DVD Challenge #12: SOUTH PARK: BIGGER, LONGER & UNCUT

South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut
1999
R
Run-time: 1 hour, 21 minutes

Directed by: Trey Parker
Starring: Trey Parker, Matt Stone, Isaac Hayes, Mary Kay Bergman, George Clooney, Minnie Driver, Brent Spiner


In the wake of one of the most talked-about episodes of "South Park" in recent memory, there's many a fanatic pondering whether last week's mid-season finale marked the beginning of the end of the franchise. I know that I've been debating the meaning of the melodramatic ending to that episode, and it's gotten me thinking about the series as a whole. One of the brightest moments in "South Park" history was the release of its first - and to date, only - feature length film in 1999's South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut. Because the show has been on my mind, I decided to give the movie another gander as part of my DVD Challenge.

Now, I was a fan of "South Park" long before I had the opportunity to see the film (I didn't first see it until about five years ago), so I may be a bit biased in my love towards the film. I have yet to find a fan of the series that didn't like the film, but I don't know if I've ever talked to anyone who has seen the film but isn't a fan of the series. Because of this, I'm not sure whether the film has staying power outside of avid fans, but for me, it's one of the greatest films I've ever seen.

In terms of the vocal acting, there isn't much to say about our normal string of characters that can't be said about every single episode. Parker and Stone handle most of the lead voices throughout the film, but we are introduced to a number of new characters during it. We get to meet Satan (voiced by Parker), who plays an incredibly important role in the film, and there are a few other characters that make nice appearances. However, some of the little tidbits that fans might enjoy are the inclusion of big-name celebs like George Clooney (as Dr. Gouache), Minnie Driver (as Brooke Shields) and Brent Spiner (as Conan O'Brien) lending their vocal talent to the film.

You're also going to notice that the film is, in fact, a musical. We're given a slew of original songs that only add to the hilarity of the movie, but a lot of them have in-jokes that only fans might recognize. For example, the song "What Would Brian Boitano Do?" is a direct reference to the Brian Boitano appearance in the early stages of the television show. Also, the song "Kyle's Mom's a Bitch" was used in an earlier episode and was expanded for the film. However, some of the original fare proves to be the best, even garnering the film an Academy Award nomination for the song "Blame Canada," which was wonderfully performed by Robin Williams at the actual awards show:

My personal favorite song from the film, however, has to be our opening number simply entitled "Mountain Town." It sets the stage for everything that's going to happen.

Now, not a lot of credit is given to the film's screenplay, which proves to be rather brilliant. In a way, it's extremely metatheatrical. At the beginning of the film, the boys go to see an R-rated film called Asses of Fire that's essentially an analogue for the film the audience itself is watching. It's chalk full of insensitive and irreverent profanity, just like the movie we get to see. We're basically having the same experience that the boys are having within the film, minus the havoc that it ultimately creates. The rest of the film serves as the filmmakers' statement about American over-sensitivity with vulgar language whilst having the double standard of under-sensitivity when it comes to graphic violence. Sure, they drop their usual goofy gags and "potty humor" throughout the film, but there's something more profound about their message than just that. It's a little difficult for me to explain here, but fans of the film will know what I'm talking about.

Overall, South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut is easily one of the greatest animated films I have ever experienced. Whether that can be said by many is uncertain, but I know that it was a fantastic addition to the annals of "South Park" history, if nothing else.

Rankings
Best All-Time: #81

Awards
1999: 5 nominations, 4 wins

Previous DVD Challenge: DR. HORRIBLE'S SING-ALONG BLOG (2008)

Movie Review: GOOD WILL HUNTING

GOOD WILL HUNTING

1997
R

Good Will Hunting is a 1997 drama directed by Gus Van Sant that tells the story of an exceptionally intelligent young man who's not quite striving for his potential. When an MIT math professor writes a nearly unsolvable theorem on a hallway blackboard, young janitor Will Hunting (Matt Damon) takes a crack at it and solves the theorem with relative ease. Flabbergasted, Professor Gerald Lambeau (Stellan Skarsgård) seeks out the mastermind and finds him facing jail-time after a blacktop brawl. Lambeau cuts a deal with the judge, bringing Will under his supervision. He gives him two stipulations: first, he must work on mathematical formulas with him; second, he must see a therapist in order to rid himself of any demons from his past. Will isn't too fond of the idea but figures it's better than spending time in jail. After going through a number of psychologists, he lands on a community college professor named Sean Maguire (Robin Williams) who seems to be the perfect fit. The two work together - often times butting heads - to try to understand how Will's past has affected his current character of non-attachment.

