Something in the Dirt

After moving into a new apartment, a down-on-his-luck guy and his neighbor witness a series of weird phenomenon taking place in the location and decide to start filming the supernatural events to become famous, but it starts to wear on them the longer they're together investigating the forces.

There's very little to this one that makes it worthwhile. Among the few positives to be had here is the intriguing setup that propels this one along into a somewhat decent storyline about what they've been going through. As the experiences here in the first part focuses on their relationship building and bringing their interest in the supernatural to a centerpiece which sets everyone off on a rather fun rabbit hole of discovery involving the series of discoveries they make. Delving into this particular aspect of the genre rather than utilizing an endless series of jump-scares about something popping up behind someone unexpectedly adds a depth to this particular part of the film that's quite refreshing. Combined with the rather fun comedic stylings between the two friends as we get to explore their friendship, this creates enough to make it worthwhile. There are far more factors here that bring it down, though. The main drawback is that, for a film this long, it doesn't have much in the way of genuine genre thrills at all. The ghosts and paranormal activity here don't have any kind of malicious intent behind them, rendering a lot of the running time of the film to become rather dull as the ghosts aren't out to do anything interesting other than provide an excuse for them to go into their research and debates about what's going on. For those wanting an endless stream of ghost action or genuine genre thrills, that leaves a lot of this one to feel like the two are simply yakking at each other with nothing else going on, especially when it comes close to the two-hour mark with very little happening. These factors really end up bringing this one down being far more impactful than any of its positives.

Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Language and Violence.

Not even sure what to make of this. I'm told this was conceived and initiated during Covid and I applaud Benson and Moorhead for keeping the creative spark alive during this difficult time. But this film, frugally shot with sparse cameras, small cast, and minimal sets, falls bizarrely flat in the second half after a promising and intriguing start. An interesting and unexplainable phenomenon occurs, which could have led to multiple potential legit sci-fi storylines. Okay, I'm hooked. But soon, the tale dissolves into confusing pseudo-science banter, and wild conspiracy theories, with a side dose of anger and paranoia. In the end, nothing is really resolved and the whole event could just as easily have been explained away as the result of a lengthy acid trip. I think I'll just say "weirdly unsatisfying" and leave it at that.

Diverting enough flick written and directed by the stars. Two thirty-somethings, who can barely swing the monthly rent on the dives they live in, are neighbors in an apartment building. As they introduce themselves they find that perhaps they are too different to hang. Then, an ashtray starts to float in a halo of light. When they come to terms with the floating and glowing of things they realize that have to film this. This is proof of ghosts, or aliens, or afterlife, or whatever it is. They have to film it, edit it into a cohesive documentary, and get rich quick. So that's what they set out to do, aside from and around their arguments. As they argue and insult they uncover truths and each other's pain in life.

Another original film by the duo Benson/Moorhead. But this time was more focused on drama and character development by the two lead protagonists/directors. The mystery of the phenomenon had me pretty interested throughout the movie but at certain point I kinda gave up on it since the accent was put so much more on the effects and the relationship between the two guys rather than the story or the origin of the phenomenon.

BUT, this film also gave me strong Resolution (2012) vibes. Resolution too was a movie about two dudes in similar situation but with very different relationship and backstories, then years later The Endless (2017) explained in glorious way the questions we had about The Resolution back in 2012.

It may be silly to assume, but we miiight just get another sequel/prequel regarding the unanswered backstory of Something in the Dirt.

John Daniels and Levi Danube notice some very strange goings on in their LA apartment block, and decide to pool their resources, and make a documentary.

I just couldn't get into it, I got the whole way through, and found it one of the most frustrating films I've sat through for some time.

I'll applaud the ideas and imagination behind it, there was definitely an originality about the story, but the execution somehow didn't work, visually I don't think it offered anything, it felt a bit clunky, just lacking somehow.

The leading men were both pretty good I thought, no issues with some, the script they were working with however, it just didn't work somehow.

There's a pretty interesting tension between the pair, you weren't sure sure if they had some sort of bromance going on, or were just tolerating one another.

Disappointing.

4/10.