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Yoga Hosers
Hello MoFo’s! It is time again for another edition of At the Theater with The Gunslinger45. Been a long while since I posted a review. This is for various reasons: work, busy working over time, work, it is harder for me to get out to the movies, work, I have rewatching all 6 seasons of Game of Thrones, work, I have started to read the Game of Thrones books, and yeah also work. But another big reason is that for the past few months, the releases of summer movies I wanted to see have either been very few and far between or the flick just doesn’t inspire me to write. I mean I liked Sausage Party, but nothing I needed to write more than a paragraph on. But tonight is different. I just got back from seeing the latest movie from my FAVORITE DIRECTOR … not named Martin Scorsese. KEVIN SMITH! Kevin Smith has been a director near and dear to my heart ever since I was a teenager; a man whose movies helped shape my sense of humor and was to my teenage years what Spielberg, Lucas and Disney were to my childhood. I remember first falling in love with his work when he made a little film called Dogma. That was about 16 years ago, about the same time a certain Harley Quinn Smith was born. Harley Quinn Smith is Kevin’s daughter and the star of this little movie along with her real life BFF Lily Rose Depp. Both Lily and Harley had minor roles as two convenience store clerks (shocker right?) in a little film called Tusk. Kevin Smith loved the scenes where the two girls were playing off each other so much that he wanted to make a movie about those characters. And somehow he secured funding and got Johnny Depp to come back to reprise his role from Tusk. And much like with Tusk, I am pretty sure Smith wrote this while he was high. How so? Well let me tell you. Grab a mat, don some yoga pants, and engage the downward dog, as we look at YOGA HOSERS!
The movie is about two 15 year old high school girls who are addicted to their phones, obsessed with yoga, work in a convenience store, and foil a decades old plot set forth by Canadian fascists involving cloning and Nazi Bratwurst. That is the plot. I think you can see where the weed came in. Remember, the last movie this man made involved Michael Parks turning Justin Long into a walrus. A film I really liked. As such, I am sure you can guess I really dug this flick too. The plot is weird in idea, but was excellent in execution. The chemistry between Lily and Harley was fantastic. Which makes sense; the two have been close friends since kindergarten. On top of the excellent chemistry, they acted just like teenagers. Which might be weird to hear, but let’s face it how many times have we seen child or teen actor playing a role where they are supposed to be kids or teens, and sound like tiny adults? Here they felt like teenage girls. And Kevin got a good cast of people around the girls to make the flick feel fleshed out. Aside from a few issues that make some production values seem a little low end (namely some green screen effects), this is a really fun and enjoyable movie. So yeah, I really liked this movie. And thankfully so did my girlfriend, otherwise date night would have gone to hell.
Now normally I go into a lot more detail with the pros and cons of the flick. But I want to do something different with this movie. I bought the tickets ahead of time before me and my lady went to the theater. It was a special FATHOM event where it was a mini premiere party. In such party there would be a live feed of Harley Quinn and Kevin Smith at the Jersey Yoga Hosers premiere and would give an exclusive intro to the movie. So I felt it best to secure our seats ahead of time. As it turns out that was not needed, as me and the girlfriend were the only people in the damn theater. And I started to have flashbacks to Tusk. Needless to say, I don’t think this will be making Zootopia money. So instead of a pros and cons, I will instead do a list of reasons why you should see this movie and support the film, and a list of reasons why you might want to pass on this flick.
People who should see this movie:
Kevin Smith Fans: Yeah I know this seems kinda obvious, but yeah, if you like Kevin Smith flicks, this is worth a shot.
If you liked Tusk: Kevin has admittedly taken a very different path recently then he has with his previous works. Red State and Tusk were both horror movies with dark senses of humor. And while this does have some elements of horror and is certainly unique like Tusk, this film has a heavier focus on the comedy. But if you like the direction Kevin is going with his flicks these days, then this will be up your alley.
If you like to see films with strong female leads save the day: In this flick we have to strong willed teenage girls who find themselves in a messed up situation and are the only ones equipped to save Winnipeg. If you are one of the people who demand that we see women headline more movies, then start by supporting this one!
If you miss practical monster effects: Sure there is some CGI in the flick (namely to make the Bratzi’s a foot tall), but the monster effects are all rubber and prosthetics. It is a movie where heavy prosthetic make up was applied to Kevin Smith to turn him into a walking Bratwurst Nazi dressed in tiny RCMP cloths and a WWI Keiser style pointed helmet.
If you like movies that are tongue in cheek: We all have seen movies that are over the top and ridiculous. Movies whose premise is kinda silly, but they know it is too and have fun with the flick. Whether it be in flicks like The Hangover, Hot Shot, or the like. This is basically one of those flicks. Sit back and have some fun with a movie that you know will be silly, but the cast had a blast making.
If you are tired of seeing the same movie over and over: Let’s face it, you don’t see films like this made very often. Or at all.
If you prefer to see a film with less cursing in it: Surprisingly enough, there is not a whole lot of cursing in the flick. Now there is some crude humor, but NOWHERE near usual Kevin Smith fair. Smith kept it PG-13. He said the flick is targeted towards teenage girls anyways.
