Jackasses (Jeff Tremaine, 2002/2006/2010/2022/2026)

[colinr0380]

I just cannot escape from the notion that the Jackass films (and series) are the modern equivalent of the Mondo films from back in the day, providing a 'safe' way for an audience to enjoy some wacky self-inflicted violence and grossness that cannot have gone too far as otherwise it wouldn't have made it into a commercially released film. Just without the added layer of an ethnographic narration taking a moralising, superior and arguably racist stance towards the people caught on camera (which is always the most iffy part of the Mondo films, yet simultaneously the most fascinating and (unintentionally?) revealing of the filmmaker aspect of them too) as being something that people over there do to themselves for some reason, rather than anything thankfully we get up to over here.

And instead of cutting themselves up or snake handling because it is what their culture or religion is demand of them, in Jackass it is just being done because their buddies are daring them into doing so, that becomes a kind of bonding experience through a shared act. Although I suppose that could be argued to be organised culture or religion in a nutshell! Maybe everything just begins as a dare between buddies until it gets codified and turned into a societal edict!

[DarkImbecile]

The usual post-feature outtakes film Jackass 4.5 is on Netflix as of yesterday, and the first bit is a hot sauce enema in case anyone needs a good family-friendly watch this weekend

[rwiggum]

The “X.5” entries have always been really hit or miss for me, (Jackass 2.5 was maybe the nadir of the whole series, and just felt like all the bits that either didn’t work or were too mean-spirited to make it into the full film) but 4.5 is honestly as good as 3D or Forever in my mind. There were several bits that I couldn’t believe didn’t make it into the finished film. The “first COVID safety meeting back” was absolute Loony Tunes, and the final skydiving bit was really lovely and life-affirming in such an unexpected way.

[cantinflas]

Jackass 5

[cantinflas]

Jackass: Best and Last

[willoneill]

I doubt either of those statements will turn out to be true.

[Finch]

I don't know, it really could be their last. I don't see them doing this in their sixties and seventies.

[Swift]

Disappointed to see that this appears to be half new bits and half clip show. Hopefully that's not the case and the trailer is just highlighting the apparent finality of the series.

[The Narrator Returns]

I think Johnny literally can’t do a full movie of stunts anymore, the bull in Forever might be the last concussion he can ever get without risking death in a very real way.

[The Narrator Returns]

I saw Best and Last the other day and it is indeed neatly half-new and half-old, though a lot of the old is supplemented with stuff you haven’t seen, like Bam’s corner of “Silence of the Lambs”. There’s discussion of why this has to be this way (including more footage from the ill-fated bull stunt) and unguarded Johnny Knoxville emotion about this really being the end, emphasizing the sentimentality that’s always been part of this franchise. It’s more of a .5 than 4.5 was (they should’ve put that in theaters too) but it works because it’s not aiming for more than a strong epilogue, giving most of the old crew (including Lance Bangs) lovely grace notes. Steve-O and his butt make a good run at MVP but the highlight of these last two is the torture inflicted on Danger Ehren, who I imagine is the only one glad (with good reason) to be done with these.