RedLetterMedia
Encyclopedia
RedLetterMedia is a motion picture production company headed by Milwaukee-based independent filmmaker Mike Stoklasa, previously of GMP Pictures, as well as Jay Bauman, formerly of Blanc Screen Cinema. Filmmaker Mike Stoklasa attracted significant attention in 2009 through a seventy-minute video review of the 1999 film Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
. The review was posted in seven parts on YouTube
, and presented by his character "Mr. Plinkett". While Stoklasa had published other video reviews for the Star Trek films in The Next Generation
series prior to this, The Phantom Menace and subsequent Star Wars prequel reviews were praised for both content and presentation. Stoklasa has produced other works under the RedLetterMedia banner, including short comedies and webseries (The Grabowskis), as well as concert videos, wedding and corporate videos. His low-budget features have been largely horror and comedy, and have included Feeding Frenzy, The Recovered, and Oranges: Revenge of the Eggplant. Jay Bauman, who had directed Mike in several low-budget features under the Blanc Screen Cinema banner, has been a director and producer working with Mike on most of his recent projects.
Mr. Plinkett is an old man (claiming to be born in 1906) bordering on senile and psychotic, a mannerism that Stoklasa deemed was necessary in order to keep the viewer interested in the reviews and guessing what may occur next. The Plinkett character also adds a sense of humor to avoid making the reviewer sound too much like a nerd or armchair critic. Mr. Plinkett speaks in a manner that has been compared to both Dan Aykroyd
's character in The Blues Brothers
and Ted Levine
's Buffalo Bill
character from The Silence of the Lambs. The character seems to live, or at least have lived, in Teaneck, New Jersey
, having made references to its police department (in his Star Trek review) and the Cedar Lanes Cinema (in his Revenge of the Sith
review).
Through side comments in narration, flashes of disturbing images, and cuts to scenes filmed by RedLetterMedia, Mr. Plinkett is implied to be a misogynist
and a serial killer; recurring themes include the murder of his ex-wife via car crash and women held captive in his basement. Mr. Plinkett had a son who was a disappointment to him and had later hung himself in a gas station bathroom. Mr. Plinkett also has a fondness for Totino's
Pizza Rolls
, and he encourages feedback by promising to mail one to viewers that leave comments on his "webzone
". When he gets angry, he threatens to not send a pizza roll.
; The Recovered, a horror thriller starring Tina Krause; and more recently in 2010, Feeding Frenzy, a genre
-spoof
of puppet monster movies like Gremlins
. Feeding Frenzy featured Rich Evans as Mr. Plinkett; Evans originated the character in short films, and this feature was filmed before the popularity of the Phantom Menace review. Mike Stoklasa's short films are usually dark comedies driven by experimental editing. The "Mr. Plinkett" character, then played by Rich Evans, appeared in several of the short films, starting with You're Invited and including The Cleaning Lady.
Mike Stoklasa created and starred in five seasons of the web sitcom The Grabowskis, opposite Dixie Jacobs, about an exaggeratedly trashy and unpleasant sitcom family. Early installments of the series were only a few seconds long, but grew to full episode length over time.
films—First Contact (1996), Insurrection (1998), and Nemesis (2002). Inspired by these, Stoklasa proceeded to create his review for Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
, citing his personal dislike of George Lucas
due to the creation of the "Special Editions" of the original Star Wars movies that marred Stoklasa's memories of the original films. Stoklasa does not believe that Lucas "ruined [his] childhood" but instead "disappointed [his] adulthood" through Lucas' direction of the Prequel trilogy; Stoklasa comments that Lucas did not have the same amount of control during the filming of the original trilogy that he had during the prequel trilogy, ultimately resulting in more memorable movies. He believes that Lucas continues to "devolve" the Star Wars franchise to target specifically younger audiences instead of the wide range of appeal that the original trilogy had. Stoklasa also considered the Star Wars prequel trilogy as part of a problem with the movie-production industry: relying on special visual effects.
Stoklasa has since created reviews for James Cameron
's Avatar, Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
, Baby's Day Out
(which was referenced at the end of the Attack of the Clones review), and the children's movie Cop Dog (originally mentioned in a short update video). He has also created a satirical short film review of J. J. Abrams
' Star Trek and later followed it up with a full-fledged review.
