Cindy Prascik's Review of Unfrosted

 

My dear reader(s), this weekend I caught up with Jerry Seinfeld's directoral debut, Unfrosted.

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing plot-specific.

In the 1960s, two warring cereal giants race to create a new kind of breakfast pastry.

First, let's be clear: Unfrosted is the Rocketman of breakfast stories, that is, a fantasy loosely based on some things that probably happened not at all the way they're depicted here. Imagination: Yay! Realism: Nay.

Jerry Seinfeld's humor isn't for everyone, but if you're a fan, or not actively anti-Seinfeld, you're likely to enjoy Unfrosted, particularly if you're of a certain age. The movie features familiar faces - indeed, to the smallest role, there's hardly anyone unrecognizable - and nostalgia reigns supreme. Unfrosted is short, moves quickly, and is full of easy humor, absolutely nothing challenging or uncomfortable. It's not the kind of thing that would ever be a critical darling, even when Seinfeld was better regarded, and it never would have been a must-see big-screen release, but I found it enjoyable enough. Also, a random fact: Until I saw this movie, I had NO idea that Thurl Ravenscroft ("You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch") was Tony the Tiger, so I guess it's educational too.

Unfrosted clocks in at a quick 97 minutes amd is rated PG13 for "some suggestive references and language."

Unfrosted takes some well-known faces on a humorous, nostalgic spin through breakfast history. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Unfrosted gets five.

Unfrosted is now streaming on Netflix.

Until next time...

MOVIE REVIEW: UNFROSTED

 

In 1963, Kellogg's and Post, sworn cereal rivals, race to create a pastry that will change the face of breakfast forever.

Director: Jerry Seinfeld

Cast: Jerry Seinfeld, Melissa McCarthy, Jim Gaffigan, Max Greenfield, Hugh Grant, Amy Schumer

Release Date: May 3, 2024

Genre: Biography, Comedy, History

Rated PG-13 for some suggestive references and language

Runtime: 1h 33m

Review:

Unfrosted, Jerry Seinfeld's directorial debut, is a fictional farce fueled by nostalgia and an endless supply of celebrity cameos but it's noticeably lacking on the story side.  Right off the bat, the film has a goofy, surreal tone that only becomes more prevalent as the film goes on, making it readily apparent that this story is mostly detached from reality outside of a few incidental exceptions.  Instead, it leans heavily into a cartoonish series of outlandish sequences, there's even an absurdist take on the events of January 6th, played out by equally cartoonish characters that gives Seinfeld's collection of famous friends a chance to ham it up throughout.  It makes for a mixed bag of results with some bits working better than others as the story uses the skeleton of The Right Stuff as a loose map for the entire thing.  Seinfeld is clearly having a ball as he embraces ever silly instinct and a cast who is more than willing to go along with it.  Melissa McCarthy, Jim Gaffigan, Max Greenfield and Amy Schumer get the largest share of screen time and they're surprisingly uneven especially early on as the story tries to find some sort of comedic footing.  Hugh Grant fares far better as the Shakespearean actor slumming it as a cereal mascot with the film perking up every time he pops up.  It’s a recurring theme as the film hits its highpoints during some of the extended cameos that pepper the back half of the film with one in particular being the biggest surprise even though it’s the most obvious crossover once it occurs.   A recurring joke with Walter Cronkite is equally effective but it’s not enough to keep the comedic energy going making the film feel much longer than it actually is.  It all makes Unfrosted feel like a missed opportunity that never takes full advantage of the impressive amount of talent assembled.  

C+

MOVIE REVIEW: FOR GREATER GLORY

The Cristero War serves as the backdrop of this historical drama following a group of devoted Mexican patriots who risk their lives to defeat an oppressive regime, and defend the freedom of future generations. Andy Garcia, Oscar Isaac, Eva Longoria, and Peter O'Toole star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Dean Wright

Cast: Andy Garcia, Oscar Isaac, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Santiago Cabrera, Rubén Blades.

Release Date: Jun 01, 2012

Rated R for some Disturbing Images and War Violence

Runtime: 2 hr. 23 min.

Genres: Historical Epic, Historical Film, War Adventure

Review:

Mexican history is filled with revolutions and martyrs, real life heros who lived and died heroically for their beliefs. This rich history seems ready made for Hollywood epics but Hispanics are have never gotten a landmark film to hang their hat on. While its heart is in the right place, For Greater Glory is a overstuffed, underwritten and filled with needless melodrama. First time director, Dean Wright, never lets his film breath. His heavy handed direction turns this true story into a hallmark movie hitting every cliché you can think of. He under utilizes an impressive cast of a Hispanic actors and actresses. The script doesn’t do Wright any favors. The characters are underwritten and the main plot is unfocused. The story meanders listlessly as it moves from character to characters while never allowing the audience to get close to any of them. Sadly, the whole production is impressively staged and costumed even though I’m still confused why it wasn’t shot in our native Spanish. A few emotional beats hit home near the end, mainly due to a rather dashing Andy Garcia, but it’s not enough to salvage this misfire.

D+