A MIGHTY WIND

[FeverDog420]

http://www.joblo.com/upcomingmovies/2003/posters/images/posteramightywind.jpg

The plot: "Mockumentary captures the reunion of 1960s folk trio the Folksmen (Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer) as they prepare for a show at Carnegie Hall to memorialize a recently deceased concert promoter."

Trivia: "The Folksmen" was originally a sketch performed on Saturday Night Live during the 1984-85 season, when Guest and Shearer were cast members and McKean was the host.

I've got high hopes for A Mighty Wind (whose title sounds like the result of a Mexican dinner). None of the comedies released this year so far have interested me, and I greatly enjoyed both Waiting for Guffman and Best in Show. With much of the same cast as those two previous Guest mocs, A Mighty Wind looks like another winner.

A Mighty Wind opens April 16 in limited release.

[sleekproductions]

Like Best in Show, A Mighty Wind looks like it will be a smart, and funny mocumentary. I will see this opening day.

[idealdiscountdude]

Christopher Guest is a GENIUS in my humble opinion!

I loved Waiting For Guffman and Best In Show and I cannot wait to see A Mighty Wind it looks hilarious.

Parker Posey, Eugene Levy, Michael McKean, Jennifer Coolidge, Catherine O'Hara, Harry Shearer, and Guest himself are all superb actors.....

My second most anticipated film this month after James Mangold's Identity which opens on the 25th.

[Mike]

I've seen a couple of TV spots for A MIGHTY WIND and I think it looks excellent... BEST IN SHOW was hilarious and I'm expecting the same from A MIGHTY WIND.

[Horror whore]

I think it looks pretty funny. I haven't seen Best In Show but I've heard it was hilarious. I'll give this movie a rental...

[Mike]

Originally posted by Horror whore
I think it looks pretty funny. I haven't seen Best In Show but I've heard it was hilarious. I'll give this movie a rental...


Oh my god Horror Whore, you totally have to check out BEST IN SHOW. The first time I saw it I thought it was funny, but I didn't find it completely hilarious. However, I saw it again last summer with a friend and we had a blast and laughed our asses off. I liked it even more the second time. I recommend watching it with a friend, I definitely think you would get a kick out of BEST IN SHOW. It was just too funny!

[Pyramidhair]

Waiting For Guffman was such a hard find here in uK, we were lucky enough to find it only a weeke ago, and yeah, what an amazingly funny film. Chris Guest cannot miss, his mockumentaries are unmatched, he is one of the funniest and warmest film makers around at the moment. He's surrounded again by all his favourite actors and this will no doubt be brilliant. I can't wait.

Hello everyone, new boy! Flame me flame me hard!

No don't really.. I'm harmless I promise....

Heh heh heh.........

[blankpage]

This film looks hilarious! Smart writing, and all around fun. I admit that I haven't see BEST IN SHOW yet. But it will be watched by moi soon. I cannot wait for this flick.

[Grebdron]

Can't find Waiting For Guffman right now, but Best in Show was great. I'll be forking over the $12 bucks for this one.

[dh1989]

Waiting For Guffman - Bad

+

Best In Show - Great

=

A Mighty Wind - Wait For Video

The only thing that could get me to see this in theatres is the fact that the comedic god Eugene Levy appears, but I'll still most likely just rent this mockumentary.

[7 Zark 7]

Harry Potter 1 - Bad

+

Harry Potter 2 - Bad

=

Harry Potter 3 - doesn't need to be made!

[rushmore beauty]

I will totally be checking this out....Guffman and Best in Show are hilarious.

[Nate6]

I can't wait to see this movie. Not only does it look hilarious from previews but Guest's improv films are always great. Unfortunately, it'll never come to my theatre.

[dh1989]

Originally posted by 7 Zark 7
Harry Potter 1 - Bad

+

Harry Potter 2 - Bad

=

Harry Potter 3 - doesn't need to be made!