In an interview, Stoklasa stated that in creating a review, he and a friend would watch the film only once while taking notes and frequently pausing the film to discuss scenes. After that, he would write a 20-30 page script for it in the Plinkett character, voice it, and edit it together along with some improvisations.
and Simon Pegg
. In comparison to his earlier Star Trek movie reviews which lasted from 30 to 40 minutes, the Phantom Menace review was a 70-minute creation. The review took between seven and ten days to complete.
The review contains several elements that have been considered insightful. Stoklasa early on points out that there are no strong characters in the film. He demonstrates this by asking his friends to describe characters from the original trilogy and Phantom Menace; in contrast to verbose descriptions they give for the characters Han Solo
and C-3PO
, Stoklasa's friends are unable to verbalize much on the Phantom Menace characters Qui-Gon Jinn
and Padmé Amidala
. Stoklasa points out that many of the decisions made by Jinn's character are highly questionable and considers the possibility that Jinn is an alcoholic
; he further points out that the character himself is unnecessary save to have a final climactic lightsaber battle. He notes Lucas' attempt to add more concurrent plot elements in each of the successive Star Wars films and calls it "The Ending Multiplication Effect". Unlike many other fans and critics, Stoklasa only makes passing comments about the widely unpopular character Jar Jar Binks
, though Plinkett does dismissively refer to him as a "cartoon rabbit". In a later interview, Stoklasa called Binks the "most realistic and understandable thing" in the film compared to all of the film's other problems and what most moviegoers could easily focus on when pointing out the film's faults.
The video was found to be a surprisingly insightful critique of The Phantom Menace despite the sophomoric tone of Mr. Plinkett. Even without the Mr. Plinkett voice, the analysis and critique from Stoklasa was considered to be "plenty fascinating", but with it, the review becomes a "deep-dish analysis packaged like a gonzo stand-up comedy routine". The review was considered to be "an epic, well-edited well-constructed piece of geek film criticism" by /Film
. Damon Lindelof, in a Twitter
message on the video, noted that "Your life is about to change. This is astounding film making."
, and numerous visual allusions to Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
. The video even continues the subplot of the prostitute, Nadine, locked in the basement from the Phantom Menace review, which is built up in the last minute or so of each part. Nadine is forced to watch Attack of the Clones with Plinkett, and at the end of the review she escapes from his house.
Within the first 48 hours of its posting, the first part of the review was pulled from YouTube based on a copyright infringement
claim by Cartoon Network
. Stoklasa was unsure of the reason for the claim and consequently whether to counter the claim or let it go, even after seeking legal help. Stoklasa commented that while using copyrighted clips as part of reviews and commentary is generally considered fair use
, he was unsure how Lucasfilm
would take a full deconstruction of the film. Stoklasa moved forward on the Attack of the Clones review only after Lucasfilm had remained silent about his Phantom Menace review. Furthermore, if the matter was not settled, he would have been unlikely to proceed with his plans for a similar review for Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
. Neither Lucasfilm nor Cartoon Network responded to the matter, but the claim was later retracted and the first part of the review was again available on YouTube. Stoklasa believed this was a combination of media coverage about the review, including interviews with MTV
and fans writing to the parties involved to request its return.
Similarly, when the Baby's Day Out review was uploaded to YouTube, the first part was removed under copyright claims by Fox
.
Stoklasa aims to debunk myths about why Sith was considered good at the time of its release (it has a score of 80% on Rotten Tomatoes
), primarily citing the fact that audience's expectations were so low. He says the major positive of the film is the exclusion of those things which otherwise could have been included, such as Han Solo
and the Millenium Falcon, Jar-Jar Binks, more romance between Padmé
and Anakin, and the child actor
s. The only real positive Stoklasa cites is Ian McDiarmid's
performance as the Emperor
.
The review was praised by Roger Ebert
, who said, "I was pretty much sure I didn't have it with me to endure another review of [Revenge of the Sith]. Mr. Plinkett demonstrates to me that I was mistaken."
The reviews have also been criticized by some Star Wars prequel fans. Stoklasa stated that he feels "Star Wars to some people is like a religion so they respond to attacks on it as such." One person had posted that he would punch Stoklasa if they ever met while another posted a 108-page response to the Phantom Menace review, which Stoklasa mocked in a video that announced that his Revenge of the Sith review was online.
repairmen sitting in Plinkett's (played by Rich Evans) living room as they discuss newly released movies. He also stated that this new series would not replace the voice-over Plinkett reviews. The first episode premiered on March 12, 2011.
