If you've read my stuff long enough, you know how ecstatic I was when Will Smith got an Oscar nod for his work in "Ali." Smith has that rare on screen presence. He makes even the slightest film seem better. Hell, he even made "The Wild, Wild West" worth watching. Another actor with the same ability is Tommy Lee Jones. I had him pegged as a star after "Coal Miner's Daughter," but, like Ed Harris, it took a solid career of supporting roles to cause his star to rise. Thank goodness both of them bring their considerable talents to this film.

Beginning with a television "docudrama" that you could imagine Ghostbuster Pete Venkman running on his show, the film recounts the story of an alien race that attempted to hide the "light of Zartha" on earth, only to be turned away by the Men In Black in an effort to keep the earth neutral. Enter Sarlena, the alien chasing the aforementioned light. Disguised as a Victoria's Secret underwear model, she enlists the aid of two headed (and both of them empty) Johnny Knoxville. Meanwhile, Smith's Agent J has become the top man, with Jones' Agent K having been neuralized and packed off to be the Postmaster of tiny Truro, Mass. When it's discovered that K may have the secret to the mystery, J is dispatched to "bring him in."

The main difference between this film and the original is the focus on the various aliens that are all around us. Kudos indeed to top movie make up man Rick Baker, who has simply outdone himself in fashioning the various inhabitants of the galaxy. Those of you with quick eyes can catch a cameo of Baker during a tour of MIB headquarters. Returning from the first film, with much more film time, are Frank the Dog and the exploding pawn shop owner, Jeebs, played again by Tony Shalhoub. A quick appearance by Patrick Warbutton is hilarious, as is "alien" Michael Jackson, who keeps imploring Torn to make him Agent M.

While the special effects are certainly the highlight, it is the onscreen chemistry of Smith and Jones that really hold this film together.

Add the cute short film entitled "The Chubb Chubbs," and you've got a great night out. I highly recommend this film. Three stars out of four. Enjoy!

Nolan Canova on MIB II:
   I also saw "Men in Black II" late on the Fourth of July. I agree with Mike on all counts and don't think it would hurt to tell you that the "Peter Venkman" guy doing the docudrama send-up at the beginning of the movie is none other than Peter Graves, who was notorious for hosting this type of thing in the 60s and 70s (in the '90s/2000s that sort of thing seemed to fall to Jonathan Frakes).
   "Men In Black II" is rife with inside jokes and tips-of-the-hat to classic Sci-Fi fandom. One scene featuring Michael Jackson (the genuine article) is a send-up of his ambiguous involvement in the first movie.
   Make-up maestro Rick Baker does indeed do a cameo in the film (seen from behind, if you know his ponytail), but I think I read he shot a bigger part as an alien that must've gotten edited out. His make-up effects, like everything else he does, was superb.
   The only downside to this film, and it's very minor, is the very familiarity of the set-up---we've been here before---makes it hard to surprise us. Plus, director Sonnenfeld seem to really get a kick out of "pregnant-pause"-type gags---where there's a lingering shot of a joke that's not going anywhere. Consistently funny stuff that in anyone else's hands would just be embarrasing.
   The "Chubb Chubbs" cartoon, that Mike mentioned, is a 3-D animation that you see before MIB II. It is also a send-up of classic Sci-Fi with a very funny surprise ending. I appreciate this sort of "added value" to any feature (especially like MIB II which itself only clocks in at about 80 minutes)--sort of reminds me of the days where you'd get a WB cartoon like Bugs Bunny before the main attraction!