LogFAQs > #972315724

10. Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006)
Directed by Larry Charles
Score: 125

Karo: 1
GavsEvans: 4
Forty: 7
Mythiot: 9
Jonh: 11
Tangy: 11
Poke: 15
Vis: 21
Plasma: 21
Suprak: 25

1. Karo
Sacha Baron Cohen's brilliant comedy routine featuring awkward Kazakh journalist Borat and his misadventures in America.
Basically it follows him in his journey across the country to make sexytime with Pamela Anderson and all the hilarious situations he finds himself along the way, featuring a lot of people who are unfortunately very real Americans. This film is Cohen at his absolute best, and his ability to draw top notch humor out of everyday situations never ceases to amaze me. Despite many attempts to recapture the magic there will never be anything quite like it.

4. GavsEvans
After his successful TV appearances alongside Ali G, Kazakhstans premier television personality Borat branches out with his own spin-off movie, where he travels across the US and A. Borat is another character who can do or say basically anything and its almost guaranteed to be funny, even if hes doing nothing more than singing a song while sitting on a chair. There are dialogue jokes sneaking in during scenes that you might not catch because the film doesnt dwell on them, but theyre great if you catch them, like in the car dealer scene when Borat mentions in passing that he bought his underage wife (and her genitals hang like sleeve of wizard). The bigger set pieces, like the Running of the Jew or the Kazakhstan marriage proposal, are frequently hysterical.

This is a film thats cleverer than it first seems. Borat himself expresses some very prejudiced opinions about lots of groups, but especially Jews. However, the things he says are often so outrageous and over the top that they become more funny than offensive. His mannerisms help, as he comes across as so excitable and nave, suggesting that his bigotry comes from ignorance and not knowing any better, rather than a place of malice. On top of that, his act can often cause those he interacts with to become comfortable enough to express their own intolerances in response, as he is putting them at ease. Some of these can be quite subtle and then gradually build up. The rodeo scene is a good example, as Borat backs the War of Terror (notice the of instead of an on) and the crowd cheers enthusiastically, with the enthusiasm increasing each time, until the crowd starts to catch on and become uncomfortable around the point Borat calls for Warlord Bush to drink the blood of every man, woman and child in Iraq. The multiple layers of irony here ensure Borat is great success. Wawawiwa, is very nice. High five!

Also, the DVD for this film really goes the extra mile. Certain discs (Unfortunately not mine) look pirated, a blank disc with the word Borat crudely scrawled in marker on it. The menus are designed to look like a dodgy pirate copy, with the options in clunky Google Translate English, muffled sound quality and scratchy, skipping visuals as you move between menus.I dare you to choose the Hebrew language option!

7. Forty
My country send me to United States to make movie-film. Please come and see my film. If it not success, I will be execute. The ultimate toer-of the line: Sacha Baron Cohen. Its a delicate thing to make comedy out of things like racism, misogyny, and antisemitism without being overly offensive. OK, some people do think hes overly offensive, but I think he handles the subject matter deftly and creates a lot of hilarious moments through Borats ignorance and fish out of water cultural naivety. The first time I saw it I was shocked (in the best way possible) at just how un-PC and tasteless the jokes were and Ive rarely if ever laughed so hard at a movie. Beyond all the outrageous situations, it really takes social criticism to the next level and for that I think its a really important film.

11. John
I don't know what to say about Borat at this point. It's Borat. Everyone has seen Borat. Everyone has had the entirety of Borat recited back to them.

11. Tangy
This is a movie I respect far more than I enjoy watching. The concept is honestly sheer genius and probably does satire better than any other movie on this list. Its literally just Borat going on a road trip where he just shows how messed up America is. It had me laughing way more than I expected. The unfortunate flip side of Borat though is the fact that it is a satire on the place I live and uh yeah it definitely served as a cruel reminder as to just how awful this country can be. Its not something I can casually watch and because of that it does lose a spot in my top 10.

21. Vis
Dont mistake the low placement on this list for me disliking the movie. I found it absolutely fascinating, and honestly terrifying in terms of watching for a variety of reasons. One, the fact that some of the people Borat met with willingly went along with his shit for FAR longer than any rational person ever should have done is insane to me. But also, the fact that Sacha Baron Cohen went out and put himself in these situations where people could have justifiably beat his assmajor kudos to the guy. That being said, its hard to rank this movie highly, because while I couldnt look away, I also REALLY wanted to look away most of the time, due to how cringey the humor was throughout the entire film. I guess it makes the satire hit harder though, because people are just willing to believe foreigners from some country theyve never heard of ARE just as ass-backwards as Borat isso he gets away with a LOT. I still cant believe I watched two horrendous men wrestling naked in the middle of a mortgage broker conference.

21. Plasma
Borat is hilarious and outrageous at times, but it also drags. My biggest problem is that theres no sense of cause-and-effect here. Stuff just happens, and the movie feels like its rolling along a conveyor belt that stops every five minutes for a new gag. If the gag is funny, great. If it isnt, Im bored and checking the clock. Theres honestly not much depth to this one. Its a wild fish-out-of-water satire that repeatedly shoots for shock value. D+