They have reviewed Drive Angry
, The Adjustment Bureau
, Battle Los Angeles, The Galaxy Invader
, Paul
, Sucker Punch
, Your Highness
, Samurai Cop, Scream 4
, Super, Troll 2
, Best Worst Movie
, Thor
, The Hangover Part II, X-Men: First Class
, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Captain America: The First Avenger
, The Rocketeer
, Cowboys and Aliens
, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Fright Night
, Conan the Barbarian, The People vs. George Lucas
, Drive
, Contagion
, What's Your Number?
, The Black Ninja
, and Jack and Jill as well as cataloged trips to various entertainment conventions. They also had a special episode making fun of the trailer for Zookeeper
, and they interviewed Milwaukee's own superhero The Watchman during their review of Super.
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace is a 1999 American epic space opera film written and directed by George Lucas. It is the fourth film to be released in the Star Wars saga, as the first of a three-part prequel to the original Star Wars trilogy, as well as the first film in the saga in terms...
. The review was posted in seven parts on YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
, and presented by his character "Mr. Plinkett". While Stoklasa had published other video reviews for the Star Trek films in The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
series prior to this, The Phantom Menace and subsequent Star Wars prequel reviews were praised for both content and presentation. Stoklasa has produced other works under the RedLetterMedia banner, including short comedies and webseries (The Grabowskis), as well as concert videos, wedding and corporate videos. His low-budget features have been largely horror and comedy, and have included Feeding Frenzy, The Recovered, and Oranges: Revenge of the Eggplant. Jay Bauman, who had directed Mike in several low-budget features under the Blanc Screen Cinema banner, has been a director and producer working with Mike on most of his recent projects.
Mr. Plinkett character
Stoklasa created his first video review for Star Trek Generations after watching the film again some time in 2008. He noted that he thought it was a "shitty movie" and "completely messed up the transition to the big screen from what was a really great TV show", inspiring him to share this view with others. Stoklasa found his own voice to be too boring for the review and adopted the persona of "Mr. Harry S. Plinkett", a previous character he had used in several short films (originally played by Rich Evans) and since further developed within the reviews.Mr. Plinkett is an old man (claiming to be born in 1906) bordering on senile and psychotic, a mannerism that Stoklasa deemed was necessary in order to keep the viewer interested in the reviews and guessing what may occur next. The Plinkett character also adds a sense of humor to avoid making the reviewer sound too much like a nerd or armchair critic. Mr. Plinkett speaks in a manner that has been compared to both Dan Aykroyd
Dan Aykroyd
Daniel Edward "Dan" Aykroyd, CM is a Canadian comedian, actor, screenwriter, musician, winemaker and ufologist. He was an original cast member of Saturday Night Live, an originator of The Blues Brothers and Ghostbusters and has had a long career as a film actor and screenwriter.-Early...
's character in The Blues Brothers
The Blues Brothers
The Blues Brothers are an American blues and soul revivalist band founded in 1978 by comedy actors Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi as part of a musical sketch on Saturday Night Live...
and Ted Levine
Ted Levine
Frank Theodore "Ted" Levine is an American actor. He is known for his roles as Buffalo Bill in The Silence of the Lambs and Captain Leland Stottlemeyer in the television series Monk.-Early life and career:...
's Buffalo Bill
Jame Gumb
Jame Gumb, known by the nickname Buffalo Bill, is a fictional character and the main antagonist in the 1988 novel The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris, and its 1991 film adaptation, in which he was played by Ted Levine...
character from The Silence of the Lambs. The character seems to live, or at least have lived, in Teaneck, New Jersey
Teaneck, New Jersey
Teaneck is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, and a suburb in the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 39,776, making it the second-most populous among the 70 municipalities in Bergen County....
, having made references to its police department (in his Star Trek review) and the Cedar Lanes Cinema (in his Revenge of the Sith
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith is a 2005 American epic space opera film written and directed by George Lucas. It is the sixth and final film released in the Star Wars saga and the third in terms of the series' internal chronology....
review).
Through side comments in narration, flashes of disturbing images, and cuts to scenes filmed by RedLetterMedia, Mr. Plinkett is implied to be a misogynist
Misogyny
Misogyny is the hatred or dislike of women or girls. Philogyny, meaning fondness, love or admiration towards women, is the antonym of misogyny. The term misandry is the term for men that is parallel to misogyny...
and a serial killer; recurring themes include the murder of his ex-wife via car crash and women held captive in his basement. Mr. Plinkett had a son who was a disappointment to him and had later hung himself in a gas station bathroom. Mr. Plinkett also has a fondness for Totino's
Totino's
Totino's and Jeno's are brands of frozen pizza owned by General Mills.Rose Totino created take-out and later in 1962, Totino's frozen pizza, eventually becoming a vice-president of Pillsbury Company. Totino's was acquired by General Mills, with the purchase of Pillsbury...
