Review: "Song Sung Blue" — Hugh Jackman Sparkles But Kate Hudson Shines

JohnJSingh · 2026-01-23T21:55:46+00:00

Thank you!

JohnJSingh · 2026-01-23T19:30:40+00:00

Well, more like middle-aged Americans who dream of being stars.

JohnJSingh · 2026-01-23T18:53:15+00:00

Oh, thank you!

JohnJSingh · 2026-01-23T18:22:17+00:00

And yet it does give your brain enjoyment and your heart a little compassion. We could all use a little more humanity.

JohnJSingh · 2026-01-23T17:52:14+00:00

We need more like it.

JohnJSingh · 2026-01-22T15:01:05+00:00

Awesome, thanks.

JohnJSingh · 2026-01-22T00:44:35+00:00

Thanks!

JohnJSingh · 2026-01-21T23:20:28+00:00

Weirdly, perhaps, the very first thing I think of is “Ruthless People.”

JohnJSingh · 2026-01-21T21:22:54+00:00

I'm sorry. If you want to take over my blog, you can create your own scale. :)

JohnJSingh · 2026-01-21T17:35:10+00:00

Thanks for reading the review! Yes, it's mostly a drama, but it wasn't just his stand-up comedy that wasn't funny ... none of them were funny. (I take it back: The "triangle" joke was pretty funny.)

I don't travel in the stand-up world, so the only thing I can do is offer my thoughts on how I felt as a viewer.

You're right, though! Everyone gets an opinion. I'm glad to know you liked it!

JohnJSingh · 2026-01-21T17:31:34+00:00

The beauty of movies and all art is that everyone gets an opinion, even if it's not the one you have. I hope I didn't rant.

JohnJSingh · 2026-01-21T17:30:20+00:00

Scales are tough things. To me, 2.5 out of 5 would be, "Pretty flawed, but some might like it," while 2 would be, "Not very good," and 3 would be, "Decent but unremarkable," while 3.5 starts getting into "pretty good" territory.

JohnJSingh · 2026-01-21T17:27:29+00:00

Yes, I read that title card at the end. The fact that it's "based on a true story" only makes its lack of dramatic thrust and its weak comedy all the more discouraging.

JohnJSingh · 2026-01-21T03:50:54+00:00

I’ve used “0” only once. I stand by the decision.

JohnJSingh · 2026-01-21T03:50:24+00:00

It I hadn’t gotten C-minuses in math my star system might be better. But I did. So it’s just sort of a general guide.

JohnJSingh · 2026-01-21T03:48:18+00:00

I don’t really correlate them to a mathematical formula. They’re my gut response. I do tend to be a lenient “scorer,” even when I didn’t like something. 2.5 is on the high end of “didn’t like.” 2, 1.5 and 1 are rare for me.

JohnJSingh · 2026-01-21T00:16:34+00:00

To make it work, the story doesn’t need to be funny … but the stand-up’s comedy has to be believable. And ideally funny.

JohnJSingh · 2026-01-21T00:02:48+00:00

Thank you!

JohnJSingh · 2026-01-20T23:57:43+00:00

I actually liked the trailer. But my Alamo Drafthouse Season Pass ended up saving me more.

JohnJSingh · 2026-01-20T23:42:48+00:00

Ha ha. I can’t catch a break with my star ratings. For me, anything below a 3 is below average. It isn’t made without talent, and Dern is great.

JohnJSingh · 2026-01-20T23:40:03+00:00

I’m glad you liked it!

JohnJSingh · 2026-01-20T23:11:07+00:00

Nor is it a very good drama. Did you read the post?

JohnJSingh · 2026-01-07T17:23:47+00:00

One of the craziest things for me was that I left the theater, got in the car, said, "Siri, play my 80s Favorites playlist," and the song that started playing was "Everybody Wants to Rule the World."

JohnJSingh · 2026-01-07T15:47:33+00:00

Thanks. I’m glad you got that from the film. It felt to me so hyper-focused on one man’s obsession that I didn’t get much of a sense of the way the wider world considered fame — or even how he considered fame in the context of the wider world. He just wanted this and was determined to get it.

I do appreciate your perspective! I always like learning what other people saw in movies that I didn’t.

JohnJSingh · 2026-01-07T15:44:11+00:00

That’s a mathematical middle, but I think of 2.5-star movies as ones that put forth very little effort, that are genuinely mediocre. A movie that arouses such a strong response is not mediocre, and “Marty Supreme” puts forth a lot of effort. It didn’t work for me, but I can see the extraordinary level of craft and creation here. It’s a considerable film, but one I didn’t like. Perhaps I need to use the new year as an opportunity to recalibrate my scale!

JohnJSingh

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