Friends Reunion: A Desperate Attempt To Save HBO Max

Written by Luke Barnes

It is a sad state of affairs when a show has to tarnish what would otherwise be a rather solid reputation, for a desperate attempt at regaining relevancy and propping up a hard hit streaming service- yet here we are. The writing was on the wall, for this being nothing more than a blatant, vain attempt to milk nostalgia to get a few more sign ups for HBO Max, the second they announced the guest stars.

Said guest stars mostly have nothing to do with the show, a few of them are old faces coming back: they are pleasing. The rest, however, are whoever a group of clearly aging studio executives think ‘the youths’ like- insert BTS. To me I found this grating, and as I was actually looking forward to this reunion I found it to be disappointing as well.

Moreover, and perhaps worst of all, this flips into somewhat of a quasi-interview/audience interaction thing midway through, and who do they get to host it? Why every writers least favourite person James Corden. I understand the Americans have yet to find out what an insufferable person Corden is, so they have to put him in everything, but it is just frustrating.

Despite my negativity thus far, there are still some nice moments and interesting behind the scenes titbits thrown in, and that is why this show does not get a lower score.

Overall, I think it is sad that the creatives and the actors would allow their show, the thing that made a lot of them famous, to be brought back as a means to hollowly push a struggling streaming service and further the constant attention of those deemed trendy by fifty year old white men in boardrooms and focus groups.

Pros.

A few funny moments

The behind the scenes stuff is fascinating

Cons.

James Corden

The celebrity guest stars

The asides to ‘regular people’ talking about how much Friends means to them

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Real Rob: Netflix Is Just Giving Money Away These Days, Stop Giving The Sand-Pack Money

0.5/5

Written by Luke Barnes

So you might know Rob Schneider as one of Adam Sandler’s lesser entourage members, or as a vocal anti-vax figure. Regardless he was given his own Netflix series and rather unsurprisingly it is bad.

I won’t get into all the ways it is troubling, the vague racism, the rather overt sexism and slut shaming, the ableist comments- the list is long and dripping in bad taste. However, I will say that the character or version of himself that Schneider is playing is deeply unlikable, and only serves to lose him any potential fans the series would have won him. There are moments in this series when it genuinely seems like Schneider actively wants people not to like him.

The jokes don’t land, and as this is a comedy series that is a pretty big issue. Not only do they not land they rely on the same old, used and often incorrect cliches and stereotypes that mare the Sand-Pack’s work.

The one bright spot of the series is Schneider’s wife Patricia who actually manages to be funny a few times over the series run, which for this series is nothing short of a miracle. Patricia easily manages to out-do her husband at nearly every opportunity, but sadly the show side-lines her either using her as the butt of the joke or as something to ogle.

Overall, Netflix needs to be more choosey in who they give a series to.

Pros.

Patricia Schneider

Cons.

Rob Schneider

The jokes don’t land

It feels lazy, and is overly reliant on his Hollywood friends and outdated cliches

A lot of the episodes go nowhere and send you to sleep

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Space Force: The War For The Moon Has Already Begun

Written by Luke Barnes

3/5

There is definitely shades of The Office here: American not British.

I think if anything this show is a testament to the likeability and the warmth of Steve Carell, the other characters in this show are quite underdeveloped, yet luckily the entire focus is on Carell and he sells it and makes the series as good as it is.

The major issue with this series is that it will/has age horribly. There are a lot of references to then current American politics, which feel dated and stilted even now, and it has only been a year. Also a perhaps more importantly I didn’t find this series funny, charming yes, but funny no: most of the jokes didn’t land for me.

Though the characters were underdeveloped, I still ended up caring for them by the end of the series and am excited to see where next season takes them.

As far as the series ideas go, I think the premise has a lot of potential and the actual execution is also quite strong, I enjoyed the one-ups Manship between the US and Chinese Space Forces and thought it was well built during the series.

Overall, though the characters are a little thin you still end up caring about them, with a strong lead performance and an interesting idea that helps this series to get at least part of the way to the moon.

Pros.

Carell

You end up caring about the characters

The US Vs China storyline

Cons.

Dated references

The jokes don’t land

French Exit: Giving A Man Several Thousand Euros For An Orange

French Exit

2.5/5

Written by Luke Barnes

This film feels like a Wes Anderson film, yet less heart-warming and more pretentious. The characters we are supposed to root for, are almost by design unlikeable and as such when the film takes dramatic turns you feel very little about it.

The kitschy nature of the humour will work or not work based on your sense of humour. It is in this area that I find the Anderson comparison is the most apt, however, what works for Anderson does not work here. The whole film is a rather humourless affair.

Moreover, though I thought the leads were both good, they didn’t really have arcs, rather they went through the emotions for about two hours and then the film ended. Which is only really entertaining for about the first few minutes. It is because of this and the fact that the characters are so detached and unlikeable that the ending falls flat and doesn’t manage to connect either.

