Tusk

[YellerDog]

He's been speaking into a microphone and staying rich off of it for the last ten years or so, I figure reality confirms whatever he wants to think.

I still like Clerks, but somebody pointed out that Dante pretty much sounds like somebody's Jewish grandmother and it kind of sticks haha.

[Josh]

I'm not sure if I ever really liked Clerks, but I remember and enjoying Mallrats for what it was, and really digging Chasing Amy.

[Doc Holliday]

I thought Red State was great. This looks fun.

[Timber]

I also really enjoyed Red State. That's enough to get me to check this out.

[YellerDog]

I'm not sure if I ever really liked Clerks, but I remember and enjoying Mallrats for what it was, and really digging Chasing Amy.

Mallrats is a very good sister movie to Empire Records, IMO. Time and place.

[ElCapichan]

There is no denying that I am a big fan of Smith's. I fell in love with Mallrats and Clerks around 8th grade, and have enjoyed most of his work. Cop Out was awful, and I have never seen Jersey Girl to this day. I still think Clerks II was his best work so far, and I can only hope that when he finally gets around to making Clerks III that it lives up to the Clerks name. A director he is not, but I think he is a great story teller, and his podcasts have given me countless hours of free entertainment that I cannot imagine being without.

That said, I don't think many people at all will get this movie unless you follow his podcasts or are a Smith fan to begin with. I liked the movie, but part of what I enjoyed was having listened to the podcast where the idea for this movie started and hearing the progress. It's filled with references from various podcasts that will fly right over the heads of those who never listened to them. Parks, of course nailed his role, and that is one area that Smith succeeds in. He is not a great director, and he didn't make The Matrix, but he knows how to write a great role for Parks, and from the sound of it, Parks likes playing these roles. Long wasn't bad, but there were some scenes that just did not need to be in the movie that took away from the Long/Parks moments that the movie really should have focused on. If this movie failed at one thing, it was not enough focus on Long/Parks. There could have been better ways to implement the comical and smodcast easter eggs.

I guess there are different ways to look at it, but one thing you could admire about Smith is that he plays to his audience, and he does what he does best, part of which you could argue is being a terrible director. That aside, he has a cult following, and he makes his movies the way he wants to and knows that his fans want it that way. I'd probably put Red State above this, but I think the overall experience of that can only come about from listening to his podcasts makes is a great experience. Luckily for him, he made it for only $2.9 million, and with his cult following, the lack of money spent on advertising, and international, the movie will well more than make its money back.

[No One]

I'm not sure if I ever really liked Clerks, but I remember and enjoying Mallrats for what it was, and really digging Chasing Amy.

Mallrats is a great movie marred by some characteristically overwrought, shitty dialogue that Smith was into writing back then (Clerks had the same problem). Jason Lee was great in it regardless. Chasing Amy still holds up!

[No One]

And yes, I realize all of his movies have overwrought, shitty dialogue, but listening to those first couple movies was an awful lot like reading a first year English major's essays.

[Diff-chan]

Who cares though? It was one of his first movies. Watch Mean Streets then Taxi Driver and you can see Scorsese develop as a director. That's part of the fun.

Even if Mallrats had shitty dialogue it was still fun and it showed he had lots of talent there to be developed. The movie was incompetently directed but that can be learned. My point is you watch his stuff ten years later and he didn't develop or learn. He decided to go the easy way and just pander to fans. I think it's a waste.

[Toupee]

Clerks; classic, inspiring to young me who started college as a film major. (Oh how that didn't last but spiraled into something else... so goes it!)
Mallrats; just a hoot. Yes, definitely overcooked dialog and the far bigger budget and cast was probably overwhelming. But so many classic lines! It's just fun.
Chasing Amy; hey, Kevin Smith CAN do serious (but still be funny). Great movie.
Dogma; probably my favorite in terms of content and tone, and overall, I think maybe his best-directed film ever.
Jay & Silent Bob Strikes Back; I'm so glad I waited until I watched the prior 4 before seeing it, and I really loved it.
Jersey Girl; never seen it.
Clerks 2; I should probably see it again, but I remember liking it a lot at the time and feeling like it was the best sequel he could have possibly made to Clerks.
Zack & Miri Make A Porno; I felt like I was forgetting one film so I wiki'd Smith and this was it. I think I saw this movie. I think I liked it all right. I guess he didn't write it, so maybe that's why I didn't think of it. I do remember a naked Jason Mewes schlong though.
CopOut; My roommate accidentally started watching this on-demand once and I didn't realize what it was. And it seemed god damn awful. I haven't seen more than the first ten minutes still.
Red State; I keep forgetting about this one!! Should be next on my list!