I don't know why this movie is listed as a comedy. That's very misleading. It is a drama and a pretty good one. It's also not a horror movie, but instead a movie about horror movies. It's really a movie about itself, in that it is a low budget indie movie about some friends making a low budget indie movie. The acting is surprisingly delightful. This ranks up there with such sleepers as Primer (about the time machine) or August (about the dot com crash). It is simple, pleasant, watchable and never boring. I was glad that it didn't stoop to some cheap slasher ending. The fact that it is based in reality all the way until the end is what makes this one so special.
41 Reviews
Swear on your left gonad that you will not have sex with Michelle.
lastliberal5 July 2009
Is Mumblecore an accepted genre? There are still films being made that feature twenty-somethings and their relationships in low budget, often with hand-held digital camera. the Duplass brothers, Jay and Mark, writers and directors of this film, are solid in the mumblecore camp.
Here we have a mumblecore dramedy that has a horror aspect. It is not a horror film.
Chad (Steve Zissis) wants to hook up with Michelle (Greta Gerwig), Michelle wants Matt (Ross Partridge), and Catherine (Elise Muller - Revamped, Vampire Lesbian Kickboxers) is worried about her clicking clock.
They all head to a cabin in the woods to write a script. they kick around ideas, but don't get anywhere until Michelle sees someone with a bag over their head.
They joke around, thinking it is the others kidding around. But they start to write a script using the baghead idea.
It gets funny as Michelle strips thinking it is Matt. When she then tries to scare Catherine thinking it was her, and they all deny it, they really freak. But, they still play the game on each other until Chad swears he sees the baghead while they are all standing together.
The ending is not what you expect unless you are familiar with the genre.
Here we have a mumblecore dramedy that has a horror aspect. It is not a horror film.
Chad (Steve Zissis) wants to hook up with Michelle (Greta Gerwig), Michelle wants Matt (Ross Partridge), and Catherine (Elise Muller - Revamped, Vampire Lesbian Kickboxers) is worried about her clicking clock.
They all head to a cabin in the woods to write a script. they kick around ideas, but don't get anywhere until Michelle sees someone with a bag over their head.
They joke around, thinking it is the others kidding around. But they start to write a script using the baghead idea.
It gets funny as Michelle strips thinking it is Matt. When she then tries to scare Catherine thinking it was her, and they all deny it, they really freak. But, they still play the game on each other until Chad swears he sees the baghead while they are all standing together.
The ending is not what you expect unless you are familiar with the genre.
Dude, Where's my Kiss?
thesar-25 April 2009
I liked 'Baghead' a lot. It was real, it was independent and when it was all over, it all tied in. If one were just to watch it part of the way through and stop, they would (as would I) certainly compare it to multiple "in the woods/cabin" thrillers. The impression I got (and this was certainly confirmed once watching the "mock-interview" with the directors/brothers with kids) was this was a simple idea someone brainstormed and said "let's shoot a movie about no-name/wannabe actors and a bag-headed killer on the loose in the woods." Honestly, the film felt real. The emotions real. I think, despite the extreme low budget, the actors took it for real and did the best job they could. I grew up on serial killer/woods, etc films. This one was probably the most real, because, basically it was played that way. A movie-within-a-movie, if you will. Four adults want to make a movie. One has a cabin and they head out there. They come up with an idea and suddenly it comes to life. That's the basic synopsis. I see a whole bunch of negative reviews. I think people were expecting something different. I went in open minded, and really liked the experience. Not perfect, no, but I liked the genuine characters and I absolutely loved the fact that two grown men could be very close, enough to kiss/hug each other and not be labeled as gay or feel any less masculine. I wish there were more straight males (fictional or not) that can show love for each other and not be considered homosexual. I admire the directors/brothers that took the leap to show this close male bond. Best character: Chad (Steve Zissis.) Sincere, not shy, real and definitely funny. Hope to see more of him.
