Yoga Hosers (2016)
Abbolita Productions
Written by: Kevin Smith
Directed by: Kevin Smith
Starring: Harley Quinn Smith, Lily-Rose Depp, Ralph Garman, Johnny Depp, Tyler Posey, Justin Long
At San Diego Comic Con we were lucky enough to catch a screening of Kevin Smith’s new film Yoga Hosers, thanks to the gang over at Screen Junkies Central. We were not only treated to a showing of Smith’s latest off the wall venture, but Screen Junkies brought out all the stops by bringing the cast (Harley Quinn Smith, Ralph Garman, and Tyler Posey) and Smith himself to Screen Junkies Central for a short panel before the show. Smith and the cast were entertaining, charming and praised Smith and his vision for Yoga Hosers.
For the sake of no spoilers I won’t be doing a recap of the movie instead I’m going straight into my thoughts on the film, actors etc. I’d really like to say that no matter what you think about Kevin Smith and the direction his movies have taken over the past few years the man deserves some respect. He’s built himself a small empire on his enthusiasm alone and now he’s making movies for himself and his fans. Kevin Smith is doing what few people can, he is doing what makes him happy, something people strive for their entire lives and never truly experience!
Smith not only made Yoga Hosers for himself but he mostly did it out of love and admiration for his daughter, something he heartfeltly impressed upon during the panel at Screen Junkies Central. The director expressed he made this movie for his daughter as the film he never got to take her to as a kid, it’s a movie inspired for tween girls, staring tween girls and made for tween girls. How great is that? In a age where what most people want is equal representation in entertainment Smith gives us that and more in Yoga Hosers. Moving on I think he did a great job just creating a weird, dorky, and kind of creepy movie going experience. Yoga Hosers is an feels extremely original while still managing to feel like a Kevin Smith movie.
To get it out of the way Harley Quinn Smith actually kills it in this movie alongside Lily-Rose Depp. The two play Colleen McKenzie and Colleen Collette best friends/coworkers that happen to share the same first name. The pair has wonderful singing voices and a real BFF chemistry on screen. Everyone else is as good as expected Ralph Garman shows off some out of place but delightful impressions, and Johnny Depp gets lost in what could arguably be one of his less strange roles. Most of the side actors really made the movie for me Justin Long and Adam Brody for example play smaller parts but chew the scenario and steal every scene they are in. It’s a testament to Kevin Smith’s changing direction style as he appears to be letting the actors and himself have more fun.
Let’s finish this review up in normal fashion with my over thoughts on Yoga Hosers. The experience created by the team at Screen Junkies Central really made the evening a special and intimate even. Smith was running late so host Hal Rudnick entertained the audience with movie fights like “best Kevin Smith movie” or “best superhero movie of the last ten years.” I was lucky to have this experience but that doesn’t change the fact that Yoga Hosers is a movie worth seeing. I went in without expectations and had a really great time with Smith’s latest entry into his Truth North Trilogy is cheesy in the best ways and was made for the with the best intentions. I’ll admit it has problems and its not the next Clerks by any stretch but it’s a movie with teenage girls as the ass kicking heroes; and in this day in age that alone is special. Go see this movie, support people who do what they love so they can keep doing it and we can keep enjoying it.
