‘Popstar’: Best Mockumentary Since ‘This Is Spinal Tap’

At Least, ‘Popstar’ Is Making Fun Of The Right People

Rarely does something so timely in comedy happen.

Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping‘ took the quick-wittedness of a SNL skit and somehow made it work for its feature length. Comparing anything to a film that holds up through cinema history like ‘This Is Spinal Tap‘ is hard but with how relevant ‘Popstar‘ is to this generation of musicians, it’s almost impossible to not to.

The Lonely Island’s first film stars Andy Samberg as a former boy-bander turned solo artist who struggles with fame. His character Conner4Real is a Justin Bieber-knockoff with 32 people on his payroll and a massive ego. His former bandmates are either now his DJ/lyricist or working on a farm. The plot centers around the ups and downs of his career as his second album flops. Thankfully we have cameras along the way to document it.


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As someone who is a fan of the sociology behind fame, I was intrigued by the story. It was fairly simple but the martyrdom of being famous always makes for a great viewing. What Samberg and compay did with ‘Popstar‘ was deconstruct society’s obsession with watching others fail. We raise stars to such high standards only to bring them back down. This movie exploits that with a sick smile.

Popstar

The best part is the brilliant soundtrack for ‘Popstar‘. It’s what makes it rank next to something like ‘Spinal Tap‘. Each song is Lonely Island’s usual smart-humor but on a bigger scale. Offensive tunes like “Equal Rights” or “The Bin Landen Song” really up the ante and makes you wanna listen over & over again.

The supporting cast was strong and the acting was nuts as expected. If the story could have been a bit less cliche-filled, I think this could have hit cult-classic status instantly. Someone needed to callout TMZ or One Direction members for their over-the-top ways so I’m glad it was this hilarious comedy.

Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping‘ hits theaters on June 3rd, 2016. Stars Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone, Akiva Schaffer, Sarah Silverman, and Tim Meadows.

 

EJ Moreno
EJ Morenohttp://Vimeo.com/EJMoreno
Who is EJ Moreno? Is he a trained physician? No. Is he a former Miss Universe contestant? Possibly. With a bachelors degree in film and a love of pop culture, he brings an alternative view to the world of pop culture journalism. Follow him on Twitter @EJKhryst and check out his film work at Vimeo.com/ejmoreno