Incredible thoughts, incredible minds

Rating: 10/10 (9 February 2018)

"Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping" is wonderful musical mockumentary from the Lonely Island boys (Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone, Akiva Schaffer). Rather than string a few of their film clips with a tenuous plot, they've created an original movie, with original songs.
Gleefully aping Justin Bieber's "Never Say Never", Samberg plays pop-rapper Conner4Real, a former member of boy band The Style Boyz with childhood friends Owen (Taccone) and Lawrence (Schaffer). Conner4Real become a solo superstar and a tabloid darling, his excessive ego and bravado makes Oasis in the nineties look restrained. The film charts the release of Conner's second album Connquest, some questionable appliance-based marketing choices, his friendship-turned rivalry with rapper Hunter the Hungry (Chris Redd) and eventual fall from superstardom.
As well as SNL alumni Sarah Silverman, Tim Meadows, Bill Hader and Maya Rudolph, "Popstar" has an impressive list of guest stars, most who've collaborated with Lonely Island, including:
Akon, ASAP Rocky, Michael Bolton, Mariah Carey, Régine Chassagne, Simon Cowell, Danger Mouse, DJ Khaled, Jimmy Fallon, 50 Cent, Adam Levine, Nas, Pink, Questlove, The Roots, RZA, Seal, Martin Sheen, Snoop Dogg, Ringo Starr, T.I., Carrie Underwood, Usher and Pharrell Williams.
The best cameo is from the always-game Justin Timberlake, playing Connor4Real's put upon tour chef.
Samberg - of course - dominates this movie, with Taccone and Schaffer pulling double duty as directors and playing Conner's bandmates.
"Popstar" deserves its MA rating, with a number of delightfully filthy songs, including "Finest Girl", which uses Osama Bin Laden's death as a sexual metaphor. The soundtrack is a must buy/download for Lonely Island fans.
As a mockumentary, "Popstar" won't have the wide appeal - or legacy - of Spinal Tap, but it's still a heap of fun, especially if you love Lonely Island's music.