Review: "JACKASS 3D"

As a budding (and, hopefully, soon-to-be ridiculously wealthy and influential) movie critic, one of my objectives when I write a review is to find any positive aspects I find in a movie and weigh them against the negative. Though there are many good movies and many more bad movies, I try to be the kind of critic who is always the eternal optimist (regardless of how good or awful the flick is), rather than becoming the stuffy and elitist arthouse snob many moviegoers stereotypically envision such commentators as being.

Of course, it's difficult not to be cynical considering the increasing amount of dreck Hollywood churns out every week. From brainless and predictable action movies to exceedingly awful "spoof" movies that inexplicably make a hefty profit, I almost envy my older peers in the reviewing biz who got to live in an era where the great-to-lame movie ratio was in favor of the great films. But nonetheless, I think everyone should be allowed their own guilty pleasures when it comes to entertainment, even us uptight film snobs.

For me, one of those guilty pleasures was the "Jackass" franchise. Born of a subversive skateboarding magazine called "Big Brother" in 2000, the brainchild of actor Johnny Knoxville, director Jeff Tremaine, and Oscar nominee Spike Jonze (Being John Malkovich) was one MTV's most popular and controversial shows, essentially a deranged, frat-boy twist on "Candid Camera", where a motley troupe of skate punks and daredevils prank each other and an unsuspecting public with silly, disgusting, and dangerous stunts.

Though a nightmare for horrified parents and social conservatives, the show was a huge hit, running for three seasons. Naturally, the big screen beckoned, resulting in 2002's Jackass: The Movie, which was a surprise box office hit (despite essentially being a hour-and-a-half episode of the TV show). Two spin-off television shows, "Wildboyz" and "Viva La Bam", followed, capped off by the silver screen return of the Jackass crew in 2006 with Jackass: Number Two, which was an even bigger success (commercially and, surprisingly, critically).

Even though it's damn near impossible to intellectualize Jackass (really, how can you apply conventional logic to wading in a septic tank or getting shot in the crotch with paintballs?), it's actually not a stretch to think of the franchise in a way that doesn't simply categorize it as brainless juvenilia with an emphasis on male nudity and poop humor. In fact, in many ways, the enthusiastic and sometimes highly clever antics of Southern rogue Knoxville and his merry band of masochistic misfits could even be considered transgressive performance art, a seamless blend of "Three Stooges" slapstick and John Waters-esque trash cinema.

Also, it's just really funny. Any group of idiots could film themselves getting kicked in the nuts, but what sets the Jackass crew apart from any other group of extreme-stuntists is the brotherly and even endearing camaraderie they share.

And it's that kind of cathartic-yet-cringe-inducing humor that brought about an inevitable third entry, appropriately titled Jackass 3D, appropriate both because it's obviously the third in the series, and also because it's yet another movie leaping on the 3D bandwagon.

All the gang's back, what with Knoxville, Bam Margera, Ryan Dunn, Steve-O, Chris Pontius, Ehren McGhehey, Dave England, Jason "Wee Man" Acuna, and Preston Lacy suffering for their childish art in various ways. And as usual, there's no storyline here, but just a collection of stunts, sketches, and pranks now captured in gloriously disgusting 3D (which is how the movie was filmed, rather than shooting it in 2D and converting it in post-production, which has proven in previous films to not work out so well).

Though Jackass 3D is timely considering that it's the franchise's tenth anniversary, that very fact is possibly what's wrong with the movie. The entire cast is in their mid-to-late 30's, and though the frathouse rapport and creativity is still there, there seems to be not as much daring or desire to push the envelope, a desire that made the TV show and first two films so fascinating. Though there's a plethora of bone-crunching stunts and comedic setpieces (a giant "high-five"and a hysterical midget bar brawl being the highlights), they're few and far in between. And some of the novelty has worn off, especially since we've already seen so much of this before.

3D lacks the guerilla home-video charm of Jackass: The Movie, as well as the clicks-with-precision comedic anarchy of Number Two. There's also too much emphasis on showing off the 3D tech, taking away some of the series' trademark spontaneity.

