When it comes to journalism drama parodies, Late Night host Seth Myers nailed it with his "Newspaper Movie" which spoofs films like Steven Spielberg's historical thriller, The Post – about the press racing to uncover a decades-long cover-up of government secrets – and other Oscar buzz-worthy films like Tom McCarthy's Spotlight, and Alan J. Pakula's All the President's Men.
Myers introduced his fake political drama with this setup.
Throughout the years, there have been many classic, award-winning movies set in newsrooms, specifically of newspapers, and this year is no different. However, there's one movie out there about an intrepid group of reporters that really stands out from the pack, and I think it could definitely be a contender at this year's Oscars.
Viewers watching Late Night with Seth Meyers on Thursday night were treated to the bogus trailer that lists all the elements of a successful political thriller with a cheesy voice-over describing features like "men in bad ties and gross-colored shirts," "gross styrofoam coffee cups," and "a tense scene where two people sit on a park bench, staring straight ahead trying not to seem suspicious while they exchange a manila folder, even though that's literally the most suspicious way to do it."
Late Night writer Amber Ruffin even makes a cameo shouting over the suspicious exchange between the two not-so-incognito gentlemen. "Hey! What the hell are you two cooking up? Is it in the folder?"
"Hey, what's in that folder?"(Late Night with Seth Myers/YouTube)
In another scene from the sketch, our melodramatic narrator says that "Newspaper Movie" takes place "in a world where everyone in the country seems to read this specific newspaper"
We're all on the same page.(Late Night with Seth Myers/YouTube)
Like a critically acclaimed Oscar contender, the reviews are already in. The Los Angeles Times claims:
"Newspaper Movie" is a non-stop thrill ride, if your idea of a thrill ride is seeing middle-aged white people typing for two hours.
The Hollywood Reporter chimes in with their praise as well:
"Newspaper Movie "is a tour-de-force of people talking about sources, anonymous sources, and the importance of protecting sources. In fact, the word sources is said 6,500 times in this movie.
The narrator continues with his bullet list of other hackneyed genre features, including "a lot of stuff with phones, like a lot," "imposing shots of iconic Washington, D.C. buildings to convey the power of longstanding institutions," "muffled arguing behind glass doors," "also, so much smoking," and "one aerial shot of people rowing down the Potomac River at dawn, because, why the hell not?"
It does make for a lovely transition in dramatic movies.(Late Night with Seth Myers/YouTube)
With a melodramatic score piped in, Myers included all the elements of a journalism drama in "Newspaper Movie," perfectly.
Myers proves why his formula of political thriller cliches work. If we've seen it all before, it must be Oscar-worthy.
H/T - YouTube, Twitter, EW, HollywoodReporter
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