Pan's Labyrinth (2006)

Man, is this a good year for Spanish/Mexican films or what? First you have BABEL, which is chalking up rave after rave (unfortunately I have yet to see it, so I'm going on what the critics are saying). Then you get CHILDREN OF MEN, which I've already mentioned in a previous review as being one of, if not the best film of the year (IMHO, of course).

And now I've finally seen PAN'S LABYRINTH. If it wasn't for years of self control, I think I might have wet 'em.

So much has already been said about the film, and about Roger Ebert's proclamation of it being "a fairy tale for adults" that it's hard not to go into the movie without already having a preconceived set of notions as to what you;re going to see. Do yourself a favor and leave them behind. It'll serve you better in the long run.

In PAN'S LABYRINTH Guillermo del Toro serves up a perfect companion piece to his incredible DEVIL'S BACKBONE, set in roughly the same time period and dealing with similar themes, most notably the horrors and images of war as seen through the eyes of children and adults. PAN'S LABYRINTH is the story of young Ofelia, arriving with her pregnant mother to an old mill, recently converted to a military base camp by her evil stepfather, a captain in the Spanish Civil War. Behind the mill in the forest lies a labyrinth, the center of which contains a stone pit leading down beneath the earth. Ofelia is led their by a combination insect/fairy (in one of the coolest transformations this side of the Decepticons), and meets the Faun, who tells her she is actually the reincarnated soul of the Princess of the Underworld, and has three challenges to face in order to be reunited with her actual father, the King.

All of this is set against the backdrop of the last stand of the mill against the freedom fighters that line the hills, fighting for their lives and their ideas of a free Spain. Guillermo del Toro shines here, inviting the spirit of Hemingway (whose For Whom the Bell Tolls was an inspiration) and allowing the horrors of war to live side by side next to the more fantastic elements in such a way that they perfectly complement each other, instead of jarring against one another. This is really where the film stands out, and I think where the quote about being a "fairy tale for adults" comes from. There is no attempt to make the amazing creatures Ofelia come into contact with during her quest palatable for family consumption; each creature, from the terrifying Pale Man to the simply unbelievable Faun (both played to perfection by del Toro regular Doug Jones), are created and played to occupy perfectly the roles they have in the film - the dangers and temptations that are skewered reflections of the world Ofelia is trapped in.

Del Toro embodies his film with a sincerity and warmth that is often missing from more fantasy-themed films. At no time do the effects or elaborate sets take you out of the movie. It's his most successful attempt to immerse his viewers in the story. A lot of the credit for this, though, goes to the actors who bring the "real world" portion of the movie to life. 12 year old Ivana Baquero plays Ofelia with a sadness and innocence that goes against the more world-weary roles you find children playing more and more. I hated Sergi Lopez's sadistic Captain Vidal from the moment he appeared on film, so he definitely nailed that role. Doug Jones proves that (nothing against Andy Serkis) once again he is the best actor you've never actually seen.

But the one person deserving their own special paragraph is the absolutely lovely Maribel Verdu, who not only is wonderful as Ofelia's confidant Mercedes, but is one of the sexiest, beautiful women who ever walked the earth, and one of the handful of women who actually make me go weak in the knees. It's not as apparent in PAN'S LABYRINTH, but I can't help but think of her in Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN every time I see her.

Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN. Drool........

And I think that's the signal to end the gushing and raving about PAN'S LABYRINTH. All too rare to see a film filled with wonder, fantasy, and human drama - and a guy with the head of a goat to boot. A+++

Pan's Labyrinth (2006)

Man, is this a good year for Spanish/Mexican films or what? First you have BABEL, which is chalking up rave after rave (unfortunately I have yet to see it, so I'm going on what the critics are saying). Then you get CHILDREN OF MEN, which I've already mentioned in a previous review as being one of, if not the best film of the year (IMHO, of course).

And now I've finally seen PAN'S LABYRINTH. If it wasn't for years of self control, I think I might have wet 'em.

So much has already been said about the film, and about Roger Ebert's proclamation of it being "a fairy tale for adults" that it's hard not to go into the movie without already having a preconceived set of notions as to what you;re going to see. Do yourself a favor and leave them behind. It'll serve you better in the long run.

