21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An unfairly maligned classic, December 27, 2001
I have never, ever laughed so hard in a movie theater as when I went to see this movie, and my friends that I went with were laughing just as hard. Come to think of it, everyone I've known who's seen this film has enjoyed it, although I'll admit that most of those with whom I associate share my somewhat warped sense of humor. Anyway, on to the movie. BASEketball works so well for a simple reason: beneath all the sight gags, sex jokes, pop-culture references, and celebrity cameos (all of which are funny), it is a surprisingly perceptive look at sports in American society. From the opening montage, it is clear that BASEketball is premised upon the commercialization (and some would say corruption) of American sports, setting the stage for its redemption by the starry-eyed fans played by Parker and Stone. This examination of the place sports occupies in the hearts and minds of Americans is what allows BASEketball to transcend the limits of the usual sophomoric comedy fare. If you're a sports fan, and not above laughing at some admittedly juvenile humor, you will have no trouble enjoying this movie.
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23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the funniest movies of all time, March 12, 2005
A lot of people may not know it, but BASEketball is a truly classic comedy. Don't let the high-minded among us (and there are a lot of Parker-Stone haters out there) tell you any different. Not only is this film hilarious, it - like virtually everything Trey Parker and Matt Stone do - has a lot to say in a surprisingly incisive way; those who see only puerile humor and grossness in this film are not watching it closely. The opening of the film is brilliant, with its hilarious spoofing of modern showmanship and its lament for the death of tradition in sports. Nobody seems to play for the love of the game anymore - it's all about money and fame. Ever since he caught Reggie Jackson's historic third home run in that crucial game of the 1977 World Series, Joe Cooper (Trey Parker) has dreamed of becoming a sports star. Unfortunately, he and his pal Doug Remer (Matt Stone) are basically losers who have never grown up - but all that changes when their home-grown game of BASEketball (basketball without all that running, played with baseball rules) grows from a neighborhood obsession to the new national past-time. Professional BASEketball is sports as it was meant to be - the rules preclude the moving of teams from one city to another, free agency and the trading of players are not allowed, and every single athlete, even Squeak (Dian Bachar), gets paid the same amount - and it's a sport than anyone can participate in since it requires almost no athletic skills. Of course, some people want to change those rules so they can make millions off of the new national obsession. When the founder of the league and owner of the Milwaukee Beers dies, it's up to Coop to preserve the integrity of the game - and he will have to lead the Beers to the Denslow Cup championship in order to do it.
I personally invented the game of baseyball as a kid, but that sport never seemed to catch on. Maybe I should have incorporated a form of defense along the lines of BASEketball's- the Psyche Out. When a player is ready to shoot the ball, you can do almost anything in order to psyche him out - and the guys come up with some incredibly funny defensive plays as this movie progresses. And the league itself comes stocked with buckets full of laughs in and of itself - what with teams such as the Roswell Aliens, Miami Dealers, New Jersey Informants, L.A. Riots, and San Francisco Ferries. Each team's cheerleaders are also a sight to behold, as is the wild pageantry that surrounds each game - what other sport gives you Dozen Egg Night and Free Range Chicken Night? Tons of professional sportscasters make cameo appearances to talk about the sport - Jim Lampley, Dan Patrick, Kenny Mayne, Bob Costas, Al Michaels, Tim McCarver, Pat O'Brien. The film's cameos don't stop there, though. The only thing more amazing than the number of recognizable faces that turn up here - including Robert Stack, Dale Earnhardt, Reggie Jackson, Ernest Borgnine, Kato Kaelin, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Victoria Silvstedt (not to mention the future voices of Mr. Garrison and Eric Cartman) - are the crazy things they got most of these guys to say. I guarantee you've never seen a segment of Unsolved Mysteries like the one featured here.
Can the sport of BASEketball survive the onslaught of commercialization brought to bear upon it by Dallas Felons owner Baxter Cain (Robert Vaughn)? Remer falls prey to the glories of money and fame (taking it to ridiculous extremes), and the Beers team falls apart as Coop and Remer clash over tradition vs. money - and over the affections of Jenna Reed (Yasmine Bleeth). And what of young Joey and the other sick kids Jenna cares for? And will the Beers ever win that elusive Denslow Cup?
I love BASEketball. This is a film you can watch over and over again, always discovering even more subtle jokes and gags lurking in the background. As for Parker and Stone, they make for a great team in front of the cameras; Parker in particular is really quite a good actor. (I might also mention the fact that Parker's and Stone's band D.V.D.A. contributes a memorable song to the soundtrack - and, no, I can't tell you what the band's initials stand for - not here, anyway). Sure, the humor is a little on the crude side at times, and some people just won't get it, but this movie is absolutely hilarious and a cult classic for many of us. South Park fans should definitely enjoy the oddball humor of BASEketball. If you ask me, it's one of the funniest movies ever made.
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
OUTRAGEOUS FUN!!!! BUY THIS ONE IMMEDIATELY!!!!!!, September 10, 2005
I'm old, sour and crusty and I swear to God this movie had me laughing out loud and rolling on the floor -- it is freaking HILARIOUS, outrageous fun like I haven't seen since 1977's "Airplane," just zany, off-the-wall stuff that keeps coming and coming until you're just helpless with laughter, it's one of the funniest movies I have EVER seen. I've got to watch it again tonight because I missed half the dialogue because I was laughing so hard! YOU'VE GOTTA SEE THIS ONE!!!!!!!!
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