Future '38

I came across this movie while looking at what else Betty Gilpin (GLOW) has been in. The described plot seemed so odd, I had to watch it. Bonus: For old Blade Runner fans, Sean Young had a very odd but appropriate presence in this story as the "telephone" operator, Mabel.

First thing to note, this movie is most obviously not from 1938. Instead, it's a humorous parody of movies from the past and how they pictured the future. Think of old 1930s and 40s films and comic stips that showed flying cars, and wrist watch phones (errr... they were right on that count). They also combine real 2018 objects, business names, and slang but used in completely different "old fashioned" ways. The thug with a "strap on" (shoulder holster with a gun) who is "gonna nail ya" (shoot you) is a striking example.

Recently I saw the film "Movie, Movie" (1978) which was more of an homage/parody of old 1930s cinema. Future '38 is kind of cut from the same cloth but with less homage and a lot more parody. The production itself is low quality in that once things go in color, it really doesn't try to emulate the look and feel of early color films like The Wizard of Oz. Instead it is digital video run through generic filters. That's OK, because I believe the story and parody are the primary reasons this movie exists.

As interesting as the idea of this movie is, and the pretty well concealed and somewhat anticlimactic twist, it still was hard to watch. The intentionally hammy acting was funny, but also distracting. The occasional insertion of real 21st century business names, slang and the like was a continual reminder that this is fully a 21st century film. "Movie, Movie" actually managed to lure me into feeling like I was watching a movie from cinema's golden age. But that only points more to the fact that this movie was less about honoring old cinema than poking fun at it as well as the 21st century itself.

If you're a fan of offbeat and unusual movies, this would definitely be worth a watch. But don't expect a movie with high production values. Expect an interesting/entertaining story more akin to watching an absurdist play. Additionally, Ethan Phillips (Neelix from Star Trek Voyager) has a role at the start of the film as well. And... Neil DeGrasse Tyson (obviously in on the joke). Don't let other reviews dissuade you from watching it. They're either trolling or just can't cope with absurdist parody.

Comedy is hard but the writers of Future '38 were spot on, almost. The repartee was lighting fast but the timing was still perfect and allowed the audience to keep up. There were only a few places where the laughs tapered off, but it always picked up again. The humor was respectful of today's P.C. sensibilities, passing up on some low-hanging jokes that might have crossed the line for some. With the exception of its blatant anti-Germanic bigotry and a few other stereotypes/ethnic jokes (Irish, African American, Jewish), the film is really progressive. ("They're jolly, what of it?... City hall's been hitching jollies for forty years.")

Many in the audience will miss some of the slang and early twentieth century references, but there's enough here to keep everyone laughing. Especially funny was the humorous treatment of time-travel paradoxes and the "parlor tricks" performed by Essex with Elke and others.

The acting was very well done for a comedy of this sort, and the plot was easy to follow. The cinematography was technically adequate and didn't overshadow the players/dialogue, although it would have been nice to put a little more effort into getting the color/tone to match those over-saturated, 80-year-old films. The cue marks were a wonderful touch!

Overall, well worth watching, especially for old movie buffs and scifi fans.

Triggers: Ethnic humor -- anti-Germanic bigotry, Irish, African American, Jewish ethnic jokes/stereotypes; Violence by the protagonists -- fists, gun brandishing (and the obligatory vase smash to the head).

This film sets out to do its thing and then sticks with it. In terms of a film experience, most of what I didn't like was almost certainly intentional in its mimicking of films from that era. I'm not a fan of those but I can't fault Future '38 for having the integrity to stick with them. Most of the obvious visual comedy fell flat for me but the film more than makes up for it and is worth watching alone simply for the wonderfully 1940s banter, especially that as delivered by the two leads.

It does a great job of capturing the pace, rhythm and snappy dialog of a genuine 1930s-era film, with plenty of satire and just good-old fashioned funny dialog.

Another reviewer compared it to Airplane, and I see what they mean. Both take a genre of film that has a very specific style, and honors that style while still doing a parody of it.

The short 75 minute runtime is similar to that of many films from the 1930s, back before two and a half hours become the norm. It also allows them to keep the pace up, which is a key element to this kind of film.

The twist near the end actually caught me by surprise!

All in all, a very enjoyable film. Might watch it again with friends, especially if they're movie buffs.

"Isn't this a nice party?" "There is something wrong with my herring!" "ISN'T THIS A NICE PARTY?!?"

Okay, lines like that make me laugh. And there were a lot of lines like that.