Dogma

[baumer]

Discuss

[baumer]

I'm going to post both reviews I wrote when this came out.....one after reading the script and one after I saw the movie:

Before seeing the film:

I am so sick and tired of religious loonies who think that religion and God are untouchable subjects when it comes to satire. Why is it that almost anything in the world is open for critisism and poking fun at yet religion and moreso Catholisism is the Holy Grail and people get offended and try to ban the film because it doesn't conform to what YOU believe is right. Whatever happened to free speech? Is it that they are afraid that Catholics are going to watch this film and change their minds and become atheists? Is it because they don't have a sense of humour? Is

it because religion has just a little too much power? And further more, is it because Catholisism has just a wee bit too much power. If you look at life, and you subscribe to the theory that everything you see is God's creation, then you have assume that God has a sense of humour, and if that is true He would be looking down on all the uptight Catholics and religious types and laughing His butt off when it comes to all the controversy that has been generated by this film. Really, what is it that is so offensive about a film that pokes fun at religion? I am like the previous reviewer and have not seen the film, but I have read it, and you know what? I think it is hysterical. A complete laugh riot. And here's the kicker. I believe in God, I've read the Bible cover to cover twice and I do fear the Almighty. But does that mean that everything that is ever said about Him ( or Her in this case) has to be " Praise the Almighty, God you are king and blah balh blah? " Do religious fanatics not realize that many people have a problem with organized religion and that a film like this is really quite funny and not only acceptable but appropriate? The people that critisize this film are the same people that say Santa Clause is a bad influence on children. My Gosh, have a sense of humour.

Dogma made me laugh. I read the script in one afternoon and when Rufus shows up I laughed so hard that I almost choked on my soda. The script is so visually perceptive that I could see everything that is happening. And not only is the film hilarious, but it is smart. It is written by a guy ( Smith ) that obviously has issues about religion but he respects it in some way, perhaps like me. But he has told a story about normal people and people that we will probably never meet in our life time. It is the story of a girl that is down on her luck and she questions God and His/Her intentions towards her ( haven't we all done that? ). It also has two angels in it that have fallen out of God's grace by basically doing what they thought was right and then finding out that they misinterpreted what God wanted. And then it of course has Jay and Silent Bob. They are still two idiots that save the day here. And so what the film does is pokes fun at religion, but if you can read, not just what you want to see but everything that is in the script, then you will see that this film has a lot more to say about Catholisism and religion than just bad stuff. There are a lot of positive comments in the script, but people that consider religion to be off limits when it comes to satire are too blind to see those comments. All they want to see is the stuff that seems to say religion is wrong. And you know what, it doesn't say that. Open your eyes.

Most people that I know are confused about religion. All we have to go on is what is written in a book. That's it. There is no concrete proof that anything written in the Bible is real. But what everyone goes on is faith. Faith says Jesus died for our sins. Faith says that the ten commandments were written. Faith says that Moses parted the red sea. There are no fossils to say that Noah really landed on top of that mountain. There is no museum with irrefutable proof that says God was alive at one point, in the flesh that is. So if all that religion has going for it is faith, then why is it afraid when someone makes something that goes against that faith? If you are as strong as your religion makes you out to be, then you really should have nothing to worry about. Why not just quit your bitching and go see this movie for what it is? And that is a funny look at someone's educated satirical look at one part of religion. Just relax. Don't be so damn defensive. To me, that shows a lack of your own faith. Kind of contradicts your whole point now, doesn't it?

If you want to read this script, go to script-o-rama.com You will find the script there. Judge for yourself before you burn this at the steak before it even gets distributed.

After seeing the movie.

was completely blown away by Clerks, Mallrats was good but a bit of a disappointment and Chasing Amy is one of the most honest films I have ever seen. Dogma is one of the most intelligent and daring and it is incredibly funny and very, very entertaining. Dogma is a triumph and I am glad there are guys like Smith who have the brains to make a film like this.

