The Best of Guest

It would be difficult to express my love for Christopher Guest without sounding like a creepy stalker. I love the man, I love his mocumentaries. I think his genius manifests itself in the fine line he walks so expertly in each of his films: he pokes fun, but lovingly. It’s clear there’s genuine affection for the actors/musicians/singers he mocks.

It’s also clear that he and his co-writers put love, care and time into crafting the songs that are featured in his musical endeavors. “A Mighty Wind” is probably one of my least favorite of the Guestian oeuvre (though I’m ready to re-watch it with fresh eyes), but the songs are good. Great, actually. They’re great, solid, expertly-played, well-crafted songs. I appreciate that kind of attention to detail. Christopher Guest is a man who takes comedy seriously. I, too, have a passion for finely-tuned laughs, so loving Guest and his brilliant co-writers and casts is a no-brainer for me.

“For Your Consideration” is a film that took me awhile to warm up to, but after several viewings I’ve decided it’s a worthy part of his pantheon.  I appreciate that Guest stifled his trademark gentleness and really skewered the artifice of Hollywood and the idea of Hollywood “buzz.” What’s more, he eschewed the documentary format. That was bold, and, I think, ultimately it paid off. So well, in fact , I seem to recall life imitating art when comedy goddess Catherine O’Hara received (well-deserved) Oscar buzz of her own for her role in the film.

Is “For Your Consideration” my favorite Guest film? No. But it’s a film I’ve come to appreciate greatly.

My favorite Guest films are probably “This is Spinal Tap,” “Waiting for Guffman” and “Best in Show.” What are your Guest favorites?