The Huckleberries Vol. 2 - Is This Thing On? & Mountains of the Moon

Obviously we want to have an area for reviewing new films here at The Film Encomium, but we want to send a message with our methodology. That message is a simple one: Don’t forget about the fun. 

     Yes, film can be transformative, prophetic, and groundbreaking. It can also be none of those things and still be a damn good time, and we want to validate both of those experiences. If your goal is a critical observation of class struggle, we recommend the works of Bong Joon Ho—but if you want to become well-rounded, we still recommend occasionally watching Jack Black start a rock band. 

     It is from the balance of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn that we draw inspiration for the title of this section. Tom is clever; Tom is great. If there were one of those boys we were going to try to get into Harvard, it would be young Mr. Sawyer…but he will always need his Huckleberry. 

     We all need our Huckleberries. Art needs its Huckleberries. Sometimes beauty is in the little things and reasoned reflection. Other times beauty is loud, bright, and bold. In the interest of providing our readers with a comprehensive experience, we are not willing to skip The Huckleberries. 

     So, with that in mind, here are two engrossing flicks that dropped in theaters recently. The first will work out your mental faculties and help you ponder the purpose of your life within the scope of existence. The second will delve into slightly more visceral realms. Enjoy!

Is This Thing On? -

     It is a difficult call whether the performances or the writing make this film stand out more. Both aspects help the end product punch way above its station. It also is fair to give credit to Bradley Cooper for having the vision to turn this story into what it became. 

     There must have been at least one or two eyebrows raised along the way, and it is hard to say whether Cooper would have been trusted to make all of them if this was his first foray into directing. Half the supporting cast are stand-up comedians, while the other half are overqualified for drama whilst not necessarily being known for their comedic roles. Cooper cast himself as a major supporting character named Balls and Peyton Manning as the most notable cameo appearance—and neither of those choices were supposed to contribute to the humor of this story. 

     Will Arnett and Laura Dern both deserve serious award consideration for their roles, but the vast majority of the cast brought the most to their performances. The relationship of the two people at the center of it very much works as the eye of the hurricane. One of the likely criticisms you will see about this movie is that the plot can be choppy and not every character arc ends up going anywhere, but they are missing the point. 

     The beauty of this film—not to mention the reason why both the humor and the drama hit a little harder than they might otherwise—is the accuracy with which it simulates everyday life, and the balancing of interpersonal relationships within it. Not every single scene builds towards the conclusion of the movie, but rather every single scene builds a character who helps the movie form its conclusion. That distinction might slip past your eyes, but you’ll feel it in your heart. 

Mountains of the Moon - 

     Part documentary, part music video, part extreme sports panorama—Mountains of the Moon basically comes prepackaged as a cult classic. As fans of the Grateful Dead may well already have guessed, the musical aspect of “Mountains of the Moon” is all about the Dead. The whole score was officially licensed by them, and Mickey Hart plays a substantial role in the film. It would be fair to ask if the nationwide release is lined up with the passing of Bob Weir, but that is simply an unfortunate coincidence. 

     Even the non-Deadheads have probably already ascertained, this is the sort of film that is best under the influence of a viewer's substance of choice. The movie itself goes into great detail over the intrinsic link of life to mushrooms. It is highly likely that this 50-minute dive into psychedelia becomes a longtime favorite at college parties around the country. 

     It is currently on a smaller tour of theaters around the country, so you will have to check local listings for availability. My one small complaint would be that the behind the scenes documentary they show after the feature was rather lengthy, but that is reasonably exempted due to it being a limited release. Maybe nothing I’ve said here is appealing to you, and that’s fine. However, if a bunch of snowboarding, skiing, rock climbing, mountain biking, surfing, scuba diving, and fly-fishing set to groovy tunes and trippy lights sounds appealing to you, I recommend going as far out of your way as necessary to catch this film. 

~The Film Encomium~