What I've given you above is essentially the basic storyline offered by Good Will Hunting. There are a couple of sub-plots at hand that include Will's best friend Chuckie (Ben Affleck) and his love interest Skylar (Minnie Driver), but to go into detail about the sub-plots would take a lot more time than I'd like to spend on the synopsis. Just know that they're there, and they definitely add important pieces to the puzzle.

Now, I know the first thing you're all thinking is, "How has This Movie Guy never seen Good Will Hunting?" I know, it's probably a little blasphemous considering, but now I can say that I've seen it so we can all stop worrying about my future livelihood! I am a tad bit disappointed in myself for waiting this long to watch this film considering how much I ended up enjoying it. For a long time, I wasn't much of a fan of either Damon or Affleck, so that probably kept me from giving it a chance before today. That being said, let's get into the review.

I thought that the screenplay worked rather effectively. I've always had a bit of beef with any relation to this screenplay. Because Damon and Affleck wrote it and ultimately won an Oscar for it, they are always referred to as "Academy Award winner" so and so. It's not a bad thing, but because the driving force behind their careers has been acting, it just makes it seem like they might have won their Oscar for acting which isn't the case at all. Did they deserve the award for this film? Probably, although I haven't seen all the films it was nominated against. But I digress. The screenplay works well to craft a real and believable character in Will Hunting. It gives him an ambiguous back-story that slowly bubbles to the surface with the help and guidance of Sean Maguire, who's character is equally damaged. In a way, Good Will Hunting works more as a character study than a plot-driven vehicle. We have two major character arcs from our main two men, and they're so complete that I almost want to give Damon and Affleck a standing ovation for their writing effort. They also have a great feel for the setting, crafting dialogue that fits almost perfectly. Kudos, boys. You guys did well in my book.

Fortunately, the acting backs up everything that's so great about the screenplay. Damon is definitely fantastic as our lead, whether he's spouting his random bouts of knowledge or breaking down to his lowest point. Williams is a revelation in his Academy Award-winning role that's a drastic change from anything I've seen him do prior to this point. He's most well-known for his comedy, but he's dabbled in drama now and again, but this might be his most complete dramatic role. Simply brilliant, if I do say so myself. We also get some fantastic performances from our supporting cast, including Skarsgård and Affleck. Minnie Driver is great in her limited amount of screen-time, bringing the only real female presence in the film to the screen and knocking it out of the park. Even a young Casey Affleck brings some much-needed laughter to his small role. All in all, we have a fantastic cast to support the equally fantastic screenplay.

The psychology of the film was really the selling point for me. Having earned my Bachelor's degree in psychology, it's always a fascinating watch when a movie can realistically delve into the psyche of its characters. I was a little blind-sided by this particular film because I see myself as a bit of a combination of Will Hunting and Sean Maguire. In a way, each of them reflects a piece of me, so this film might have been a little more resonant for me than I had originally intended. Was it earth-shattering for me? Not quite, but it definitely opened my eyes a little bit to some of the stuff I've had to endure in my own lifetime. But enough about me - I won't get into my psyche right now; I wouldn't want to bore you.

Overall, I think Good Will Hunting is a fantastic film that definitely deserves a watch. I'm glad I finally had the opportunity to give it a gander as it's easily made it's way onto my list of "greatest films of all time." Oh, and for those of you who've seen this movie, you might enjoy this little clip from the 2001 film, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, where the boys come back to film a (fictional) Good Will Hunting 2:

Movie Review Summary:
Grade: A-
2 Thumbs Up

Addition to Rankings
Greatest All-Time - #174