Humorous but predictable
movieman_kev7 July 2009
Matt and Chad, spurred on by the fact that Matt's friend Jett has actually made a film that's playing the indie circuit, while their careers are stagnant, decide to hunker down at a cabin in the woods to finally make a film. They bring Michelle & Catherine along, both having the hots for Matt, much to the chagrin of Chad (who has a crush on Michelle). While there Michelle claims to have had a dream about seeing a mysterious person with a bag on his head, which in turn gives Matt an idea for the film.
I don't really know if I can say that I enjoyed the film or not. On one hand it starts off well enough and the actors were all serviceable, it was humorous in spots, . and as an excersise in 'guerrilla film-making' it works sporadically. while on the other the big reveal is way too easy to surmise and the lack of any real ending with both two serious failings of the movie. I would hesitantly recommend the film for at least one viewing for fan of low-budget do it yourself type films, but all others could skip it without missing out on too much.
Eye Candy: Cass Naumann and Greta Gerwig both get topless
My Grade: C-
Where I saw it: Instant Netflix via Xbox 360
I don't really know if I can say that I enjoyed the film or not. On one hand it starts off well enough and the actors were all serviceable, it was humorous in spots, . and as an excersise in 'guerrilla film-making' it works sporadically. while on the other the big reveal is way too easy to surmise and the lack of any real ending with both two serious failings of the movie. I would hesitantly recommend the film for at least one viewing for fan of low-budget do it yourself type films, but all others could skip it without missing out on too much.
Eye Candy: Cass Naumann and Greta Gerwig both get topless
My Grade: C-
Where I saw it: Instant Netflix via Xbox 360
Draghead
. But don't be misled by the average rating.
Vorpa8 June 2009
The movie features a single shaky cam. This is not because the movie is independent, has a low budget or is part of some dogmatic dogma-movement. Well these three could all be true, but the main reason of a "shaky cam" is that it has relevance for the story, similar to a movie like Blairwitch Project. If you expect fast camera movement, multiple angles, supreme lightning and great special effects you shouldn't watch Baghead at all (and people should not devalue it because it doesn't look like the new Spiderman). So be prepared for primitive (but still quite amazing) photography.
Furthermore no one should watch this movie because of the suspense. The suspense is only a minor aspect of Baghead. From time to time it tries to scare you by being as real as possible. Occasionally Baghead succeeds in doing so. Although the average person would feel conned if I tell him this is a thriller or a horror. It is more close to a real life drama.
Personally I truly appreciate the endeavour to create a real movie without all the modern techniques. Techniques that so bluntly tell you you are watching something produced. There is no real score, no atonal violins at scary moments, no special effects and so on. Without this kind of tools a lot more weight is put on the acting and the story. The question then is: does the movie survive the lack of all these elements? Yes.
The acting is surprisingly refreshing. Although Greta Gerwig (playing Michelle) annoyed me from time to time. The story itself is not original but the characters are convincing, there are many interesting twists and there are reflexive side aspects to the story that lift it far above the average kind of "some people in a mountain shed getting scared" movie. Most importantly the whole movie has a natural flow without any scene feeling constructed for one purpose or the other. If you plan to watch this movie then watch it for the real and convincing manner it is brought to you, not for suspense or Hollywood skills.
In my view the colossal problem of Baghead though is the editing. It appears that all footage was neurotically and compulsory preserved in the final film. Quite often entirely predictable scenes drag on and on. Though they may look more real so to speak (for instance the scene where Chad is trying to hit on Michelle), they get one ready for bed immediately, no teeth brushing required. Especially the final scene is horribly slow and you can really hear yourself thinking: "get a move on all right!" In total the movie runs for about 2 hours. In general I like slow and long movies, but this one could really do with a 1:30 running time. It would not just be easier, faster and more accessible, it would have simply been better.
Verdict: 6
Furthermore no one should watch this movie because of the suspense. The suspense is only a minor aspect of Baghead. From time to time it tries to scare you by being as real as possible. Occasionally Baghead succeeds in doing so. Although the average person would feel conned if I tell him this is a thriller or a horror. It is more close to a real life drama.
