Archive for the ‘video’ tag
Paul Jones
“waking Ned Devine” by Kirk Jones is the Best Comedy I Have Ever Seen – Part 1
Copyright © 2007 Ed Bagley
Waking Ned Devine – 4 Stars (Excellent)
Sooner or later one has to come clean. When pigeonholed about what is my favorite comedy, I said some time ago that “Meet the Fockers” was the best comedy I had seen in a long time. What I did not say was what is the best comedy I have ever seen.
So let me say it here and now: as of Sunday, March 11, 2007 the best comedy I have ever seen is “Waking Ned Devine” and it is not even a close call.
It would be easy to throw around a bunch of adjectives like outstanding, fantastic, remarkable, extraordinary, superb or phenomenal but why bother when you can say this: there are not another five writer/directors in America that are better than Kirk Jones and his creation.
In crafting Waking Ned Devine Kirk Jones has done what dozens of his peers have not done on their best day, and that is both write and direct a film worthy of being called the best.
Let me not be shy or just throw out words to fill up space. Let me name some writer/directors whose effort in a dual role bred more failure than success:
They include Kimberly Peirce (terrible rating) for Boys Don’t Cry, Vanessa Parise (average rating) for Kiss the Bride, Peter Weir (average rating) for Master and Commander: the Far Side of the World, Nancy Myers (average rating) for Something’s Gotta Give, Thomas Bezucha (average rating) for The Family Stone, Michael McGowan (average rating) for Saint Ralph, Jared Hess (terrible rating) for Napoleon Dynamite, Robert Rodriguez (terrible rating) for Once Upon a Time in Mexico, and Paul Thomas Anderson (terrible rating) for Punch-Drunk Love.
The worst of these efforts was Paul Thomas Anderson’s Punch-Drunk Love.
There is no question that all of these wannabe writer/directors probably worked their butt off trying to win an Academy Award for their effort, and I do not mean to discredit their time and effort, just their result. Hopefully, they will learn from experience and get better.
Kirk Jones is almost unique because this was his first effort at being a writer/director. He was in very dangerous territory but talent, judgment and sensibility can overcome a lot of mistakes.
I would put Kirk Jones in the same incredible class of writer/directors as Tim McCanlies in Secondhand Lions. Both Jones and McCanlies are great writers-not-yet-discovered who become artists painting a masterpiece when directing.
(Editor’ Note: This is Part 1 of a 2-Part reivew.)
About the Author
Read more of my movie reviews on families, including:
“A Christmas Story”
“My Big Fat Greek Wedding”
“Secondhand Lions”
“The Chorus (Les Choristes in French)”
“Waking Ned Devine”
These are all excellent films that can make you smile, laugh, cry and feel better for the experience.
Find my articles at:
http://www.edbagleyblog.com
http://www.edbagleyblog.com/MovieReviews.html
Rev. Paul Jones “I Won’t Complain”
|
|
The Clash~ The Clash Bottle Opener $12.95 … |
|
|
Led Zeppelin Set of 8 – 1 Inch Magnets $5.00 This item is sold and shipped from Buttonpalooza. Be sure to purchase this item from Buttonpalooza for the highest quality and lowest shipping. All other sellers are selling low quality knockoffs and you will not get the item you want. BUTTONPALOOZA!… |
|
|
Gazza – 3×2 inch Fridge Magnet – large magnetic button – Magnet $4.99 Rectangular wrap-around refrigerator magnet and a glossy mylar cover.Large 2×3 inch rectangle fridge magnet or ‘buttons’ as they are sometimes known in the USA.Crop shown is automated for display purposes only. All magnets are hand finished and the best most appropriate crop will always be selected to best show the full image. Therefore, actual product may vary slightly from crop shown – this can … |
|
|
Led Zeppelin $14.95 Exclamations of religious awe are in order. Legendary and long sought-after, this live Led Zeppelin collection is nothing less than the rock music equivalent of the Holy Grail. Quite simply, this is what all the fuss was about. Given that they were the biggest band in the world, Zeppelin were notoriously camera-shy in their heyday. Their official filmic legacy until now has been just the fasc… |
|
|
Led Zeppelin – The Song Remains the Same [Blu-ray] $6.99 Blending live footage and mind-boggling imagery, this spectacular film captures Led Zeppelin’s incendiary 1973 concert at Madison Square Garden and features Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Bonham, and John Paul Jones living out some wild fantasies. Songs include “Whole Lotta Love,” “Black Dog,” “Dazed and Confused,” “Stairway to Heaven,” and many more. 138 min. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtracks: E… |
|
|
Legendary Sessions $10.36 All products are BRAND NEW and factory sealed. Fast shipping and 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed…. |
|
|
The Rocketeer: 20th Anniversary Edition [Blu-ray] $16.00 Thrilling comic-book fantasy, set in ’30s Los Angeles, about a young stunt pilot who finds a rocket pack that enables him to soar through the skies. However, his discovery also puts him in the middle of a deadly search involving the government, Howard Hughes, gangsters, Nazis and a swashbuckling matinee idol. Bill Campbell, Jennifer Connelly, Alan Arkin, and Timothy Dalton star. 109 min. Widescree… |
|
|
Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life $2.99 … |
|
|
Godzilla $9.99 … |
|
|
John Paul Jones Vinyl Wall Graphic Decal Sticker Poster $49.00 SIZE: 72in – Wall Graphic of John Paul Jones. Jones was a naval fighter during the Revolutionary War. He earned an international reputation for his actions in British seas. According to Jones’ first lieutenant, Jones replied “I have not yet begun to fight” to a British captain tauting him to surrender. This product is made in the USA and produced in 7 to 10 business days plus the shipping time to … |