Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001)

A scourge to Catholics (''Dogma''), Smith may soon irk yet another group with his fifth flick: his fans. With ''Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back,'' the indie auteur is retiring the cast of slackers and mall rats who have populated his films since 1994's ''Clerks.'' ''I'm going to be 31 in August,'' Smith says. ''I'd like to afford myself a shred of dignity before my kid's old enough to notice her old man's a walking, nontalking cartoon.'' Mewes is bummed to see it end: ''I wanted to be doing Jay until I was 40.'' At least he'll go out with a semibang. ''I've kissed on screen before,'' he says of his encounter with ''American Pie'''s Elizabeth, ''but never with any tongue action.''

This Dimension comedy has the dubious duo trying to sabotage a Miramax movie inspired by a comic book based on them. Backed by a $20 million budget, Smith is promising slick visuals from ''Small Soldiers''' cinematographer Jamie Anderson and 220 digital effects. Jokes Smith, who has perhaps moved his camera a total of two feet in four films: ''You can't mock Hollywood with a static two shot.''