Finally, I found this film to be bafflingly obtuse- again most likely by design. There were lines of dialogue or even whole scenes that seemed to suggest one thing and then a moment later something would come along to defy it and throw everything back up in the air once again.

Overall, perhaps this film did not appeal to my comedic sensibilities, though I suspect it will be too pretentious for most to enjoy regardless.

Pros.

The first half hour is entertaining enough

It is watchable

Cons.

It is incredibly pretentious

It isn’t funny

You don’t care about the characters

The ending has no weight

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Rare Beasts: A Takedown Of The Romantic Comedy?

3/5

Written by Luke Barnes

This film was hectic, all over the place and oddly enthralling, there was something about this clear art piece that stopped you from being able to look away, even if you couldn’t tell what was going on.

Before, making further comments about the film I want to state and acknowledge for the record my place of male privilege. I think for me one of the biggest issues with this film is the fact that it too comes from a place of privilege, the tale of the character featured herein is not one that everyone can relate to, but rather one of a financially comfortable, professional. There is a huge degree of middle class privilege to this film that I think renders it out of touch before it even gets going.

Moreover, there are also a lot of first time director issues with this film too, such as audio issues and camera choices that not only prove distracting, but also make the film hard to follow. Whilst watching this I had to activity try and make sense out of some of the scenes that just didn’t, and also strain to hear important dialogue that is obscured over odd sound choices.

In terms of performances I think Billie Piper is strong I think is manages to capture a sense of manic energy that propels the film forward whilst also tapping into a deep well of pain and self-hate to pass comment on it. I thought the film as a whole felt very real and raw which was refreshing even if it was tinged with an unrealistic world view.

The humour for me was hit or miss, there were a few times I found myself laughing, but on the whole I was mostly unmoved by the humour of the film. Though as I often say humour is subjective.

Overall, an interesting conversation starter, but one that feels more and more hollow the further you look beneath the surface.

Pros.

Piper

The premise and the comment on rom-coms

A few funny jokes

Cons.

Clear middle class privilege

Odd framing and music choices

If you enjoyed this review, then please head over to my Patreon to support me, I offer personalized shoutouts, one on one Q and As, the ability for you to pick what I review next and full access to my Patreon exclusive game reviews. Check it out!

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Together Together: A Film Not Afraid To Laugh At Woody Allen

4/5

Written by Luke Barnes

I enjoyed this film a lot, it was a nice surprise. I thought this film was very sweet, I enjoyed both characters and thought it was nice that the film did not force them into a romance but rather had them remain friends- it was refreshing. Moreover, I thought this film was very progressive and I liked what it did with gender roles, having the man really want to have a child and the woman being less so and wanting different things; it was nice to see.

I thought this film felt like the quirky comedies of Woody Allen, which is funny as the film finds time to mock him, another brilliant moment. I thought the film wasn’t hilarious but was instead charming and very warm: it made me smile a lot.

I think this may be Ed Helms best role to date, and he totally changed the way I view him as a performer.

Overall, this may be a film that you might be sleeping on, don’t, this was one of the best surprises I have had all year check it out.

Pros.

Helms

The gender roles

Keeping the leads friends

The charm

Cons.

It wasn’t hilarious

Meet The Blacks: Lazy

Meet The Blacks

2.5/5

Written by Luke Barnes

This film did have some funny moments, despite what you may have heard. Though I would not say it was a laugh a minute, I also wouldn’t say that this film is as bad as it has been described; it made me laugh a few times and was an entertaining enough way to spend an evening.

The Purge parody I didn’t really understand? If there was a reason for doing it the film did not explain it. In terms of parody it was again okay, it was not as bad as the worst moments of the Movie films, nor was it as good as the better moments from the Movie films, it was all very average.

There isn’t a huge amount to say about this film as it is just deeply average. The performances weren’t great but then you never imagined they were going to be, it feels like a bunch of performers getting together and just goofing around and getting paid for it, which sadly doesn’t make the film fun or funny in the long run.

Overall, incredibly average, you can do much better than this film, but you can also do much worse.

Pros.

It is very watchable

A few funny jokes

Cons.

Most of the jokes don’t land

The parody seems a little pointless

It is very generic

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Mainstream: The Product Of A Society That Has Lost It’s Way In It’s Blind Devotion To All Things Celebrity

Mainstream

4.5/5

Written by Luke Barnes

This was a very positive surprise. Not only did I find the societal message of this film to be surprisingly insightful, I also thought it boasted a very talented cast that really came together to make the film something special.

