Martin's Musings

The new film One Night Only asks its audience to have a willing sense of disbelief, and there is perhaps nothing in it that’s more far-fetched than this: It wants us to believe that Callum Turner (Eternity) and Monica Barbaro (Top Gun: Maverick) can’t find anyone to sleep with — and on the horniest night of the year, yet. 

If those two are striking out, then what hope is there for the rest of us?

The film imagines an alternate version of America where the right-wing government has outlawed premarital sex. Except, that is, for one 12-hour window — a glorious, state-sanctioned night every year when the country’s singles can finally let loose. Picture The Purge, but instead of everyone running around with assault rifles and other weapons looking to commit no-consequence crimes, they’re desperately hunting for condoms so they can get laid. It’s a ridiculous premise, and thankfully, the movie knows it. 

The celebrity “hall pass” is a fun little game many couples play. (Or so I’ve been told.)

The scenario is simple: Each partner gets to name one celebrity who, were they ever to have the chance, they could have sex with, and the other partner would be totally okay with it. It’s complete fantasy, of course, but that hasn’t stopped people from making their choices over the years.

This concept of a “hall pass” has inspired multiple storylines in pop culture. For example, you probably remember the season-three episode of Friends (“The One with Frank Jr.”) where Ross and Rachel create lists of five celebrities they’re allowed to sleep with if they ever have the chance. Ross’s list, which he laminates, includes Isabella Rossellini, but Chandler convinces him she’s “too international” and suggests replacing her with Winona Ryder because she’s “more local.” And then, at the end of the episode, Rossellini herself walks into Central Perk, but she dismisses Ross because she’s not actually on the list.

Good stuff.

Before every installment of Jackass, whether on the small or big screen, there’s a warning, explaining that what you’re about to see are stunts performed by “professionals” and you shouldn’t try them for yourself.

Actually, the first and still-iconic warning said that “neither you nor your dumb little buddies should attempt anything” they see. That language has now been updated to be a bit more politically correct and legally protective (fingers crossed!), but the point remains: Jackass is the cinematic equivalent of watching your dumbest friends make catastrophically bad decisions — and then laughing because somehow everyone survives. No one should try to replicate what they see.

That, of course, is a tall order in these days of social media and endless “content,” when everyone is competing for eyeballs, and everyone is copying from other creators when they see something work. But so far, so good. For the most part.

Jackass, which first debuted as a TV show on MTV in 2000, pre-dated social media. Which means we’ve been laughing along with Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, Chris Pontius, Wee Man, Dave England, Danger Ehren, Preston Lacy, director Jeff Tremaine, and company for more than 25 years now.

Their latest big-screen installment — Jackass: Best and Last — serves as a gleefully stupid victory lap, a retrospective, and possibly a valedictory for this lovable gang of idiots.

When you go to a dinner party, you never quite know what to expect. One thing is promised, but the night can take unexpected turns — menu-wise, people-wise, conversation-wise, or otherwise.

In other words, when it comes to dinner parties, you should always expect the unexpected.

Such is the case with Olivia Wilde’s excellent new film, The Invite, which follows that kind of scenario.

Adapted from Cesc Gay’s Spanish film The People Upstairs (Els veïns de dalt), with a screenplay by Rashida Jones and Will McCormack, The Invite centers on Angela and Joe (Wilde and Seth Rogen), a long-married couple whose relationship is falling apart. Tensions are already high between them when they decide (or, rather, they feel pressured) to host their mysterious upstairs neighbors, Pina and Hawk (Penelope Cruz and Edward Norton), for a dinner party.