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22 December 2023
This special edition of Freak Films is just for the nerds out there; the geeks; the dorks; the movie lovers who can quote whole trilogies of movies; for people who like to go to Toys 'R' Us every couple of days just to make sure they didn’t miss a variant paint job on an action figure they already have five of; people who have more DVDs than they've had intercourse.
The movie is Free Enterprise, a film that examines what happens to friends who have grown up with Captain Kirk as an imaginary friend. They get roped into helping real-life Kirk (William Shatner) make a musical version of Julius Caesar, where Shatner plays all the parts himself. It’s about what happens to people that are so obsessed with owning every Mego action figure and Laserdisc that they have no money left to pay rent or bills. It’s a film about what happens when you are nearing 30 years old, and still collect toys.
The feel of this flick is somewhere between Mallrats and Swingers, but better, and without the Kevin Smith, "I don’t know how to direct" syndrome. It’s jam-packed with enough pop and nerd culture references to make your head spin. Even if you weren’t a huge Trek fan-- which I'm not-- this movie is so well-written and entertaining that even if you miss 3/4 of the references, it is still absolutely brilliant.
Oh, yeah-- did I mention that William Shatner raps in this flick?
This is a movie written by real people, about real people, warts and all. The two main friends, Eric McCormack (Will & Grace) and Rafer Weigel, are human to the point where sometimes you don’t even know if you like them, but we are entranced watching them try to overcome their individual hang-ups. It strikes such a fine balance of nostalgia, drama, and comedy that it is nigh impossible to believe that this is the first feature by writer Mark Altman and writer/director Robert Meyer Burnett.
If you are a fan of sci-fi, comics, pop culture, or cinema, this film was not only made for you, but it may also have been made about you.
The movie is Free Enterprise, a film that examines what happens to friends who have grown up with Captain Kirk as an imaginary friend. They get roped into helping real-life Kirk (William Shatner) make a musical version of Julius Caesar, where Shatner plays all the parts himself. It’s about what happens to people that are so obsessed with owning every Mego action figure and Laserdisc that they have no money left to pay rent or bills. It’s a film about what happens when you are nearing 30 years old, and still collect toys.
The feel of this flick is somewhere between Mallrats and Swingers, but better, and without the Kevin Smith, "I don’t know how to direct" syndrome. It’s jam-packed with enough pop and nerd culture references to make your head spin. Even if you weren’t a huge Trek fan-- which I'm not-- this movie is so well-written and entertaining that even if you miss 3/4 of the references, it is still absolutely brilliant.
Oh, yeah-- did I mention that William Shatner raps in this flick?
This is a movie written by real people, about real people, warts and all. The two main friends, Eric McCormack (Will & Grace) and Rafer Weigel, are human to the point where sometimes you don’t even know if you like them, but we are entranced watching them try to overcome their individual hang-ups. It strikes such a fine balance of nostalgia, drama, and comedy that it is nigh impossible to believe that this is the first feature by writer Mark Altman and writer/director Robert Meyer Burnett.
If you are a fan of sci-fi, comics, pop culture, or cinema, this film was not only made for you, but it may also have been made about you.
artid
2101
Old Image
6_7_freak.jpg
issue
vol 6 - issue 07 (mar 2004)
section
entertainmental