Kevin Smith was a groundbreaking filmmaker 30 years ago and has quite the unique catalogue. They are not all hits and the latter part of his career has waned into the “well passed his prime” territory. There is no mistaking that Smith spoke to a certain generation and has found a new audience to discover his early films as each new generation comes of that age. If you can’t come out of his early films with scenes and quotes you don’t think about forever, I don’t know what to tell you.
15. Yoga Hosers
Jay – 15, Steve – 15
Jay – One of the most offensive films I ever watched simply because of how unwatchable and unfunny it is. It is a “blink and you’ll miss it” spin-off of the almost equally horrible (for different reasons) Tusk. Yes, this film stars Kevin Smith’s daughter and Johnny Depp’s daughter…and Johnny Depp himself in one of his most bizarre roles I’ve come to witness. It is very hard for me to not watch a film to the end because of ADHD, but this nearly got me there. To eloquently explain the plot of this film, two Canadian teenager convenience store workers battle evil Canadian Nazi bratwursts and a Golem. It might be the worst movie I’ve ever watched.
Steve – This might actually be the worst movie I’ve ever seen. It’s so painfully unfunny. This is a hockey blog, and I can’t even appreciate the Canadian jokes in this thing. Did writing this movie cause Kevin Smith to stop smoking weed for a bit? It’s possible. Simply awful.
14. Tusk
Jay – 14, Steve – 13
Jay – A Kevin Smith horror film doesn’t sound like a bad idea…until you actually start watching Tusk. Admittedly the first third of the film plays out normally before you are hit with the just “too weird” to want to continue on. Body horror can be an interesting genre, but this just wasn’t going to work. I won’t spoil the last act, but it was all just too much. The ending is also too dumb.
Steve – God, this one sucks too. It gets minor points for trying something, but what it tried was very bad. Dumb is absolutely the right word for this pile of trash, Jason.
13. Jay and Silent Bob Reboot
Jay – 13, Steve – 14
Jay – I hated this film so much and it is easily the worst film in the ViewAskew-verse. Every attempt to play off the meta-ness of an established well-received IP trying to do a reboot was all just done so poorly. This felt like a nice way to give his buddy Jason Mewes some work. The ending is absolutely ridiculous and most of the cameos don’t hit as well like they did in Strike Back, though I did enjoy the Holden one towards the end.
Steve – This one offended my soul. Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back was a film that was a staple among my friends in high school and college. This half-assed attempt at a meta commentary on reboots was painful to watch from beginning to end.
12. Cop Out
Jay – 12, Steve – 12
Jay – Who knew a traditional Hollywood production and Kevin Smith wouldn’t be the right mix? The film had star power with Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan, but that wasn’t enough to save the awful script and dialogue. Yes, each character has their moments. Morgan and Sean William Scott both make the most of what they were given. In the end it is just a generic buddy-cop film that no one ever needed.
Steve – Cop Out not working out bummed me out. I love Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan, so I had very high hopes for this working out. It did not! Smith really did not get along with the studio during production, wanting to title this film “A Couple of Dicks” and settling for the tongue in cheek title, Cop Out. The film is just a mess and doesn’t feel right at all. Also not helping Cop Out – the fact that it was released in the same year as Adam McKay’s The Other Guys, which is one of the best police comedies of all time.
11. Red State
Jay – 11, Steve – 10
Jay – We are now entering the “I didn’t hate it” realm of Kevin Smith’s filmography for me. Coming off Cop Out, this was a bit of a return to form and honestly feels the least Kevin Smith film in his collection. It was an interesting look at religious cults and police response. It wasn’t particularly deep, but the performances I thought were great, especially John Goodman, Stephen Root and Michael Parks as the lunatic preacher.
Steve – Red State doesn’t even crack a top 10 for most directors, but this is Kevin Smith we’re talking about. What I liked about Red State is that this was Kevin Smith stretching and trying something new. He’s making a statement about cults and religious conservatives. He’s showing horror and action. The performances are the standout, as Jason points out. Stephen Root is one of the greatest utility players for any project that he’s in.
10. Clerks 3
Jay – 9, Steve – 11
Jay – This would rank much higher on my list if it weren’t for the ending, which I thought completely missed the mark and also REALLY pissed me off. The film was funny, had heart, and properly played off the ViewAskew-verse nostalgia. I appreciated the meta tone of this one and felt more in line with whatever Reboot was trying to do. Brian O’Hallaran is particularly good in this one and Trevor Fehrman as Elias has the best laughs as a new-found Satanist.
