#annie mumolo

[providence-park]

Jamie Dornan as Edgar Paget

BARB AND STAR GO TO VISTA DEL MAR (2021)

Dir. Josh Greenbaum

[luckypluckychair]

Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar | 2021 | USA

Director: Josh Greenbaum

Production designer: Steve Saklad / Set decorator: Mariana Castañeda

[filmap]

Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar Josh Greenbaum. 2021

Furniture Shop 105 Plaza St, Socorro, NM 87801, USA See in map

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[ellie88-blog-blog]

Some Moms are Bad, and That’s Ok

The writer reviews "Bad Moms" (2016), a comedy about a mother navigating work, parenthood, and personal life after discovering her husband's affair. She praises its humor, relatable characters, and portrayal of the pressures on mothers.

While I own “Bad Moms” (2016) on Blu-Ray, I don’t think I’ve ever seen it before. I’ve seen the sequel, which I will be watching next, because a friend dragged me to see it in theaters, I’d had no prior interest; 6 years later, I figured, why not. I don’t remember anything about the sequel other than it being a Christmas movie, so it will be interesting to see if I like these films or if I’m…

[cptrs]

[anyoneinthelivingroom]

difficulties of loving people

saving francesca - melina marchetta // looking for alibrandi - melina marchetta // saving francesca - melina marchetta // bridesmaids - kristen wiig and annie mumolo // paper towns - john green

[kennamchugh]

"The Idea of You" Trailer, Poster and Images

Based on the acclaimed, contemporary love story of the same name, The Idea of You follows Solène, played by Anne Hathaway. She’s a 40-year-old single mom who begins an unexpected romance with 24-year-old Hayes Campbell, played by Nicholas Galitzine. He’s the lead singer of August Moon, the hottest boy band on the planet.  When Solène must step in to chaperone her teenage daughter’s trip to the…

[mydarkmaterials]

[moviemosaics]

Confess, Fletch

directed by Greg Mottola, 2022

[stuff-diary]

Joy Ride

Movies watched in 2023

Joy Ride (2023, USA)

Director: Adele Lim

Writers: Cherry Chevapravatdumrong & Teresa Hsiao

Mini-review:

I had been looking forward to this movie for quite a while, and I'm glad to say it met my expectations. It was clear from the trailers that the film was going for a very raunchy, balls to the wall sort of humor, and it definitely delivers. There are quite a few laugh-out-loud sequences, and the writers take things as far as they can in a way that feels positively surprising. Sure, some people might think the script relies too much on shock value, but the movie actually has some meta-commentary about that topic; they're just trying to show that Asian women can carry this type of comedies just as well as white people, or even better. Speaking of the cast, the four leads do an amazing job, although I'd probably pick Stephanie Hsu as the MVP. The story does become more predictable and generic during the last 20 minutes or so, but not enough to make things boring. So, yeah, give Joy Ride a watch if you're in the mood for something raunchy and hardcore.

[amandamazzillo]

1950s & 1960s Influences of Barb & Star Go to Vista Del Mar: The Retro Kitsch of The Florida Tourist Aesthetic

Examining modern cinema to find films inspired by the classics can lead to unexpected conversations. Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar (2021) directed by Josh Greenbaum and written by Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig explores a past era of film–The 1950s and 1960s– while crafting its unique comedic tone and Floridian style. Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar bares similarities with multiple genres from the 50s and 60s, primarily musicals, sex comedies, and B Science Fiction. 

Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar is a delightfully absurd comedy which shares both plot similarities as well as thematic ones with classic films from the 50s and 60s. 

Romantic/Sex Comedy Similarities

Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar shares many similarities with the 50s and 60s sex comedy, especially those starring Doris Day and Rock Hudson, including bright color palettes, stories of hidden and mistaken identities, and innuendo-filled comedy that bordered on the absurd. 

The sex comedies starring Doris Day were especially concerned with her representation as an innocent woman who is often surprised by her leading men’s focus on sex, but when we look under the surface, her characters make as many innuendo jokes and she frequently notices the sexual reference within the conversations. 

Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar is a story of discovering our worth and learning not to view ourselves in negative lights. This is both represented in Barb (Annie Mumolo) and Star (Kristen Wiig) as it is in the more villainous characters, especially Sharon (Kristen Wiig), the film’s main antagonist. 

Similarly to how Doris Day’s various characters in films like Pillow Talk, Lover Come Back, and Send Me No Flowers had to work hard to reclaim their sexuality, Barb and Star must learn that just because they are middle-aged characters doesn’t mean they have left their ‘shimmer’ and sexuality behind in the past. 

Throughout the film, Barb and Star doubt themselves and think it impossible that others might be interested in them. The pair have a remarkably memorable night together with Edgar (Jamie Dornan). Barb’s husband died years ago, and she has been a shell of her former self ever since, while Star’s husband left her, leading to Star’s self-deprecation, viewing herself as unworthy of love. 

