MOVIE REVIEW
BORAT CULTURAL LEARNINGS OF AMERICA FOR MAKE BENEFIT GLORIOUS NATION OF KAZAKHSTAN
www/eye/net
Starring Sacha Baron Cohen, Ken Davitian. Written by Sacha Baron Cohen, Anthony Hines, Peter Baynham, Dan Mazer. Directed by Larry Charles. 82 min. Opening the Toronto International Film Festival's Midnight Madness program. Sep 7, 11:59pm, Ryerson; Sep 9, 1:15pm, Paramount.
What does a comedy fan do with a problem like Borat? The year's most racially insensitive and potentially inflammatory movie, it's also far and away the funniest. I'm talking god-help-me-I-can't-breathe-I-might-hurl funny. I have never seen a movie slay an audience like Borat did at the preview screening I attended at Cannes.
And yet, whom the hell do I risk recommending it to lest I get punched in the face? The second film vehicle for British comic and Talladega Nights co-star Sacha Baron Cohen (after 2002's so-so Ali G Indahouse) is designed to offend African-Americans, Asians, Jews, WASPs, gays, politicians, rednecks, women and more Jews. It is deeply appalling. And it's already legendary.
Officially appended with the subtitle of Cultural Learnings for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, Borat opens the Midnight Madness program of the Toronto International Film Festival (it goes into wide release Nov. 3). It is a showcase for Borat Sagdiyev, the character that has surpassed Ali G to become Cohen's most notorious creation. Allegedly the sixth most famous man in the former Soviet republic of Kazakhstan -- whose actual representatives have campaigned against Cohen's caricature, which the comic based on a doctor he met in southern Russia -- Borat is a TV reporter keen on helping his viewers back home learn about the world, and about America in particular. For the purposes of this film, Borat travels with his slovenly producer Azamat (Ken Davitian) and his crew on a fact-finding mission to New York. But when Borat sees Baywatch for the first time, he ditches the original plan in order to make an odyssey across America, at the end of which he plans to toss "C.J." (a.k.a. Pamela Anderson) in the traditional Kazakh "wedding sack."
En route, Borat and Co. stage plenty of the confrontations that are the forte of Cohen's HBO series Da Ali G Show (the film was created by Cohen and his regular team of co-writers along with veteran TV director Larry Charles). The real people who get sandbagged either put up with Borat's idiotic, insensitive queries or, like the audience at a rodeo in Virginia, turn on him with often justifiable vehemence.
The only defence I can offer for some of the things Borat says (one favourite: "her vagine is like a wizard's sleeve") is that they are so extreme and absurd, they illustrate the nonsensical nature of hate and prejudice in a fashion that's arguably less hazardous than Nacho Libre's casual racism or Hostel's reflexive homophobia. The most outrageous displays of anti-Semitism are also complicated by the fact that Cohen is Jewish (he even spent time on an Israeli kibbutz before attending Oxford).
So, again, what does a comedy fan do with a problem like Borat?
First answer: laugh until your spleen ruptures. Second: print what may be the most offensive material to ever appear in this newspaper. The following Q&A was conducted by email with Borat. (Cohen will not break character in order to promote the film.) Errors in punctuation, spelling and syntax have not been corrected. Two questions that were not answered are also included below. You have been warned.
Why is America the greatest country in the world?
We in Kazakhstan admire many things about US and A -- it have some of most beautiful women in the world -- example Elizabeths Taylor and Liza Minelli and is also world centre for democracy and porno. We also very much admire American justice sysyems and have recent also introduce death penalty for serious crimes, such as murder, cleaning anoos with flag and baking bagels. We also fan of US Premier Bush. He wise man and almost as strong as his father Barbara.
What are your favourite American films? How do they compare with the films of Kazakhstan?