Personally I truly appreciate the endeavour to create a real movie without all the modern techniques. Techniques that so bluntly tell you you are watching something produced. There is no real score, no atonal violins at scary moments, no special effects and so on. Without this kind of tools a lot more weight is put on the acting and the story. The question then is: does the movie survive the lack of all these elements? Yes.
The acting is surprisingly refreshing. Although Greta Gerwig (playing Michelle) annoyed me from time to time. The story itself is not original but the characters are convincing, there are many interesting twists and there are reflexive side aspects to the story that lift it far above the average kind of "some people in a mountain shed getting scared" movie. Most importantly the whole movie has a natural flow without any scene feeling constructed for one purpose or the other. If you plan to watch this movie then watch it for the real and convincing manner it is brought to you, not for suspense or Hollywood skills.
In my view the colossal problem of Baghead though is the editing. It appears that all footage was neurotically and compulsory preserved in the final film. Quite often entirely predictable scenes drag on and on. Though they may look more real so to speak (for instance the scene where Chad is trying to hit on Michelle), they get one ready for bed immediately, no teeth brushing required. Especially the final scene is horribly slow and you can really hear yourself thinking: "get a move on all right!" In total the movie runs for about 2 hours. In general I like slow and long movies, but this one could really do with a 1:30 running time. It would not just be easier, faster and more accessible, it would have simply been better.
Verdict: 6
Very clever
rivertam2615 November 2009
Baghead is a pretty impressive little indie horroresque film. From the makers of the award winning film the puffy chair comes this mockumentary of sorts. It tells the story of a group of friends interested in shooting a low budget film over the weekend. But things go bad when their films imaginary villain begins stalking them one by one. It all sounds fairly generic but it's delivered with undeniable wit and clever humor. the performances are strong enough and the film keeps you going past its surprisingly effective conclusion. the great thing about this film is how real it feels and when it does begin to switch gears it doesn't feel forced in least. a plausible effort on everyones part with a hope to see more genre efforts come from this group of talented people.
Really boring...predictable. Good performance by Zissis and Muller
imdb-552324 June 2008
No, I wasn't expecting "IRON MAN" or "GET SMART", so put the hipster knives away, I don't need explosions or Megan Fox to enjoy a movie.
The movie starts interestingly enough, by mocking the indie film circuit "Q&A with the director". In what can, at best, be called a non-sequitur, they try to go to a club, only, moments later, to be at a Bennigan's like establishment where they decide to retreat to the mountains to write a script.
The overweight guy likes the cute girl, she likes him as a friend. The glossy lady think the girl is kind of boorish, and the cute girl thinks she's a bit over glossy. Mr. "TheMan" has sexual access to Ms. Glossy, but, unsurprisingly, the boorish girl has some desire for Mr. The Man, who will naturally feel contest between his desire to bang both the females and be loyal to his friend.
All of this is telegraphed within the first 5 minutes, and you kind of feel a bit of a No Exit vibe brewing, but with people who are slightly more familiar than strangers.
That notion goes nowhere and as they reach the cabin they proceed to fulfill that which has been already telegraphed in excruciatingly long, jittery-cam Mumblecore style.
I checked my email.
The curveball thrown into the mix is that the proposed script involves an anonymous slasher in the woods. As the movie trudges on, a bag-headed-slasher runs amok.
I think there's an element of "everyone in LA wants to be famous" lurking about in this movie somewhere, but it's too occulted by everything else to get through clearly.
Elise Muller does a great job being glossy the whole time through ( best touch, wearing her night-guard in the morning ) and Steve Zissis remains vulnerable and sweet throughout. I really liked Greta Gerwig in the SXSW spots she did 2 years ago, but I didn't see anything that wowed me. The other guy was pretty good too.
The movie starts interestingly enough, by mocking the indie film circuit "Q&A with the director". In what can, at best, be called a non-sequitur, they try to go to a club, only, moments later, to be at a Bennigan's like establishment where they decide to retreat to the mountains to write a script.
