Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping

Started by Jeremy Blackman, May 19, 2016, 04:08:35 PM

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Jeremy Blackman

I appreciate the premise, but this does not look like it's working...



polkablues

My house, my rules, my coffee

Jeremy Blackman

I guess this needs its own thread, then.

Points against it:
- Too many butt or poop jokes in one trailer (3+)
- Judd Apatow
- Andy Samberg (is this just my thing?)
- Sarah Silverman looks oppressively unfunny
- The Mona Lisa joke is not working for me AT ALL

But most of all, the fact that they're shoehorning in a sincere love story raises all kinds of red flags. I guarantee we'll be expected to find this character flawed but lovable in the end.

jenkins

most music comedies work outside/in rather than inside/out, as most music dramas, as most of what's written, so one can spot intentions from the outside... this is pop, so "this character flawed but lovable in the end" does seem guaranteed... and these types of movies can like but never love, see but never live, unless you're Christopher Guest... while it's Purple Rain i desire, its passionate intensity, which passion sometimes floats through a movie, Inside Llewyn Davis, builds beneath it, 8 Mile, or gets plain spunky like La Bamba... but i like the intentions of Popstar, i look forward to seeing it, and i'll feel it but i'll never believe it. do you think i'll crack up a bit? i think i might. i think Andy Samberg is a warm person. i think some other comedians are both not funny and not warm, so i'm on his side.

Jeremy Blackman

I thought Josie and the Pussycats was pretty great. Although that feels like a generation ago.

jenkins

jb new year, new you. it's another generation but you're the same awesome. chew on it.

Jeremy Blackman

Called it: "Samberg and his collaborators choose to embrace even their crassest targets in what amounts to a teasing but forgiving hug."

Most helpful positive review: "Samberg's Conner swaggers through it all, but he never lets us forget he's just an overtattooed white guy riddled with self-doubt."

Most helpful mixed review: "'Popstar' wants to be culturally insightful, but in refusing to interrogate itself, subverts its own message."

Most helpful negative review: "It has a few amusing moments, but it's really a predigested one-joke comedy. It's less an honest satire than an overscaled satirical package."

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/popstar_never_stop_never_stopping/

modage

Keep your eyes peeled for Macguffin getting (gay) married.  :bravo:
Christopher Nolan's directive was clear to everyone in the cast and crew: Use CGI only as a last resort.

jenkins

^ the first music video from the second single off the solo album, about being supportive of gay rights, but not gay, rice is thrown per wedding tradition, terrible song, memorable movie moment

other memorable moments:

Universal opening song

when Tim Meadows reminds a bummed-out Andy Samberg that selling 15k tickets is great because that's so many people, don't worry about it being an 18k seat auditorium, then Meadows mentions that money people are on his side and also bummed about ticket sales, then Samberg says there's nothing to be bummed about because of how-many 15k is. i often encounter this scenario irl

Bill Hader cinephile joke regardingFlatliners

Chris Redd's magnificent did it/didn't do it joke, which joke i both perform and appreciate seeing

overall i think the makers aren't the right age for this material and what you have are some solids from the outside. so it's a comedy, a movie illusion, it's quite 2016, and the actual Bieber is more hilarious

one person's redbox is another person's theatrical, and i'd say it depends on the person (always) and this is a movie

03


RegularKarate

It's a damn shame no one is going to see this, btw. I loved it. It avoids most of what brings down true comedies. It suffers from 3rd act slowage, but barely.
And we got more (good) Lonely Island songs from it.