The Dictator (2012)

[Guest The Second Spitter]

Having never seen any of SBC's previous "work" I actually enjoyed this. I laughed. They were cheap laughs but laughs all the same.

He did a series of interviews "in character" to promote the film. This one on breakfast TV in Australia cause somewhat of a stir, specifically:

It's has already taken more money than Titanic, the film about the ship sunk by Israel in 1912. You have to ask yourself was it sunk by an iceberg or by a Goldberg?

Personally I thought it was fucking funny.

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Here's the Larry King interview:

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[Guest themetfairy]

This is on my "Waiting For It To Come To On Demand" list.

[Edgy MD]

This is on my I-don't-understand-the-terms-of-the-poll list.

[nymr83]

Edgy DC wrote: This is on my I-don't-understand-the-terms-of-the-poll list.

Given that he is both on the Far-Left and a Mets Fan I really have no idea if Steinbrenner or Cheney is supposed to be "5".

I'd love to see standardization of polls in this forum (all zero through 5 with halves or 1-10 or whateever) and if you're going to be 'cute' with words include the numbers next tro them

[Guest The Second Spitter]

Nymr83 wrote: Edgy DC wrote: This is on my I-don't-understand-the-terms-of-the-poll list. Given that he is both on the Far-Left and a Mets Fan I really have no idea if Steinbrenner or Cheney is supposed to be "5".

Since you know me so intimately, you may want to explain why i'm a member of 3 Conservative Parties (which admittedly doesn't include the GOP). Dick Cheney was a joke from the movie.

[nymr83]

I guess I'm mixing you up with someone else on the board. I still remain confused as to where the top and bottom of this poll are.

[Edgy MD]

Nymr had me as a line-item lib, too.

Don't get Nixon-paranoid, Nymr. You're a minority, but you're not surrounded by enemies.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Mussolini-and-a-half for me (I'm assuming Mussolini is 6).

Especially at the beginning, the jokes were almost impossibly forced and unfunny but I'll be dadgummed if after a while this thing almost worked as a movie and even the jokes got better.

The helicopter scene was a scream. The childbirth scene was a vulgar scream. There was a kind of edgy slapstick to it as well.

[Guest The Second Spitter]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Mussolini-and-a-half for me (I'm assuming Mussolini is 6). Especially at the beginning, the jokes were almost impossibly forced and unfunny but I'll be dadgummed if after a while this thing almost worked as a movie and even the jokes got better. The helicopter scene was a scream. The childbirth scene was a vulgar scream. There was a kind of edgy slapstick to it as well.

Best scene in the movie. The hilarious background info to this that they're actually speaking in Hebrew in that scene.

For those not interested in watching the movie, you find it here; SPOILERS OBVIOUSLY

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[Vic Sage]

wild horses couldn't drag me to this movie

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

The Second Spitter wrote: Having never seen any of SBC's previous "work" I actually enjoyed this. I laughed. They were cheap laughs but laughs all the same.

I think it's a little-- no, a LOT-- different when you've seen his previous stuff, which lands a lot more profoundly (funny-wise and satire-wise), since half of the joke with Ali G, Borat, and Bruno is that he's shining the light on his unknowing counterparts' racism, homophobia, and other nasty foibles as he flashes his caustic humor at them. This one-- I gave it a 5, since some of the new set pieces WERE funny, but felt like it should be lower, somehow-- turns the sophisticated, multilayered, and funny jokes into mere fooling... and a lot of the jokes are reused/repurposed earlier bits. Even the I'm-really-speaking-Hebrew gag is recycled from Borat (his "Kazakh" language is actually Hebrew).

[Guest themetfairy]

D-Dad and I watched this on On Demand tonight.

I hated myself for laughing at it.

But I laughed at it. A lot.

This is not a great film per se, but Cohen knows how to sell his character and bring the audience along for the ride. It may be stupid, but it's fucking funny.