If you wanted to see what a John Hughes / John Carpenter co-production would look like: The best comparison I can make really. All teenage drama of a John Hughes flick paired up with all the fun, practical effects, and out there premise of Big Trouble in Little China.
If you listen to Hollywood Babble-On regularly: Director Kevin Smith is also a huge podcaster as well as director. And one of said podcasts is called Hollywood Babble On that he co-hosts with LA based radio host and character actor Ralph Garmin. And several jokes or bits in the flick can be pulled straight from the podcast. Including Ralph’s impressions, and the two very over the top and silly German accents used by Kevin and Ralph. They basically are doing their German shtick from the podcast.
Well there are my reasons to see the movie, but how about the counter point? Here are some reasons you might not want to see the movie:
If you hate Kevin Smith and or hated Tusk: See points one and two from the other list, reverse the logic and apply.
You can’t get past the premise: Yeah, the movie is very weird. If you can’t get past that premise or are not into weird movies, sit this one out.
You are a very serious and or inflexible cinephile: Let’s face it; this flick is weird and silly. And aside from it being Kevin’s own way of dealing with and coming to terms with the critical reception of Tusk, there is not a whole lot of symbolism to the flick. There is no deeper meaning to the Nazi bratwurst, it is not an allegory to some social condition, and it sure as hell ain’t going to be up for any awards. Not even the MTV Awards. If this film just seems “beneath” you, pass.
If you don’t like jokes about Canadians: Kevin Smith is a big fan of Canada. So much so he is setting three movies in the Great White North. But this flick presents a very… cartoonish version of Canada. Lots of jokes about pronunciations, like how they say Zed instead of Zee for the letter Z, “aboot” instead of about, and other such Canadian stereotypes. If you are Canadian and find such jokes upsetting, just remember, it is just a movie. And one that most likely will be seen by very few people in theaters.
There are probably more reason’s I could think of not to see the flick, but these cover the biggest issues one might have.
So yeah, I really dug the flick. But also I am a huge Kevin Smith fan, and enjoy his recent work as well as his classics. So naturally I was going to enjoy it. But I think I got a pretty good list of reasons someone might or might not want to see the flick. Give it a look over and check it out. If not in the theater, there is always NetFlix. Lord knows it would not be the first time a Kevin Smith movie found its audience on home video release. Looking at you Mallrats. And if you are unsure about the movie because of the critics, just remember: the critics gave The Blair Witch Project overwhelming praise when it was released, and the remake is sitting at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes right now.
Critics are dumb. I say take a chance on Yoga Hosers.
Yoga Hosers
Hello MoFo’s! It is time again for another edition of At the Theater with The Gunslinger45. Been a long while since I posted a review. This is for various reasons: work, busy working over time, work, it is harder for me to get out to the movies, work, I have rewatching all 6 seasons of Game of Thrones, work, I have started to read the Game of Thrones books, and yeah also work. But another big reason is that for the past few months, the releases of summer movies I wanted to see have either been very few and far between or the flick just doesn’t inspire me to write. I mean I liked Sausage Party, but nothing I needed to write more than a paragraph on. But tonight is different. I just got back from seeing the latest movie from my FAVORITE DIRECTOR … not named Martin Scorsese. KEVIN SMITH! Kevin Smith has been a director near and dear to my heart ever since I was a teenager; a man whose movies helped shape my sense of humor and was to my teenage years what Spielberg, Lucas and Disney were to my childhood. I remember first falling in love with his work when he made a little film called Dogma. That was about 16 years ago, about the same time a certain Harley Quinn Smith was born. Harley Quinn Smith is Kevin’s daughter and the star of this little movie along with her real life BFF Lily Rose Depp. Both Lily and Harley had minor roles as two convenience store clerks (shocker right?) in a little film called Tusk. Kevin Smith loved the scenes where the two girls were playing off each other so much that he wanted to make a movie about those characters. And somehow he secured funding and got Johnny Depp to come back to reprise his role from Tusk. And much like with Tusk, I am pretty sure Smith wrote this while he was high. How so? Well let me tell you. Grab a mat, don some yoga pants, and engage the downward dog, as we look at YOGA HOSERS!
The movie is about two 15 year old high school girls who are addicted to their phones, obsessed with yoga, work in a convenience store, and foil a decades old plot set forth by Canadian fascists involving cloning and Nazi Bratwurst. That is the plot. I think you can see where the weed came in. Remember, the last movie this man made involved Michael Parks turning Justin Long into a walrus. A film I really liked. As such, I am sure you can guess I really dug this flick too. The plot is weird in idea, but was excellent in execution. The chemistry between Lily and Harley was fantastic. Which makes sense; the two have been close friends since kindergarten. On top of the excellent chemistry, they acted just like teenagers. Which might be weird to hear, but let’s face it how many times have we seen child or teen actor playing a role where they are supposed to be kids or teens, and sound like tiny adults? Here they felt like teenage girls. And Kevin got a good cast of people around the girls to make the flick feel fleshed out. Aside from a few issues that make some production values seem a little low end (namely some green screen effects), this is a really fun and enjoyable movie. So yeah, I really liked this movie. And thankfully so did my girlfriend, otherwise date night would have gone to hell.
