Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny

IN a world of hard-edged Hollywood hits, it's good to know there are still a few movies out there that don't take themselves too seriously.
And The Pick of Destiny is a prime example of throwing out the rulebook in favour of a more hare-brained approach.
Taking the form of a musical, the story follows the path of a young Jack Black who leaves his repressive family to form a band in Hollywood.
There he meets Kyle Gass who initiates him into the world of rock and, before you know it, they are on a quest to find a magical guitar pick crafted from the Devil's tooth. After all, the Devil is the god of heavy metal!
Admittedly, the storyline is absolutely absurd but this is excusable when it sets the film up for some hilarious scenes.
It is also quite refreshing that the movie never pretends to be something it's not.
The producers know this is lowbrow and celebrate this.
However, what's best about this film is the brilliant Tenacious D music integrated seamlessly into the story.
What's more Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl plays the Devil and performs a rock-off' against Tenacious D in what becomes a sly nod to the musical prowess of Grohl, who is arguably the prince of rock himself.
Add to that cameos by Meatloaf, Ben Stiller and Tim Robbins and you're all set for a film, which is far from perfect but great fun nonetheless.
And with Tenacious D fans expected to flock to the cinema, we may have another sleeper hit well on the way.

Borat! Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan

FOLLOWING in the footsteps of the infamous Ali G, Kazakhstan's greatest export, Borat Sagdiyev, has finally made his long-awaited debut to British cinema.
And although the spoof eastern journalist has caused controversy for his outrageous depictions of Kazakhstani life, the humour was of a satirical quality that rose way above its detractors.
Created by Cambridge graduate Sacha Baron Cohen, Borat was originally a peripheral character in Cohen's Ali G Show who rose to instant popularity among the fans.
Learning his lesson from the appalling Ali G film, Cohen's new movie sticks to the tried and true formula of the TV show and expands the principal for the silver screen.

On a quest to enrich the culture of Kazakhstan, the Government sends roving reporter Borat to visit America. Taking a largely unrehearsed documentary feel, director Larry Charles (of Seinfeld fame) follows the fearless Cohen around as he throws himself among the blissfully unaware American public. Kazakhstan may not be happy about Borat but it is America that is the real victim here, exposing an ugly xenophobic side to its culture.
For example, there is a shocking Rodeo scene when Borat exclaims that George Bush should "drink the blood of every man, woman and child in Iraq," to rapturous applause from the audience.
Unfortunately, the movie occasionally falters into the farcical such as the awful naked wrestling scene and the film also wanes towards the end. However, if you fancy a dig at America under the subtle veneer of a brilliant comedy, then this is for you.