Author’s Note: When this article was initially published, I had stated Weekend at the End of the World used AI. After an email from the film’s publicist and producer, I am updating that portion as we have been told they did not use AI in the creation of this film. Horror Press takes a hardline stance against the use of AI, generative or otherwise, and we will remain diligent on calling out its potential use and update where needed. We thank the crew behind this project for taking the time and clarifying how certain effects were created. It’s never our intention to punch down, but we owe it to our readers to be transparent and call out AI when we think we see it. However, this was not the case, and no AI was used in Weekend at the End of the World.

There is nothing wrong with a film festival that takes chances on films. Programming festivals seem like an incredibly tedious job that will always leave people underwhelmed, no matter how great the programming is. There are two films I screened at Another Hole In The Head that left me wanting more and questioning their inclusion within the festival. I’m sure these films worked for whoever picked them, but for me, they fell completely flat. And one of them was my most anticipated film from the festival.

Kombucha Review

Luke (Terrence Carey) is a down-on-his-luck musician who is stuck on the edge of recognition and nothing. His partner, Elyse (Paige Bourne), begs him to get a “real job” after his ex-band member, Andy (Jesse Kendall), mysteriously resurfaces with a too-good-to-be-true job offer. After taking this new job, Luke finds himself happy with the influx of money, but void of personal growth. His new boss, Kelsey (Claire McFadden), forces Luke to drink their company’s trademark kombucha, or else he’s out of a job. It turns out this mystery drink may just turn Luke into a shell of a man. Literally.

Kombucha was my most anticipated film screening at Another Hole In The Head. I was stimulated by the film’s description, which was described as Office Space meets Cronenberg. From that descriptor, I was expecting some pretty out-there comedic moments mixed with gnarly grossout scenes. Kombucha failed on both of those aspects. The film’s handful of jokes were fart and poop jokes that felt beyond out of place. (And this is coming from someone who loves fart and poop jokes.) On top of that, the film’s “Cronenberg” moments were few and far between.

Flat Visual Style Undercuts Kombucha’s Strong Concept

Co-writers Geoff Bakken and Jake Myers, and directed by Jake Myers, have an excellent concept on their hands. Even the film’s commentary hits perfectly. But the film’s bland writing takes the oompf out of the overall effect. I wanted much more from this film, visually. Matt Brown’s cinematography isn’t bad…it’s competent enough. At its core, this film just feels very by-the-college-textbook; dead-center framing with After-Effects-like handheld plugins make this film feel flat beyond belief. Some of the practical effects look good; unfortunately, I was checked out by that point.

Weekend at the End of the World Review

Karl (Clay Elliott) is reeling from his ex-girlfriend’s proposal denial. His best friend, Miles (Cameron Fife), decides to take him to his deceased grandmother’s cabin for a best friends’ weekend. Once at the cabin, Karl and Miles find themselves in a world of trouble when they open a portal to another dimension. These two friends, along with their nosy neighbor, Hank (Thomas Lennon), must travel through strange worlds in order to save their own.

Thomas Lennon is Weekend at the End of the World’s Biggest Missed Opportunity

One of my favorite things about actors like Michael Madsen (RIP) and Thomas Lennon is how they use/used their fame and time to bring independent horror films into the limelight. While that trajectory made a bit more sense for Madsen’s career, it has been a delight to see Lennon pop up here and there throughout the past decade in horror. Most horror fans delight in seeing a big-name actor take the time and star in a film that helps bring credence to a genre that was once looked upon with disgrace. 

One of the two great things about Weekend at the End of the World was Thomas Lennon…and then they silenced him. Co-writers Clay Elliott, Gille Klabin, and Spencer McCurnin filled a script with teen-brained fart jokes in a way that feels lazy and cheap. Thomas Lennon’s ill-written character, who is nothing more than a punching bag for two characters who lack a single ounce of comedy or character, is (figuratively) castrated shortly into the film, and any sense of self the film had is then gone. While his character was flat, Lennon brought a sense of something to this empty film. 

