Most Important Issue Facing Our Country Today

Smudge%27s Spot
While faced with an unbearable economy (don't believe too many stats in an election year from the administration trying to keep its job), a malicious terrorist threat, and West Nile Virus, one issue has gone largely uncovered and needs to be discussed. And if not here, then where?

That issue...

"Gigli" is NOTthe worse movie ever made!!!

Out of morbid curiosity, my wife and I popped it in last night. Let's just say the Olympics are getting tired and Netflix has run out of "must-see" films that we have yet to see.

Now, let me get this off my chest. I am not recommending "Gigli." I'm simply saying the reviews that panned it were too harsh. Bennifer overload probably contributed more to the issue than the film itself.

What's good about it? Not much. Pretty photography. Plot moves. Great cameos by Christopher Walken and Al Pacino (even if they're just playing their personas rather than characters...but the same is true for Bennifer's roles, so there you have it).

What's bad about it? Total lack of chemistry between Bennifer (no wonder they didn't last). Pervasive feel that, if I were the low level mob enforcers they play, I would do it differently. Even more pervasive feel that Ben played the same part better in "Chasing Amy" (at least as far as the romantic undercurrent is concerned). As noted above, the movie is manufactured to showcase personas instead of bringing out actual acting. But that's it.

What's not so bad? It ain't homophobic. It is not all that insensitive to mentally handicapped people (certainly other films are far worse and got criticized far less). Sure, the people do some vile things, but not gratuitously so, and no more than one would expect in an organized crime movie.

Basically, the movie deserves to be forgotten, not placed in the pantheon of "worst movies ever" like anything by Ed Wood or the Drew Barrymore/ Chris O'Donnell flick "Mad Love" (a film so bad, its title got reused by a totally unrelated movie just a few years later with no complaints).

Phew. Now that's off my chest.