ironhorse_iv Once you heard 'Corona' by the band, Minutemen. You know, what you're getting. Created by skateboard magazine 'Big Brother', writer Johnny Knoxville, as well as Bam Margera's humor/stunt video series "Camp Kill Yourself", MTV 'Jackass' (2000-2002) can either be, the most horrifying stupidest thing ever put on American television or one of the best shows, ever aired, depending on who you are. For me, I always been kinda of a big fan of Dickhouse productions. I don't know, why, either; I just somewhat always kinda like their low brow, physical slapstick toilet humor. Call it, my stupid juvenile side, but any episode of the original 'Jackass', 'Wildboyz' (2003-2006), and 'Viva la Bam' (2003-2005) is watchable for me. Even the first 'Jackass' movie in 2002, has parts in it, that still pretty funny. Examples are, like the final skit after the credits; where a future sequel dubbed "Son of Jackass" involves the elderly cast dying horrible flaming deaths. While, that made up sequel would had been funny. 'Jackass 2' is by far, is my favorite, as it has the most ridiculous, dangerous, pranks and stunts, either seen from the 3 main movies, or the show. The things, these men, put each other, through is, not only shocking, but highly insane! Mad props to both Johnny Knoxville and Bam Margera for really going overboard with the recklessly of the stunts, that both had to be hospitalized with injuries, like burn inflections, cuts, and concussions. They could had, easily had died if it really went wrong. They clearly will forever, have the war-scars, inked into their skin, after this movie. If anything, my favorite parts of the film, has to do with the number of pranks, participating with several celebrity cameos guest stars like Spike Jonze and John Waters. Without spoiling the movie, too much, I have to say, the sequence in which co-star, Ehren McGhehey pretends to be an airport terrorist until the taxi driver, played by Jay Chandrasekhar, turns on him is by far, the funniest thing, I ever witness on 'Jackass'. I was laughing my head off, for day. Yet, there were some cringe-worthy moments, mostly with Ryan Dunn and any car stunts. Also, I kinda wish, the movie had more women doing stunts, as I think, they can be equally as funny. Despite that, the only member of the 'Jackass' crew, I was somewhat disappointed in, from this movie is Steve O. He doesn't do much, in this movie. Not only that, but he seem so depressed, during filming this movie. It's also sad to hear that he relapsed into drugs and alcoholism after this movie. Anyways, all of his sick gags are very tiresome and borderline unwatchable because how gross, they were. Some of his scenes had to be censor to prevent an NC-17 rating. Still, it's kinda funny how drinking 'horse semen' is more pornographic than all of the male nudity based on the MPAA. I guess, that's too pornographic for the Rated 'R' rating. Nevertheless, the homoerotic tone and harsh language doesn't really bug me about this film. Yet, the drug use was a bit alarming. Still, I would rather have the movie release, be 'unrated' than rated. I also don't like, that they limited certain moments of the film. Honestly, if Media Watchdogs and Moral Guardians need to know that this movie is for mature audience, then they are 'jackasses' for not understanding the meaning of the title of this film. Everyone knows going in, that the stunts are dangerous and the effects painful. Any child that tries to reenactment the film in their house deserves to get hurt for their stupidity. I just glad, they released an unrated version of the DVD. It makes up for the 16 delete scenes, we lost in the theatrical version. However, I get why all scenes featuring Vincent Margera AKA Don Vito were cut from the film, due Vito's arrest for sexual assault one month before the film's release. Despite that, I also love that the DVD has it has 20 additional scenes, 9 TV spots, 8 promotional spots including trailer, gag reels, making the movie featurette & the uncensored version of Karazy by Chris Pontius and a promotional commercial for the 2006 VMAs. Another thing that I love, about this film, is the update production values. The movie looks epic, having filmed not only across the United States, but India, Australia, England, Moscow and Argentina. I always felt like the first movie look cheap, and made out of mismatch of unused footage from the television show. It really didn't flow right. This sequel was well-paced. The opening sequence with the stampede in the theme of 'Ecstasy of Gold' from 1966's 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly' was amazing with the picture quality. It looks sharp. Also, I love how the movie finishes with movie nods to Buster Keaton's 1928's film, 'Steamboat Billy Jr' & Ester Williams's 1952's film 'The Million Dollar Mermaid' with a Busby Berkeley-style movie musical production number set to 1978's 'La Cage aux Folles' song "The Best of Times". It was a fun climax to the film. Overall: While, this movie is a lot more disgusting and painful than any of the previous works, I didn't find it, too offensive, not to like. Still, if you have a weak stomach, then this movie isn't for you, but if you have a funny bone. I say, check it out. Just prepare to have a bag of tissues and barf bag, just in case.

