Jerry Seinfeld’s Unfrosted, a non-canonical biopic of the invention of the pop-tart, contains a star-studded cast (led by Seinfeld, Melissa McCarthy, and Jim Gaffigan … along with cameo after cameo from A-list entertainers) that goes full-on ridiculous in this outrageous campy satire of The Sixties, and guarantees constant laughs throughout.

For the record, I doubt this will be considered for film festivals or award shows (just check out the ratings on Rotten Tomatoes of IMDb, after all.) But simply: it is amusing, captivating, entertaining and worth the watch. 

The story is predictable: rival corporations (Kellogg’s and Post) fight to be the first to put a simple breakfast treat in grocery stores (mirroring the Space Race.) It involves secrets, betrayal, mafia-like tactics, cameos from iconic performers … but Unfrosted goes farther than any business rivalry could go, adding acts of treason and the loss of lives.

A predictable plot line, but fun jokes layered throughout its duration. To be truthful, it reminds me a great deal of the movies by Mel Brooks (Spaceballs in particular.)

What makes a satire great is pointing out social issues that we have subconsciously conditioned ourselves to and pointing out the absurdities that we have gone along with for years. Unfrosted contains joke after joke directed at the ideas of The Sixties that clearly did not age well (the Vietnam War, high fructose corn syrup, and above all: the Cold War).

But this satire is completely unrealistic. How so?

An award show that demonstrates the rivalry between Kellogg’s and Post is held at a local Holiday Inn, milkmen imitate the Teamsters, and the creation of Kellogg’s products mirrors that of a top-secret science lab. In fact, there is almost a cartoonish fantasy element to its storytelling.

But what is most appealing about this movie is not its jokes, but its length: only an hour and a half. The time will fly by and will be over before you know it.

It’s clear the creator of the show about nothing heeded the wisdom of the Master of Suspense, Alfred Hitchcock, who quipped that a film’s length should match the endurance of the human bladder. And in this case, since it has been released through Netflix, one can conveniently stop and continue this quick film at one’s own pace anyway.

Again, this is not a groundbreaking film that will redefine cinema and comedy, as we know it. But it is a fun watch filled with entertainers that have been amusing us for decades, and makes a nice way to spend an hour and a half of our time.

Not all movies worth watching push the limits of art and define a generation.

It is no secret that I am a fan of the Criterion Collection/Channel, and can often recommend movies that could be considered “dry” by my peers … but I also consider Billy Madison and The Waterboy to be among my favorite movies (with no disrespect to Adam Sandler, who has always been lionized for how he has never given into his ego in pursuit of celebrity-status.)

About the Author: Though no longer a resident of Lyme, Kevin knows he can never sever his roots to the tree of his identity. When not attending to his job in Boston, he is committed to ensuring a better grasp of current (and past) releases of cinema to his home community as he strives to leave his own mark in the same field that has always been his guide to understanding life. If you enjoy his published reviews here on LymeLine.com, follow him on his website at ‘The City of Cinema‘ and read more of his unique insights into entertainment.

Dune: Part II exceeded my expectations and, like the first installment released in 2021 (which I also reviewed), deserves to be ranked among iconic science-fiction movies including 2001: A Space Odyssey, Alien, Star Wars, and Blade Runner.

I think the simplest way to summarize my feelings is that, whichever way one screens it—whether it be iat a theater or streaming via a MAX subscription at home—it is worth whatever price you will be charged …. but I must emphasize that if you have the ability, this must be seen in a theater because going to the cinema is an experience that further enriches whatever movie you are viewing.

Having never read the novels by Frank Herbert (save for the first chapter involving Paul placing his hand inside the box of death… I need to work on my attention-span for reading), I am unable to commend the faithfulness of these adaptations on my own merit.

However, I saw both films with my brother and his best friend (both of whom are major fans of the original novels), and I spent the next two hours afterwards observing them rave about their vindication of both films. So, by way of proxy, I can confirm that this installment is worth seeing for anyone, who read the books.

Dune delivers in every way imaginable. What struck me most was the cinematography, particularly with the depiction of colors through the rays of sun on the desert planet Arrakis.

Sound plays a major role, too, such as the pulse vibrations placed in the sand used to conjure the dangerous sandworms.

And we cannot omit anyone’s performances in this star-studded cast, led by Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Stellan Skarsgård, Javier Bardem and Josh Brolin (always interesting to see these real-life friends as co-stars again, considering their first film involved Bardem hunting Brolin across the Texas desert in No Country for Old Men); in addition to new cast members including Austin Butler, Lea Seydoux, Florence Pugh, and Christopher Walken.

I do not think it would take much persuasion for studio executives to greenlight raising the salary cap to include more A-listers such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, and Al Pacino.

What I most appreciate about this form of storytelling is learning about this setting through casual background noise with subtlety. It can be quite a turnoff when filmmakers attempt to reveal important story pieces when the unnatural dialogue makes it seem like they are proselytizing the narrative.

The sign of a good science-fiction movie is when we can suspend our disbelief and accept the science that is presented to us, regardless of whether we have a degree in physics or are simply science-savvy, particularly when it comes to the technology the characters use (be it transportation or weapons).

I can only hope that it won over Neil deGrasse Tyson, who has built a reputation for ruining nearly any movie for the scientific inaccuracies (especially when he remarked that the star constellations were wrong in Titanic).

But, above all, we cannot neglect the narrative and characters. Filmmakers can use the best production value available and wow everyone with the special effects, but it is utterly useless if the story and the characters are garbage. The politics embedded in this narrative recalls the drama of ancient Roman history as people calculate their moves to how leaders will be cast down and others will rise to replace them, whether they are virtuous or not … but lacking virtue always makes a character far more interesting (just ask Vincent Price about his preference for playing villains).

Dune has rightfully earned its place among our watercooler conversations as one of the must-see movies of the year. If you are generally not a fan of science-fiction movies, I promise you that this is worth your attention. Movies that fire off all cylinders only come around once every blue moon and are always worth seeing, regardless of the genre and themes.

Again, whatever price the theater charges for your ticket, it is worth every penny.

About the Author: Though no longer a resident of Lyme, Kevin knows he can never sever his roots to the tree of his identity. When not attending to his job in Boston, he is committed to ensuring a better grasp of current (and past) releases of cinema to his home community as he strives to leave his own mark in the same field that has always been his guide to understanding life. If you enjoy his published reviews here on LymeLine.com, follow him on his website at ‘The City of Cinema‘ and read more of his unique insights into entertainment.