The Art of Jack Black

Ealier this year I sat in the theatre as a masterpiece in filmaking was reeling in front of me. I forgot to breath as giant slugs, spiders, and "Tremos"-like animals attempted to swallow people whole. I watched as a dozen people fought to survive battles in a mythic jungle, while one man fought to capture the greatest story ever told on film. I have talked to many people about "King Kong" and I neither understand their apathetic review of the movie, nor their lack of desire to see it as if it were a sequel to some Brittney Spears' show. I thought it was absolutely amazing. The acting, the special effects, even the Giant himself. They were all great and enough to get me to fork over $19 bucks to buy it on DVD. And the one man who I thought would crush the film's potential gave the best performance of all. I have never been a big fan of Jack Black. I always saw him as a comedic overachiever. He just tried to hard to be funny and often came up short. And although he did have a few humorous lines in the movie, it was his ability to make you dislike his character so much due to of his complete lack of safety for others, but still hope with everything you had that he captured Kong on film that impressed me. You wanted that camera he carried with him to survive at all costs. Jack Black became an actor in my eyes that day, and I respected him for it.

Not too long ago on a Sunday afternoon, I caught "School of Rock" on the TV and decided that I would give Black another opportunity to prove himself. And that he did. I was surprised that I actually liked the film. I was surprised that he can actually sing well, and that he's pretty awesome on the guitar. I was surprised that I laughed--he was funny without trying too hard to succeed. And so during this month, Black will be starring in "Nacho Libre." A story of a tired chef in a Mexican orphanage who moonlights as a wrestler to raise money for the orphans. It's directed by the man behind "Napolean Dynamite," so that's a good sign, right? And I actually want to see it! I shock myself with that statement, but it's true. I think that it actually looks funny. So I will pay my $8 dollars, grab a small bag of popcorn, and sit back to enjoy the art that is Jack Black--a chubby fella in blue tights, a red cape, and a Tom Selleck mustache.