We like very much American films Mrs. Doubtfires and sex comedy, The Accused. We also very much like comedian Edward Murphy and laugh very much at his chocolate skin. It is unusual! The Kazakhstan film industry is grow very nice. Just like in Tinselwood, we turn comic books in to movie. Currently we are making film of "Astounding Woman." She have 12 magnificent breast -- 5 front, 5 back and 2 under -- that produce sufficient milk to make 25 kilogram of cheese a day and her vagine so big that she can give birth to 14 sons at one time. Also her brain so powerful for a woman, that at end of her working day, she can lock her own cage.
I have read that you nearly caused a riot when you visited the rodeo in Virginia -- why were people so excited by what you said?
[No answer.]
Given you and your countrymen's mistrust of people of the Hebraic persuasion, are you aware that there are many powerful Jewish men in Hollywood? Have you been afraid they will be displeased with your documentary and try to stop it?
[No answer.]
Some of your countrymen have also expressed their concern over what you show the world about Kazakhstan -- why are they not proud?
I has made much efforts to show the world a positives image of Kazakhstan -- we is modern nation and as civilized as any other, especial since the Tulyakev Reforms of 2003, which mean women can now travel on inside of bus, homosexuals no longer have to wear blue hats, and age of consent have been raised to 14 year old. Also, we treat all peoples with equal respect -- even those with... problems. For example, last May we open the Almaty Retard Centre -- it have over 300 cages for them to live in, and public viewing gallery where for 10 tenge you can look on them and for 15, you can throw potatoes. Kazakhstan is also become much more multi-culturals and now has a thrivings community of black peoples in our capital, Almaty. Their makeup so good, they looks almost exact like genuine Africans.
Is this your first time in Canada? What do you hope to do or see while you are here at the festival?
I would like say what an honour it is to be visit the minor nation of Canadas. There is many similarity of you and Kazakhstan. We too has cars pulled by dog, horses as police (maximum rank Chief Detective) and it also tradition in my country for wife of the Premier to give visiting dignitaries hand relief and mouth party if they royalty. I am look forward very much to the festival, where I am intend to watch many Hollywood blockbusters films and then produce DVD copies of them for sell in Kazakhstan. ENDING!!
BORAT CULTURAL LEARNINGS OF AMERICA FOR MAKE BENEFIT GLORIOUS NATION OF KAZAKHSTAN
www/eye/net
Starring Sacha Baron Cohen, Ken Davitian. Written by Sacha Baron Cohen, Anthony Hines, Peter Baynham, Dan Mazer. Directed by Larry Charles. 82 min. Opening the Toronto International Film Festival's Midnight Madness program. Sep 7, 11:59pm, Ryerson; Sep 9, 1:15pm, Paramount.
What does a comedy fan do with a problem like Borat? The year's most racially insensitive and potentially inflammatory movie, it's also far and away the funniest. I'm talking god-help-me-I-can't-breathe-I-might-hurl funny. I have never seen a movie slay an audience like Borat did at the preview screening I attended at Cannes.
And yet, whom the hell do I risk recommending it to lest I get punched in the face? The second film vehicle for British comic and Talladega Nights co-star Sacha Baron Cohen (after 2002's so-so Ali G Indahouse) is designed to offend African-Americans, Asians, Jews, WASPs, gays, politicians, rednecks, women and more Jews. It is deeply appalling. And it's already legendary.
Officially appended with the subtitle of Cultural Learnings for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, Borat opens the Midnight Madness program of the Toronto International Film Festival (it goes into wide release Nov. 3). It is a showcase for Borat Sagdiyev, the character that has surpassed Ali G to become Cohen's most notorious creation. Allegedly the sixth most famous man in the former Soviet republic of Kazakhstan -- whose actual representatives have campaigned against Cohen's caricature, which the comic based on a doctor he met in southern Russia -- Borat is a TV reporter keen on helping his viewers back home learn about the world, and about America in particular. For the purposes of this film, Borat travels with his slovenly producer Azamat (Ken Davitian) and his crew on a fact-finding mission to New York. But when Borat sees Baywatch for the first time, he ditches the original plan in order to make an odyssey across America, at the end of which he plans to toss "C.J." (a.k.a. Pamela Anderson) in the traditional Kazakh "wedding sack."