Python Hyena Jackass Number Two (2006): Dir: Jeff Tremaine / Cast: Johnny Knoxville, Steve O, Bam Margara, Jason "Wee Man" Acuna, Chris Pontius: One can understand the daredevil madness associated with Jackass: The Movie despite the fact that the stunts are not for the squeamish. However, the comic troop goes too far with this sickening sequel based on the M-TV program. Some stunts are entertaining such as the one where they hunt for an anaconda within a pool of colored balls, or the seesaw stunt regarding a bull. Other stunts are just plain gross such as drinking horse semen or gluing pubic hairs to one's face as a beard. Some of the location work is innovative and the director shoots it somewhat like a documentary, which works. Johnny Knoxville, Steve O, Bam Margara, and Jason "Wee Man" Acuna all return for what can only be described as a suicide test. Chris Pontius has an encounter with a bull and its horns that are a little too close for comfort. These films are almost always marketed towards the wrong audience and display just how far morals in society have plummeted. The boys are less funny here, and it is strange that no women are involve at all. Either no female would be seen in such garbage or they would feel intimidated by a female capable of such shock. For their next stunt they should draw straws to see who should have this film shoved up their anal track. Score: 2 / 10

tieman64 "That which does not destroy me, makes me stronger." - Nietzsche "We must embrace pain, and burn it as fuel for our journey." - Kenji Miyazawa "Jackass 2" finds a troupe of daredevils, clowns and idiots subjecting their bodies to huge amounts of pain, risk and abuse. The payoff of this abuse is supposed to be our laughter, but it's clear that the Jackass troupe, who come across as a merry band of bohemians, skaters, magicians and plain ole anarchists, themselves derive moments of almost sadomasochistic pleasure from the pain they endure. This is not just comedy. This is pain as an affirmation of life, pain as an almost sexual thing, pain as a means of bringing one closer to being, to one's own corporeality; I bleed therefore I am.Nietzsche himself touted pain as the essence of joy, and believed that pleasure and pain were not opposed to one another, but go together. The strength of one is the strength of the other, he said, and to pursue pleasure is to go headfirst towards pain and vice versa. Which, in a wider context, is why affluent societies increasingly find themselves either drifting from hedonism to sadomasochism, or suffering hugely despite material contentment.The Jackass crew captures this paradox. The troupe spends most of their time in fearful, giddy anticipation of pain, then in a kind of quasi-ecstatic pain, and then in jubilation at having survived the pain. As this drug rush lasts only moments, the troupe then finds itself quickly hopping to the next painful set piece. In real life, many of the crew would develop dangerous drug addictions.Unsurprisingly, the film is relentlessly corporeal, stressing toned, muscular bodies, feces, vomit, semen, blubbering flabs of fat, grotesque characters, dwarfs, midgets, freaks, cuts, bruises, defecation, injuries and torn flesh. Few films convey the sheer fleshiness of the human body, and how willingly we embrace pain in the pursuit of morsels of pleasure.Like ascetic monks, who masochistically revoke all pleasure, there's also something almost spiritual or monastic about the way the Jackass troupe flagellate themselves in the name of eliciting laughs. Of course they could also be raging idiots. It takes either a God or a moron to put a leach on one's own eyeball.8/10 – Worth one viewing.

namashi_1 After watching 'Jackass: The Movie', I thought these gutsy & crazy fellas were done with their absurdity. But, they return with 'Jackass Number Two', and they, this time, also made me amuse and question myself.'Jackass Number Two' follows the human spirit gone wild, with Johnny Knoxville leading the bandwagon once again. But this amusing-film actually belongs to, Bam Margera, who is an absolute brat, and I guess the most scared as well. His gags are most hilarious and those situations can truly make it to a comedy film's screenplay.Jeff Tremanie who directs this film, knows what he has made. And the actors who participate in here, also know what they have done. And Spike Jonze knows what the hell he has done in here! I don't why, but I want to ask the entire cast & crew of this comedy a, very important, question? Who's The Jackass? Us, in the sense, each of it's viewer. Or is it, you guys who manage to pull such off crude yet funny stuff?