:rolleyes:

[Freeway]

First off, I despised Waiting for Guffman and Best in Show and this film looks no better. I can't understand how pedestrian looking films like this can be made but at least they never get a very wide release because they aren't even like a real movie.

[bob]

Yes, this is a VERY pedestrian film when compared to the likes of Freeway.:rolleyes:

Anyhoo, this film looks great. Waiting For Guffman, This is Spinal Tap, and Best in Show were all great, so I look forward to this.

[Freeway]

Originally posted by bob
Yes, this is a VERY pedestrian film when compared to the likes of Freeway.:rolleyes:



At least that film, like most others, had a real plot and wasn't just a series of inane interviews with annoying people.

[bob]

Does the term "mockumentary" mean anything to you?

[Freeway]

Mockumentary means really crappy excuse for cinema to me. They seriously bore me while I actually enjoy real documentaries quite a bit most of the time.

[sharkstank]

does look funny,but i'll wait for DVD

[Grebdron]

Originally posted by 7 Zark 7
Harry Potter 1 - Bad

+

Harry Potter 2 - Bad

=

Harry Potter 3 - doesn't need to be made!

:D:D:D:D:D

[JustinKing665]

Originally posted by 7 Zark 7
Harry Potter 1 - Bad

+

Harry Potter 2 - Bad

=

Harry Potter 3 - doesn't need to be made!

I love you

[XCoRyX]

while im not so interested in the film itself,i find myself enjoying the TV spots i see,with the music they are singing and such,pretty funny,Christopher Guest and Eugene Levy are funny.I just noticed how the cast is very similiar to best in show,yeah i know im slow.

[Nate6]

Originally posted by 7 Zark 7
Harry Potter 1 - Bad

+

Harry Potter 2 - Bad

=

Harry Potter 3 - doesn't need to be made!

He says what we all think...

[blankpage]

Originally posted by Freeway
Mockumentary means really crappy excuse for cinema to me. They seriously bore me while I actually enjoy real documentaries quite a bit most of the time.

But wouldn't documentaries also be a really crappy excuse for cinema? Don't get me wrong, I enjoy them. But, it's basically the same thing. "Mockumentaries" are documentaries, just funny.

Or something like that.

[Nate6]

Originally posted by Freeway
Mockumentary means really crappy excuse for cinema to me.

I disagree. Ever heard of "satire", a time-honored art form? That's a mockumentary. There's nothing crappy about it, in fact, it's quite perceptive.

[bob]

Originally posted by Nate6
I disagree. Ever heard of "satire", a time-honored art form? That's a mockumentary. There's nothing crappy about it, in fact, it's quite perceptive.

Once again, someone rescues my word-slurring ass by saying what I was trying to say. Good work, Nate. Keep that up and you'll get a promotion.

[Benny]

Well I am psyched for A Mighty Wind! After loving Waiting for Guffman and Best in Show (both 9/10), this movie looks just as great, and the NY Times gave it a good review today. Most of the same cast from Guest's previous two movies is back, plus a bunch of new people, so I don't see where it could go wrong. Plus folk music is always a funny subject!

[Benny]

Originally posted by 7 Zark 7
Harry Potter 1 - Bad

+

Harry Potter 2 - Bad

=

Harry Potter 3 - doesn't need to be made!

Nice comeback! :)

[Scarface98.9]

The only mocumentary I've seen from Guest is This is Spinal Tap, so if it's playing nearby, I'll check it out

[Freeway]

Originally posted by Nate6
I disagree. Ever heard of "satire", a time-honored art form? That's a mockumentary. There's nothing crappy about it, in fact, it's quite perceptive.

I saw both Best in Show and Waiting for Guffman and really hated them. Why then would I enjoy a film in the same style, much of the same cast, and by the same director? Plus, it isn't opening near me so I have another excuse not to see it. I like some satires? Have you ever heard of the novel Animal Farm by George Orwell? That is quite possibly the best novel I have ever read and is considered by many to be one of the best novels ever written.