That's not to say that the technological innovations aren't a plus at times. After a special animated intro featuring two classic MTV jackasses, 3D literally starts off with a bang. The brilliantly destructive opening and closing sequences make rich use of the third dimension, not to mention great use of super-slow-motion camerawork (reportedly running at 1,000 frames per second), where you can see in full detail the impacts of huge boxing gloves punching people in the face, or sex toys being launched straight at the camera with a cannon (if anything, Jackass 3D is the first film in history to claim the use of dildo bazookas in slow motion). The 3D in the main portions of the film aren't utilized as much, though some scenes need to be seen, preferably though the cracks of one's fingers, to be believed. If the Academy Awards ever introduce a category for Bravest Performance in a Port-a-John, Steve-O would be an immediate frontrunner.

Despite lacking some of the genius and rebelliousness that made Jackass what it is, this offering is still a gleefully shameless exercise in potty humor and crotch shots. There's the testosterone-heavy stunts, the overabundance of vomit and fecal matter, the comedic homoeroticism, and the feral charm of nine dudes just having a good time, regardless of whatever stupid things they're doing (and they're doing a good job, considering that the film has more outright belly laughs than any other comedy this year).

It's clear from the performers' ages (and a sentimental and nostalgic end credits roll) that this is most likely the end for the Jackass team, and even though there was much more untapped potential to make Part Three as good as or better than the terrific Number Two, Jackass 3D does an admirable job ending on a high note.

Letter Grade: "B-"

Review: "THE TOWN"

There's nothing more poetic than a story about second chances. We all make mistakes-- some small, some big-- but in the end, everyone deserves a shot at redemption if they truly want it. While this theme is always fodder for great fictional stories, it's even better when it happens in real life.

And probably one of the greatest career redemption stories belongs to none other than one Ben Affleck. A talented actor and Oscar-winning screenwriter, Affleck was one of the biggest heartthrob superstars in Hollywood, landing many leading roles in multimillion dollar blockbusters, not to mention the paparazzi buzz that comes with such territory. But then from 2003 to 2004, a high-profile relationship with a certain pop star and ill-advised roles in the atrocious flops Gigli and Surviving Christmas seemingly stopped Affleck's career in its tracks.

But unlike many Hollywood stars who would blindly carry on and foolishly hope that they could salvage their careers, Affleck laid low for a while, married Jennifer Garner (a much more stable and appreciated "Bennifer" than the previous one), and began his return to Hollywood's good graces. He started with an acclaimed supporting role in the 2006 noir thriller Hollywoodland, followed the next year by a terrific directorial debut in the form of Gone Baby Gone, and now The Town, a gripping and engaging sophomore effort about a man who, like Affleck in real life, attempts to redeem himself and begin life anew.

The Boston neighborhood of Charlestown is considered the bank robbery capital of the America, not to mention an equally high rate of armored car stickups. One of the more infamous perpetrators of these crimes is Doug MacRay (Ben Affleck). A former hockey prodigy and recovering alcoholic, Doug clearly couldn't escape the shadow of his criminal father Stephen (Chris Cooper), who's currently serving several life sentences.

With his best friends James "Jem" Coughlin (Jeremy Renner), Albert Magloan (George "Slaine" Carroll), and Desmond Elden (Owen Burke), Doug works under the employ of Irish drug lord Fergus Colm (Pete Postlethwaite), who was also Stephen's boss, and the four thieves have just robbed a Cambridge bank. The masked crooks escape by taking a hostage in the form of bank manager Claire Keesey (Rebecca Hall). Even though she's released unharmed, Jem worries about her going to the Feds since she lives four blocks away from the crew. Doug keeps an eye on her, and initiates a relationship so he can find out what she knows.

However, Doug doesn't expect to fall for Claire, a complication exacerbated by not only his on-again-off-again relationship with Jem's junkie sister Krista (Blake Lively), but also Doug's budding desire to quit the criminal life and leave Charlestown. This desire isn't met by enthusiasm by either the volatile Jem, or Fergus, who's plotting a huge robbery at Fenway Park. As Doug keeps his criminal ways secret from Claire, he must contend with his crew, employer, and FBI agent Adam Frawley (Jon Hamm), who's getting even closer to cracking down on Doug's crew.

As evidenced by previous crime thrillers such as Mystic River, The Departed, and Affleck's own Gone Baby Gone, the city of Boston has served as a rich backdrop for gritty, hardboiled cops-and-robbers tales. Even though crime procedural films are a dime a dozen, The Town (based on the Chuck Hogan novel "Prince of Thieves" and scripted by Affleck, Aaron Stockard, and Peter Craig) separates itself from the medicore bunch by focusing more on the robbers than the robberies. Namely, the themes of how no matter how much a person wants to change, his enviroment and the people he surrounds himself with makes such goals seemingly impossible.

