Filmmaking dynamic duo, Justin Benson and Aaron Moorehead are scientific anomalies in cinema. Their stories are so uniquely their own and so much so, they find themselves at the forefront of the genre landscape. But they’re also at the forefront of their own cinematic lens. If infamous is when you’re more than famous, then “in cinema” means, they are actually IN the movies.
Yet for all the intergalactic yarns that have endeared them to scores of festival crowds, they try to dive into people more than plots. And when they do, even something as seemingly simple as that becomes a huge hot pot of thought-provoking ideas and genres. Sci-fi, comedy, mystery, documentary, and all that would be captivating but Benson & Moorhead plus the experiences with touches of humanity that feel genuine.
These guys adore lavishing in the banal, but also take the opportunity to throw a curveball that can just as easily be about aliens, agriculture or a joke that just kills. Case in point: When Moorhead’s character John says, “If you’re a ghost, do something!“, that’s about as honest as Elliott being terrified when first meeting E.T. but also probably the best line Mel Brooks never got to say.
And that’s the genius of their stories. You can take many elements in different fashions but the outcome is still so unique and honest…even if you have to watch the film multiple times to fully get the depth of a particular scene. At the core of this feature – beneath the layers of supernatural suspense and conspiracy theories – it’s about the intrigue of Benson & Moorhead writing a story about two guys who never become friends and how vicious that could potentially become.
These friends lead contemporary film in the way that other emerging filmmakers like Rian Johnson, Edgar Wright and Shane Carruth have done – taking inspiration from David Lynch, John Carpenter and David Cronenberg. They’ve come a long way in just ten years (since Resolution and their short in V/H/S Viral), and each endeavor takes them and the audience deeper into the gravity wells inside their minds. I’m not sure it can be fully processed in one viewing, but I’m certain this film is something special. Ambitious and remarkably bold…that’s these guys all day everyday.
One fun take away here is that Justin and Aaron dedicate this film to making movies with their friends (including composer Jimmy LaValle) and dig deep into fun memories filming it all. So enjoy this episode of the GoSeeTalk Podcast Experience and check out Something In the Dirt asap!!
The film is in theaters and available on VOD November 22.
When neighbors John and Levi witness supernatural events in their Los Angeles apartment building, they realize documenting the paranormal could inject some fame and fortune into their wasted lives. An ever-deeper, darker rabbit hole, their friendship frays as they uncover the dangers of the phenomena, the city and each other.