[movies35]

I will see this on DVD. No way in Hell will I see this in theaters.

[Sugar Magnolia]

Best in Show was hilarious, so I'll definitely be seeing this one eventually...

[movies35]

Originally posted by 7 Zark 7
Harry Potter 1 - Bad

+

Harry Potter 2 - Bad

=

Harry Potter 3 - doesn't need to be made!

Oh! He got banned! I knew he would. But like I said before this looks suckie.

[movies35]

Here is a very possitive review from screenit.com

OUR TAKE: 7 out of 10
When it comes to documentaries, there's always the nagging notion that some filmmakers have injected their personal bias, thoughts or statements into their work, thus nullifying the objective status that the genre demands. The films of Michael Moore, for instance, walk that fine line, although they usually fall across it, yet are still considered "true" documentaries.
When it comes to the work of writer/director Christopher Guest and co-writer Eugene Levy, however, there's no such confusion. That's because their pictures are dramatized "mockumentaries," part spoof and part "regular" movie, where on-camera interviews are interspersed with the rest of the story.

Taking their cue from "This is Spinal Tap," they lovingly poked fun at small town pageants in "Waiting For Guffman," and the Westminster Dog Show in "Best in Show." For their next project, they've decided to tackle a once popular but now mostly obscure musical genre - folk music - in "A Mighty Wind."

Essentially using much of the same cast and basic story structure from their previous efforts, Guest and Levy have delivered another amusing, wacky, occasionally hilarious and even touching picture. Like Guffman and Show, this picture follows a group of characters and their idiosyncrasies and obsessions regarding an upcoming big event that's close to their hearts.

Part of the fun is in watching the members of the filmmakers' recurring troupe inhabit the various folk singers in both the past and present. Each has his or her particular quirk or defining characteristic, and the cast members seem to be having such a ball playing them that the effect is contagious. While the large cast prevents any one character or fictitious musical group from standing out or dominating the proceedings, they're the epitome of a comedy ensemble and work together wonderfully.

Although the film is about the musicians and singers brought together for the fictitious tribute performance, some of the more entertaining characters are those involving the non-musically inclined. Fred Willard ("How High," "The Wedding Planner") is quite funny as the former TV "star" turned manager, Ed Begley, Jr. ("Auto Focus," "Get Over It") gets some of the funnier lines as a Swedish TV producer, and Bob Balaban ("The Majestic," "Gosford Park") generates some decent laughs playing the persnickety organizer whose perfectionism is annoyingly amusing.

Harry Shearer ("Dick," "The Truman Show"), Michael McKean ("The Guru") and Christopher Guest ("A Few Good Men," "The Princess Bride") inhabit The Folksman who were "two-badours" before McKean's character joined them and turned them into troubadours.

Various performers such as Jane Lynch ("Collateral Damage," "Best In Show"), John Michael Higgins ("The Man Who Wasn't There," "Bicentennial Man") and the sadly underused Parker Posey ("The Sweetest Thing," "Josie and the Pussycats") are part of another group, the spunky and cheerful The New Main Street Singers (a folksy spoof of Up With People). Meanwhile, some of the best material involves Eugene Levy ("Bringing Down the House," "Like Mike") and Catherine O'Hara ("Orange County," "Best in Show") as a typical '60s folk duo that crashed and burned.

The script provides all sorts of fun and funny material involving those characters and their music. The filmmakers, however, haven't designed the original songs as pure spoofs, but rather loving if funny takes on the music form. They end up being a toe-tapping bit of icing on the cake and even manage to tug a bit on the old heartstrings during one ballad.

Guest's directorial style keeps things moving along at a good and even brisk pace, with plenty of jokes and funny touches (such as old album covers and song titles) evenly dispersed throughout the offering. Everything, of course, leads to the big, cumulative event, and it's just as fun as all that precedes it, resulting in an entertaining ride from start to finish. Just as enjoyable as the filmmakers' previous and similar works, "A Mighty Wind" rates as a 7 out of 10.