In the lead role, Affleck does a fine job playing the troubled protagonist, a formerly promising hockey star who threw it all away when the family business invariably caught up to him. It's obvious that he lacks enthusiasm for his line of work, unlike his ruthless boss, played with sinister glee by Postlethwaite, or his trigger-happy lieutenant, played by a fantastic Renner (a performance that's easily the best of the bunch). Owen Burke and Irish rapper George "Slaine" Carroll do well as Doug's other crewmembers, but Rebecca Hall and "Mad Men" heartthrob Jon Hamm can't do much with their love interest and cop roles, respectively.

Luckily, The Town's action sequences are marvelous, exquisitely choreographed and masterfully edited, proving once again that there aren't many things more exciting in movies than a good bank heist followed by a car chase. It's all appropriately brutal and bloody, but never done in an excessively exploitative way. Of course, this film is no Heat, but it does its job. But the most impressive thing about The Town is Affleck's direction, which suggests an increasing maturity and surprising skill with a genre that demands both qualities. Though it's too early to say that we may have a new Clint Eastwood on our hands (as far as actors becoming directors goes), it's certainly not outside the realm of possibilities for Affleck cement his status as such a performer.

Though not really breaking any new ground as far as crime dramas go, The Town is nonetheless a superb entry in a growing list Beantown-set thrillers, with a its protagonist's redemption story mirroring that of the film's director's revived career. Congratulations, Mr. Affleck: consider Gigli a thing of the past.

Letter Grade: "B+"

Review: "THE SOCIAL NETWORK"

Even amongst the most misanthropic people, we all want to be liked. For many, the almost insatiable need to be considered cool is almost up there with the basic human requirements of food, water, and air, and it's no easier for teenagers and post-adolescents due to the social clubs, politics, and exclusionary atmosphere present in their lives.

While some are able to manage this goal due to an inherent likability and engaging personality, others try to gain their status on the upper rungs of the social ladder by other means: mainly, becoming a success. After all, once you've made your millions and etched out your legacy, you can finally look at your peers and say, "I told you so". But sometimes, that very drive for success evolves from a desire for being liked into an increasing desire for even MORE success and selfish fame.

In David Fincher's breathtaking biographical film The Social Network, that drive is what produced a billion-dollar cultural behemoth, but at the cost of one man's friends, reputation, and conscience. Chronicling the genesis of Facebook from its origins as a small Harvard-based website to a worldwide social media phenomenon that permeated the very fabric of our culture and means of communication, Social Network is a mesmerizing, impeccably crafted tale of fame, burned bridges, and obsession.

In fall 2003, brilliant computer science major Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) is hoping to join Harvard's highly exclusive Final Club because they are, in his words, "exclusive... and fun". But while on a tangent about his desires, he inadvertently insults and patronizes his girlfriend Erica (Rooney Mara), who's fed up with his egotism and self-centered personality. After being dumped by Erica, an angry and drunk Mark returns to his dormitory and not only publicly insults her via his blog, but immediately creates a website where female Harvard students can be rated on their attractiveness, building it upon an algorithm provided by his best friend Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield).

The site is a massive hit overnight amongst Harvard males, but Mark gets in hot water not only by gaining the enmity of his female peers, but for also creating his site by hacking into Harvard's security system and culling together photos of students. Mark avoids expulsion, but his impressive skills and technical brilliance gains the attention of twins Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss (both played by Armie Hammer) and Divya Narendra (Max Minghella), who recruit Mark to help create a Harvard-exclusive dating site called "Harvard Connection", where users would create profiles, add photos, and biographical information.

Inspired by this idea, Mark decides to secretly create a similar site called "The Facebook", and he convinces Eduardo to provide seed money to build it. The two now business partners, their site becomes highly popular amongst other students, and Mark decides to expand it to other Ivy League schools. The Winklevoss brothers catch wind of this, infuriating them and causing them to seek legal recourse for this seeming plagiarism. Meanwhile, The Facebook's growing popularity not only makes Mark and Eduardo the talk of the school, but give reason for the two to expand their social media site into a full-blown business venture, adding Dustin Moskovitz (Joseph Mazzello) and Chris Hughes (Patrick Mapel) to their team.