Steve – Clerks 3 pissed me off, and I think most of that comes from the ending. It was kind of whatever until then, but the ending of this film is such a disservice to these characters, which are the most well-rounded and established in Kevin Smith’s entire ViewAskew-verse, that it made me big mad.
9. Jersey Girl
Jay – 10, Steve – 9
Jay – This is a perfectly okay film about a guy learning to be a dad and also be himself at the same time. I haven’t watched this one in a bit, but reading a summary of it made me remember some bits and appreciate it more. I thought at the time that it was too harshly maligned because it wasn’t a ViewAskew-verse film. The lead performances from Liv Tyler, Ben Affleck, George Carlin, and Raquel Castro are all very good. Fun fact, this film had a scene at a diner near where I live.
Steve – Perfectly okay is a good way to put this one, Jason. Jersey Girl has gotten entirely too much hate for being a perfectly cromulent movie. When this film came out, we couldn’t even imagine the depths of Yoga Hosers, so it seemed like a whiff from Kevin Smith.I’d even describe this film as pleasant.
8. Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
Jay – 8, Steve – 6
Jay – I remember when I first saw this film I did not like it at all. It felt like such a departure from the uniqueness of Clerks, Dogma, and Chasing Amy that had been set as a precedent. I’ve now watched it many times since that initial viewing and have come to really appreciate it. It really is funny and often think of the **** Commander and Good Will Hunting 2 scenes quite often. The cameos are great (as noted Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamil, James Van Der Beek, Jason Biggs, Ben Afleck, Matt Damon just to name only a few). It had great turns from Jason Mewes, Will Ferrell, and Shannon Elizabeth.
Steve – This was a big part of my high school experience, so I have very fond memories. Jay and Silent Bob are stoner cartoon characters in film that is 1000% of its time. Has it aged well? Not remotely! Does it still make me laugh? You betcha. I’m sure a lot of that has to do with joke punch-ups from Leia Organa herself, Carrie Fisher (she is a noted script doctor!). I still quote things like “lemon face, lion face!” and “what the fuck is the internet?”.
7. The 4:30 Movie
Jay – 6, Steve – 8
Jay – I wish Kevin Smith would make more films like this because you could tell this was deeply personal and it showed. A quasi-biographical film set in the 80’s featuring a teenager obsessed with films. He asks out his crush and must make the 4:30 movie to go on a date. Of course, many things happen that help prevent that. It is funny, touching and an overall good time. The three kid leads are great as well as the many cameos from Smith’s friends.
Steve – This was a nice return to form for Smith. It was personal, pleasant, and a nice slice of late-80s life. Clerks 3 and Jay and Silent Bob Reboot both felt like Smith was grasping at straws. This was much more of his bread and butter. The 4:30 Movie was a really nice glimpse of life in the late 80s and what it feels like to go after your first crush. I really hope he sticks with projects like this, that bring a unique perspective and feel.
6. Clerks 2
Jay – 4, Steve – 7
Jay – I know some people don’t like this film and I remember reading critics/viewers walking out during a particular scene in the movie and I get it. However, I love this film. It is the perfect long-awaited 12 year follow-up to the legendary Clerks. I knew they wouldn’t be able to top it, but it still created memorable moments and really dug into the feeling of being stuck and finding a passion. The highlights of the film are Rosario Dawson’s performance and the banter between Randall and newcomer Elias. Perhaps my favorite scene though are a reformed Jay and Silent Bob (clean, but still selling drugs…) performing a tribute to a Silence of the Lambs scene featuring the song “Goodbye Horses”.
Steve – This is kind of a hot take movie for me, but I think Clerks 2 is a little overrated. I like it well enough, and it’s certainly one of Smith’s cleaner looking films. It is definitely a much better follow-up to Clerks than Clerks 3 was. Maybe it’s the escalation from the original Clerks and its style of sarcastic, everyday humor to something bigger that doesn’t quite stick with me. The Lord of the Rings vs. Star Wars running gag didn’t land as an appreciator of both. Overall, Clerks 2 is pretty good! But, I just don’t love it like some of his other films.
5. Zack and Miri Make a Porno
Jay – 5, Steve – 5
Jay – This felt like the perfect blend of both Smith and Apatow, though that’s likely because Smith borrowed heavily from the Apatow crowd with Seth Rogen, Elizabeth Banks and Craig Robinson who do the heavy lifting. The premise is very funny and there are no wasted laughs anywhere. Justin Long as Randy St. James is incredible, even if he is only in just two scenes. The plot feels somewhat believable, even if it does become a bit cliche by the end. Agree with Steve, it does feel a bit long given the plot. However, then perhaps we wouldn’t have gotten the dutch rudder scene. Who’s to say!
