This is truer than ever in 2022, following the most recent season in fall of 2021. Instead, the show-which began as a podcast in 2011 and went televised in 2012-largely functions as the home base for a constantly-evolving, increasingly deranged extended universe of their lives and creative pursuits, and a platform for these characters’ dueling egomania. Both Heidecker and Turkington (who keep their real names for their insane characters), have only contempt for one another and no true interest in film. Rather, it’s out of the pure desire to prove his superiority over the other no matter the cost. The other (Turkington) is admittedly more of a cinephile, but not out of true appreciation for the art which he purports to champion. One (Heidecker) is an insecure, angry man, insistent upon making a spectacle of his personal life while he hawks various products and money-making schemes. Comedians Tim Heidecker and Gregg Turkington’s niche, beloved “movie” “review” “show,” in which Heidecker and Turkington lampoon film criticism (as well as the film industry itself and, quite astutely, politics), has, instead, turned into a personality battle between two sociopaths. If this was on VOD for $6.99 or whatever and you and your Adult Swim-loving buddies were high as hell, then you’d enjoy it.In the past few seasons of On Cinema at the Cinema, movies have become increasingly inconsequential. The real question is, are you willing to pay the full price to see it? Personally, I think this is a rental, but also a good rental. It’s a self-referential expansion of everything Heidecker has produced for Williams Street thus far and if you are a fan of that, then this is for you. If you don’t get his sense of humor by now, from his hit-or-miss ad-libbing and vigorous, incompetent, and dim-witted persona then GTFO. Admittingly, I'm 50-50 on Heidecker’s solo works, but as long as you fully understand the context of the events prior to this film, then you’re bound to have a great time. I totally forgot he did that fake trial that the internet had a field day with. I laughed and chuckled all the way through and did a bit of homework to remind myself that this is just the continuation of a bit that I forgot existed. Throughout the film you have references and cutaways to his previous works, such as On Cinema and Decker, with appearances from his colleagues, a major one being his On Cinema co-host Gregg Turkington in character as himself who has a hilarious running gag on hats.Īny other film critics unfamiliar with his work are just going to dogpile on this, but as a proud dumbass who grew up watching some On Cinema on Adult Swim’s YouTube channel, several episodes of Decker, and pieces of that trial… I enjoyed this. Since Heidecker has become a bigger name now after appearing in high-profile projects, such as Ant Man & the Wasp and Us, they allowed this to go to theaters. This is a vanity project that could’ve aired on TV or gone straight to YouTube like the trial. This is for the demographic who watched nothing but Tim Heidecker stuff on Adult Swim, but now it’s on a big screen. I don’t know how many On Cinema fans there are in this world, but believe me when I say that this is specifically for you. Yes, this is all fictional, but I'm stupid when it comes to mockumentaries as surreal as this one and I end up wondering, “Is this real?” They’re all performers but the illusion is alluring. It’s a complete mockumentary, but at the same time it feels so authentic, which makes a lot of the movie really funny. While you’re thinking he’s screwing around with real people, it's actually just a bunch of actors. That aspect is applied here, where Heidecker campaigns all around San Bernardino. Just watch the first 10 minutes, or skim through his trial bit, and despite the absurdity of the situation, you would think the trial was real based on the appearances of people who are just so grounded in their performance/commitment to the bit without breaking face. He’d be the most recognizable face amongst many actors who you wouldn’t even think were actors. If there’s one thing that I love about Heidecker’s solo stuff, it’s that you can never tell if what he’s doing is real or not.
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