the Passion of the Clerks Updated: June 16th, 2006 (RSS) MeLisa and I saw an early screening of Clerks 2 last night. MeLisa snagged the tickets from her work, and I was all too happy to join her. It is no secret that I have been a huge Kevin Smith fan for years and getting an early glimpse at the sequel to his first film was almost more than I could handle. If you are thinking "What the hell is Clerks, and why does it need a sequel?", please take a moment to download and watch the trailer: So how was it? I wasn't completely sure what to expect from Clerks 2. I thought the original Clerks was a work of comedy genius... it had really sharp writing and a raw edge to it that few movies have been able to reproduce. That said, Clerks was made over 10 years ago and it had seemed like Kevin Smith had lost that aforementioned edge somewhere along the road of his film career. Jersey Girl (his previous film) was cute, but it could have been easily replaced with a million other romantic comedies out there. Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (the movie previous to Jersey Girl) was funny, but it felt rushed and lacked the wit and edge of Smith's previous works. Let me just cut to the chase and say that Clerks 2 is probably Smith's funniest movie. I love Chasing Amy, and I don't know if any View Askew film will knock it out of the top spot, but Clerks 2 is really good. I laughed so hard that I started annoying the people sitting around me... but it was so funny that I didn't care. I won't spoil any plot details or jokes, but here are some random observations: 1.) This movie is violently crude. The movie managed to pull off an R rating (Kevin Smith was originally talking about releasing it unrated) but the film probably should have been an NC-17. Definitely not a film for kids or those with a weak heart. 2.) Kevin Smith really showed off his geek street cred in this flick. Tons of references to Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, comics, etc. Nothing overwhelming (the movie is still funny without the references) but Kevin Smith fans shouldn't be dissapointed. 3.) I have a serious crush on Rosario Dawson now. I always knew she was hot, and I have enjoyed some of her earlier movies (25th Hour and Sin City especially... and yes, Josie and the Pussycats ) but she was simply adorable in this movie. If you don't fall for her after seeing this flick you may want to check your pulse... because you may just be dead. That's pretty much it... the movie opens next month and if you like crude comedies (think Old School or 40-year-old Virgin) you will love this movie. If you are already a Kevin Smith fan, you will be very pleased with his new flick... if you aren't a Kevin Smith fan, you probably will be after seeing this film.