Pizza Rolls
Pocket sandwich
A pocket sandwich is a sandwich which is made using a single piece of folded or hollowed bread, such as a pita or tortilla, or which is made from dough cooked with fillings inside.-Types of pocket sandwiches:* Hot Pockets* Quesadilla* Fougasse* Empanada...
, and he encourages feedback by promising to mail one to viewers that leave comments on his "webzone
Website
A website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
". When he gets angry, he threatens to not send a pizza roll.
Films
Among the low-budget features produced and directed by Mike Stoklasa and Jay Bauman through RedLetterMedia include the talking fruit action film Oranges: Revenge of the Eggplant, made in 2005 and available on NetflixNetflix
Netflix, Inc., is an American provider of on-demand internet streaming media in the United States, Canada, and Latin America and flat rate DVD-by-mail in the United States. The company was established in 1997 and is headquartered in Los Gatos, California...
; The Recovered, a horror thriller starring Tina Krause; and more recently in 2010, Feeding Frenzy, a genre
Genre
Genre , Greek: genos, γένος) is the term for any category of literature or other forms of art or culture, e.g. music, and in general, any type of discourse, whether written or spoken, audial or visual, based on some set of stylistic criteria. Genres are formed by conventions that change over time...
-spoof
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
of puppet monster movies like Gremlins
Gremlins
Gremlins is a 1984 American horror comedy film directed by Joe Dante, released by Warner Bros. The film is about a young man who receives a strange creature—called a Mogwai—as a pet, which then spawns other creatures who transform into small, destructive, evil monsters. It was followed by a sequel,...
. Feeding Frenzy featured Rich Evans as Mr. Plinkett; Evans originated the character in short films, and this feature was filmed before the popularity of the Phantom Menace review. Mike Stoklasa's short films are usually dark comedies driven by experimental editing. The "Mr. Plinkett" character, then played by Rich Evans, appeared in several of the short films, starting with You're Invited and including The Cleaning Lady.
Mike Stoklasa created and starred in five seasons of the web sitcom The Grabowskis, opposite Dixie Jacobs, about an exaggeratedly trashy and unpleasant sitcom family. Early installments of the series were only a few seconds long, but grew to full episode length over time.
Plinkett Reviews
The Star Trek Generations review was met with many favorable comments, inspiring Stoklasa to continue to review the other three Star Trek: The Next GenerationStar Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
films—First Contact (1996), Insurrection (1998), and Nemesis (2002). Inspired by these, Stoklasa proceeded to create his review for Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace is a 1999 American epic space opera film written and directed by George Lucas. It is the fourth film to be released in the Star Wars saga, as the first of a three-part prequel to the original Star Wars trilogy, as well as the first film in the saga in terms...
, citing his personal dislike of George Lucas
George Lucas
George Walton Lucas, Jr. is an American film producer, screenwriter, and director, and entrepreneur. He is the founder, chairman and chief executive of Lucasfilm. He is best known as the creator of the space opera franchise Star Wars and the archaeologist-adventurer character Indiana Jones...
due to the creation of the "Special Editions" of the original Star Wars movies that marred Stoklasa's memories of the original films. Stoklasa does not believe that Lucas "ruined [his] childhood" but instead "disappointed [his] adulthood" through Lucas' direction of the Prequel trilogy; Stoklasa comments that Lucas did not have the same amount of control during the filming of the original trilogy that he had during the prequel trilogy, ultimately resulting in more memorable movies. He believes that Lucas continues to "devolve" the Star Wars franchise to target specifically younger audiences instead of the wide range of appeal that the original trilogy had. Stoklasa also considered the Star Wars prequel trilogy as part of a problem with the movie-production industry: relying on special visual effects.
Stoklasa has since created reviews for James Cameron
James Cameron
James Francis Cameron is a Canadian-American film director, film producer, screenwriter, editor, environmentalist and inventor...
's Avatar, Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones is a 2002 American epic space opera film directed by George Lucas and written by Lucas and Jonathan Hales. It is the fifth film to be released in the Star Wars saga and the second in terms of the series' internal chronology...
, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith is a 2005 American epic space opera film written and directed by George Lucas. It is the sixth and final film released in the Star Wars saga and the third in terms of the series' internal chronology....
, Baby's Day Out
Baby's Day Out
Baby's Day Out is a 1994 comedy film, written by John Hughes and produced by Richard Vane and John Hughes, and directed by Patrick Read Johnson. The film stars Joe Mantegna, Joe Pantoliano and Brian Haley, as well as twins Adam and Jacob Worton as Baby Bink...
(which was referenced at the end of the Attack of the Clones review), and the children's movie Cop Dog (originally mentioned in a short update video). He has also created a satirical short film review of J. J. Abrams
J. J. Abrams
Jeffrey Jacob "J. J." Abrams is an American film and television producer, screenwriter, director, actor, and composer. He wrote and produced feature films before co-creating the television series Felicity...
' Star Trek and later followed it up with a full-fledged review.
In an interview, Stoklasa stated that in creating a review, he and a friend would watch the film only once while taking notes and frequently pausing the film to discuss scenes. After that, he would write a 20-30 page script for it in the Plinkett character, voice it, and edit it together along with some improvisations.
The Phantom Menace review
Stoklasa's review of The Phantom Menace was published to YouTube on December 10, 2009, and quickly became popular, receiving over 3.5 million views since its release. The video was widely linked to by many people across the Internet, including celebrities such as Damon LindelofDamon Lindelof
Damon Laurence Lindelof is an American television writer and executive, most recently noted as the co-creator and executive producer for the television series Lost. He has written for and produced Crossing Jordan, and wrote for Nash Bridges, Wasteland, and the MTV anthology series Undressed...
and Simon Pegg
Simon Pegg
Simon Pegg is an English actor, comedian, writer, film producer, and director. He is best known for having co-written and stared in various Edgar Wright features, mainly Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and the comedy series Spaced.He also portrayed Montgomery "Scotty" Scott in the 2009 Star Trek film...
. In comparison to his earlier Star Trek movie reviews which lasted from 30 to 40 minutes, the Phantom Menace review was a 70-minute creation. The review took between seven and ten days to complete.
The review contains several elements that have been considered insightful. Stoklasa early on points out that there are no strong characters in the film. He demonstrates this by asking his friends to describe characters from the original trilogy and Phantom Menace; in contrast to verbose descriptions they give for the characters Han Solo
Han Solo
Han Solo is a fictional character in the Star Wars franchise played by Harrison Ford. Introduced in the film Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope , Solo and his Wookiee co-pilot, Chewbacca , become involved in the Rebel Alliance against the Galactic Empire...
and C-3PO
C-3PO
C-3PO is a robot character from the Star Wars universe who appears in both the original Star Wars films and the prequel trilogy. He is also a major character in the television show Droids, and appears frequently in the series' "Expanded Universe" of novels, comic books, and video games...
, Stoklasa's friends are unable to verbalize much on the Phantom Menace characters Qui-Gon Jinn
Qui-Gon Jinn
Qui-Gon Jinn is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe, and a main protagonist of the 1999 film Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, portrayed by Liam Neeson. He also appears in the Star Wars Expanded Universe of comic books, video games, and novels...
and Padmé Amidala
Padmé Amidala
Padmé Amidala is a fictional character in the Star Wars science fiction franchise. She first appeared on film in the 1999 feature film, Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, as the young queen of the planet Naboo. In subsequent prequel trilogy films, Padmé represents Naboo in the Galactic Senate...
. Stoklasa points out that many of the decisions made by Jinn's character are highly questionable and considers the possibility that Jinn is an alcoholic
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
; he further points out that the character himself is unnecessary save to have a final climactic lightsaber battle. He notes Lucas' attempt to add more concurrent plot elements in each of the successive Star Wars films and calls it "The Ending Multiplication Effect". Unlike many other fans and critics, Stoklasa only makes passing comments about the widely unpopular character Jar Jar Binks
Jar Jar Binks
Jar Jar Binks is a fictional character from the Star Wars Saga , and the television series Star Wars: The Clone Wars. His primary role was to provide comic relief, but many reacted negatively to his character...
, though Plinkett does dismissively refer to him as a "cartoon rabbit". In a later interview, Stoklasa called Binks the "most realistic and understandable thing" in the film compared to all of the film's other problems and what most moviegoers could easily focus on when pointing out the film's faults.