The overweight guy likes the cute girl, she likes him as a friend. The glossy lady think the girl is kind of boorish, and the cute girl thinks she's a bit over glossy. Mr. "TheMan" has sexual access to Ms. Glossy, but, unsurprisingly, the boorish girl has some desire for Mr. The Man, who will naturally feel contest between his desire to bang both the females and be loyal to his friend.
All of this is telegraphed within the first 5 minutes, and you kind of feel a bit of a No Exit vibe brewing, but with people who are slightly more familiar than strangers.
That notion goes nowhere and as they reach the cabin they proceed to fulfill that which has been already telegraphed in excruciatingly long, jittery-cam Mumblecore style.
I checked my email.
The curveball thrown into the mix is that the proposed script involves an anonymous slasher in the woods. As the movie trudges on, a bag-headed-slasher runs amok.
I think there's an element of "everyone in LA wants to be famous" lurking about in this movie somewhere, but it's too occulted by everything else to get through clearly.
Elise Muller does a great job being glossy the whole time through ( best touch, wearing her night-guard in the morning ) and Steve Zissis remains vulnerable and sweet throughout. I really liked Greta Gerwig in the SXSW spots she did 2 years ago, but I didn't see anything that wowed me. The other guy was pretty good too.
Wheee!
toniumhart7 April 2008
I went into this (AFI) film festival with little or no knowledge of not only the film itself, but of any actors or the production and direction team. I was pleasantly surprised.
I must have laughed through 90 percent of the film. On what appears to have been a shoe-string budget at best, this film delivers characters who are rich (in a non-financial form), full and funny; and come across as people you know. Your best friend (or nemesis)a sister, brother. I also loved that, having grown up close to the Adirondanck Mountains in NY, I could completely imagine living the weekend that they did. What a fun ride. And using very little shock and awe of nudity, vulgarity or violence. (not that I am completely anti any of those in particular) A very nice treat. What a little sleeper-hit. Can this brother director/producer team be the next Cohen Brothers?
I must have laughed through 90 percent of the film. On what appears to have been a shoe-string budget at best, this film delivers characters who are rich (in a non-financial form), full and funny; and come across as people you know. Your best friend (or nemesis)a sister, brother. I also loved that, having grown up close to the Adirondanck Mountains in NY, I could completely imagine living the weekend that they did. What a fun ride. And using very little shock and awe of nudity, vulgarity or violence. (not that I am completely anti any of those in particular) A very nice treat. What a little sleeper-hit. Can this brother director/producer team be the next Cohen Brothers?
Sucks....and hard!!!
untruereality25 June 2009
I'm a huge horror fan and I rarely post a comment about any of them. They must either be very good or very very bad. Baghead is very very very very bad. This movie is lowest form of cinema, one where there are NO redeeming values. Annoying characters discussing inane crap, uncomfortable scenes, stupid character actions, putrid acting, abysmal sub Uwe Boll directing and one of the worst scripts to ever be put to film.
Four "friends" and struggling actors go to a remote cabin to brainstorm a movie script that will feature the four of them. Nearly 50 minutes in we finally get to see good ol' Baghead and then back to nothing happening. I cannot stress enough how worthless this pile of excrement of a movie was. Aside from The Stink Of Flesh I can't recall a movie leaving a worse taste in my mouth by nothing but its awfulness.
How anyone could dare recommend this pile to another human is beyond my comprehension. If my son had made Baghead and brought it to me for my approval I would immediately disown him.
Four "friends" and struggling actors go to a remote cabin to brainstorm a movie script that will feature the four of them. Nearly 50 minutes in we finally get to see good ol' Baghead and then back to nothing happening. I cannot stress enough how worthless this pile of excrement of a movie was. Aside from The Stink Of Flesh I can't recall a movie leaving a worse taste in my mouth by nothing but its awfulness.
How anyone could dare recommend this pile to another human is beyond my comprehension. If my son had made Baghead and brought it to me for my approval I would immediately disown him.