[Ed]

never heard of this movie till now, seems to be quite good.

[movies35]

Originally posted by Ed
never heard of this movie till now, seems to be quite good.

guess so, because screenit.com never gives good reviews.

[jedi_freak]

I really liked Best in Show so I think I will definately be seeing this one. It looks to be pretty funny.

[Edie0027]

I really enjoy the whole crew that makes up the Christopher Guest movie crew.

Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Michael McKean, Parker Posey, Harry Shearer, Jennifer Coolidge, John Michael Higgins, Jane Lynch

NYTimes Review (http://www.nytimes.com/2003/04/16/movies/16WIND.html)

fter seeing Mitch and Mickey, the legendary folk-music duo of the 1960's, reunite on the stage of Town Hall to perform their signature tune, "A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow," I wanted nothing so much as to go out to the garage and dig out some of their old LP's, just for old times' sake. The only problem — apart from my not having a garage — is that these dewy-eyed singers, their songs so twee and noodle-headed as to make Richard and Mimi Fariña sound like the Ramones, never existed.

"A Mighty Wind," Christopher Guest's latest trompe l'oeil satire (following "Waiting for Guffman" and "Best in Show") almost makes you believe that Mitch and Mickey were real, which is an impressive stunt. More than that, it makes you almost wish that they were, which is something of a miracle.

Mr. Guest, his writing collaborator Eugene Levy (who also plays Mitch), and their goofy deadpan ensemble have decided to resuscitate the commercial folk music that survives nowadays mostly at summer camp singalongs and on public television, and they have done so with sweet-natured, loony affection.

Like the small-town troupers in "Guffman" and the dog-show competitors in "Best in Show," the pickers and chirpers of "A Mighty Wind" are immune to embarrassment and utterly devoted to their own peculiar notions of artistic accomplishment and show-business glory. They are, it must be said, pretty good at making bad music. The soundtrack, full of swaybacked metaphors, rousing choruses and mind-numbing harmonies, may yet make stars of Mitch and Mickey and their fake-folk comrades, the Folksmen and the New Main Street Singers. Sincerity is the hallmark of this kind of music, and the parody of it that Mr. Guest and his company offer here is often indistinguishable from the real thing.

"Guffman" and "Best in Show" were devoted to subcultures from which the audience could feel a certain detachment, even (whether or not this was Mr. Guest's intention) to the point of superiority. "A Mighty Wind" addresses a broader swath of American popular culture, making it more accessible, harder to escape and also vulnerable to the charge that it has missed its satiric target.

The cast of "A Mighty Wind," which opens nationwide today, would fill a concert hall, and it is impossible to think of a group of people capable of being funny in so many different ways, from the over-the-top buffoonery of Fred Willard (as a sitcom-star turned road manager) to the mugging of Jennifer Coolidge (paired with Larry Miller as a publicist couple that, as she puts it "share a single brain") to the toothy, near-demented perkiness of Parker Posey (as a second-generation New Main Street Singer).

Of all of them, Mr. Levy and Ms. O'Hara are the two who have, historically, been the funniest. If I had a dollar for every kernel of popcorn they have made me aspirate, separately and together, since their SCTV days in the 1970's, I'd be rich. This time, though, Mr. Levy, while sufficiently ridiculous with his vacant stare, hesitant diction and swept-back gray hair, is also a lovable, vulnerable lost soul. And Ms. O'Hara has the sublime wit to play Mickey completely straight.

There is something almost shockingly poignant about the way they portray former lovers who have drifted far from stardom, and from each other, and who are drawn back together by the power of music. The music may be perfectly awful — actually it is both perfect and awful — but its power, this movie suggests, is nothing to laugh at. Or so you might realize, if you could only stop laughing long enough to form the thought.