In PAN'S LABYRINTH Guillermo del Toro serves up a perfect companion piece to his incredible DEVIL'S BACKBONE, set in roughly the same time period and dealing with similar themes, most notably the horrors and images of war as seen through the eyes of children and adults. PAN'S LABYRINTH is the story of young Ofelia, arriving with her pregnant mother to an old mill, recently converted to a military base camp by her evil stepfather, a captain in the Spanish Civil War. Behind the mill in the forest lies a labyrinth, the center of which contains a stone pit leading down beneath the earth. Ofelia is led their by a combination insect/fairy (in one of the coolest transformations this side of the Decepticons), and meets the Faun, who tells her she is actually the reincarnated soul of the Princess of the Underworld, and has three challenges to face in order to be reunited with her actual father, the King.

All of this is set against the backdrop of the last stand of the mill against the freedom fighters that line the hills, fighting for their lives and their ideas of a free Spain. Guillermo del Toro shines here, inviting the spirit of Hemingway (whose For Whom the Bell Tolls was an inspiration) and allowing the horrors of war to live side by side next to the more fantastic elements in such a way that they perfectly complement each other, instead of jarring against one another. This is really where the film stands out, and I think where the quote about being a "fairy tale for adults" comes from. There is no attempt to make the amazing creatures Ofelia come into contact with during her quest palatable for family consumption; each creature, from the terrifying Pale Man to the simply unbelievable Faun (both played to perfection by del Toro regular Doug Jones), are created and played to occupy perfectly the roles they have in the film - the dangers and temptations that are skewered reflections of the world Ofelia is trapped in.

Del Toro embodies his film with a sincerity and warmth that is often missing from more fantasy-themed films. At no time do the effects or elaborate sets take you out of the movie. It's his most successful attempt to immerse his viewers in the story. A lot of the credit for this, though, goes to the actors who bring the "real world" portion of the movie to life. 12 year old Ivana Baquero plays Ofelia with a sadness and innocence that goes against the more world-weary roles you find children playing more and more. I hated Sergi Lopez's sadistic Captain Vidal from the moment he appeared on film, so he definitely nailed that role. Doug Jones proves that (nothing against Andy Serkis) once again he is the best actor you've never actually seen.

But the one person deserving their own special paragraph is the absolutely lovely Maribel Verdu, who not only is wonderful as Ofelia's confidant Mercedes, but is one of the sexiest, beautiful women who ever walked the earth, and one of the handful of women who actually make me go weak in the knees. It's not as apparent in PAN'S LABYRINTH, but I can't help but think of her in Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN every time I see her.

Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN. Drool........

And I think that's the signal to end the gushing and raving about PAN'S LABYRINTH. All too rare to see a film filled with wonder, fantasy, and human drama - and a guy with the head of a goat to boot. A+++

Funniest Screen Moments #1: Love Power

A couple years ago I began keeping a list of what I considered to be some of the funniest moments on film. It never really went anywhere, but it appealed to my obsessive list-keeping sensibilities, and made me happy for the brief time I did it. I had completely forgotten about it until tonight when, in the process of trying to forget a particularly greasy dinner at a restaurant the Missus and I flipped through the channels and found THE PRODUCERS playing on Turner Classic Movies.

It may not be my personal favorite Mel Brooks movie (that honor going to YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN), but it certainly contains IMHO one of the funniest moments he ever captured on film.

And look: now you can see it on You Tube:

Funniest Screen Moments #1: Love Power

A couple years ago I began keeping a list of what I considered to be some of the funniest moments on film. It never really went anywhere, but it appealed to my obsessive list-keeping sensibilities, and made me happy for the brief time I did it. I had completely forgotten about it until tonight when, in the process of trying to forget a particularly greasy dinner at a restaurant the Missus and I flipped through the channels and found THE PRODUCERS playing on Turner Classic Movies.

It may not be my personal favorite Mel Brooks movie (that honor going to YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN), but it certainly contains IMHO one of the funniest moments he ever captured on film.

And look: now you can see it on You Tube:

Paris, I Love You

This sounds like a film right up my alley. Any times you mention a project that has more than 2 two of my favorite filmmakers working in it, you got me hooked.

And check out the one-sheet. Cool.

Paris, I Love You

This sounds like a film right up my alley. Any times you mention a project that has more than 2 two of my favorite filmmakers working in it, you got me hooked.

And check out the one-sheet. Cool.

