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Release: 1998, Universal Starring: Trey Parker, Matt Stone, Yasmine Bleeth, Jenny McCarthy, Ernest Borgnine, Bob Costas, Al Michaels, Robert Vaughn Director: David Zucker MPAA Rating: [R] language, sexuality, nudity Genre: Comedy
Two guys (Parker, Stone) create a game to play in their driveway with friends: the ultimate combination of baseball and basketball. The sport soon takes off nationally, and the duo must deal with the troubles associated with sudden fame.
As some of you loyal readers may know, I'm a big fan of vulgar, politically incorrect humor, but not gag comedy (e.g. The Naked Gun). When I first read a synopsis of BASEketball, it was being touted as both, so I went into it with mixed expectations. Fortunately, it was light on stupid puns and sight gags and heavy on that vulgar, politically incorrect humor, and I loved it. Could I expect any less from the creators of Comedy Central's South Park? Everything from calling their short, male sidekick "Little Bitch" to electrocuting a hospitalized little kid who is part of the Make-A-Wish Foundation to Ernest Borgnine singing and dancing to Right Said Fred's "I'm Too Sexy" screamed rude and crude, and let me tell you: it was a refreshing change from safe, PC comedy that is too timid to offend anyone. With a team named the San Francisco Ferries and a scene in which Parker and Stone take a little kid and load him up on tequilas, this movie is just waiting to get protested by activist groups everywhere. A two second cameo from Mr. Garrison and a five second cameo from Cartman (in voices only) proved a fun treat for South Park fans.
You may have noticed that the stats at the top of this page state that one of the reasons for the MPAA rating of R is due to nudity. Considering that Jenny McCarthy and Yasmine Bleeth are both in this flick, it might mislead you to the erroneous assumption that this movie features some primo female flesh. Wrong. Very wrong. That nudity tag refers to male locker room butt crack and Parker and Stone pulling off Dirk Digglers, all of which I could have done without. Further, their overuse of the word "dude" sometimes got annoying (although they redeem themselves by turning it into a joke at one point). And the final, touchy-feely moment at the end of the film where everyone realizes the evils of selling out is a little too cliche and drawn out. Given that this was a sports movie like Major League, something like this wasn't unexpected, but I still had a glimmer of hope they would be able circumvent that tired old story. I give fair warning to you all that if you don't like South Park and vulgar humor, you probably won't like this film in the least. The high rating that I am about to give it applies only to people who dig this sort of thing as I do.
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