justincharlesharlan
Lifetime Total
1+
IMDb Member
8 years
Reviews
My Inner Demon: A Geraldson Tale (2021)
Triple G is Back!
Plain and simple, filmmaker Gerald Varga meets Gerald Gerald Geraldson in a meta sequel to 2019's Murder Box. The lines of what is and is not real are blurred in what begins as a how-to video on making a found footage horror film...
I loved the first film's story, but it admittedly felt like a novice filmmaker in many ways. On the other hand, Inner Demon really feels like a huge step for Vargas as a filmmaker, front shot composition to editing to just about every technical aspect of the craft. Seeing a filmmaker grow so much in a few short years is one of the greatest joys of experiencing low budget films but young filmmakers... and this is a prime example of one such joy.
The character of Gerald Gerald Geraldson lives on and off the screen and has prior to this duo of films. A 2009 stand up set (below) shows Vargas working out the character on stage at a comedy club. His brand of horror comedy is edge without being without substance. It crawls up on the line of bad taste, but never becomes a vapid edgelord act. This is something to be commended for such an act.
Watching this character become more developed in Murder Box, then further explored in Inner Demon, is a treat. The way the character is explored as an "inner demon" of Vargas himself in the meta sequel is handled really well. Acting as a commentary on found footage film, the stress of being an aspiring filmmaker, and how people wrestle with their darker sides, Inner Demon is a must watch for genre fans.
I loved the first film's story, but it admittedly felt like a novice filmmaker in many ways. On the other hand, Inner Demon really feels like a huge step for Vargas as a filmmaker, front shot composition to editing to just about every technical aspect of the craft. Seeing a filmmaker grow so much in a few short years is one of the greatest joys of experiencing low budget films but young filmmakers... and this is a prime example of one such joy.
The character of Gerald Gerald Geraldson lives on and off the screen and has prior to this duo of films. A 2009 stand up set (below) shows Vargas working out the character on stage at a comedy club. His brand of horror comedy is edge without being without substance. It crawls up on the line of bad taste, but never becomes a vapid edgelord act. This is something to be commended for such an act.
Watching this character become more developed in Murder Box, then further explored in Inner Demon, is a treat. The way the character is explored as an "inner demon" of Vargas himself in the meta sequel is handled really well. Acting as a commentary on found footage film, the stress of being an aspiring filmmaker, and how people wrestle with their darker sides, Inner Demon is a must watch for genre fans.
Driven (2019)
DRIVEN is an Indie Genre Gem
Emerson (Casey Dillard) is a stand up comic who drives for Uber in a borrowed car. One crazy night, she picks up a strange man named Roger (Richard Speight, Independence Day/Band of Brothers). Soon, Emerson finds out more about the crazy man's mission and can't help but do her best to help. From there, the insanity begins...
A truly unique gem of a film, it clocks in as a brisk and perfectly timed 89 minutes. While I wouldn't mind spending more time with some of the characters here, it feels like the story is told well in its runtime. If any longer, the film could suffer from having large lulls or the dreaded middle third drag. Instead, it flows well from start to finish.
While clearly made on a modest budget, the film looks pretty damn good. The lighting works, the shots are framed well, and the films simply looks and feels crisp. Indie films with a great look to them always feel impressive, especially when they - like this one - actually look better than many more expensive studio films.
While Speight may be the only super recognizable face, the cast is fantastic, with he and Dillard really shining at the forefront. When you combine their performances with a strong script, great pacing, and that fantastic look of the scenes, you get a truly unique and worthwhile experience. Genre film fans will truly enjoy this one. Besides, in what other film will you ever get the chance to encounter a recurring joke about a "turd spoon"?
A truly unique gem of a film, it clocks in as a brisk and perfectly timed 89 minutes. While I wouldn't mind spending more time with some of the characters here, it feels like the story is told well in its runtime. If any longer, the film could suffer from having large lulls or the dreaded middle third drag. Instead, it flows well from start to finish.
While clearly made on a modest budget, the film looks pretty damn good. The lighting works, the shots are framed well, and the films simply looks and feels crisp. Indie films with a great look to them always feel impressive, especially when they - like this one - actually look better than many more expensive studio films.
While Speight may be the only super recognizable face, the cast is fantastic, with he and Dillard really shining at the forefront. When you combine their performances with a strong script, great pacing, and that fantastic look of the scenes, you get a truly unique and worthwhile experience. Genre film fans will truly enjoy this one. Besides, in what other film will you ever get the chance to encounter a recurring joke about a "turd spoon"?
- Justin Harlan aka thepaintedman