Unpretentious and fun
krigler6 January 2009
Baghead is a true gem, a tribute to indie film-making at its best. I may be partial to no and lo budget film-making, on the other hand I have very little patience for regular art-house talkfests where nothing really happens. The filmmakers here find the perfect balance of indie talking heads type non-plot and a suspenseful genre piece, which is a rare feat.
Directing is okay, although the hand-held camera-work can be exhausting sometimes. The actors are great and the relationship drama between the four characters is interesting and at times funny enough to hold the viewers' interest. I loved the fact that there is no true horror soundtrack, so the scares and tension work without the usual "boo" staccato sound effects and unnerving suspense music. This is something extremely difficult to achieve, so kudos for that.
At 80 minutes the story does not wear out its welcome. Baghead is a definite recommend for anyone hungry for something different from the usual Hollywood fare.
Directing is okay, although the hand-held camera-work can be exhausting sometimes. The actors are great and the relationship drama between the four characters is interesting and at times funny enough to hold the viewers' interest. I loved the fact that there is no true horror soundtrack, so the scares and tension work without the usual "boo" staccato sound effects and unnerving suspense music. This is something extremely difficult to achieve, so kudos for that.
At 80 minutes the story does not wear out its welcome. Baghead is a definite recommend for anyone hungry for something different from the usual Hollywood fare.
Mad props to the Duplass Brothers for this solid effort.
subxerogravity19 August 2017
You can't really count this as a horror film, yet it has all the elements and the ability to scare you. When I herd about the sub genre of Mumblecore, Mumblegore, I was curious at what that would look like, but as I discovered I already saw this with what I think is the best entry in the genre, You're Next, but the Duplass brothers are suppose to be the kings of the genre and this movie created it.
Strangely satisfying it has the ability to scare you without needing the gore part. The horror is really down to Earth and proves that it's all about the set up that makes a horror picture do well.
Enjoined it.
Strangely satisfying it has the ability to scare you without needing the gore part. The horror is really down to Earth and proves that it's all about the set up that makes a horror picture do well.
Enjoined it.
Mumblecore to the Core
JohnDeSando23 August 2008
Baghead starts as if it has a bag over its head with a leaden set up about four not-so-young struggling actors planning a scriptwriting session in the woods. Not hard to tell what might happen in a comedy/thriller/horror indie. But amidst this sophomoric, satirical first reel is a gem of an interview with a director after a film festival screening. You'll know the drill when you see it: inane questions, uninspired answers, but everyone breathless with love of movies.
The invasion of a bagheaded villain creates the necessary horror tension nicely dispersed among the revelers rather than relegated mainly to the ladies. Although the idea of actors writing a horror script and living it out, and directors making fun of the genre is not new, the Duplass brothers create a believable environment that makes the odd occurrences believable themselves even amidst the obvious hokey horror clichés.
It's easy enough to see Blair Witch influences, especially the "found" nature of the footage; its ultra-low budget, seemingly improvised script, jerky cameras, and little-known actors put it square within the "mumblecore" frame of reference (The Duplass brothers are prominent members of the movement). Baghead has more importance as part of that early twenty-first century movement than the film would attest on its own.
Be prepared to laugh a bit, scream a little, and wonder a whole lot at the dedication of talented filmmakers who could put bags over their heads for all the difference it would make to the general audience. They are the real pioneers of new cinema.
The invasion of a bagheaded villain creates the necessary horror tension nicely dispersed among the revelers rather than relegated mainly to the ladies. Although the idea of actors writing a horror script and living it out, and directors making fun of the genre is not new, the Duplass brothers create a believable environment that makes the odd occurrences believable themselves even amidst the obvious hokey horror clichés.
It's easy enough to see Blair Witch influences, especially the "found" nature of the footage; its ultra-low budget, seemingly improvised script, jerky cameras, and little-known actors put it square within the "mumblecore" frame of reference (The Duplass brothers are prominent members of the movement). Baghead has more importance as part of that early twenty-first century movement than the film would attest on its own.