Steve – This is a fun one that is just a bit too long. I love the chemistry between Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks. There is a universe where Kevin Smith finds a niche making more movies like Zach and Miri Make a Porno. The Apatow meets Smith feel that Jason mentions is part of what I really enjoy about this movie.
4. Mallrats
Jay – 7, Steve – 3
Jay – I feel like I’ll have to explain myself a bit here because the disparity between rankings probably seems a bit jarring. HOWEVER, I do really like the film and I think it’s grown on me over the years because I initially thought it the worst ViewAskew film until some others came along. This movie feels less funny and more observational. Jason Lee is fantastic as always and it is fun to root against a douchy Ben Affleck. The plot is goofy and some of the scenes feel just a bit TOO cartoony given the material. I love the Stan Lee cameo though!
Steve – Maybe this is nostalgia speaking, but I love Mallrats. Perhaps it’s because I was a mallrat during high school and would frequently reference this movie. Mallrats is goofy as hell and super fun. This is another movie that I quote to this day. Also, the Stan Lee cameo towards the end is gold.
I think I’ll sit down and have a bag of chocolate covered pretzels. Say, would you like a chocolate covered pretzel?
3. Chasing Amy
Jay – 3, Steve – 2
Jay – This might be Smith’s most mature film and also one that is personal (see a trend?). Smith is at his best when he is pulling from his own life rather than telling someone else’s story. If you aren’t familiar with the film, Ben Affleck and Jason Lee are comic book artists and friends who adapted Jay and Silent Bob’s personas as a superhero comic book series “Bluntman and Chronic” (a stoner play on Batman and Robin). Ben Affleck meets Joey Lauren Adams character (who is a lesbian) who they both create an emotional and unlikely romantic bond. This is tested with Lee’s jealousy (repressed feelings toward Holden and business failings) and past romantic experiences of Adams. It all plays out how you might expect it, but it all feels real while also being totally out there. There is a great scene involving Affleck, Jason Mewes and Smith at a diner discussing the predicament that really hits home.
Steve – Chasing Amy might be Smith’s best overall film. It deals with very young adult themes and the complex emotions of love and jealousy in a way that most of his other films do not. Like a lot of these films, it hasn’t aged incredibly well, but Chasing Amy paints a clear picture of young adult life in 1997.
2. Dogma
Jay – 1, Steve – 4
Jay – Perhaps a controversial take, but I think this film is even better than Clerks which I also adore (more on that). As someone with particularly strong anti-religious leanings, this really appealed to me, specifically the ideas of religious loopholes and “a quest given by god”. Smith actually started writing this before Clerks which I find very interesting. With the themes, he perfectly crafts a plot and jokes that pull everything together. Matt Damon, Chris Rock, Salma Hayek, and Alan Rickman are all fantastic. Damon’s one scene in the Mooby’s board room was especially great. Jay and Silent Bob take their biggest role in a Smith film prior to Strikes Back and absolutely nail it. I often quote Rock’s revelation on Jay’s relentless self-pleasure. The ending is perfect and you get to see Alanis Morissette as God herself.
Steve – I might have Dogma a touch too low. It’s easily one of Smith’s best films on a subject that he feels strongly about – religion. He’s often spoken about his thoughts on Catholicism and in a broader sense, Christianity as a whole. Dogma has an amazing cast too, as Jason points out. George Carlin is fantastic, and it’s very funny to see one of the most public atheists in history play a Cardinal. Buddy Christ might be the most iconic image to come out of the ViewAskew-verse.
1. Clerks
Jay – 2, Steve – 1
Jay – As Steve notes below, the first time watching this made me think “hey, I could do this and make a film about me and my friends.” All of the film feels pretty natural with its interactions and characters. As someone who worked in convenience, you get to see all sorts of characters on a daily basis and the only way to get through the day is to have these intimate conversations with your coworkers. The film is edgy in a 90’s sort of way that I’m not sure kids today would really understand. It is a perfect time capsule.
Steve – Clerks is the kind of movie that makes you think you can make a movie. It was Kevin Smith’s first, and in my mind it is still his best. There is such a great raw energy to Clerks that propels it through its chaotic slice of North Jersey life. Clerks is sharp and fun. It is an incredibly mid-90s movie and not all of its humor has aged well, but it’s so pure and shows exactly who Kevin Smith is as a filmmaker.