Now normally I go into a lot more detail with the pros and cons of the flick. But I want to do something different with this movie. I bought the tickets ahead of time before me and my lady went to the theater. It was a special FATHOM event where it was a mini premiere party. In such party there would be a live feed of Harley Quinn and Kevin Smith at the Jersey Yoga Hosers premiere and would give an exclusive intro to the movie. So I felt it best to secure our seats ahead of time. As it turns out that was not needed, as me and the girlfriend were the only people in the damn theater. And I started to have flashbacks to Tusk. Needless to say, I don’t think this will be making Zootopia money. So instead of a pros and cons, I will instead do a list of reasons why you should see this movie and support the film, and a list of reasons why you might want to pass on this flick.
People who should see this movie:
Kevin Smith Fans: Yeah I know this seems kinda obvious, but yeah, if you like Kevin Smith flicks, this is worth a shot.
If you liked Tusk: Kevin has admittedly taken a very different path recently then he has with his previous works. Red State and Tusk were both horror movies with dark senses of humor. And while this does have some elements of horror and is certainly unique like Tusk, this film has a heavier focus on the comedy. But if you like the direction Kevin is going with his flicks these days, then this will be up your alley.
If you like to see films with strong female leads save the day: In this flick we have to strong willed teenage girls who find themselves in a messed up situation and are the only ones equipped to save Winnipeg. If you are one of the people who demand that we see women headline more movies, then start by supporting this one!
If you miss practical monster effects: Sure there is some CGI in the flick (namely to make the Bratzi’s a foot tall), but the monster effects are all rubber and prosthetics. It is a movie where heavy prosthetic make up was applied to Kevin Smith to turn him into a walking Bratwurst Nazi dressed in tiny RCMP cloths and a WWI Keiser style pointed helmet.
If you like movies that are tongue in cheek: We all have seen movies that are over the top and ridiculous. Movies whose premise is kinda silly, but they know it is too and have fun with the flick. Whether it be in flicks like The Hangover, Hot Shot, or the like. This is basically one of those flicks. Sit back and have some fun with a movie that you know will be silly, but the cast had a blast making.
If you are tired of seeing the same movie over and over: Let’s face it, you don’t see films like this made very often. Or at all.
If you prefer to see a film with less cursing in it: Surprisingly enough, there is not a whole lot of cursing in the flick. Now there is some crude humor, but NOWHERE near usual Kevin Smith fair. Smith kept it PG-13. He said the flick is targeted towards teenage girls anyways.
If you wanted to see what a John Hughes / John Carpenter co-production would look like: The best comparison I can make really. All teenage drama of a John Hughes flick paired up with all the fun, practical effects, and out there premise of Big Trouble in Little China.
If you listen to Hollywood Babble-On regularly: Director Kevin Smith is also a huge podcaster as well as director. And one of said podcasts is called Hollywood Babble On that he co-hosts with LA based radio host and character actor Ralph Garmin. And several jokes or bits in the flick can be pulled straight from the podcast. Including Ralph’s impressions, and the two very over the top and silly German accents used by Kevin and Ralph. They basically are doing their German shtick from the podcast.
Well there are my reasons to see the movie, but how about the counter point? Here are some reasons you might not want to see the movie:
If you hate Kevin Smith and or hated Tusk: See points one and two from the other list, reverse the logic and apply.
You can’t get past the premise: Yeah, the movie is very weird. If you can’t get past that premise or are not into weird movies, sit this one out.
You are a very serious and or inflexible cinephile: Let’s face it; this flick is weird and silly. And aside from it being Kevin’s own way of dealing with and coming to terms with the critical reception of Tusk, there is not a whole lot of symbolism to the flick. There is no deeper meaning to the Nazi bratwurst, it is not an allegory to some social condition, and it sure as hell ain’t going to be up for any awards. Not even the MTV Awards. If this film just seems “beneath” you, pass.
If you don’t like jokes about Canadians: Kevin Smith is a big fan of Canada. So much so he is setting three movies in the Great White North. But this flick presents a very… cartoonish version of Canada. Lots of jokes about pronunciations, like how they say Zed instead of Zee for the letter Z, “aboot” instead of about, and other such Canadian stereotypes. If you are Canadian and find such jokes upsetting, just remember, it is just a movie. And one that most likely will be seen by very few people in theaters.
There are probably more reason’s I could think of not to see the flick, but these cover the biggest issues one might have.
So yeah, I really dug the flick. But also I am a huge Kevin Smith fan, and enjoy his recent work as well as his classics. So naturally I was going to enjoy it. But I think I got a pretty good list of reasons someone might or might not want to see the flick. Give it a look over and check it out. If not in the theater, there is always NetFlix. Lord knows it would not be the first time a Kevin Smith movie found its audience on home video release. Looking at you Mallrats. And if you are unsure about the movie because of the critics, just remember: the critics gave The Blair Witch Project overwhelming praise when it was released, and the remake is sitting at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes right now.
Critics are dumb. I say take a chance on Yoga Hosers.