Be prepared to laugh a bit, scream a little, and wonder a whole lot at the dedication of talented filmmakers who could put bags over their heads for all the difference it would make to the general audience. They are the real pioneers of new cinema.
Duplass indie idea
SnoopyStyle4 October 2021
Friends, Matt (Ross Partridge), Michelle (Greta Gerwig), Chad (Steve Zissis), and Catherine (Elise Muller), attend an indie film showing directed by Matt's pretentious acquaintance Jett Garner. Matt suggests going to a remote house to write their own screenplay. Chad has an unrequited crush on Michelle who immediately puts him in the brother-zone. She has a vision of a creepy figure with a bag over his face. Matt sees it as a great idea for their movie.
Chad needs to be better as the lovable loser. Matt may be better with normal confidence towards Jett. It felt out of character initially and should be wrong considering the ending. Of course, Greta Gerwig is the star and the obvious final girl unless the Duplass brothers would flip the script. It ends up being a $1000 indie where four people hang out in a house. By the time they are finally confronted by the bag-men, it's a bit too late. The twist is interesting for the fact that it fits the indie filmmakers. They could have done more with the premise. It would have been fine to find cameras in the house or have a camera crew following the bagheads. It would be both a clue and something creepy. All in all, it's an interesting indie idea but the execution leaves it as an interesting idea.
Chad needs to be better as the lovable loser. Matt may be better with normal confidence towards Jett. It felt out of character initially and should be wrong considering the ending. Of course, Greta Gerwig is the star and the obvious final girl unless the Duplass brothers would flip the script. It ends up being a $1000 indie where four people hang out in a house. By the time they are finally confronted by the bag-men, it's a bit too late. The twist is interesting for the fact that it fits the indie filmmakers. They could have done more with the premise. It would have been fine to find cameras in the house or have a camera crew following the bagheads. It would be both a clue and something creepy. All in all, it's an interesting indie idea but the execution leaves it as an interesting idea.
Another solid effort from the Duplass brothers.
iflapsimh2 July 2010
Well, more fun from the mumblecore scene (wish they came up with a better term but hey ho). I must admit to laughing quite a bit at the opening scene, it was almost as if the filmmakers were mocking the genre itself with the Q&A. There's also a couple of funny gags in there that work as they're believable at the same time. The romance side of things works as well, just like it did in The Puffy Chair, and the horror is just lots of fun.
I just enjoy watching this type of movie, actors always seem a lot more at ease and it just means that I've a much better viewing experience. Some say it's not a comedy but I laughed even at the parts that weren't 'supposed' to be laughed at. That's how it goes. Another thumbs up for the Duplass brothers.
I just enjoy watching this type of movie, actors always seem a lot more at ease and it just means that I've a much better viewing experience. Some say it's not a comedy but I laughed even at the parts that weren't 'supposed' to be laughed at. That's how it goes. Another thumbs up for the Duplass brothers.
thank you
kc_bigc3 September 2009
i was worried that i would log on to my favorite internet movie data base and find that people enjoyed this, or were "pretending" to because of its artistic value. This was the most awkward and painful thing i have ever sat through. the only reason i did not turn it off was in the hopes that everyone would get brutally murdered by a guy with a bag on his head then the directors would have come from behind the camera and been stabbed as well. unfortunately that didn't happen so i was forced to gouge my eyes out and buy a braille computer. i do however feel sorry for 3/4 of the actors who i think i might of enjoyed(Ross Partride,Steve Zissis,Greta Gerwig) if they had lines, a script, plot, build-up, steady camera man, you know a fudging movie behind them? i was severely disappointed in blockbuster for having it on their shelves and will now be requesting that every store take his/her copy and burn it it doesn't matter if you're in the store out of the store just get rid of it please. its not even one of those i would suggest to watch for a good laugh...as a movie lover, do not see this movie, thank you
Indie Hubris At Its Most Ridiculous
BarkingDoc3 March 2009
This movie is one of the more dire examples of indie filmmakers thinking that ANY film which is low-budget and unscripted is automatically brilliant. I am an art school graduate with a very high tolerance for experimentation, and I can dig a very low-key movie if there is some kind of point to it. Even for the "mumblecore" aesthetic, this one tests the limits of just how irrelevant a story can be. It features thoroughly unlikable characters who have minor romantic issues (one has a low-level crush, another a vague sexual attraction) sitting around chatting listlessly in a generic mountain condo. To add insult, this apathetic dialog is captured with hyperactive, aggressive camera-work which never stops moving, favors extreme close-up for 95 percent of the shots, and leaves the very few events that happen in the film out of frame. The "scares" literally involve the characters occasionally startling one another. A barely feature-length film in which even the actors themselves grow visibly more and more bored and sleepy as the movie goes on. If you genuinely do like zero-stakes, zero-production value, shapeless and pointless indie movies, then this may be for you. But do not watch it expecting it to be a horror movie, or a comedy, or a relationship drama, or a parody. It is mostly nothing.
