't read it. Jay has come along as an actor remarkably since hassling O'Holloran and eating sugar, I saw the biggest change in Dogma, he knew he had a full role to undertake and really pulled it off. Not just Jay but Kevin too has flexed his underappreciated acting muscle. He has learned to use his semi-muteness to show a lot of great face and had gestures that rivals him with Chaplin, and when he speaks, he nails it, period. I can't touch on everything I liked but I'll give you the what I can (Kev, This is all for you).
#1 Cameos - As I said before, Kev put a lot of familiar faces in the flick but he didn't dwell on them, he puts them just the right scene for just the right time. Personally I wish Carlin had met Kev before Clerks because they would be a dreamteam in brash humor. Affleck and Damon seem to really enjoy poking fun at themselves and Good Will, and the Chasing Amy twang theme was a nice touch. Lee is stellar as always (Chasing Amy's Jason Lee that is) stealing ever scene he's in with scruffy grace and his million $ smile. I got a kick out of a certain sherrif removing his glasses and revealing his true Identity: 80's bad boy Judd Nelson. Best of all was the B&C premiere letout, which allowed Kev to throw in a number of great characters for some explosive one-liners. (listen to the last thing Hooper says :)And I loved watching Dawson and PieFucker bash their own stereotypes.
p.s. Watch for Mosier, Walt, and Bryan playin their popular joyous alter egos at the end of the flick
#2 Characterization - With all these parts it's easy to let characters become 2D and too similar. But Kevin's muscle lies in his writing. He developes his character, even new ones with cameos, his razor sharp percision. I am wondering though, with Will Ferrel in the flick, did Kev lighten up more in his anti-improv code. I think the freshman characters deserve a bow. Seann Scott, Carlin, Rock, and Ferrel took a great role and brought it to life, even if it was brief.
#3 Summing Up the View Askewniverse - Kev, moving out from behind the trenchcoat upsets us all, but you retorted with the dirtiest and most outrageous thank you known I've ever seen to your fans with this movie. You've grown up through your flicks from black and white dick jokes to technicolor fart jokes and we love you for it. For any undeserved abuse you've taken from critics it hasn't affected your madcap dialogue or your delightfully cynical personality and with that I sigh in relief that you made one last flick with the Jersey boys for our pleasure and the Critic's pain. Keep doin what you do best, I hope this flick is the blockbuster that you deserve, but either way if the fans like it then mission accomplished.
Your eternal Devotee who finally sat down to type a message on your board,
Sean