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Screener Squad: The Sparks Brothers

The Sparks Brothers Movie Review

THE SPARKS BROTHERS MOVIE REVIEW

From writer/director and Sparks superfan Edgar Wright comes the new documentary “The Sparks Brothers” an in-depth look at brothers Ron and Russell Mael, the creative force behind the band Sparks. After their first album failed to gain traction in the States, the Mael Brothers decamped to the UK, just in time to catch the tail end of the punk movement and the beginnings of early electro and synthpop. Despite some brief success, Sparks never attained the stardom they deserved but they influenced countless other artists and developed a cult following that has sustained them for 50 years. The movie’s tagline describes them as “your favorite band’s favorite band” and they aren’t kidding. Over 80 fans agreed to be interviewed for the documentary, including legendary producers Todd Rundgren, Tony Visconti, and Giorgio Moroder, musicians Bjork, Thurston Moore, Flea, Weird Al, and Beck, in addition to members of The Go-Gos, Faith No More, The Sex Pistols, New Order, Erasure, and Duran Duran, comedians Mike Myers and Patton Oswalt, writer Neil Gaiman, and too many others to list here. Clocking in at almost 2 1/2 hours, “The Sparks Brothers” is a true labor of love, and the definitive documentary of the band. Our reviewers Adrian, Ben and Marco were thoroughly charmed by the film and its playfully eccentric subjects. This one comes highly recommended.

**This review is available in a longer, uncut, video version for TIME LORD subscribers and above right here**

OFFICIAL WEBSITE/TRAILER

DIRECTED BY: Edgar Wright

STARRING: Ron Mael, Russell Mael, “Weird Al” Yankovic, Beck, Flea, Jonathan Ross, Patton Oswalt, Scott Aukerman, Jason Schwartzman, Tony Visconti, Mike Myers, Giorgio Moroder, Fred Armisen, Neil Gaiman, Earle Mankey, Harley Feinstein, Todd Rundgren, Nick Heyward, Steve Jones, John Hewlett, Christi Haydon, Leslie Bohem, Björk, Alex Kapranos, Stephen Morris, Gillian Gilbert, Vince Clarke, Stevie Nistor, Andy Bell, Lance Robertson, John Taylor, Nick Rhodes, Jane Wiedlin, April Richardson, Amy Sherman-Palladino, Daniel Palladino, Tosh Berman, Pamela Des Barres, Mark Gattis, Adam Buxton, Edgar Wright, Jack Antonoff, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost

 

YOUR REVIEWERS

 

Adrian El Critico (Screener Squad)

Though born and raised in Chicago, this film critic is Mexican to the bone. Adrian has been watching movies since he was a child, many of which might not have been age appropriate. Still, he couldn’t get enough. All throughout his life, friends and family would look to him for his recommendations and reviews on whatever films had come their way. Inspired earlier in life by the likes of Ebert and Roper at The Movies and then later Spill.com, Adrian decided film criticism and analysis provided a great outlet to further his love of film. He began to craft his reviews and thoughts on film in ways he thought would be accessible to devout film hounds as well as the casual viewer. Mixing in jokes, entertaining observations and robust critical analysis, Adrian El Critico may be new to OneOfUs, but he is already making a name for himself on our site. If Horror movies are your thing, get ready to hear his voice.

 

 

Ben Glasthal (Highly Suspect Review, Screener Squad, Breakfast Pub, Unstabletop Gamers, Video and Audio Editor, Assistant Site Manager)

Born in Boston, then ending up in Dallas, Texas in the early 2000s, Ben has always had a passion for film. He started in film school not long after where he launched MovieReelizations.com where he still writes reviews to this day. He’s since moved to Austin where he has been also hopping on podcasts and both editing and shooting videos for One of Us. A fan of films from almost all genres, and many that predate him more than makes sense, he is anything if not eclectic in what he’s watching at any point. For the rest of his free time, he can be found biking, drinking craft beer, being an amateur photographer, and playing video games by himself or on Twitch. He’s best found on Instagram or Twitter as @MovieReelBen.

 

 

Marco Noyola (Digital Noise, Highly Suspect Reviews, Screener Squad, Audio Editor)

By day, Marco is a mild-mannered office worker, but by night he is a mild-mannered movie watcher. He does other mild-mannered stuff too.

“You don’t need to follow me. You don’t need to follow anybody!”

 

 

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