Okay. Time to get back in the swing of things.

Take two down on their luck 28 year old's and have them go to their 10 year high school reunion. Have them meet a gay porn actor and then, after the reunion have your intrepid stars lose their utilities. It's these desperate times that give them the idea to make a porno. It's really a story as old as time itself. When the going gets tough...fuck for money.

Zack and Miri is a romantic comedy, an incredibly crude and vulgar one, but still a romantic comedy. You know how it ends before it begins. Crude and vulgar are probably Smith's biggest hallmarks at this point. And, I think it works here.

Now, I've never been one to hide my Kevin Smith fandom. I think he makes some damn funny movies. They aren't all perfect, but I can certainly say that I enjoyed more of them than I disliked. Zack and Miri Make A Porno was no exception. And, I would say that would be typical among the other reviews that I've read. People who like his movies have tended to enjoy this one. People who haven't liked his movies in the past don't like this one either.

7 Dollar Popcorn Presents the 7 Dollar Popcorn FILMuary Spectacular: 28 Days of Movie Mayhem Day 27: Clerks 2

Live on tape delay while I go to Chicago for the day it's 7 Dollar Popcorn Presents the 7 Dollar Popcorn FILMuary Spectacular: 28 Days of Movie Mayhem.

I've been a fan of Kevin Smith since Mallrats. I love his movies. I even have both of the Evening With Kevin Smith DVDs. Ok, I haven't been able to bring myself to watch Jersey Girl. I just can't do it. Sorry.

I picked up Clerks II a couple months ago in a buy 2 get 1 free type sale.

It starts in black and white. Dante is opening the metal shutters on the quick stop only to find that someone lit some cgi fire and put him out of a job. Randall, oblivious, walks into the store to be shoved out by a firefighter. The Quick Stop is thus destroyed and they get jobs at the local Mooby burger joint. It's Dante's last day. He's found love and is moving to Florida.

Naturally Jay and Silent Bob have followed Dante and Randall to the new place. They're found god. Meeting God didn't do it. Going to rehab did. Rehab.

Smith has found a way to not just put his wife in yet another movie, but show off her boobs as Dante's fiance, Emma. She wears a "Mrs. Hicks" t-shirt. And Smith's best friend Ben Affleck makes a quick cameo.

Elias is one of the other workers. He's a fan of the Transformers. So, Smith has finally managed to expand from plain old comics and Star Wars geekery. Now he's moved on to 80s cartoons and Lord of the Rings.

Rounding out the Mooby crew is Becky. The manager. She...well, kind of fits in. And Dante apparently does her nails. And they have heart to hearts about love and marriage and whatever. They have fucked in the kitchen at least once.

Jason Lee puts in an appearance as the guy who points out that Dante and Randall have gone nowhere in life. Which gets Randall's panties in a bunch.

Sometimes it's comforting to see that things haven't changed. And, nothing is different. Dante is indecisive. He's dating one girl and in love with another. Meanwhile Randall is useless and crude. Constantly trying to keep everyone at his low level. Jay and Bob are drug dealers. And no one has any real plan or aspiration to improve their lot in life.

There are a lot of thematic similarities as well. Dante and Randall blowing off work to do something. In this case it's go karting instead of a funeral. Dante on the roof. Though instead of hockey it's to learn to dance with Becky. (I could watch Rosario Dawson dance for an hour and a half and be okay). Dante blames the world for his problems and Randall points out the Dante needs to take responsibility for himself.

There is a story here. And it's different than Clerks but it's the same too. It's like that. It comes full circle and ends like it all began.

Despite the donkey shows, Jason Mewes going all crying game in the parking lot, ass to mouth conversations and the like, the movie has a certain sweetness to it. Everything falls into place even though nothing really changes. It's not the same as Dogma or Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, but it is definitely enjoyable. 7 and a half flies on a burger and a cup of urinal ice out of ten.