9.21.2006

I SAW BORAT LAST NIGHT

...well, the movie...not the man hung like Pepsi can...

How, you might be asking yourself? Simply by being a nerd on myspace and adding this to my friends list! Who knew it wasn't only a place to pick up slutty 14 chicks?



So, doors were going to open at 9pm, I figured getting there around 7:30 would be okay...and it was, until about 15 minutes later when the floodgates opened and it wasn't long before they ended up breaking the one giant fucking line into two smaller, not-as-fucking lines. Here's a couple things I never knew about AMC theaters.

#1: They allow in outside food?! Since when?! We had about a two hour wait and waiting in line at a nearby restaurant was taking way too long, so we ended up skipping dinner. Cut to about three different people bringing in bags of Taco Bell and McDonalds and just walking right into the theater?! So, about 45 minutes into the waiting, my brother and I headed off to the nearest Chipolte.

#2: They wand you down with metal detectors on sneak previews? I'm not sure this was an AMC theater policy...but it's never happened at any of the other premieres I've attended. Maybe it's something new with youtube and bit torrets running amok on the internets...but even after we each got ourselves wanded, they still used "night vision" cameras inside the theater to make sure no one was filming.

Anyway, the movie...how can you even review BORAT without totally ruining it for everyone who hasn't seen it? It's tough. I know I found out this scene and that scene from various reviews I had read, and honestly I wished I didn't. The beauty of the film is what you don't know what's coming. He sets up situations in which, you know horrible things are going to happen, (Such as staying overnight in a Bed & Breakfast owned by a elderly Jewish couple) but the specifics are what hit you offguard and make you laugh until it hurts. MANY TIMES. There were about four or five different scenes in which I coughed because I was laughing so hard. My throat hurt after this film. It's that effective.

The set-up is quick and simple. Borat is coming to America to film what our culture is like. "America" being New York, of course...and the first couple of scenes, after he leaves his home country, just take place in the Big Apple. However, it isn't too much into the film when it basically becomes a "road movie," which is basically an excuse to tie all sorts of different situations into a feature length picture.

Like I said, I'd be happy to tell you what makes the movie so damn funny, but I'd rather not ruin everything for you. I'll tell you this, the way this movie succeeds while Ali G's movie failed, is that it sticks to the "no one else is in on the joke" premise. Everyone around Borat, except for his 300 pound producer, is just a victim of his shtick. That's the number one reason you will be laughing until it hurts. They don't play anything safe or go for an easy laugh. He walks up to people, says something totally wrong and offensive, and it's their reaction that nails it. Some, especially down South, will agree with his statements about Gypsies and Jews, others will not appreciate his views on why "Women have smaller brains" and yet, continue to talk to him?!

That's probably the one thing I didn't expect out of the film...you kind of care about this character. For all of his (and believe he has plenty) faults, you actually feel sorry for him. In fact, there's a scene in the middle of the film that is sad. Seriously. You will actually here a few people go "awwwww" in the theater. At least I did...in fact I was one of the people saying it!

Borat isn't going to hit theaters until November, but I guarantee you'll be hearing more and more about it before then. In fact, I read that he's supposed to be on the cover of Vanity Fair next month. That combined with the numerous protests and boycots that are bound to come from just about every single group of people that use acronyms to name themselves...trust me, this movie is going to be more of an "event" than Snakes on a Plane ever was.

And I got to see it last night...for free! Suckers!!!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

hey travis, it's justin, molly's old employee from bbv. Just saying hi and seeing how you guys are. what's going on in your lives? here is good, went to fazoli's the other day and here i am.

Thomas B said...

1) AMC 30 has been allowing in outside food for years! Rumor (/urban legend) has it a diabetic threatened to sue them over their unhealthy food choices, so they just let people bring in whatever junk food they want now (you rock, diabetes!)*

2) Why haven't you been on local comic book talk show "The Panel?" They've had Mahfood, B. Clay Moore, Dave Crosland, etc... but no Travis Fox? I keep telling Annie that you can't be on her show because you can't sit still for very long, on account of your gout. Is that it? Because I think that's it.*

http://thepanelkjhk.blogspot.com/

3) Read Dr. McNinja:
http://www.drmcninja.com/

-Thomas Brownback

PS - If you actually have developed some rare, incurable young man's gout since we last spoke I will look like such an ass. Or diabetes. #$&%!