Another similarity comes within the relationship Star and Edgar develop throughout the film. In a similar fashion to Pillow Talk (1959), Sex and the Single Girl (1964), and many more 1950s and 1960s sex comedies, the relationship between Star and Edgar begins from a place of deception. Even though Edgar does not outright try to act like a completely different person, he keeps his identity and position within Sharon’s evil mission to himself. This leads to awkward moments between Edgar, Barb, and Star throughout the film. 

In Pillow Talk, Brad–in hopes of getting closer to Jan, who hates him–pretends to be Texan rancher Rex. In Barb & Star, Edgar does not put on a separate persona, but he allows his emotional side to come through around Barb and Star, which he often keeps bottled up when working with Sharon on her evil plans. As the film progresses, we learn more and more about the depths of Edgar’s feelings and begin to see his ‘evil’ persona as the fake one. 

Another connection between Barb & Star and 1950s/60s sex comedies is the absurdity of its comedy and the amount of innuendo-laden scenes. 

In Pillow Talk, there is an overarching plotline of people thinking Brad is pregnant and trying to figure out how it is possible. This is a background story exploring the absurdity often found in films during this time. In Lover Come Back, the film deals with advertising executives and the candy they are promoting turns out to be alcoholic with the effect of a “triple martini” in each piece. This leads to characters getting drunk from eating candy. 

What makes these films memorable is how the world of the film embraces the absurdity of every situation, taking everything extremely seriously. Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar does the same thing and it is refreshing to see in a modern film. 

When Barb and Star are on the plane to Florida, they spend the entire flight making up a story about a woman named Trish who becomes a spirit in the water, and the film actually brings this back and makes it true in its finale. 

In a perfect visual moment, Edgar reads a book with an extremely specific title: “How to Know The Person You Love Loves You Even Though They Don’t Act Like It Most of the Time” while the object of his affections reads another book by the same author titled “How to Convince Someone You Love Them When You Don’t To Get Them To Do What You Want”. 

Every moment throughout Barb and Star builds the absurdity of its world and creates a wholly unique atmosphere and comedic tone. In addition to this tone of its comedy that is reminiscent of classic 50s and 60s comedies, the visual style of Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar reflects filmmaking of the past.

Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar utilizes absurdly bright shades, especially pink and blue. These bring us back to the vividly bright world of CinemaScope and the perfectly matched outfits found in every single Doris Day comedy. 

The visual style of Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar is retro in the best way, recalling the 50s and 60s, while also showcasing a uniquely middle-aged Florida aesthetic. The over-the-top shell jewelry, bright floral prints, and culottes of the main characters perfectly represent this unique aesthetic that often feels reminiscent of the style in 50s and 60s films, even down to the shorter and poofier hairstyles that resemble the classic Doris Day coif. 

These visual moments are especially present within the film’s musical numbers, which brings us to the next 50s and 60s genre from which Barb and Star draws inspiration. 

Inspiration from Movie Musicals 

Within the multiple musical numbers in Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar, we see visually engaging choreography which utilizes bright colors and synchronicity, which recalls the water-centric musical numbers of films like the musical starring Esther Williams: Million Dollar Mermaid. 

In the 50s and 60s, it was common to see comedy films which were also musicals, especially in Danny Kaye’s starring vehicles like The Court Jester (1956) and On the Double (1961) among many more. 

Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar brings us back to this idea of exploring musical numbers within a comedy through its tropes and aesthetic.

The musical numbers in Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar explore the comedy through the music through absurdity and humor within the lyrics. The choreography also builds an over-the-top unique world where only these characters could live. 

The song which introduces Barb and Star to the wonders of Vista Del Mar plays up the comedy of the town as a paradise for the middle-aged with lines such as “endless macaroni salad at the all you can eat buffet.” 

With the song, Edgar’s Prayer, the comedy comes through in the story being told, but also in the specific way the song is written. The song explores Edgar’s internal conflict of his relationship with Sharon. The song highlights the film’s absurdist humor with lines such as, “I'm going up a palm tree, like a cat up a palm tree who's decided to go up a palm tree.”

Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar explores how music can be used within comedy to enhance the story, as well as adding to the delightful comedic tone of the film. The use of music recalls these 50s and 60s movie musicals as well as the use of theme songs, often sung by the stars, in romance-centric films of the same time. This brings us back to the Doris Day films, which often had an introductory song such as this to set the lighthearted and bright tone of the film. This same tone is represented within Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar and becomes even stronger with its perfect musical numbers. 

B Science Fiction Similarities

The next 50s and 60s genre which helps build the world within Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar is B Sci-Fi. This genre is especially relevant to the villain plot of the film. 

