Versatile entertainer Cem Y?lmaz continues his game in his latest film

There is something appealing for everyone in versatile Cem Y?lmaz's latest film that hit the theaters this week. Its name, "Ali Baba ve 7 Cüceler" (Ali Baba and the 7 Dwarfs), is a testament to that, a sure-footed approach for the film that plays to be a crowd-pleaser and laughter-guaranteed with the veteran comedian's trademark parodies.

Uncanny and brilliant in capturing the moments of change and socio-cultural dynamics of Turkey, Y?lmaz once again touches his magic wand to please the quite diverse audience of Turkey: cinephiles, blockbuster audiences, devoted fans and those hoping for quick laughs. Here, Y?lmaz has made the bulk of the film again, directing, writing, co-producing and playing both the protagonist and the villain.

Y?lmaz's films fall into two categories: more personal, heartfelt stories like "Hokkabaz" (The Magician) and "Her ?ey Güzel Olacak" (Everything Will Be Fine) on one side, and big productions that take his sharp observations and one-of-a-kind humor from his earlier stand-up shows and bundle them into a narrative-fueled parody. His box-office hits "G.O.R.A.," "A.R.O.G." and "Yah?i Bat?" fall into this category, as does "Ali Baba and the 7 Dwarves."

In his three big productions, Y?lmaz played the hapless everyday man, a clever yet petty man he so successfully captured in his cartoons in the popular humor magazine, Leman, in early 1990s, and later in his sold-out stand-up shows in late 1990s that brought him the fame he continues to enjoy today. Parody and spoof were the natural embodiment of his humor on screen.

The quick-witted, lazy salesman he loved to dissect for laughter in his stand-up shows became Y?lmaz's go-to man in these three films. The first two films "G.O.R.A." and "A.R.O.G." featured the same...