Seeing a need to monetize their site, Eduardo tries to convince Mark to add advertising to create profits, but Mark (who's moved The Facebook's base of operations to Palo Alto, CA) has become enthralled by the words of Napster founder Sean Parker (Justin Timberlake), who charms Mark with his own vision for Facebook's future. As the site becomes a global success, Mark must eventually contend with both the litigious threats made by the Winklevosses, but also the unraveling of his friendship with Eduardo, who's angry with both Parker's growing involvement with the company as well as Mark seemingly pushing Eduardo away both personally and professionally.

Now, as with all biopics, there's bound to be some artistic license being taken in order to make the story more engaging and dramatic. Based on Ben Mezrich's nonfiction bestseller "The Accidental Billionaires", The Social Network has reportedly taken liberties with the narrative, especially regarding the characterizations of Zuckerberg and Saverin. But even if the film was 100% fictional, it wouldn't make any difference from a dramatic standpoint, as director David Fincher and screenwriter Aaron Sorkin have created a complex, multilayered, and positively brilliant story of betrayal, fame, and personal self-destruction not unlike the granddaddy of such films, Citizen Kane.

But strangely enough, despite being informally called "the Facebook movie", the popular social networking site itself doesn't figure into the story much. Yes, the film is about the creation and expansion of Facebook, but the focus is squarely on the people behind the phenomenon. Zuckerberg is portrayed as a mad, calculating genius, willing to throw aside his social life to (ironically) build his social media empire. While many films set in the business world have the usual intensely competitive protagonists who are stabbing backs and making bucks in their middle-aged years, Fincher sets out to show that a college-aged wunderkind like Zuckerberg (especially those in ridiculously exclusionary schools like Harvard) can be just as cutthroat and ambitious.

It's the masterful casting of the three male leads that drives this point home. As the twentysomething founder of Facebook, Jesse Eisenberg (great in last year's Adventureland and Zombieland) is a revelation. Twitchy, distant, and obsessed, his Zuckerberg is a man of many layers, revealing an inner sadness and loneliness that's only exacerbated by his ambitions. Eisenberg effortlessly keeps up with Sorkin's ferociously brilliant dialogue, a rapid-fire whirlwind of technobabble and philosophical musings.  Andrew Garfield (star of the upcoming Spider-Man reboot) is terrific as Mark's trusting and sympathetic best friend, a man whose devotion to his friend and business turns out to not be entirely reciprocal. And believe it or not, pop star-turned-thespian Justin Timberlake is a blast to watch as the badboy entrepreneur who serves as the Faustian devil in Zuckerberg's deal.

Famous for psychological thrillers such as Se7en, Fight Club, and Zodiac, director Fincher makes his second attempt outside that genre (the first being the technically brilliant but rather overrated Curious Case of Benjamin Button), and does not disappoint. He wants the audience to be both repulsed and in awe of the emotionally-complicated Zuckerberg, who despite his faulty moral compunction is nonetheless a creative and wise-beyond-his-years genius. And like the Emmy-winning television movie Pirates of Silicon Valley (which chronicled the rivalry between Bill Gates and Steve Jobs), The Social Network is a powerful study of friendships and rivalries between two brilliant innovators amidst a technological revolution.

The musical score by Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor is superbly haunting, and the dimly-lit cinematography by Jeff Cronenweth is enthralling (quite the task considering the film's subject). But the biggest star of the film is the Oscar-worthy script by "West Wing" creator Sorkin. Every monologue and emotional outburst delivered is delicious in its raw intensity, wrapping the audience around its finger as easily as any explosion in a summer action flick.

With 500 million users and counting, Facebook certainly serves as a cultural milestone. Aside from the Mafia Wars and Farmvilles and "likes" and "pokes", the Facebook revolution is certainly illustrative of our desires of wanting to be seen and heard, and in this digital age, that desire is more ubiquitous than ever. But like any success story, there's an even more interesting story behind the process, and even though certain creative license has been taken with Zuckerberg's story, there's no denying that Fincher has crafted a masterpiece with The Social Network. A true testament to the power of storytelling and how one young billionaire changed the very landscape of our society, The Social Network is one "like" you'll want to click on.

Letter Grade: "A+"