EwanDoggie B
This movie is so good, I watched it 3 times in a week.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
04/26/24
Full Review
Jimmy B
The greatest movie ever made about the greatest band of all time! Seriously though, if you're a muso of any sort it's a must see, full of hilarity and 5 star cameos.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
04/16/24
Full Review
Me D
What's great about The Pick of Destiny is that is doesn't over stay its welcome when it comes to the length, and you'll be smiling the whole time.
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
03/28/24
Full Review
John Martin R
An amazing and original rock film with a great modern mid evil theme behind it.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
03/26/24
Full Review
Matthew D
It is illegal to give Tenacious D anything less than five stars.
Director Liam Lynch's rock musical stoner comedy Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny (2006) is a fantastic cult classic! I have loved this movie ever since it debuted and bombed hard at the box office. The Pick of Destiny is one of the only musicals I know all the words to every song with its catchy words of rock embedded in musical history. It deserved success then because it is a hilarious stoner comedy, charming buddy comedy, sick rock and metal opera, and filled with cool cameos. I will never tire of watching Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny ever after a dozen viewings of this awesome cult classic. Satan bless Ben Stiller for producing Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny. I wish this had been a hit for the Tenacious D boys, Jack Black and Kyle Gass, but true fans of the D will have appreciated this wonder of mid 2000's humor and craft.
Liam Lynch's direction is fantastically charming getting Jack Black and Kyle Gass into silly situations. From a rock contest training simulation, Sasquatch magic mushroom dream sequence, breaking into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum, to a duel with the Devil, Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny provides endlessly creative scenes with fabulous practical effects. Lynch should have been praised for his seriously inventive direction and playful vibes for Tenacious D. The Pick of Destiny should have been hailed like Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey, Wayne's World, Wayne's World 2, This Is Spinal Tap, or Weekend at Bernie's, but every metalhead I know loves this one at heart. I'm sincerely astonished that The Pick of Destiny finally got a wonderfully remastered on blu-ray. Long live physical media, Tenacious D, and this nearly lost cult classic.
Writers Jack Black, Kyle Gass, and Liam Lynch wrote a phenomenally amusing script with two losers becoming rock gods by way of a guitar pick formed from Satan's broken tooth. Their hilarious journey to rock stardom is filled with celebrity cameos and weed smoke. I adore Jack Black and Kyle Gass for their funny jokes, bubbly personalities, genuine love of hard rock and heavy metal. The Pick of Destiny is one hysterical scene after another. Every rock and metal reference is hysterical. Every setup gets a funny payoff later. Casting directors Jeanne McCarthy and Juel Bestrop hired tons of talent and uproarious cameos from legendary actors, hot talented actresses, cool rockstars, and contemporary comics.
Jack Black is hilarious as Jables or his shortened nickname J.B. Black's comedic timing and erratic comedic style is always a riot, but Tenacious D also lets Black show off his massive vocal range with Tenacious D's fearsome songs. Troy Gentle is funny as the portly young J.B. Kyle Gass rips on his acoustic guitar as maestro of the guitar strings Rage Kage or K.G. Gass' friendship with Black is sweet and heartwarming. They make for a likable pair of rocker wannabes. Mason Knight is fun as the young K.G. getting bullied in a flashback.
Meat Loaf was a good sport to portray J.B.'s mean and abusive Christian father Bud Black. Ronnie James Dio cameos as himself in a poster come to life to inspire JB to take up a career as a rockstar in Hollywood. I miss Meat Loaf and DIO, man. Dave Grohl's iconic cameo as the red rocking Satan during "Beelzeboss" is the stuff of nightmares. JR Reed gets several funny scenes as Tenacious D's number one fan Lee. I'm so glad he got a part here as his fun scenes in Tenacious D's old sketch comedy show.
Ben Stiller's hysterical cameo as the Guitar Center Guy always makes me smile. Paul F. Tompkins dives deep into his heel role as the indifferent, yet supportive Open Mic Host. Tim Robbins is terrifying and hilarious as The Stranger with his amusing Russian accent and limp. John C. Reilly always surprises me as Sasquatch. Gregg Turkington's quick cameo as failed awkward comedian Neil Hamburger is a fun gag.
Amy Poehler is insanely hot and hilarious as the depressed and annoyed redhead Truck Stop Waitress. Colin Hanks whips a beer can at Kyle Gass at the frat party as Drunk Frat Dude. Amy Adams unbelievably has a cameo during "Master Exploder" as Gorgeous Woman who is enjoying their rock. Fred Armisen and Ned Bellamy's stoner security guards are a scream. Everyone killed their cameos.
Editor David Rennie lets the dramatic scenes play out naturally, does blazing cuts for the action sequences, and hilarious comedic timing for the rock performances that cut to unimpressed audiences. Cinematographer Robert Brinkmann gets creative with striking close-up shots throughout The Pick of Destiny. This looks awesome for a slapped together movie. Production designer Martin Whist crafts a practical magic mushroom forest to a trashy has-been's apartment. Art director Maria Baker designs neat Tarot card transitions to heavy metal aesthetics for most places. Set decorator Don Diers puts Black Sabbath and DIO posters and vinyl everywhere in the apartment.
Andy Weder's special effects for dragging The Devil to Hell or multiple limbs playing on a three neck guitar are playful. The stunt team wreck a car during "Car Chase City," including a car flip and police pursuit in the vein of Blues Brothers. They even have Jack Black and Kyle Gass sliding on an amp to rock glory. Visual effects artists David D. Johnson, Brent M. Bowen, John Coats, and Bill Church include a terrible flying rainbow Pegasus to sick lighting from The Devil's Devil Horns.
Composers John King and Andrew Gross made really fun interlude music to the strange electronic parts. Tenacious D's songs written by Jack Black and Kyle Gass themselves are legendary. I could and have listened to The Pick of Destiny as a standalone album many times. Their lyrics are fiercely funny with fantastic guitar playing. Every song is memorable and easy to sing along with if you've seen The Pick of Destiny even once. Sound designers Elmo Weber, Derek Vanderhorst, David Bach, Clayton Weber, Marc Glassman, and Orada Jusatayanond include flaming and lightning noises to capturing clear guitar slides.
Costume designer Dayna Pink gives Jack Black and Kyle Gass awful outfits to emphasize their poverty and everyone else gets snazzy outfits that are very fun. Makeup artists Barney Burman, Toni G, Justin Stafford, Mike Smithson, Ralis Kahn, Kate Shorter, Scott Stoddard, and Michael Marino transform Tim Robbins and Ben Stiller in particular. Hairstylists Linda D. Flowers, Merribelle Anderson, and Yeşim "Shimmy" Osman give Amy Adams and Amy Poehler fiery red hair to a flowing mane on Ben Stiller and greasy slicked down matted hair for Tim Robbins. To say nothing of John C. Reilly's transformation into Sasquatch.
In short, Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny is a masterful rock musical and endlessly entertaining stoner comedy. It's simply 93 quick minutes of insanity and heavy metal encounters. It deserved better and hopefully audiences will revisit it and vibe with Tenacious D's furious heavy metal and sick hard rock tunes one day. Thank you Jack Black and Kyle Gass for one of my all time favorite films.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
03/13/24
Full Review
Swag T
Haven't even watched the movie, but I know just by listening to their music its the greatest movie of all time.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
03/08/24
Full Review
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