Sunday Matinee: Reality Queen! [Film]

“In the tradition of Best in Show and A Mighty Wind, and inspired by today’s obsession with reality TV and social media stars, writer-director Steven Jay Bernheim’s clever mockumentary fixes on a Paris Hilton-esque heiress named “London” who is struggling to regain fame after being pushed out of the limelight by three Kardashian-type sisters named “The Kims.” London’s life is a self-indulgent maelstrom of product endorsements, talent managers, pet psychics, private jets, fashion shows, yachts, and a celebrity posse. Despite her wackiness, she ultimately makes it back to the top of the heap. This parody of America’s infatuation with fame raises the question: are these celebs-for-no-reason marketing geniuses, or are they just the accidental beneficiaries of the American public’s stupidity?” – October Coast PR

******

For our first Sunday Matinee of 2020, I think we have found a real satirical gem that truly represents one of the most horrifying aspects of modern American living today. Yep, reality. Well, more appropriately, “reality”. Being a person of a certain age, I’ve managed to watch this thing known as reality television simply take over the planet. And it’s truly horrifying. At first it just seemed to be a silly thing that might appease a few people for a few years. But it never quit. And even has television began to overtake the world of film as the writer’s best medium of the time, reality television is still a very real thing that is not going away. When did this happen? When did it this form of “entertainment” truly solidify itself into the American zeitgeist? Well, I’m here to tell you that there is a satirical film coming to your eyes soon that has the answers we seek. It’s Reality Queen!. And while it is a hysterical and a well made piece of satirical comedy, it’s also insanely truthful and a terrifying insight into a tragedy that isn’t going away any time soon.

Reality Queen! is first and foremost, god damned hilarious! Filled with brilliant performances, it is a masterwork of satire and a delightful poke at the fabulous lives that we should despise but for some reason are truly attracted to because the majority of us will never reach the ungodly amount of wealth that seemingly undeserving people have obtained, for no good reason. For those of us who are cynical of these lifestyles and the television programs that enable this madness, this film is a brilliant stab at the privileged nonsense we despise. For those who don’t see the reason to worry about the disgusting nature of this trash, this is probably not for you. Or maybe you will just think it is real? It is a very well done film, and so insanely accurate that it could really simply slide itself into the A&E cable line up and nobody would bat an eye, and people would demand more.

Reality Queen! boasts incredible co-stars and celebrity cameos from the likes of Denise Richards, who gives my favorite performance since appearing in Malcom Ingram’s Tail Lights Fade. Other appearances include the legendary boxer/part time cannibal Mike Tyson, the brilliant comedian & actor Charles Fleischer, and one of the last appearances from the beloved and dearly missed John Witherspoon, who I still can’t believe has left this earth so recently. But while all of these performances really added to the film in a grand way, it is definitely the film’s lead role that deserves the most attention, just as her character would like. Julia Faye West simply knocks it completely out of the proverbial park with her performances as London. When it comes to a satirical look at the life of the rich and “fabulous”, I have honestly never seen a better depiction than what she brings to Reality Queen! I honestly cannot think of one bit of criticism that a person could realistically give to this performance. It’s as close to a perfectly crafted character for this particular project as required. Sure, it’s not exactly Meryl Streep in Out of Africa, but one could argue that, on different plains, it is equally important. I’ll certainly stand by it.

Reality Queen! is available on DVD and Digital as well as in select theaters across the U.S. NOW!