The Hidden Blade (2004)

What if Merchant Ivory made a samurai movie? What would it look and feel like? Probably a lot like this. THE HIDDEN BLADE is filled with questions of tradition in a world where technology is fast overrunning moral codes, and where people of different castes cannot marry, but must instead play with the hand they were dealt in life.

Which is all fine, except this is a samurai movie, and I like my samurai movies to have a little more, well, samurai stuff in it.

Katagiri is the lonely older samurai, deeply imbued with the code of the samurai in a world that is fast turning to the weaponry and military strategy of the West. He pines for Kie, a young woman who his family took in but, since she was a lower caste, was forced to marry in her own rank.

Tied in amongst this love story and the tense political atmosphere is Katagiri's old friend Hazama, who while stationed in Edo becomes a rebel faction against the Shogunate, and escapes imprisonment. Katagiri is told the only way he can prove he was not in league with the rebels is to seek out and kill his friend Hazama. To do that, he must call upon his old master Todo, and rely on the secret arts he is taught. Will he use the secret Hidden Blade, whose art has been entrusted only to him? Will he use the Devil's Claw? Does it matter when there's only one fight in the movie, and it's over before it ever really gets going?

THE HIDDEN BLADE is tender and moving, and plays on the role of honor and tradition in a changing world. It reminds us that fighting is only used as a last resort (prior to the climactic battle, Katagiri admits he's never even killed anyone before, despite his being the best swordsman in the land). There is romance, comedy, and above all, a sense of humanity that overrides the rest of the action in the film. The scenes in winter, like when Katagiri sees Kie shopping, have a quiet pastoral beauty that seem to freeze time. But you always get the feeling that the movie has no gut, no punch to it. I felt at times like I was watching a television drama that just happened to be about samurai. As good a film artistically as it may have been, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone looking for serious samurai ass-kicking.

The Hidden Blade (2004)

What if Merchant Ivory made a samurai movie? What would it look and feel like? Probably a lot like this. THE HIDDEN BLADE is filled with questions of tradition in a world where technology is fast overrunning moral codes, and where people of different castes cannot marry, but must instead play with the hand they were dealt in life.

Which is all fine, except this is a samurai movie, and I like my samurai movies to have a little more, well, samurai stuff in it.

Katagiri is the lonely older samurai, deeply imbued with the code of the samurai in a world that is fast turning to the weaponry and military strategy of the West. He pines for Kie, a young woman who his family took in but, since she was a lower caste, was forced to marry in her own rank.

Tied in amongst this love story and the tense political atmosphere is Katagiri's old friend Hazama, who while stationed in Edo becomes a rebel faction against the Shogunate, and escapes imprisonment. Katagiri is told the only way he can prove he was not in league with the rebels is to seek out and kill his friend Hazama. To do that, he must call upon his old master Todo, and rely on the secret arts he is taught. Will he use the secret Hidden Blade, whose art has been entrusted only to him? Will he use the Devil's Claw? Does it matter when there's only one fight in the movie, and it's over before it ever really gets going?

THE HIDDEN BLADE is tender and moving, and plays on the role of honor and tradition in a changing world. It reminds us that fighting is only used as a last resort (prior to the climactic battle, Katagiri admits he's never even killed anyone before, despite his being the best swordsman in the land). There is romance, comedy, and above all, a sense of humanity that overrides the rest of the action in the film. The scenes in winter, like when Katagiri sees Kie shopping, have a quiet pastoral beauty that seem to freeze time. But you always get the feeling that the movie has no gut, no punch to it. I felt at times like I was watching a television drama that just happened to be about samurai. As good a film artistically as it may have been, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone looking for serious samurai ass-kicking.

Children of Men (2006)

It's 2027 and Ministry of Energy employee Theo Faron makes his way through his everyday mundane life smoking, drinking, and holding little but contempt for those around him. His dismal outlook on life is warranted - in 2009 women mysteriously stopped being able to have babies. The entire planet with the exception of England has collapsed. Political extremists terrorize the populace, the government has taken to deporting refugees into concentration camps, and you can't even go into a coffee shop without hearing about the brutal death of the world's youngest person - Baby Diego, just over 18 years of age. Rumors abound about a mysterious group called the Human Project - a group of scientists located off shore working in secret to solve the problem of the planet's infertility.