[SteveSzyk]

Hilarious movie! Not as good as Best in Show, but very few movies are. The cast is as always superb and the music is hilarious. 8/10 - Go check it out, especially fans of Waiting for Guffman.

[bowieee]

I just got back from this one. Great movie.

I know some people are against him here but Eugene Levy is the man :)

[bskutle]

"A Mighty Wind"- A
Christopher Guest must be stopped. Comedies this smart, hilarious, and memorable aren't supposed to be coming from a major studio. Talent this creative should be squelched(?) under the weight of corporate executives who care more for the bottom line than originality. Who let Guest slip through the cracks after he co-wrote the classic "This is Spinal Tap" (A-), and then co-wrote and directed the under-the-rader "Waiting for Guffman" (A) and much-beloved "Best in Show" (B+)? Bless them. "A Mighty Wind" is probably Guest's finest and funniest "mockumentary" yet. In a throwback to the musical mayhem of "Tap," Guest and co-writer Eugene Levy (Jim's dad in "American Pie," "Bringing Down the House") take on another musical genre ripe for satire- folk music of the '50s and '60s- as they stage a tribute concert to a fictional pioneer in folk with three fictional stars- The Folksman (played by Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer, i.e. Spinal Tap), Mitch and Mickey (Levy and Catherine O'Hara, both brilliant), and The New Main Street Singers (including the irreplacable Parker Posey and Jane Lynch, managed by "Best in Show's" memorable scene-stealer Fred Willard). No fare giving away more except to say the original folk diddies are toe-tappers, the performances are inspired, the emotion is poignant, and the comedy is laugh-out-loud funny. Whether you've seen all of Guest's "mockumentary" triumphs or none of them, you owe it to yourself to see this one. From the looks of it, comedies will rarely be funnier this year.

[XCoRyX]

this is only playing in 1 theater in my whole city and its a nice trip from where I live,otherwise i'd go give it a check out.

[fark31281]

I am all for this movie..."Mockumentaries" are a nice change in a movie theater...I saw Best In Show and Waiting for Guffman on video, and would like to try this one in a theater setting....To be honest, I wouldnt expect that I had lost something by missing the theater experience on the other two, but there is only one way to tell! Anyone have any opinions?

Bottom Line : Sense of Humor is everything....Satires only work if you have one! I stand by the opinion that Christopher Guest and Eugene Levy are masters of comedy!

[eraserhead_99]

Saw it and it was a GREAT friggin' movie. 8/10. Dont expect Best In Show though (also an 8/10), this is also a somewhat sentimental movie, but it aso has tons of great laughs, especially Mitch and The New Mainstreet Singers.

[XCoRyX]

its funny that i own best in show yet havent watched it...guess i have to,to see what guest is like.

[blankpage]

Cory, if you like Best in Show, you should also check out This is Spinal Tap, hilarious flick.

Anyway, I am off to see this flick along with THE GOOD THIEF in about 40 mins.

Can't wait! :D

[Beeblebrox]

WHA'S HAPPENIN'?!!

[blankpage]

Originally posted by Beeblebrox
WHA'S HAPPENIN'?!!

LMAO!

Great film.

8/10 or A

[chrisboo]

Boring, boring, boring.

Step 1, take great movie Spinal Tap script. Step 2, re-write using lame folk singer types. Step 3, be occasionally funny.

If this wasn't such an obvious re-do it might have had a chance. If they had attempted to make fun of Rob Reiner's original, that may have also worked. This was just weak. Well acted, but weak.

6/10

Just like any "Mighty Wind"....this really blew!

[Sugar Magnolia]

Originally posted by chrisboo
Just like any "Mighty Wind"....this really blew!

I must congratulate you on the best pun I've heard in a long time.

[chrisboo]

Originally posted by Sugar Magnolia
I must congratulate you on the best pun I've heard in a long time.

Thanks... I'm actually surprised I haven't seen it elsewhere yet.

[dammit_janet]

haven't seen it yet but it's definitely on the list. I *heart* Eugene Levy.

