Indies that Might Suck

Lili’s Pick: Under the Silver Lake

Lanie’s Pick: Freaks (2018)

I naturally gravitate toward indie films because there are so many hidden gems that don’t belong to the big box office blockbuster bros, but I have been burned before (looking at you, half of A24’s filmography). Knowing this, my sister and I ventured to watch two fairly new indies—the trailers to which made it hard to discern whether or not they would be any good. I’ll blame Netflix for Freaks’ poorly made preview (literally just one clip from the film, probably the weirdest, least marketable clip they could’ve chosen) for putting me off this movie, which is a shame because it’s actually quite good. The pacing is a bit slow and strange at first, but its intriguing set up amounts to a very clever film overall, with a take on superheroes we’ve yet to see. Under the Silver Lake was not entirely disappointing but ultimately not good enough, in my opinion. The aesthetic choices were superb and the vibes were immaculate, all that was missing was… everything else. If you’d like to see my full review of the almost-good Under the Silver Lake, you can check it out here.