By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4 cats
Director: Harrison Xu | Ivan Leung | Katherine Dudas
Starring: Harrison Xu | Hudson Yang | Ivan Leung | Nathan Doan
Year: 2025
Running time: 73
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31498569
Jeff says: Gen Z Angelinos Daniel (Ivan Leung) and Ryan (Harrison Xu), best friends since childhood, are facing a breakup (perhaps literally), as Ryan is moving to Edmonton with his fiancé. On their last weekend together, Ryan convinces a reluctant Daniel to make a movie, about two friends making a movie about two friends making a movie. As meta as you could get. What results is part of that movie and partly the conversation they have, with forays into LA to drive around and get street food, and part ‘home movies’ when the boys were little, meta in more ways than one. Those childhood scenes are masterful, both in composition and in the portrayals of the two boys. The budget is threadbare, which is part of its strength, and, nevertheless, there’s a surprise celebrity cameo! Samurai LARPing! A pool dunking! It has a bittersweet tone, carefree but with the inevitable hanging over it, and a small bite at 73 minutes. Worth checking out. 4 cats.”