The Huckleberries Vol. 16 - The Drama & Pizza Movie

     Obviously we want to have an area for reviewing new films here at The Film Encomium, but we want to send a message with our methodology. That message is a simple one: Don’t forget about the fun. 

Yes, film can be transformative, prophetic, and groundbreaking. It can also be none of those things and still be a damn good time, and we want to validate both of those experiences. If you want to soak in the limits of anxiety-induction, we recommend the filmography of the Safdie Brothers; but if you want to become well-rounded, you should pop on something from Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg to help you come down. 

It is from the balance of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn that we draw inspiration for the title of this section. Tom is clever; Tom is great. If there were one of those boys we were going to try to get into Harvard, it would be young Mr. Sawyer…but he will always need his Huckleberry. 

We all need our Huckleberries. Art needs its Huckleberries. Sometimes beauty is in the little things and reasoned reflection. Other times beauty is loud, bright, and bold. In the interest of providing our readers with a comprehensive experience, we are not willing to skip The Huckleberries. 

So, with that in mind, here are two enthralling flicks that dropped in theaters recently. The first will show you the terror that can come out of a beautiful coupling. The second will show you the beauty that can come out of a terrible coupling. Enjoy!

The Drama - 

Over the last few decades, we have seen successful filmmakers such as the Coen Brothers, Quentin Tarantino, and Wes Anderson not only thrive in their own right, but also have such an impact on the style of filmmaking is a whole that nearly every film that comes out these days seems to carry some inspiration from that small handful of these recently preceding auteurs. What films like The Drama show us is that the Safdie Brothers have reached that level of contribution. That isn’t to take away from director Kristoffer Borgli’s accomplishment here, it is a compelling and original work, but the undercurrent of crippling anxiety that makes the interactions in this film so consistently disconcerting for the audience is eerily reminiscent of that signature Safdie anti-charm.

Of course, the two contributors who need to be mentioned after Borgli in this production are its leads. Robert Pattinson and Zendaya—setting off on their year-long Odyssey to become the highest grossing co-stars in a single year—both shine in this initial entry. They are tasked with taking some incredibly difficult and dark material and working their way through it. Perhaps it would be an exaggeration to say they turn it charming, but the raw humanity the two of them manage to draw out of this story helps viewers to at least feel trauma bonded to them. 

What the film encapsulates the most is the tornado of damage that can spin out of a single chaotic relationship. The supporting characters are caught in a state of near-constant reaction, and the plot does a great job at using those reactionary moments to develop the primary duo. One exceptional bright spot is the portrayal of the younger version of Zendaya’s character Emma; Jordyn Curet brings the chaos of the teenage mind to the screen in a manner that lends credence to the tension building for the young woman’s future self. 

At the end of the day, this movie is going to hit everyone a little differently. It is going to resonate with each audience member in a very distinct manner, and that is the beauty of it. It commits to the bit in ways that are unconventional and uncomfortable. You are meant to be left with questions of your own after watching The Drama, and that won’t always feel like closure. None of that stands in the way of how remarkable the final product is. 

We cannot recommend this as a first date film, it has considerably greater promise as a last date film. This one will get in your head and ride home with you. Take a chance and let it hurt you anyway. 

Pizza Movie -

The comedic coupling known as BriTANick is making a big leap with their directorial debut in a feature film. Teaming up with them as both an executive producer and co-lead is Stranger Things heartthrob Gaten Matarazzo. What they came out with may not be an Oscar favorite, but it is also something that we don’t see nearly enough of anymore—a cleverly written buddy comedy about drugs, college, and finding yourself. 

A combination of rising stars in the acting community and the stand-up scene come together to create quite an enchanting ensemble, with butterfly Daniel Radcliffe floating around as a Monarch mentor for the young cast. Sean Giambrone is the Iceman to Matarazzo’s Maverick in this one, and their relationship forms the nucleus of the storyline. The two have undeniable chemistry, and watching them bounce off one another leaving mayhem in their wake is reminiscent of the unhealthy symbiosis seen in comedy classics like Harold & Kumar or Superbad.  

Pizza Movie is a lovingly made production that is filled with nuanced callbacks to other films, cracking one-liners, genuinely surprising twists, and an enduring sense of adventure. A movie made for movie nights. Grab some friends, take some strange drugs, order a pizza, and pop this one on. 

~The Film Encomium~