The video was found to be a surprisingly insightful critique of The Phantom Menace despite the sophomoric tone of Mr. Plinkett. Even without the Mr. Plinkett voice, the analysis and critique from Stoklasa was considered to be "plenty fascinating", but with it, the review becomes a "deep-dish analysis packaged like a gonzo stand-up comedy routine". The review was considered to be "an epic, well-edited well-constructed piece of geek film criticism" by /Film
/Film
/Film is a blog that covers movie news, reviews, interviews, and trailers. It was founded by Peter Sciretta in August 2005.-Podcasts:Two podcasts run on the site. The /Filmcast airs Sunday nights, hosted by David Chen, Adam Quigley, and Devindra Hardawar, in which they and a guest discuss TV and...
. Damon Lindelof, in a Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
message on the video, noted that "Your life is about to change. This is astounding film making."
Attack of the Clones review
Stoklasa's review of Attack of the Clones was previously announced by a trailer posted on January 6, 2010; the 90-minute review consisting of nine parts was posted to YouTube on April 3, 2010. The review gained similar recognition shortly after its posting. In the review, Stoklasa presents his thoughts on the questionable romance between Anakin and Padme, the miscasting of Samuel L. JacksonSamuel L. Jackson
Samuel Leroy Jackson is an American film and television actor and film producer. After becoming involved with the Civil Rights Movement, he moved on to acting in theater at Morehouse College, and then films. He had several small roles such as in the film Goodfellas before meeting his mentor,...
, and numerous visual allusions to Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back is a 1980 American epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner. The screenplay, based on a story by George Lucas, was written by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan...
. The video even continues the subplot of the prostitute, Nadine, locked in the basement from the Phantom Menace review, which is built up in the last minute or so of each part. Nadine is forced to watch Attack of the Clones with Plinkett, and at the end of the review she escapes from his house.
Within the first 48 hours of its posting, the first part of the review was pulled from YouTube based on a copyright infringement
Copyright infringement
Copyright infringement is the unauthorized or prohibited use of works under copyright, infringing the copyright holder's exclusive rights, such as the right to reproduce or perform the copyrighted work, or to make derivative works.- "Piracy" :...
claim by Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network is a name of television channels worldwide created by Turner Broadcasting which used to primarily show animated programming. The channel began broadcasting on October 1, 1992 in the United States....
. Stoklasa was unsure of the reason for the claim and consequently whether to counter the claim or let it go, even after seeking legal help. Stoklasa commented that while using copyrighted clips as part of reviews and commentary is generally considered fair use
Fair use
Fair use is a limitation and exception to the exclusive right granted by copyright law to the author of a creative work. In United States copyright law, fair use is a doctrine that permits limited use of copyrighted material without acquiring permission from the rights holders...
, he was unsure how Lucasfilm
Lucasfilm
Lucasfilm Limited is an American film production company founded by George Lucas in 1971, based in San Francisco, California. Lucas is the company's current chairman and CEO, and Micheline Chau is the president and COO....
would take a full deconstruction of the film. Stoklasa moved forward on the Attack of the Clones review only after Lucasfilm had remained silent about his Phantom Menace review. Furthermore, if the matter was not settled, he would have been unlikely to proceed with his plans for a similar review for Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith is a 2005 American epic space opera film written and directed by George Lucas. It is the sixth and final film released in the Star Wars saga and the third in terms of the series' internal chronology....
. Neither Lucasfilm nor Cartoon Network responded to the matter, but the claim was later retracted and the first part of the review was again available on YouTube. Stoklasa believed this was a combination of media coverage about the review, including interviews with MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
and fans writing to the parties involved to request its return.
Similarly, when the Baby's Day Out review was uploaded to YouTube, the first part was removed under copyright claims by Fox
Fox Entertainment Group
The Fox Entertainment Group is an American entertainment industry company that owns film studios and terrestrial, cable, and direct broadcast satellite television properties...
.