[XCoRyX]

i decided to pop in my copy of Best In Show in the VCR earlier tonight,to see if Guest is my type and taste of comedy....while it was entertaining and watchable i wasnt laughing alot,just the scenes with Michael McKean and his partner.....Jennifer Coolidge is so annoying,cant stand the sight of her....Eugene Levy was excellent as was fred willard.But,i still dont see whats so comedic about it,as in laughing your ass off type comedy,it was just a humorously toned script...i give it a 5.5/10,from what i said,you think i should chance checking out AMW?

[Strider]

A Mighty Wind (2003)

Rated PG-13 for Sex-Related Humor

Director: Christopher Guest

Starring Eugene Levy, Christopher Guest, Harry Shearer, Paul Dooley, Michael Hitchcock, John Michael Higgins, Ed Begley Jr., Catherine O' Hara, Jennifer Coolidge, Don Lake, Michael McKean, Christopher Moynihan, Larry Miller, Jane Lynch, Parker Posey, and Fred Willard.

http://i.imdb.com/Photos/Ss/0310281/3371R-V2.jpg

"A mockumentary which captures the reunion of several 60's folk music artists as they all prepare for a show at Town Hall to pay tribute to a recently deceased concert promoter".

Christopher Guest is best known for his mockumentaries which include "Waiting for Guffman", "Best in Show", and if you think it counts, "This is Spinal Tap". Guest's latest effort is "A Mighty Wind", another mockumentary which focuses on folk music and several of it's famous, yet entirely fictional performers. Honestly, while waiting for the film to start, my expectations were very low. The folk music aspect was a bit of a turn off for me, not the kind of music genre I could ever be a fan of.

However, I was pleasently surprised with the end result, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. "A Mighty Wind" is a decent comedy, but it's far from being anything great or memorable. Still, for the most part, I enjoyed what the film had to offer. First, the acting from the talented ensemble cast is just great. Each actor delivers a fine performance, but it's Eugene Levy and Fred Willard who steal the show. These two are so good in their roles, they really didn't even require any lines of dialogue. Actually, the dialogue they do have is just the icing on the cake. Just by looking at their facial expressions, both Levy and Willard will have you laughing. Personally, I had a good laugh every time I saw them on the screen.

Unfortunately, there are two major flaws "A Mighty Wind" suffers from, and this is what ultimately stops the film from being something really special. The first is, the film becomes unnecessarily emotional towards the end. Not only does the emotional factor feel forced, but it just doesn't fit with the film's overall tone. The second flaw has to do with the film's final sequence, in which the film takes it's folk music aspect a little too seriously. For some strange reason, the film spends almost all of it's last act focusing on the characters singing actual folk music. This was completely disappointing, for the film had a great opportunity to finish with a bang, but it throws it all away with folk music.

"A Mighty Wind" is an amusing film that features several great moments, good laughs, solid performances, and a witty script. Without a doubt, it should be adored by fans of Christopher Guest's mockumentaries. I didn't adore the film, but I did have a good time watching it. Still, I think it's a shame "A Mighty Wind" couldn't hold up in it's final moments, which could have been superb.

Running Time: 1 hour 31 minutes

Grade: 6/10 or *** out of ***** stars

Strider

[Benny]

I keep forgetting to post something for this movie, so I'll make it quick. This is the funniest comedy and the best movie I've seen so far this year. Th whole cast does a great job, spofing folk music and singers from the early 1960's. Christopher Guest, Fred Willard, and Eugene Levy are especially hilarious. Another tour de force from Christopher Guest and Comapny!

9/10

[moviemuffin]

I was disappointed. I laughed really hard at the good stuff but the whole had no cohesion and the bittersweet thing with Mitch and Mickey went a tiny step over the line.

Also... would somebody please explain the me how Fred Willard is funny? Because he has never made me laugh.

Spinal Tap and Best in Show were perfection. This one had laughs but needed work.