It is in this desperate future that Alfonso Cuarón tells the tale of Theo's attempt to transport a scared young girl who may hold the secret to Earth's, and Theo's, salvation. Anyone upset that Clive Owen did not get the role of James Bond should rejoice - he absolutely owns the role of emotionally battered Theo. Every part of him - his eyes, the crack and weariness in his voice, the sad rumple of fabric he counts as his clothing - all contribute to paint a portrait of a man whose once limitless passion was crushed in a single, gargantuan blow.

Contacted by his ex-wife (a short but beautifully expressed Julianne Moore) to escort the young Kee to the coast and hopefully into the arms of the Human Project, we see Theo's armor slowly fall off, leaving him fully exposed to the horror and the hope that he guarded against for so long. Watch for two scenes in particular to see how Owen manages this without a word - in the picture above and again driving away after sustaining another devastating loss. His face collapses for a brief moment before regaining his composure. But in that brief moment everyone in the theater's heart broke.

The rest of the cast is equally fantastic. Although the show most definitely belongs to Owen, there are great (thought very small) performances by Moore as his ex-wife turned rebel leader, and Michael Caine as Jasper, who provides a respite for Theo from the pain and loneliness of his working life. More about their roles and actions in the movie should be left for the viewer to experience. Also appearing in equally fulfilling roles are Chiwetel Ejiofor (who is fast becoming one of my favorite actors) and Claire-Hope Shitey, who plays the young woman carrying the hope for a future.

But probably the biggest character next to Theo is the world itself. A lot of people have made comparisons to Ridley Scott's BLADE RUNNER, but I think this world Cuarón paints is more bleak, more alarming, and more fully realized than anything put forth in that film. In fact, if there's one thing that I found that distracted me from the film, it was that the world Theo and Kee have to travel through is so depressing, so thoroughly realized, that you become completely enveloped in the sense of dread and despair, so much that when the amazingly enormous moment of the film occurs (after a climactic battle in abandoned apartment building), you're just thankful for the release.

One additional thing to note is the wonderful use of sound in CHILDREN OF MEN. Cuarón uses music again to brilliant effect (as he did on Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN), and the ending credits are startling for what they reveal had been missing from one of what was definitely the top movies of 2006.

Which didn't come to my neck of the woods until 2007. Bastards.

Children of Men (2006)

It's 2027 and Ministry of Energy employee Theo Faron makes his way through his everyday mundane life smoking, drinking, and holding little but contempt for those around him. His dismal outlook on life is warranted - in 2009 women mysteriously stopped being able to have babies. The entire planet with the exception of England has collapsed. Political extremists terrorize the populace, the government has taken to deporting refugees into concentration camps, and you can't even go into a coffee shop without hearing about the brutal death of the world's youngest person - Baby Diego, just over 18 years of age. Rumors abound about a mysterious group called the Human Project - a group of scientists located off shore working in secret to solve the problem of the planet's infertility.

It is in this desperate future that Alfonso Cuarón tells the tale of Theo's attempt to transport a scared young girl who may hold the secret to Earth's, and Theo's, salvation. Anyone upset that Clive Owen did not get the role of James Bond should rejoice - he absolutely owns the role of emotionally battered Theo. Every part of him - his eyes, the crack and weariness in his voice, the sad rumple of fabric he counts as his clothing - all contribute to paint a portrait of a man whose once limitless passion was crushed in a single, gargantuan blow.

Contacted by his ex-wife (a short but beautifully expressed Julianne Moore) to escort the young Kee to the coast and hopefully into the arms of the Human Project, we see Theo's armor slowly fall off, leaving him fully exposed to the horror and the hope that he guarded against for so long. Watch for two scenes in particular to see how Owen manages this without a word - in the picture above and again driving away after sustaining another devastating loss. His face collapses for a brief moment before regaining his composure. But in that brief moment everyone in the theater's heart broke.

The rest of the cast is equally fantastic. Although the show most definitely belongs to Owen, there are great (thought very small) performances by Moore as his ex-wife turned rebel leader, and Michael Caine as Jasper, who provides a respite for Theo from the pain and loneliness of his working life. More about their roles and actions in the movie should be left for the viewer to experience. Also appearing in equally fulfilling roles are Chiwetel Ejiofor (who is fast becoming one of my favorite actors) and Claire-Hope Shitey, who plays the young woman carrying the hope for a future.