Revenge of the Sith review
On December 31, 2010, Stoklasa released his 110-minute review of the Revenge of the Sith. The review had less content regarding a subplot with Plinkett and a hooker named Nadine (played by Jocelyn Ridgely) as Stoklasa felt it was already too long. The subplot was instead split into a separate short film and was released on March 10, 2011.Stoklasa aims to debunk myths about why Sith was considered good at the time of its release (it has a score of 80% on Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
), primarily citing the fact that audience's expectations were so low. He says the major positive of the film is the exclusion of those things which otherwise could have been included, such as Han Solo
Han Solo
Han Solo is a fictional character in the Star Wars franchise played by Harrison Ford. Introduced in the film Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope , Solo and his Wookiee co-pilot, Chewbacca , become involved in the Rebel Alliance against the Galactic Empire...
and the Millenium Falcon, Jar-Jar Binks, more romance between Padmé
Padmé Amidala
Padmé Amidala is a fictional character in the Star Wars science fiction franchise. She first appeared on film in the 1999 feature film, Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, as the young queen of the planet Naboo. In subsequent prequel trilogy films, Padmé represents Naboo in the Galactic Senate...
and Anakin, and the child actor
Child actor
The term child actor or child actress is generally applied to a child acting in motion pictures or television, but also to an adult who began his or her acting career as a child; to avoid confusion, the latter is also called a former child actor...
s. The only real positive Stoklasa cites is Ian McDiarmid's
Ian McDiarmid
Ian McDiarmid is a Scottish theatre actor and director, who has also made sporadic appearances on film and television.McDiarmid has had a successful career in theatre; he has been cast in many plays, while occasionally directing others and although he has appeared mostly in theatrical productions,...
performance as the Emperor
Palpatine
Palpatine is a fictional character and the main antagonist of the Star Wars saga, portrayed by Ian McDiarmid in the feature films.Palpatine first appeared as the unnamed Emperor of the Galactic Empire in the 1980 film Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back...
.
The review was praised by Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
, who said, "I was pretty much sure I didn't have it with me to endure another review of [Revenge of the Sith]. Mr. Plinkett demonstrates to me that I was mistaken."
Reception
Stoklasa's reviews have been considered part of an emerging art form that hybridize mashup with video essays, as they use a combination of footage from the movie in question, other related sources (such as clips from the original Star Wars trilogy movies for his Phantom Menace review and clips from documentaries about the production of the film), still images including title cards, and short, live-action segments. The combination of the Mr. Plinkett character and other elements used to present the reviews have been considered "a very clever attack on a certain kind of dumbass fanboy style of film reviewing".The reviews have also been criticized by some Star Wars prequel fans. Stoklasa stated that he feels "Star Wars to some people is like a religion so they respond to attacks on it as such." One person had posted that he would punch Stoklasa if they ever met while another posted a 108-page response to the Phantom Menace review, which Stoklasa mocked in a video that announced that his Revenge of the Sith review was online.
Half in the Bag
Half in the Bag is a regularly released series in which Stoklasa and his friend Jay Bauman do more traditional movie reviews. Stoklasa has described it as a cross between Siskel and Ebert with a 1980's sitcom, with him and Bauman as VCRVideocassette recorder
The videocassette recorder , is a type of electro-mechanical device that uses removable videocassettes that contain magnetic tape for recording analog audio and analog video from broadcast television so that the images and sound can be played back at a more convenient time...
repairmen sitting in Plinkett's (played by Rich Evans) living room as they discuss newly released movies. He also stated that this new series would not replace the voice-over Plinkett reviews. The first episode premiered on March 12, 2011.
They have reviewed Drive Angry
Drive Angry
Drive Angry is a 2011 American action film starring Nicolas Cage and directed by Patrick Lussier. It was released on February 25, 2011.- Plot :...
, The Adjustment Bureau
The Adjustment Bureau
The Adjustment Bureau is a 2011 American fantasy romantic thriller film loosely based on the Philip K. Dick short story, "Adjustment Team". The film was written and directed by George Nolfi and stars Matt Damon and Emily Blunt. The cast also includes Anthony Mackie, John Slattery, Michael Kelly,...
, Battle Los Angeles, The Galaxy Invader
The Galaxy Invader
The Galaxy Invader is a 1985 direct-to-video sci-fi film directed and co-written by Baltimore filmmaker Don Dohler. The monster in the film bears a resemblance to the titular entity from Creature from the Black Lagoon...
, Paul
Paul (film)
Paul is a 2011 science fiction comedy film directed by Greg Mottola, written by Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. It stars Pegg, Frost, and the voice of Seth Rogen as the title character...
, Sucker Punch
Sucker Punch (film)
Sucker Punch is a 2011 action-fantasy thriller film, directed by Zack Snyder and co-written by him and Steve Shibuya. It is Snyder's first film based on an original script. The film stars Emily Browning, Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone, Vanessa Hudgens, Jamie Chung, and Oscar Isaac...