I have been saying for a while that Maya Hawke was going to go on to be a phenomenal talent; the last season of Stranger Things was all the proof I needed, but this film proves it beyond any doubt. Even with such praise, she is not the standout of the film, though she does give an electric performance. The standout of the film is Andrew Garfield as the mysterious Link, who seems to exist outside the standard society we all find ourselves in and who uses this edge to become a Youtube sensation. Garfield is simply outstanding in the role, he manages to be both charming and also terrifying at the same time and you don’t know how to feel towards him as a result; he is a monster, but at the same time you want to see him win. I think it may be the performance of Garfield’s career so far.

Likewise the message of the film spoke to me. I think this idea of lampooning influencer culture and pointing out all the harm it does to people, only then to become sucked into that world and addicted to the fame and money it provides to be a deeply intriguing point of exploration. I think though the film’s ending is a little muddled, I like how the film ends and responds to it’s own message and teachings.

The only point of criticism I would give this film is that I felt the love triangle was needless. There is a romance plot line, that turns into a love triangle for the drama, in this film that feels forced in, I suppose it is done under the guise of character development, but really it just feels like filler. Luckily this is kept to a minimum.

Overall, an incredibly strong film that needs to be seen.

Pros.

Garfield

The style

The message

The conflicting emotions you feel watching it

Cons.

The love triangle

The ending could be structured better

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Interview With Dan Karlok: Crappy Mother’s Day

I recently had the chance to interview director Dan Karlok for his latest feature Crappy Mother’s Day. The film follows three generations of women who get together to celebrate Mother’s Day together only for things to go comically awry. We discuss motherhood, home-made vokda and the finer points of script writing.

Q: Who is your filmmaking inspiration?

A: Frank Capra. His mix of comedy and drama were always right on.

Q: How would you describe the film in a word?

A: Wacky

Q: What was your catalyst for making this film?

A: The writer/producer Bill Rutkoski approached me with the script. I thought it was funny. We had done numerous other projects; documentaries, short films and projects for tv etc., but this was our first feature film. The big challenge was shooting the whole thing in 8 days!

Q: Do you have any funny on-set stories?

A: Too many. Some would be too incriminating! Let’s just say, one of them involves a gorilla head, boxer shorts and home-made vodka.

Q: If you could go back in time to when you were starting out as a filmmaker what advice would you give yourself?

A: more aggressive and take more chances.

Q: What was the worst Mother’s Day that you were ever a part of?

A: I wish I had a good funny story for this, but unfortunately I don’t. Not to be a downer, but probably the Mother’s Day right after my mom passed was the worst.

Q: What other crappy day of the year films would you like to make next? Crappy Father’s Day? Crappy Christmas?

A: Crappy Father’s Day would be great. It writes itself! (don’t tell the writer Bill Rutkoski that!) I actually think it could become a tv series. It’s a crazy film family and the stories would be abundant.

Q How did you balance the comedy and the more sincere elements of the script? What was your mix?

A: With this script, the funny is in the words. The actors don’t have to be funny, they just need to say the lines with believability and the funny will come materialize. The same with the sincerity. You need to find the truth in the words whether or not it’s supposed to be funny or serious but then be able to change on a dime. It’s very tough to get the right mix. Sometimes it’s a happy accident. We were very fortunate to have an awesome ensemble of talent who could do both and I’m very proud of them and what we accomplished.

Q: If you won an award for this film who would you thank in your acceptance speech?

A: There would be a lot of people! One person doesn’t make a film. It takes quite a few people and as a director, you need to trust them and let them do what they do. If you’re smart, you hire the right people and let them do what you hired them to do. But in answer to your question, it might sound corny, but I would thank my mom and dad. When I was growing up, I wanted to make movies since I was 7 or 8. My parents never tried to talk me out of it and were always very supportive.

If you would like to check out Crappy Mother’s Day it can be found on all good VOD platforms and storefronts and as always check out my review of the film on site now.
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Crappy Mother’s Day: Celebrating Women

Crappy Mother’s Day

3.5/5

Written by Luke Barnes

I think more films should be set on Mother’s Day, there are a few, but in the vast tide of Christmas, Halloween and even a few Easter offerings, Mother’s Day really doesn’t get its due in terms of film representation. I enjoyed the premise of three generations of women coming together to share a Mother’s Day, I thought there was a lot of unmined comedy potential there- luckily this film executed well on this.

The film is by no means a laugh a minute, I was entertained well enough and laughed a few times throughout, but it is not the funniest comedy film you will see all year. More hits than misses though, and considering this film defines itself as a comedy that seems like a win.

I enjoyed the performances across the board and thought that each performer brought something different and special to there role. I found all the characters likeable and there wasn’t any that became grating as the film progressed.

There are slight pacing issues especially within the first act as the feature attempts to set itself up and introduce us to the characters/story, however these are only fairly minor.

Overall, a charming comedy film that mostly nails its comedy.

Pros.

A few good laughs

Strong performances all round

An interesting and fruitful premise

Cons

Not all the jokes land

Slight pacing issues

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