En route, Borat and Co. stage plenty of the confrontations that are the forte of Cohen's HBO series Da Ali G Show (the film was created by Cohen and his regular team of co-writers along with veteran TV director Larry Charles). The real people who get sandbagged either put up with Borat's idiotic, insensitive queries or, like the audience at a rodeo in Virginia, turn on him with often justifiable vehemence.
The only defence I can offer for some of the things Borat says (one favourite: "her vagine is like a wizard's sleeve") is that they are so extreme and absurd, they illustrate the nonsensical nature of hate and prejudice in a fashion that's arguably less hazardous than Nacho Libre's casual racism or Hostel's reflexive homophobia. The most outrageous displays of anti-Semitism are also complicated by the fact that Cohen is Jewish (he even spent time on an Israeli kibbutz before attending Oxford).
So, again, what does a comedy fan do with a problem like Borat?
First answer: laugh until your spleen ruptures. Second: print what may be the most offensive material to ever appear in this newspaper. The following Q&A was conducted by email with Borat. (Cohen will not break character in order to promote the film.) Errors in punctuation, spelling and syntax have not been corrected. Two questions that were not answered are also included below. You have been warned.
Why is America the greatest country in the world?
We in Kazakhstan admire many things about US and A -- it have some of most beautiful women in the world -- example Elizabeths Taylor and Liza Minelli and is also world centre for democracy and porno. We also very much admire American justice sysyems and have recent also introduce death penalty for serious crimes, such as murder, cleaning anoos with flag and baking bagels. We also fan of US Premier Bush. He wise man and almost as strong as his father Barbara.
What are your favourite American films? How do they compare with the films of Kazakhstan?
We like very much American films Mrs. Doubtfires and sex comedy, The Accused. We also very much like comedian Edward Murphy and laugh very much at his chocolate skin. It is unusual! The Kazakhstan film industry is grow very nice. Just like in Tinselwood, we turn comic books in to movie. Currently we are making film of "Astounding Woman." She have 12 magnificent breast -- 5 front, 5 back and 2 under -- that produce sufficient milk to make 25 kilogram of cheese a day and her vagine so big that she can give birth to 14 sons at one time. Also her brain so powerful for a woman, that at end of her working day, she can lock her own cage.
I have read that you nearly caused a riot when you visited the rodeo in Virginia -- why were people so excited by what you said?
[No answer.]
Given you and your countrymen's mistrust of people of the Hebraic persuasion, are you aware that there are many powerful Jewish men in Hollywood? Have you been afraid they will be displeased with your documentary and try to stop it?
[No answer.]
Some of your countrymen have also expressed their concern over what you show the world about Kazakhstan -- why are they not proud?
I has made much efforts to show the world a positives image of Kazakhstan -- we is modern nation and as civilized as any other, especial since the Tulyakev Reforms of 2003, which mean women can now travel on inside of bus, homosexuals no longer have to wear blue hats, and age of consent have been raised to 14 year old. Also, we treat all peoples with equal respect -- even those with... problems. For example, last May we open the Almaty Retard Centre -- it have over 300 cages for them to live in, and public viewing gallery where for 10 tenge you can look on them and for 15, you can throw potatoes. Kazakhstan is also become much more multi-culturals and now has a thrivings community of black peoples in our capital, Almaty. Their makeup so good, they looks almost exact like genuine Africans.
Is this your first time in Canada? What do you hope to do or see while you are here at the festival?
I would like say what an honour it is to be visit the minor nation of Canadas. There is many similarity of you and Kazakhstan. We too has cars pulled by dog, horses as police (maximum rank Chief Detective) and it also tradition in my country for wife of the Premier to give visiting dignitaries hand relief and mouth party if they royalty. I am look forward very much to the festival, where I am intend to watch many Hollywood blockbusters films and then produce DVD copies of them for sell in Kazakhstan. ENDING!!
posted by D @ 11:34 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home