Santikos Cine-opsis

*JT Street’s reviews are not the opinion of Santikos Theatres or anyone involved in the promotion or distribution of any of the films he reviews.   Santikos Theatres wants you to see this and all other movies that they offer.  Mr. Street is an independent critic with free license to speak his mind so that potential customers can make informed decisions about how to spend their time at Santikos Theatres.  Thank you, and enjoy your movie!*

I’ll get to my review of  “Year One” in a second, but first, some biz talk for all you movie pros.

Despite its decent (for a silly comedy) opening this weekend, I think it’s safe to say that “Year Two” won’t start filming any time soon.

Harold Ramis’ caveman caper “Year One” came in 4th place in its opening weekend with a remarkably decent $20 million gross, according to IMDB.  That’s a third of its budget in the first weekend.  So the film will probably break even.   Still, that’s probably a disappointment for the guy who wrote “Ghostbusters”. Not a “Stuart Saves His Family” disappointment, but still…you can’t beat a Sandra Bullock rom-com???

Jack Black and Michael Cera should be pleased, though.  $20 mil is nearly twice what Eddie Murphy’s “Imagine That” made in two weekends!

I was a part of that weekend gross (and yes, that is a poly-entendre).   Let me start by saying that “Year One” is not the worst film in Harold Ramis’ career (see “Stuart Saves his Family”, or rather, don’t).  Nor is it Jack Black’s worst movie (take your pick).  It might be Michael Cera’s worst movie so far (Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist?), but he’ll do worse before his career is over.

“Year One” is a slightly funny, mostly gross, PG-13 romp through the bible age (that’s “small b” bible, as the stories are mangled almost beyond recognition in an attempt to cram as many circumcision references into the plot as possible.  The film begins with Jack Black and Michael Cera (I’ll just use their names, as there’s no real acting or attempt by either to be anything other than themselves) getting tossed from their tribe after JB eats the fruit from the tree of knowledge, which makes him (think he’s) all-knowing.  So the two decide to travel to the ends of the earth, because otherwise, there’s no movie.

Along the way, they help Cain get away with murder, save Isaac from his knife-happy father (but not ALL of Isaac! Get it??  Sigh…the circumcision jokes could have been “cut” from the movie, don’t you think?) and wind up in Sodom, home of hookers, sinners, sodomy jokes, and a very randy (and heavy…and hairy) Oliver Platt as a high preist.  But wait!  To keep the plot moving, JB and MC’s love interests have made it to the big city as well, as slaves.  So it’s up to our intrepid heroes to follow their destinies, save the girls, oil up the high preists (one of the funnier scenes in the film) and live happily ever after.

So there’s no acting, very little writing, and yet, some decent cinematography (ya can’t lose ‘em all).  Yet this silly, stupid little movie manages to keep itself entertaining enough to walk out of the theater chuckling.   As long as you hit the Agora pretty hard beforehand (that’s a Palladium joke).

Oh!  By the way!  Keep your eyes peeled to this site!  I’m watching a sneak screening of “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” tonight, so expect a full review tomorrow!