MeeMaw’s Practical Effects Are a Highlight

The film’s other standout moment is the practical effects used on MeeMaw. So much has been done in horror, and creating a new viscerally icky character is hard to do. MeeMaw’s character (creature?) design is delightfully awful to look at. She could have easily become the film’s star and propelled this film to be something if it had been more interesting. But this film’s story is bland and recycled from other stories. 

I have so little to say about this film because it exists as an hour and a half of attempted flash, with little to nothing to add to the genre. The story is bland, the characters are flat, and the jokes will make a teenager laugh (before they inevitably go back to scrolling on TikTok). Full of D-grade visual effects that aren’t even fit for the year 2015, Weekend at the End of the World is an overall forgettable experience; it’s an apocalypse of entertainment…an exercise in futility. Not even Thomas Lennon or MeeMaw’s well-thought-out (and achieved) character design could save us from this…experience. 

When you watch films for a living, you sometimes feel like you’ve seen it all. It’s hard to be surprised by films when you’ve seen everything from Salo to Inside to Slaughtered Vomit Dolls. For those looking for the next “big thing” in horror, the festival circuit is the best place to look. When I pressed play on Hoagie, I had no clue I was about to watch my favorite film of the year.

A Gooey Goblin and an Everyman Hero

An average family man, Brendan Bean (Ryan Morley), is left home alone while his family heads out for the weekend. While home alone, Brendan finds himself in the company of a homunculus zygote named Hoagie. Hoagie is a devilishly cute little goblin man that sprang to life from an alien egg and is about to give Brendan much more than he bargained for. When a right-wing militia attempts to get Hoagie back, Brendan and Hoagie find themselves in a fight for survival. Can this everyman save his new best friend? Or will these weekend warriors succeed in stealing this goopy goblin?

Hoagie toes the line between low-budget schlock satire and a genuinely great film. From the start, my reaction was nothing more than, “Ah, this film knows what it is.” As the minutes ticked by, I couldn’t help but notice how honestly incredible it was. Co-writers Matt Hewitt and Ryan Morley, under Matt Hewitt’s direction, have an incredibly heartfelt story of love and compassion that is wrapped up in a sinewy bow. I’ve said time and time again that horror comedy doesn’t typically work for me. Hoagie’s schtick never gets old for a singular second. Whether it’s poking fun at right-wing nazis who spend their weekends getting shirtless and “training” together, or literal poop jokes, Hoagie does not fail to deliver laughs and tears.

A Third-Act Bloodbath That Proves Hoagie Goes Hard

Just when you think the film has run out of tricks, you get hit with a third-act tour de force of blood, carnage, and mayhem. I’ve come across many festival films that I think could be used as wonderful teaching tools in film school…Hoagie could be used as a master class. This film demonstrates how filmmakers can effectively stretch a budget. They lean into the lo-fi aesthetic but never use it as a crutch. From the film’s unique and odd acting to its purposefully quirky, stilted dialogue, Hoagie is a film that does not fail to entertain all of the senses.

Hoagie Is One of the Best Indie Horror Films of the Year

I could go on, waxing poetic to hit a word count or get a pull quote. But Hoagie taught me that sometimes minimalism is best. It’s important to learn when to say too much and when to say enough. I’m stunned by how impressive a feature Hoagie is. This gooey little goblin gets at your heartstrings and refuses to let go. If you’re a fan of well-done, fully realized practical effects that have substance and style, then Hoagie is the fix you’ll find yourself chasing for years to come. Oh, and there are enough dong shots to make another full frontal ranking list.

If you get the chance to catch Hoagie, I cannot recommend enough that you do so. Humanity is not ready for these forces to be unleashed onto this world. You’ll laugh, you’ll cringe, you’ll squirm, but, most importantly, you’ll feel. Hoagie is more delicious than a fatty patty six-stack (with the beans).