But probably the biggest character next to Theo is the world itself. A lot of people have made comparisons to Ridley Scott's BLADE RUNNER, but I think this world Cuarón paints is more bleak, more alarming, and more fully realized than anything put forth in that film. In fact, if there's one thing that I found that distracted me from the film, it was that the world Theo and Kee have to travel through is so depressing, so thoroughly realized, that you become completely enveloped in the sense of dread and despair, so much that when the amazingly enormous moment of the film occurs (after a climactic battle in abandoned apartment building), you're just thankful for the release.

One additional thing to note is the wonderful use of sound in CHILDREN OF MEN. Cuarón uses music again to brilliant effect (as he did on Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN), and the ending credits are startling for what they reveal had been missing from one of what was definitely the top movies of 2006.

Which didn't come to my neck of the woods until 2007. Bastards.

The Descent (2006)

A bunch of young people go cave diving into an unknown cave, only to have that cave collapse behind them. But that's not all: there's something else down there with them. Something both terrifying and hungry. Who lives? Who dies?

Well, if you're watching 2005's THE CAVE, you really don't care, because that movie is yet another abysmal example of how far American Horror films have strayed off the mark. However, if you're watching Neil Marshall's amazing THE DESCENT (from the UK, incidentally), be prepared to care very much. And be prepared to truly, finally, see what so many other horror movies can hype: one of the best horror film in years.

The film begins with three friends enjoying a rafting vacation together when tragedy strikes lead Sarah, whose husband and daughter are killed in a car accident. A year later, still fragile from past events, she get together with her friends to go on a cave diving expedition. Group leader Juno, for reasons made clear later on, takes the group away from their original cave selection and to a new foreboding cave found deep in the forests of the Appalachians. A huge, gawping maw beckons them down, down, down...

The first half of the film, dealing with the initial descent, the (inevitable) collapse of the opening and the realization that Juno led them to an unknown, unexplored cave provides more than enough tension and drama to fill up an entire film. Marshall wisely uses this time to flesh everyone out and begin to set up the confrontations between the explorers. The darkness acts as a separate entity, and the few light sources - flares, matches, and a video camera equipped with night-vision add to the sense of dread purveying the film. The video camera in particular play a crucial role, setting up the terrifying second half. We look through the viewpoint of one of the women holding the camera as she scans her surroundings and sees...something else is in the cave with them.

From here on in THE DESCENT goes full throttle as the women fight to escape the cave with their lives. Throughout Marshall (who also wrote the movie) throws in visual references to some of the films that influenced him as a filmmaker - Jim Emerson in his excellent SCANNERS blog compares many of the shots side be side (check it out here). Using little in the way of special effects, the creatures are largely effective precisely because of how little you see them. This is a lesson exemplified by the best directors which seems to be largely forgotten in the past few years.

Although the focus cuts back and forth between the characters, it is definitely Sarah's story, and watching her attempts to escape and deal with events both past and present moves this out of simple b-horror schlock and elevates it into a mesmerizing character study. But that study never sacrifices the action or the gore, which is both hard and fast. This is apologetically an R-rated movie, and the freedom of the rating allows Marshall and the cast to explore every last bloody nook and cranny in the story.

Much has been theorized as to the nature of the ending. With the release of the original uncut version on DVD (which tacks on the final minute of film, cut from the US theatrical release), I don't see the debate ending any time soon. I will say that the ending seems right, and lends a new meaning to the title. Let's hope Neil Marshall continues to make horror of this caliber, and let's hope that American Horror listens...

The Descent (2006)

A bunch of young people go cave diving into an unknown cave, only to have that cave collapse behind them. But that's not all: there's something else down there with them. Something both terrifying and hungry. Who lives? Who dies?

Well, if you're watching 2005's THE CAVE, you really don't care, because that movie is yet another abysmal example of how far American Horror films have strayed off the mark. However, if you're watching Neil Marshall's amazing THE DESCENT (from the UK, incidentally), be prepared to care very much. And be prepared to truly, finally, see what so many other horror movies can hype: one of the best horror film in years.

