Director: Todd BergerWriter: Todd Berger
Starring: Julia Stiles, America Ferrera, David Cross, Erinn Hayes, Jeff Grace, Rachel Boston, Kevin M. Brennan, Blaise Miller
Good question. More importantly, has anyone been prepared for the mass influx of apocalyptic films that seem to be appearing at an alarming rate over the last few years? It seems clear that the end of the world is nigh, for real. Simultaneously, and maybe with some relief, there appears to be a rise in comedy spoofs of the apocalyptic genre being produced. Released at the same time this year comes James Francos' "This is the End", along with the famous duo Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, reunited in "The worlds end"; two films that commercially, I am sure, will be massive hits at the cinema. The audience loves a good parody (just look at the success of the Scary movie saga) and recently the apocalyptic genre is being targeted. Personally, I couldn't be happier about this for two reasons, firstly: because the serious 'I'm-the-only-man-left-on-earth-and-will-fight-for-the-human-race' theme gets on my nerves- you are going to die, don't fight it and waste your time, and mine for an hour an a half of ridiculousness, and secondly: because brilliant films like Todd Berger's satire "It's a disaster" (2012) can be made.
In a similar way to Polanskis' film "Carnage" (2011) I wrote about in a previous blog post, the
setting of the film is simple: it is all set in one house where four couples who are all friends have gathered for a couples brunch. Unlike Polanski's "Carnage," the incident that happens off screen is more than just a kid hitting another kid with a stick- its lots of full blown dirty bomb explosions that are slowly spreading their toxic gasses all over the world and killing its inhabitants. Time to take out your HazMat suits guys, this is not your regular couples brunch that you will attend in Bergers apocalyptic satire.
The film opens with a perfect rendition of Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture playing against a background of pictures in a slideshow of dated pictures of explosions. The camera then introduces the viewer to one of the couples as the Overture is coming to a close. As the couple walk up to the house it is clear that they are only on a second or third date as one is warning the other about the various friends and couples. A couples brunch is already an awkward situation, with people sitting around talking about their relationships and future plans, and it is clear that most of the characters don't want to be there on this particular occasion. They all have various issues: one is a serial dater, another has recently turned vegan so there is a massive problem on what food to make, one couple are getting a divorce, one couple can't set a date for a wedding, one couple are on drugs, some characters are having an affair, there are arguments about who paid the electricity bill, the men desperately wanting to find out the score of a sports game, an awkward interruption from a neighbor who is offended not to have been invited, one couple who turn up late for the whole party and finally, a surprising solution to the problem of the apocalypse from whom you least expect. This is no ordinary couples brunch- or at least- its definitely one of the most 'happening' that has ever gone down.
The ending of the film is dynamic in its execution- not in an action packed, final stand between the last man and zombies/aliens/natural causes in a demolished building, but rather in a more subdued way that the final, defying act of the characters doesn't actually seem to happen. The ending received a lot of criticism, it has been described as being 'unfinished' and leading the viewer to a massive anti-climax. Nothing is finalized, it is just left there in the open, but in reality who actually does know how the world is going to end- certainly not Berger that's for sure. In my opinion it is the perfect way to end a apocalyptic film. Throughout the movie you never see the destruction of the city, the bombs going off, people running and screaming; the only thing the viewer has been watching is the relationship between a group of somewhat 'normal' people, in their final hours on earth. It is somewhat refreshing, thus making the satire, ironically, more in tune with reality than the more serious apocalyptic genre films themselves. Simply brilliant.
Verdict: Excellent film. Watch it.
The film opens with a perfect rendition of Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture playing against a background of pictures in a slideshow of dated pictures of explosions. The camera then introduces the viewer to one of the couples as the Overture is coming to a close. As the couple walk up to the house it is clear that they are only on a second or third date as one is warning the other about the various friends and couples. A couples brunch is already an awkward situation, with people sitting around talking about their relationships and future plans, and it is clear that most of the characters don't want to be there on this particular occasion. They all have various issues: one is a serial dater, another has recently turned vegan so there is a massive problem on what food to make, one couple are getting a divorce, one couple can't set a date for a wedding, one couple are on drugs, some characters are having an affair, there are arguments about who paid the electricity bill, the men desperately wanting to find out the score of a sports game, an awkward interruption from a neighbor who is offended not to have been invited, one couple who turn up late for the whole party and finally, a surprising solution to the problem of the apocalypse from whom you least expect. This is no ordinary couples brunch- or at least- its definitely one of the most 'happening' that has ever gone down.
Verdict: Excellent film. Watch it.
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