Often in B Sci-Fi films, there is a villain, usually a mad scientist of sorts creating a device that will kill people in an extremely ridiculous manner. One of the most famous B movies, Plan 9 From Outer Space follows aliens who plan to reanimate corpses by restarting their brains with lasers. And the title also implies this is the ninth time these aliens have tried to take over Earth. 

The 1958 film Attack of the Puppet People follows a doll shop owner who decides the only way to cure his loneliness is to shrink people down to the size of dolls, so he sets out to make a machine to do just this! 

In Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar, we see Sharon’s plan for destruction of the small coastal town, Vista Del Mar. It too centers around wanting to find a cure for her loneliness and sadness. Sharon has a disorder where her skin is pale and she cannot be out in the sun. 

After having to move to Florida, this causes her even more grief. The climate of her new home forces her to stay inside or wear elaborate clothes to hide her delicate skin. This causes other students to make fun of her, but she finally finds one friend, who shortly after gets eaten by an alligator. 

Instead of devising a plan to go after the alligator that stole her friend, she decides to kill everyone in this town where she never truly felt welcome. Reminiscent of 50s and 60s B Sci-Fi and horror, her plan is ridiculous and reflects on Florida with its details. She wants to kill everyone in the town by creating  a special deadly breed of mosquitoes that will kill with a single bite and unleash them upon everyone in the town. In real life, mosquitoes already are a major problem in Florida, so using this insect within her plan is especially fitting. 

Double Duty Performances

Another aspect of Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar which increases the absurdity and its connection to the 1960s is found within the performance of the villain role. Kristen Wiig plays both Star and Sharon in the film, allowing her to explore both villainous and heroic character traits within the same movie. 

This double duty casting has been mostly done within comedies, showing the talents of the performers to bring to life these extremely different characters. By playing both the hero and the villain, Kristen Wiig once again brought the film more in conversation with the 1950s and 60s, as well as more modern, yet classic inspired films such as Austin Powers. 

The most relevant example of a dual performance comes in the form of Peter Sellers in the satirical comedy Dr. Strangelove where he played Captain Lionel Mandrake, President Merkin Muffley, as well as Dr. Strangelove. 

But this idea of comedians playing multiple roles was present in other films in the 60s as well, leading to the retro tone that comes from this casting decision. In the 1960s, Jerry Lewis played multiple roles in his films The Nutty Professor, The Family Jewels, and The Big Mouth. Jack Lemmon played two roles in the 1965 comedy The Great Race. 

Even though modern comedies have explored actors playing multiple parts, these are often films exploring a retro tone. Austin Powers has Mike Myers playing both hero and villain and the film is set in the 1960s. Eddie Murphy plays multiple parts in numerous films, but some of the most known come in his remake of the 1963 Jerry Lewis film The Nutty Professor. 

Conclusion

Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar stands as a memorable example of a film inspired by the classics through its connections to the cinema of the 1950s and 1960s. Exploring the past through modern moviemaking is a wonderful way to remember what came before while creating something wholly new and unique.

[nintendowiig]

A baby Annie Mumolo and one tiny Kristen Wiig

[bkenber]

'Bridesmaids' - Do Not Mistake This Film for an Average 'Chick Flick'

“Bridesmaids” looks like it has “chick flick” written all over it to where many, including myself, were not quick to rush out and see this film when it arrived in movie theaters everywhere. But having since watched it, I can confirm this is not your average “chick flick” in the slightest. Moreover, it will appeal to a wider audience than its title might suggest. There is nothing groundbreaking…

[corikane]

How did this get made?

Barb & Star Go To Vista Del Mar (2021) by Josh Greenbaum I recently subscribed to another streaming service (no Netflix for the next half year…), and when I saw that this movie was on it, I immediately put it on my watchlist, ’cause I heard it was hilarious. Now, how to say this… I’ve got my issues with a lot of comedies, whether that’s about my sense of humor or that those comedies aren’t…

[watchingalotofmovies]

Confess, Fletch

Confess, Fletch    [trailer]

After becoming the prime suspect in multiple murders, Fletch strives to prove his innocence while simultaneously searching for his fiancé's stolen art collection.

The introduction of some of the characters is mildy irritating. Like the neighbour with the dog. But after a while it pays off and the movie acquires some screwball comedy quality and turns into decent entertainment.

A number of times I was wishing that the dialogue was just a little bit funnier. With the sharpest being Fletch's conversations with Detective Monroe.

[screenzealots]

"Confess, Fletch"

A sharp and clever murder mystery for adults that breathes fresh, new life into the film franchise. #confessfletch

I tend to be skeptical when it comes to a studio reboot of a film franchise, but “Confess, Fletch” breathes fresh, new life into the series. Based on the Gregory Mcdonald books, the movie sees Jon Hamm stepping into the role that was made famous in the mid-80s by Chevy Chase. The result is a sharp and clever elevated murder mystery for adults. Investigative journalist Irwin Fletcher (Jon Hamm)…