Antibirth

So, I can't say that this was my all-time favorite movie of the year, nor can I say it didn't lack substance. However, I did watch this movie 2 times, being an indie film producer and writer before giving any rating or review. This film, in my opinion, is meant to be satirical and humorous while also being horrifying and bloody grisly fantastic. We have Natasha Lyonne, perfectly cast, as the main character who basically wakes up pregnant and has all these strange things start to happen to her. I will say, this film is not a stand alone "Thriller" so do not be confused. After my second go around with this film, I realized the meaning of it. Also, while watching, keep an ear out for the music choice as it is perfectly placed and could not have been picked better. 10 stars on music and Natasha Lyonne's performance. This movie will either be your cup of tea, or it will not. Think, Trainspotting. This movie is nothing like it, but you either loved or hated it. I loved both.

I'm going spoiler free on this review, so you'll have to forgive me for being vague. The only joy you'll get from this movie is watching it without knowing where it is going. If you know too much, there's nothing worth watching.

I think there is some merit in seeing this film. My biggest issues with it were the direction it took, which isn't my preferred genre. I really can't say more than that without spoiling it, and I'm sure you're going to rate my review as "not helpful" for saying that, but everyone I said that to at the Phoenix Film Festival (where I saw this film) immediately understood.

What that means for you, dear viewer, is you're going to have to take a gamble. Do you like non-mainstream horror? How open-minded are you? If you like formulaic horror, move along. The movie is bizarre in many ways.

My rating reflects that I was not at all happy with the direction it took (as a personal preference...you might think it was the best ending ever), but I'm actually glad I saw it. If nothing else, it's interesting. The soundtrack is also a nice bonus. Loved the music!

Some folks are partying, a girl named Lou is dragged somewhere by a guy. Next the girl meets with some girlfriends complaining about not feeling well. They joke that she's pregnant. Some sinister guys are collecting urine from females in a fridge. One of them has her lips chewed off or something.

Lou in the meantime starts feeling weirder and weirder and sicker and sicker and indeed starts developing a belly. But that doesn't keep her from getting high non-stop. She has some weird visions. All this takes place in some poor town with a Marine base. There's an awful lot of talk and taking drugs and ridiculous music and silly visions.

At some point Lou meets a woman who seems to have some idea what's going on. She tells her that someone has implanted her with something. She suspects the government is behind this. With her help Lou tracks down some of the bad guys and we more or less find out what they are up to.

It doesn't take long for Lou to be full term and to give birth and here the movie manages to surprise. Some other characters also make an appearance and things do get interesting.

Antibirth focuses on a bunch of ugly people doing ugly things and who listen to hideous music. It's not easy caring about any of them or what's going on, which isn't really much. This is one of those movies, where everything that is said matters. At this pace the movie would have been a solid 2/10. But then suddenly the ending is pretty surprising. The movie works toward something, you know or hope that something interesting will happen, but at the same time you quickly give up. But then suddenly the movie does deliver and it changes one's perspective of the entire film for the better. Clearly a lot more could have been done with this script and the budget should have allowed for a better movie.

Here's a film that I didn't know too much about outside of the fact that the artwork for the film was quite alluring. I'm really starting to think that a good poster is really a great indicator for my interest in checking out a film. The film stars Natasha Lyonne (of Orange is the New Black fame) and Chloe Sevigny. While the film isn't anything amazing I still think its worth checking out if you enjoy old fashioned body horror and psychedelic elements expressed in film.

This film is about a drug addicted party girl who mysteriously becomes pregnant. However, the symptoms of the pregnancy and the actual circumstances leading to the pregnancy are not quite "regular." As a matter of fact, her baby is not exactly a healthy human. I'll leave the plot at that to not give away much more. Acting wise Lyonne has it down, as this is basically an extension of the drug addicted inmate she plays on Orange is the New Black. Sevigny is also fine for the role as this isn't a challenging role for her either based on her past work.

The film can get quite gory and if that's not something you can stomach, this may not be for you. Its reminiscent of the body horror films that came before in generations passed, a tribute to the work of the masterful David Cronenberg. There's plenty of bright neon lights and crazy imagery in the form of psychedelic hallucinations. Its a joy to watch if you are a fan of visual cinema, quite like I am. In this specific aspect the film really does deliver.

I'd say the film isn't always interesting or leave an everlasting impression but this isn't really an issue because the film offers a nostalgic and trippy vibe that I really appreciated (but this may not resonate well for other film watcher's). I think Lyonne could probably get offered bigger roles in the future but whether she will be able to branch out and take on a different kind of role is still up for question. All in all, its under the radar but worth a watch.

6.5/10

Honestly, I was very sceptic going into this movie, however after letting my guard down and allowing the film to get going, I was drawn into its strange world. The whole experience was a rollercoaster ride. Some of the scenes are immaculately shot, the cinematography really impressed me and took me off guard more than once. And then, during some other scenes I just kept thinking: "oh my god why did they edit it this way?"

The performances are mostly good, the editing, as stated before, has its ups and downs. Honestly just give this movie a shot if you like campy weird horror movies.