, Your Highness
Your Highness
Your Highness is a 2011 fantasy comedy film directed by David Gordon Green, written by Danny McBride and Ben Best, and starring McBride, James Franco, Natalie Portman, and Zooey Deschanel. Filming began in the summer of 2009 in Northern Ireland and concluded in October 2009...
, Samurai Cop, Scream 4
Scream 4
Scream 4 is a 2011 American slasher horror film and the fourth installment in the Scream film series. Directed by Wes Craven and written by Kevin Williamson, writer of Scream and Scream 2, the film stars an ensemble cast which includes David Arquette, Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Emma Roberts,...
, Super, Troll 2
Troll 2
Troll 2 is a 1990 horror film directed by Claudio Fragasso and starring Michael Stephenson, George Hardy, Margo Prey, Connie Young , Deborah Reed, and Jason Wright...
, Best Worst Movie
Best Worst Movie
The child star of Troll 2, Michael Stephenson, directed a feature-length documentary about Troll 2 and its subsequent recent resurgence entitled Best Worst Movie. The film debuted March 14, 2009, at the South Lamar Alamo Draft House in Austin, Texas, as part of the Spotlight Features for the South...
, Thor
Thor (film)
Thor is a 2011 American superhero film based on the comic book character of the same name published by Marvel Comics. It is the fourth film released as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe...
, The Hangover Part II, X-Men: First Class
X-Men: First Class
X-Men: First Class is a comic book series published by Marvel Comics starring the X-Men.-Publication history:The original series was an eight-issue limited series. It began in September 2006 and ended in April 2007. It was written by Jeff Parker and penciled by Roger Cruz...
, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Captain America: The First Avenger
Captain America: The First Avenger
Captain America: The First Avenger is a 2011 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Captain America. It is the fifth installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe...
, The Rocketeer
The Rocketeer
The Rocketeer is a superhero created by writer/illustrator Dave Stevens. The character first appeared in 1982 and is a homage to the Saturday matinee heroes of the 1930s and 1940s....
, Cowboys and Aliens
Cowboys & Aliens (film)
Cowboys & Aliens is a 2011 American science fiction Western film directed by Jon Favreau and starring Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, and Olivia Wilde. The film is based on the 2006 graphic novel of the same name created by Scott Mitchell Rosenberg...
, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Fright Night
Fright Night (2011 film)
Fright Night is a 2011 3D comedy horror film directed by Craig Gillespie. It is a remake of the 1985 Tom Holland film of the same name. The film had its premiere at The O2 in London on August 14, 2011, and was widely released on August 19 in Real D 3D & IMAX 3D.-Plot:The film opens with a vampire ...
, Conan the Barbarian, The People vs. George Lucas
The People vs. George Lucas
The People vs. George Lucas is a 2010 documentary/comedy film which uses a courtroom debate approach to explore the issues of filmmaking and fanaticism pertaining to the Star Wars franchise, and its creator, George Lucas. The movie combines filmmaker and celebrity interviews with fan films which...
, Drive
Drive (2011 film)
Drive is a 2011 American crime neo-noir drama film directed by Nicolas Winding Refn, starring Ryan Gosling as the principal character, with Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston, and Albert Brooks...
, Contagion
Contagion
Contagion may refer to:In medicine:* Infectious disease, also known as contagious disease, with infection, or the infectious agent, also known as contagionIn media* Batman: Contagion, a story arc in the Batman comic book series...
, What's Your Number?
What's Your Number?
What's Your Number? is a 2011 romantic comedy film starring Anna Faris and Chris Evans. It is based on Karyn Bosnak's book 20 Times a Lady. The film was released on , 2011.-Cast:* Anna Faris as Ally Darling* Chris Evans as Colin Shea...
, The Black Ninja
The Black Ninja
The Black Ninja is a 2003 American martial arts action film written, directed and starring Clayton Prince, and featuring Carla Brothers, Nicky DeMatteo, Yuki Matsuzaki, Heather Hunter, John Canada Terrell and Michael Chance. The film has been called a modern-day blaxploitation film, however, it...
, and Jack and Jill as well as cataloged trips to various entertainment conventions. They also had a special episode making fun of the trailer for Zookeeper
Zookeeper (film)
Zookeeper is a 2011 comedy film starring Kevin James, and featuring the voices of Adam Sandler, Sylvester Stallone, Nick Nolte, Don Rickles, Judd Apatow, Jon Favreau, Cher and Faizon Love. The film contains computer animation, is produced by Sandler's production company, Happy Madison, and is...
, and they interviewed Milwaukee's own superhero The Watchman during their review of Super.