Mascots (2016) Film Review

Christopher Guest (of many classics including Spinal Tap, A Mighty Wind and Best in Show) brings us a look into the world of Mascots – you know, those crazy animals (and the like) that get crowds fired up for sporting events. Travelling from around the world, Mascots are coming together to compete, and this mockumentary follows the personal and political issues they face.

I wanted to love this, and there are certain parts which were great. However, it felt a bit like colour-by-numbers, and with amazing actual documentaries like Pecking Order and Tickled with larger than life people living strange lives, I feel the mockumentary really needs to be amazing to compete.

The Princess Bride (1987) Film Review

If you have never seen this film, well, that sucks for you. Because I think that if you come to this film too late in life, you just may not get it. See, it is daggy as anything, with cheesy special effects, and over-the-top, magnificently melodramatic acting. And it is totally wonderful.

Story? Well, Buttercup (Robin Wright) is a girl who is love with a farmboy, Westley (Cary Elwes). But when his boat is taken by Dread Pirate Roberts, a pirate known to leave no survivors, Buttercup is bereft. So when evil Prince Humperdinck (Chris Sarandon) chooses her as his bride, she doesn’t care. Love is dead for her. Then she is kidnapped by a mysterious party of three – Inigo Montoya (Mandy Patinkin), a man gunning for the revenge over the death of his father, Vizzini (Wallace Shawn) a Sicilian who thinks he can outsmart anyone and Fezzik (the late, great Andre the Giant) who loves to rhyme but is not too smart. And things get exciting!

So wonderful, so fantastic. And then add in a legendary performance by Peter Cook, along with Christopher Guest, Fred Savage, Peter Falk, Mel Smith, Billy Crystal… too wonderful.