Two cases where the movie commentary is recommended..

If it hasn't been obvious from the way I openly declare my love for Janeane Garofalo on a regular basis, my penchant for kick flip ollie to smith grinds, my feeling that "Clerks" should be part of every college curriculum, and my owning of Hall and Oates' entire musical library, it's easy to come to the conclusion that I'm a bona fide geek. But most of all, above anything else, I am a uber nerd when it comes to my movie rental habits. We won't even get into the plethora of independent and foreign films that I digest on a monthly basis, but I love listening to a part of the DVD that most people loathe, the commentary from the director and the cast. I know that most of the commentaries are bland and as boring and depressing as a Mary J Blige interview, but there are a few out there that are worth listening to. Here are a few that I highly recommend.

Kevin Smith's commentary on "Jersey Girl": After "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back" Kevin Smith wanted to grow as a filmmaker, so he wrote and directed the movie "Jersey Girl" about a father raising his daughter after the sudden death of his wife. Listen, even though I'm a big fan of some of Smith's more vulgar writings, I don't think that his attempt at being a grown up was that bad at all. The movie just seems like a train wreck based on the relationship between Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez, and there was no way Smith could have foreseen the theatrical cluster-fuck that was "Gigli". Suffice it to say Smith's loyal fan-base, armchair quarterbacks of the movie critic variety, and every respectable critic this side of the equator ripped Kevin Smith a new one when it came to this vehicle starring Alleck, some fairly and most unfairly. That being said the commentary of said flick is classic, where you have Smith accompanied with Affleck, defending the flick to the death the same way you would defend your mother, or your child in their time of need. Kevin Smith called out critics by name, quoted them with pin point accuracy, and proceeded to talk shit about them to the point that it provokes outright laughter from anyone who hears it. He disses Richard Roeper, calls a group of British tabloid chicks named "The 3AM Girls" a bunch of "Coked-out whores" because of their unkind words for him, and a bunch of other shit to keep you laughing.

Spike Lee commentary on "Bamboozled": I love Spike, dude is an absolute genius, and said genius is exposed on the commentary track of "Bamboozled". You'd think that he wouldn't have much to add to a movie that is already a scathing attack on the state of black entertainment, the basic minstrel show that people have allowed themselves to be reduced to. But then again we are talking about Spike Lee, and on this commentary he isn't shy about putting his proverbial foot in the ass of Tommy Hillfiger, movies that wreak of chicken grease and horrible writing, the networks that promote the dumbing down of black culture, and the slew of rappers that are already doing a "soft shoe" routine to earn some of massa's money. Spike's commentary echoes the same anger those of us have when we see Jim Jones being interviewed, the platinum encrusted smiles from young men that offends the sensibilities of the forefathers of Hip Hop, and the level of lyricism that makes the elementary rhyme style of Dr. Seuss seem like a fucking Hip Hop quotable.