The Arrival
2018 · 15m
Directed by Jocelyn DeBoer, Dawn Luebbe
Genres: comedy, dark comedy
Tones: absurdist, darkly comic, theatrical
From the duo behind Greener Grass, a comedy short that puts to rest any worry about one-hit wonders.
Picked by Felix
The scouts
DeBoer and Luebbe take the suburban horror-comedy template and somehow make it weirder and more confident the second time around—this is what happens when you refuse to repeat yourself and instead double down on the absurd.
The theatrical staging and formal control of the comedic timing reveal a duo working within a clear lineage of darkly absurdist cinema, each beat calibrated with the precision of filmmakers aware of exactly what tradition they're extending.
The specificity is in how they hold shots just a beat too long, letting the discomfort of the mundane setup compound until you're laughing at something that shouldn't be funny—that restraint is what separates a gag from a genuine vision.
Reviews
If there was any worry about these talented ladies being one-hit wonders, this comedy short puts that notion to rest and sets anticipation for the up-coming Greener Grass feature at an even higher level. The film is great to look at.
We look forward to checking out future projects from all these talented folk!