Antibirth

Of course, I freely admit I would watch just about anything starring both Natasha Lyonne and Chloë Sevigny . . . what could possibly go wrong?

OK, all joking aside (well, sort of), Natasha and Chloe are absolutely brilliant here, they nail their characters perfectly, and then some.

As for the film itself, the best description that comes to mind is bizarre, twisted, completely ridiculous . . . and very fun to watch.

This is definitely a low budget, B minus sci-fi horror genre' production, with a dash of evil ET conspiracy twists submerged in a veritable swamp of drug dazed existence. Even if the story, such as it is (or perhaps tries to be) is murky at best, the characters are perfect exaggerations of characters I've seen or met over the years.

If anything, this production consists of a very loosely connected jigsaw puzzle of plot pieces, which serves as a sort of ecosystem for the aforementioned exaggerated real life type characters to flourish in.

Well, maybe flourish isn't exactly the appropriate description here.

But however one may want to judge this production, it certainly can't be criticized for lack of uniqueness.

Chloë is particularly adept at playing various roles in unique productions ("Hit and Miss" immediately comes to mind), but this definitely rates as one of the more, well, experimental sorts of indie film productions she has appeared in.

This film is certainly not for everyone, or even most, but for those with an proclivity toward indie projects more than just a bit outside the box, this just could be your cup of tea.

I'll offer a somewhat tentative 6 stars for this one . . .

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.

It seems that hard-drinking, bong-ripping, up-for-anything Lou might be pregnant-- although she has a hard time understanding how that could possibly be the case.

Antibirth isn't much of a horror movie, even if it has some decent early creep. It's more of the "independent" genre: high weirdness, with a plot that plays second or third fiddle to its characters. But there is a bit of gross-out thrown in, maybe just for fun. And you might find the prospect of watching a pregnant woman down a fifth of vodka horrifying.

Horror movie or not, AB is a good movie, mostly because of the well-written and well-acted characters. In particular, Natasha Lyonne plays her part perfectly. She makes the entire film work with her drunken, stoned charm.

The actual plot is a little thin; it ends up being just an excuse to make a movie. The pacing is just a tad slow. And the budget is obviously tight (but still, top notch characters).

It's not horror, but if you don't like horror, don't watch it. If you spent your youth being useful rather than getting high, don't watch it. If you just want to be scared, don't watch it. But otherwise, check out Antibirth.

In a desolate community full of drug-addled Marines and rumors of kidnapping, a wild-eyed stoner named Lou (Natasha Lyonne) wakes up after a wild night of partying with symptoms of a strange illness and recurring visions as she struggles to get a grip on reality while stories of conspiracy spread.

The film seems to begin with a kernel of truth: that drug use can be terrifying. While I have no personal experience as far as that goes, we are all familiar with the idea of a "bad trip". One could say that what happens to Lou is the worst kind. Although not directly connected to her, we also see the dark edges of drug use, which can lead to addiction, or even to prostitution. Is that aspect "horror"? No. But it is certainly scary in its own way.

Leading the film are two great actresses: Natasha Lyonne (ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK), assisted by Chloe Sevigny (AMERICAN HORROR STORY). Lyonne has mastered the trashy woman act (and unlike the caricature rednecks of Rob Zombie's world, this story is grounded in reality). Films with such protagonists do a dangerous balancing act. We feel obligated to have sympathy on Lou (she is our humble narrator), but in many ways we cannot help but feel she brought this on herself.

One review summarized the film as "really, really weird". Now, I happen to disagree. Sure, we have talk of aliens, and some impressive creature effects in third act. We have a bizarre pregnancy, and some hallucinations. But it still has a coherence that keeps it very real. This is not David Lynch's "Eraserhead". You aren't left with endless questions.

Writer-director Danny Perez (ODDSAC) has crafted a smart horror-drama, with a big pinch of science fiction thrown in. He has created not only a solid film, but another world. If he happens to return to this snowy wasteland, I suspect there are more stories for him to tell.