The film begins with three friends enjoying a rafting vacation together when tragedy strikes lead Sarah, whose husband and daughter are killed in a car accident. A year later, still fragile from past events, she get together with her friends to go on a cave diving expedition. Group leader Juno, for reasons made clear later on, takes the group away from their original cave selection and to a new foreboding cave found deep in the forests of the Appalachians. A huge, gawping maw beckons them down, down, down...

The first half of the film, dealing with the initial descent, the (inevitable) collapse of the opening and the realization that Juno led them to an unknown, unexplored cave provides more than enough tension and drama to fill up an entire film. Marshall wisely uses this time to flesh everyone out and begin to set up the confrontations between the explorers. The darkness acts as a separate entity, and the few light sources - flares, matches, and a video camera equipped with night-vision add to the sense of dread purveying the film. The video camera in particular play a crucial role, setting up the terrifying second half. We look through the viewpoint of one of the women holding the camera as she scans her surroundings and sees...something else is in the cave with them.

From here on in THE DESCENT goes full throttle as the women fight to escape the cave with their lives. Throughout Marshall (who also wrote the movie) throws in visual references to some of the films that influenced him as a filmmaker - Jim Emerson in his excellent SCANNERS blog compares many of the shots side be side (check it out here). Using little in the way of special effects, the creatures are largely effective precisely because of how little you see them. This is a lesson exemplified by the best directors which seems to be largely forgotten in the past few years.

Although the focus cuts back and forth between the characters, it is definitely Sarah's story, and watching her attempts to escape and deal with events both past and present moves this out of simple b-horror schlock and elevates it into a mesmerizing character study. But that study never sacrifices the action or the gore, which is both hard and fast. This is apologetically an R-rated movie, and the freedom of the rating allows Marshall and the cast to explore every last bloody nook and cranny in the story.

Much has been theorized as to the nature of the ending. With the release of the original uncut version on DVD (which tacks on the final minute of film, cut from the US theatrical release), I don't see the debate ending any time soon. I will say that the ending seems right, and lends a new meaning to the title. Let's hope Neil Marshall continues to make horror of this caliber, and let's hope that American Horror listens...

Jackass: Number Two (2006)

Somehow, I should have known what to be in for from the television show and the first movie. I had seen clips on MTV about the making of the new movie, and had heard from friends about some of what to expect. My brother called me on New Year's Eve to tell me he had just finished watching and, in his words, that "it was insane."

I definitely should have been prepared for what I was about to see.

Ladies and gentlemen, I was not.

JACKASS: NUMBER TWO is more outrageous, more disgusting, and more, well gay, then you could ever imagine.

And that's a good thing.

Just when Johnny Knoxville has the chance to play it safe, continuing to do formula comedies (DUKES OF HAZZARD) and various independent projects (DALTRY CALHOUN), he goes and assembles the old team and in the process takes the basic JACKASS premise to the nth degree.

So what exactly are you in for? If you've seen the show or the first movie, you have a pretty good idea (although having seen both did not prepare me AT ALL for what I was about to witness). If you're new to the JACKASS world and would like a sneak peek, read on:

The first bit is called "The Puppet Show," and involves a snake, a mouse puppet, and Chris Pontius's, uh, let's just say member, to flesh out the puppet, so to speak. The rest involves the natural consequence of a mouse in a cage with a snake. I defy any man not to scream and clutch his junk for dear life.

The rest of the film follows a similar path. Every cast member gets a chance to scream, cry, and basically get subjected to punishments both cruel and hilarious, including Knoxville. Among the "crimes" against humanity:

Knoxville gets vertical with the help of a bull, attacked by an anaconda in a child's ball pit, blasted off on a rocket, and snagged by a wolf trap.

Steve-O runs a hook through his cheek and is used for bait for sharks, enjoys a refreshing beer enema, and has a leech stuck on his frikkin' eyeball. That's right: his eyeball.

Bam perhaps suffers more than anyone else, getting a certain pleasure device launched up his posterior (nice language), stuck in a cage with a cobra, shot with thousands of rubber balls, and branded with a fitting logo.

All this and horse masturbation, to boot.

Does any or all of this sound good to you? I suppose a case can be made for JACKASS's popularity being based on the rubbernecking principle found at the scenes of traffic accidents. But I think that takes away from the sense of prankster glee and delight you get every time you hear Knoxville's maniacal laugh, or the obvious comraderie and affection the entire group has for each other. Be prepared to laugh and cry at the same time.