Serf's Up
2016 · 10m · USA
Directed by Will Kempner
Genres: comedy, experimental
Tones: absurdist, humorous, whimsical
Rejected from space camp, Dan kills time with his cousin and stumbles into something he wasn't looking for. A deliberately awkward goof aiming squarely at the texture of bad 80s movies.
Picked by Felix
The scouts
An antidote to smart movies — finally, someone says it. I'll take goofy-on-purpose over Sundance-tasteful any Tuesday.
Bad-80s amateurism worn proudly as aesthetic thesis is a thin tightrope — Computer Beach Party zone rewards a very specific tolerance. Will probably split rooms.
Intentionally bad-80s-movie pastiche with awkward line readings as the aesthetic thesis is a high-risk register that needs real production-design commitment to land. Editor seems to have actual chops per the summary, so cautious lean.
Reviews
A welcome antidote to 'smart' movies everywhere... not without some actual filmmaking chops... knows how to build moments with clever visual details and production design.