Comedy Drama

“Theater Camp”

By Brett_G on

6.9

This would have made a killer double feature alongside “Bottoms.” The characters here are insane, but by god are they fun. Sadly, no one comes out of the lake or woods with a large bladed weapon to start taking people out. The villain here is private equity and preppy kids. The underdog vibes here are strong. The overall vibes are strong. It’s a musically inclined twist on “Wet Hot American Summer.” Hits every note you want it to, and given the reaction of the crowd I enjoyed this one alongside, it really nails the aesthetic of real life theater camp.

Also, no one plays a loveable dumb guy like Jimmy Tatro. Between this and “The Machine,” he’s building his career on this pigeon hole.

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Action Comedy

“Bottoms”

By Brett_G on

7.3

Very similar to “Shiva Baby.” Rachel Sennott is the master of the awkward comedy. “Fight Club” meets “Not Another Teen Movie.” There’s a lot of social commentary going on here, and I loved the caricatures here. Marshawn Lynch definitely had a second career in education if the whole football thing didn’t work out. Between this and his cameos in “The League,” can we please get more of him and less of Vin Diesel?

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Horror/Thriller

“The Human Centipede”

By Brett_G on

6.1

I found myself asking “but why?” quite a lot in this hour and a half. Leave it to me to try and find the deeper meaning here. Shocker – this was my first time watching this one front to back. I now understand the cult following.

In the vein of “Hostel” and “Terrifer,” this movie cranks the gore up to 11, and doesn’t let up until you’ve either lost your lunch or have left the theater. For the brave that forge on until the credits roll… congratulations? We can now never speak of this again, unless it’s to use it as the bar by which we measure the “WTF” factor of future features. Not since “Cannibal Holocaust” have I been more concerned with trying to find some sort of purpose to cling to and not since “Terrifier 2” have I been less inclined to enjoy a snack during a feature presentation.

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Documentary

“Stop Making Sense”

By Brett_G on

8.1

Who knew? There is water… at the bottom of the ocean!

I don’t think it ever started make sense, subverting not only the concert film genre, but also the pillars of live music production. But I’ll be damned if it wasn’t the most entertaining tight hour and a half of razor sharp cacophony ever put to film. The only people having more fun are the artists on stage. Their chemistry is almost as palpable as their incredible talents. I want to call it minimalistic, but despite the feeling of a “lack” of design… there’s a naturally choreographed beauty in almost every frame of this concert FILM. Bravo to David Byrne and crew!

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Horror/Thriller

“It Lives Inside”

By Brett_G on

7.3

… And you thought farts were the worst thing that could be trapped in a jar.

This film really nailed a pervasive feeling of dread through beautiful cinematography and clever setups from start to finish, minus the finale. It went full “Mother” and showed the monster too much in the final battle and kind of took me out of it. Until then, it had me hooked and on the edge of my seat as we followed Sam on her journey into possession. A possession that may have followed the typical tenets of the genre, but did so in a way that felt surprisingly fresh. I found myself genuinely invested in the characters and having a much more visceral reaction to the scares than I expected. The contrast in music was so expertly curated, and really helped take the actions on the screen to another level when paired with the breathtaking sound design.

Side note – since the wannabe boyfriend is dead (spoiler alert), can I snag his gorgeous red Mach 1? Please, movie?!?!

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