The film industry is in a rough state at the moment. Between streaming services taking viewers from the struggling movie theaters and franchises and proven IP films omnipresent, it’s looking somewhat dire for great art to make it past the starting gate. Don’t get me wrong, there are some exceptions- looking at you, five time Oscar winning Anora- but that doesn’t mean that all is well in
Hollywood.
As such, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg of This is the End and The Interview fame are sending a message to the film world in their latest Apple TV+ comedy, The Studio, a nail on the head hitting satire that also serves as a love letter to the magic of movies. Executed to near perfection and starring a who’s who of Hollywood legends, this chart topping comedy is much more than a mere sendup of Hollywood suits.
Rogen stars as Matt Remick, the newly promoted head of production at Continental Pictures, who is thrilled to finally make his mark in the movie world. He’s also an idealist who wants to take cinema back to its glory days, promoting shooting on film over digital, hailing the works of legends such as Ron Howard and Martin Scorsese to their faces, and constantly name dropping some of the greatest films of this century. In essence, Matt is the kind of executive that any filmmaker would kill to work with. Which makes it all the more gutting that he is constantly fighting with the higher ups at Continental to preserve great art when all the suits want to do is recapture the magic of Greta Gerwig’s Barbie by making a movie about, hold onto your hats, Kool-Aid.
Unfortunately, Matt’s struggle mirrors the big question facing Hollywood at the moment: Is cinema is big, big trouble? Franchises are dominating the media landscape and moviegoers are refusing to show up for original IPs, and even when they do, they go berserk in the theater over A Minecraft Movie’s chicken jockey of all things. (Seriously, why???) The hard conversations Matt has to have with his coworkers, namely the foul mouthed marketing exec played by Kathryn Hahn who only cares about how movies will sell to the crowd, are hysterical to watch, sure, but sadly, all too real for those with the slightest affinity for the art of cinema.
In its four episodes released on Apple TV+ thus far, The Studio has lampooned everything from focus groups who give bad notes to legendary directors, diva like filmmakers who will do anything to protect their art and how capturing movie magic on set is few and far between. The satire is biting and Murphy’s Law is always in effect, making for some truly remarkable social train wrecks on screen that end up playing like a thrilling pressure cooker boiling over, mostly due to the show’s stunning presentation.
Each and every episode of The Studio is comprised of several, or in the case of episode two, a single, “oners,” AKA a long, uninterrupted take that captures everything in one fell swoop. Much like Birdman, watching The Studio is an experience, like riding a rollercoaster as you thrill at what is transpiring and even bite your nails to see if Matt will accomplish his next goal. Rogen and Goldberg direct each episode flawlessly, staging unique and complex shots that would make Alfonso Cuaron blush, but the all star cast also deserves praise for keeping up with the fast moving action and turning in expertly choreographed performances.
Speaking of the cast, Hollywood nerds will be in heaven taking in the show’s numerous guest stars, including the aforementioned Scorsese and Howard, in addition to Charlize Theron, Anthony Mackie, Zac Efron, Steve Buscemi, Dave Franco and that’s just in the first four episodes. Rogen, Goldberg and the casting department have stuck gold getting the biggest stars alive for cameos and in some cases, one perfectly delivered line of dialogue. Think of it like watching the most awkward Oscars ever.
The Studio is a cinephile’s dream and nightmare at the same time. Taking big name stars and throwing them into a boiling pot of chaos that reflects the state of the industry, this outstanding satire serves as a warning sign and a call to action for movie makers and fans alike, while also being a damn good TV show on top of it.
The Studio is now streaming on Apple TV+
A native of Boise, Idaho, Bradley is a hardcore entertainment junkie whose interest span many different genres. Favorite shows include: The Originals, Agents of SHIELD, Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Silicon Valley and Powers.
