Happy Monday! May the 4th be with you. I hope you had a wonderful weekend. Movies are better with friends, share the newsletter with them. If you’re new, don’t forget to subscribe:

Today’s movie is The Endless (2017), streaming on Netflix. Justin Benson and Aaron Moorehead, whose film Spring I recommended here, wrote, directed, shot, produced, acted in and edited the film themselves. That in itself is reason enough to watch it.

Here’s what it’s about: Two brothers (Benson and Moorehead) travel back to the “UFO death cult” they escaped from years earlier looking for answers. They find what they’re looking for — and then some. [Trailer // 111 mins]

Why you should watch it: There’s something charmingly lo-fi about The Endless. In a way, it feels like a feature-length episode of The Twilight Zone. However, Benson and Moorehead are tackling a more complex and increasingly smart story that like the best episodes of the classic series slowly reveals itself over time — increasing the tension and intrigue along the way. Don’t worry, The Endless will give you answers in due time.

The stellar score by The Album Leaf (aka Jimmy LaValle) adds a mysterious ambient undertone to the already enigmatic movie that is reminiscent of the work of the late great Jóhann Jóhannsson. Though you can see where a higher budget could have done some good (the first ten minutes are admittedly rough), The Endless is another testament that great filmmakers and a compelling story can add up to so much more than the sum of their parts. You’re going to want to give this one a few viewings.

🍷 Pair it with:

The Invitation (dir. Karyn Kusama)
Spring (dir. Justin Benson and Aaron Moorehead)

📺 Buy or Rent: Prime Video | iTunes | YouTube

I took a mental health day today and you should take one too. It’s okay to need a break. You’re doing great!

See you Thursday —
Karl (@karl_delo // @SmashCutReviews)

📽 Looking for something to watch? You can see every movie I’ve ever recommended right here.

🍅 I’m also a Tomatometer-approved critic on Rotten Tomatoes! You can find all my reviews here.

The Endless 🛸