Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping (2016)

[Athena]

A mockumentary comedy film written, produced by, and starring Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone, and directed by Schaffer and Taccone. Also produced by Judd Apatow, it co-stars Tim Meadows and Imogen Poots. The film is scheduled to be released on June 3, 2016, by Universal Pictures.

[thuganomics85]

Whelp, judging from Friday's box office, apparently no one is seeing this.  That's too bad, because I loved.  Granted, I'm completely biased, since I enjoy Andy Samberg (and it's only increased thanks to Brooklyn Nine Nine), and the Lonely Island stuff.  But I laughed more at this then quite a few comedies that are major hits.  I guess that's why I rarely watch them.

Anyway, I loved the whole "mockumentary" aspects and send-ups of the music industry.  Judging from the subtitle, there biggest inspiration was probably that Never Say Never one with Justin Bieber, but I think it works enough for anyone who has seen any kind of music documentary.  Loved all the talking heads (Pharrell!  Carrie Underwood!  Simon Cowell!  Ringo Starr?!!), and Connor's obvious path of rising, falling, and then rising again. Also liked the whole Style Boyz thing, and how Connor, Owen, and Lawrence used to be in a 90s-like boy band, before Connor broke big.

I managed to avoid seeing too many clips or reading too much info, so a lot of the cameos were surprising and fun.  I knew about Seal, Bill Hader as a roadie, and Holographic Adam Levine (so expensive!), but I enjoyed seeing Will Arnett, Eric Andre, and Chelsea Peretti as an obvious TMZ-like group, Tim Meadows as Connor's manager, and Michael Bolton showing up for the final song.  And I should have known Justin Timberlake would find his way in this movie somehow!

All the songs cracked me up, and fit in with most of the Lonely Island's other stuff.  Everything from a rap supporting gay marriage, but also making sure everyone knows he is totally not gay himself!, to a song bragging about being so humble, and, naturally, a song where Osama Bin Laden's death is somehow used as a sexual metaphor.  Classic Lonely Island!

Oh, well.  I guess you can't win them all.  Even if this disappears from the theaters, at least I have the DVD and soundtrack to look forward to!

[AimingforYoko]

1 hour ago, thuganomics85 said:

a song where Osama Bin Laden's death is somehow used as a sexual metaphor.  Classic Lonely Island!

I missed quite a bit of Samberg's performance there after passing out due to lack of oxygen. One of their best songs yet. 

Who was Hunter supposed to be? Is he supposed to be Tyler the Creator?

[absnow54]

I saw this yesterday, and while it's not on This Is Spinal Tap levels, it was still really funny. I just love Andy Samberg so much, but Jorma and Akiva were MVPs too. I loved Jorma's earnestly sweet DJ and Akiva's completely inept farmer.

Bummer that this movie doesn't seem to be doing that well, but I think it might find its place as a later in life cult classic.

[cpcathy]

Also saw it yesterday, I've always enjoyed The Lonely Island guys, so the film had a lot of goodwill from me going into it. It needed to be funnier, however, I chuckled but did not laugh, I guess that's too hard to come by in movies nowadays. It will be a great "hey, look what's on cable today" movie. Enjoyed the cameos, as well. I do have the "Bin Laden" song stuck in my head, not sure how to feel about that!

[briochetwist]

I actually went in with low expectations, but thought it was absolutely hilarious. The cameos were amazing, particularly Maya Rudolph and Justin Timberlake. Really surprised that this movie has flopped.

[BoogieBurns]

On 6/4/2016 at 10:45 PM, AimingforYoko said:

Who was Hunter supposed to be? Is he supposed to be Tyler the Creator?

The AV Club says it was based on Tyler the Creator. I saw a bit of Childish Gambino in him too, and my friend thought there was a bit of Kanye mixed in.

I have been listening to the soundtrack in my car for a couple weeks. I am getting GOOD at the Donkey Roll. I'm a Style Boy for liiiiiiiife.

[snickers]

This movie was great! We had to drive an hour away just to find it two weeks after it came out!!!!!

It is too bad it bombed as badly as it did, they should have released it in the spring instead of trying to compete with the summer blockbusters...though few have turned out to be blockbusters.

[Princess Sparkle]

I just saw this today and absolutely loved it, which didn't surprise me - I love The Lonely Island and I really loved their other movie Hot Rod. I thought the satire was so sharp and I'm bummed it didn't do better. I'm not only impressed that they somehow got Ringo Starr to say "doink de doink", but that they also got Mariah Carey to say that she's the most humble person she knows (which cracked my shit up).  

[Lantern7]

Had this from the library for weeks before watching. I probably would have been a little let down had I paid to see it in a theater. There's some good stuff . . . Seal fights fucking wolves! But I didn't get as giddy as when I saw TLI videos on SNL. "Bin Laden" is dope, but how does it compare to stuff like "I Just Had Sex," "YOLO," and "I'm On A Boat"?

[Traveller519]

It's out on my movie channels.

It was a really good send up and I laughed at a lot of it. I'll always appreciate a good DJ Joke, so Owen and his iPod were fantastic.

I'm really glad to see Edgar Blackmon getting some run too (Eddie). I saw him on Stage at The Second City Main Stage and was sure he was primed to break out.

[Lantern7]

Popstar wins Best Picture honors at the All Def Movie Awards.

[Lantern7]

For anybody with HBO . . . Popstar will "premiere" on the network this Saturday. I thought movies shown on Cinemax first were shuffled into HBO without any fanfare. Anyway, it's there if you want it, or if you know somebody with HBO and want to annoy that person to no end. "How do you think I got these scars?" "Wolves?!?" "Fuckin' wolves!!!"

[DrSpaceman73]

Spoiler

 

I finally saw this movie on HBO.  I thought it was hilarious.  I know it did poorly and didn't get great reviews, but I enjoyed it.  The songs were hilariously bad.  Andy Samberg was great as the main character.  Story was predictable but fun. 

[qtpye]

On Friday, July 01, 2016 at 11:02 AM, BoogieBurns said:

The AV Club says it was based on Tyler the Creator. I saw a bit of Childish Gambino in him too, and my friend thought there was a bit of Kanye mixed in.

I have been listening to the soundtrack in my car for a couple weeks. I am getting GOOD at the Donkey Roll. I'm a Style Boy for liiiiiiiife.

The Donkey Roll is the only reason Usher dances.

I just could not relate to things in my jeep  cuz I had other things in my jeep.

[VCRTracking]