One of the great strenghts of this film is the witty references to 80's films and films in general. And to quickly rebut what a previous reviewer commented about Smith's small speaking role, yes I agree that he had nothing witty to say in this film but the two lines that he did have were great, especially when he tosses somebody out of the train and he says to a frightened passenger " NO TICKET " as he points out the window. That is one of the funniest parts of the movie as it parodies or pays homage to Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. So to say that his lines are stupid in this film is to not be paying attention to what he is saying and where those lines of dialogue come from. There are also some great lines about John Hughes' fictitious city of Shermer Illinois and of a debate about what was going to be the bigger film, E.T. or some other small movie that disappeared faster than Tom Selleck's film Ffolks. Kevin Smith's wit and knowledge of film is on par with Tarantino and Kevin Williams and he is to be applauded for that.

This film is very wordy and I can see how some people would think that it takes away from the film's enjoyment, I feel the opposite. Kevin Smith's strength has been always been his mind and what he writes. His directing skills are average at best, after all, he has no training with the camera. He only films what he knows how to. But it is his script that has been the best part of all of his films. To say that this film is too wordy is to critisize Smith for doing what he does best, and that is writing witty and smart dialogue for us. He is obviously very well versed in Catholisism and other religions and he gets it out on paper for all of us to love and laugh at. I really enjoyed everything that he had to say about religion. But now to get to what I think the best part of the film is, and that is to look no further than the two male leads.

Damon and Affleck are priceless in here. They work so well together and they feed off of one another. Affleck has been in all of Smith's films except Clerks and Damon and Smith also go way back as he too had a small cameo in Chasing Amy. Friendship probably got them to look at the script, but the strength of the script probably got them to do it, and for that I am thankful. Damon and Affleck work the screen like a pianist works the keys. A perfect example of this (and my favourite part of the script and the film) is when they are at the movie studio and they are patronizing the execs for breaking the ten commandments. Your eyes are glued to the screen when Damon lays into each and every one of them and even Affleck with his subtle nods and expressions of exasperation are perfect. I am really pleased that these two played Bartleby and Loki. Their friendship in real life really helped define their friendship in the film.

Dogma is an intelligent film about religion, it is gut bustingly funny in many parts, it has a wonderful cast that play their parts beautifully and it is a Kevin Smith film. I love it. This film, while witty and smart, is really one of the funnier films to come out this year. What's not to like about it? Thanks Kevin Smith for being loyal to your fans and friends and making this movie and the three others before it. You really are a genius and I look forward to your next film, whatever that may be.

10/10

[Master Scottb]

I loved this movie, and I'm still thinking about putting a Buddy Christ statue in my front yard.10/10

[baumer]

Yes, Buddy Christ rules.So does Alanis Morrisette.

[Master Scottb]

Yes, Buddy Christ rules.So does Alanis Morrisette.

Yes she does, she had quite a singing voice in this movie.

[baumer]

Yes she does, she had quite a singing voice in this movie.

[Master Scottb]

She should sing like this at concerts, it would end world hunger.

[baumer]

I'm in stitches right now.

[Master Scottb]

"I feel like I'm Han, you're Chewie, and she's Ben Kenobi and we're in that fucked up bar"

[ecstasy]

LOL as you guys can tell by my Avatar, I am a fan. This movie really throws caution to the wind when dealing with religion. It takes all those beliefs that have been made into tradition over hundreds of years and throws it on its head. People complain about Matt Damon being bland and vanilla really need to watch this movie. This to me is one of his best performances. Agree he and Ben Affleck really feed off each other in this film. This is probably my favorite role from Affleck. But my favorite part is the small part from the two stoners. They really crack me up. So many good scenes here. I'm going from memory will have to pull out the DVD and give it another look soon.And Alanis Morissette is GOD!

Edited September 20, 2012 by ECSTASY

[Master Scottb]

Affleck should have been nominated for an Oscar for that parking lot speech.

[ecstasy]

Affleck should have been nominated for an Oscar for that parking lot speech.

haha so true.