Go See It!
sro28-131 July 2008
A great independent film! Such a simple story with echoes of (and homage to) classics such as The Evil Dead and Blair Witch. While it's not on the intensity and horror level of those films, it's not trying to be. The story's simplicity and small set of likable, believable characters make the movie work. This is a great low budget achievement, cleverly written to keep the costs very low. If you're a fan of horror films and/or independent movies, go see it! Support these types of indie films and send a message to Hollywood to keep them coming. Sure, it's not going to reap the kinds of profits that Blair Witch did, but I hope these filmmakers get another chance - they certainly deserve it.
Kept interest. Worth a watch.
hawke-2752815 October 2021
Bag it
amosduncan_20005 August 2008
Well, it says something that they got this distributed by Sony.
After an amusing opening spoofing the low budget indie film world, the filmmakers go on to make what I guess they think is a spoof/comedy on said.
A very long hour and a half follows. I know the pudgy guy was funny and charming, because one of the other actors EXPLAINS that to us. It's that kind of movie.
The two actresses suggest they might be likable and talented if they ever end up in, you know, a MOVIE. That's about the nicest think you can say about this.
After an amusing opening spoofing the low budget indie film world, the filmmakers go on to make what I guess they think is a spoof/comedy on said.
A very long hour and a half follows. I know the pudgy guy was funny and charming, because one of the other actors EXPLAINS that to us. It's that kind of movie.
The two actresses suggest they might be likable and talented if they ever end up in, you know, a MOVIE. That's about the nicest think you can say about this.
Just not my bag baby...
pturner101025 September 2011
So this is 'mumblecore'? This is the first 'mumblecore' film I've watched and on this evidence, it's unlikely I'll watch anymore.
I was hoping for a silly horror film parody, something similar to the recent and infinitely better Rubber featuring a nasty rubber tyre that likes to blow peoples head ups with the power of its little rubber mind.
Unfortunately, though Baghead does feature a guy who stands menacingly outside four friends' cabin in the woods with a bag on his head, it also features no surprises, not much of a script and DV cinematography that just seems downright lazy.
Beginning with a preachy bit about still being able to make good films on a very low budget, it then proceeds to prove that it doesn't matter what size your budget is, you need some likable characters and some interesting plot developments that aren't obvious about 10-20 minutes before they are revealed.
I guess this might be likable if you like 'mumblecore' films like Funny Ha Ha and In Search of a Midnight Kiss but after this I won't be in too much of a hurry to seek them out.
If you fancy an unconventional, silly horror film... go watch Rubber... NOW!
I was hoping for a silly horror film parody, something similar to the recent and infinitely better Rubber featuring a nasty rubber tyre that likes to blow peoples head ups with the power of its little rubber mind.
Unfortunately, though Baghead does feature a guy who stands menacingly outside four friends' cabin in the woods with a bag on his head, it also features no surprises, not much of a script and DV cinematography that just seems downright lazy.
Beginning with a preachy bit about still being able to make good films on a very low budget, it then proceeds to prove that it doesn't matter what size your budget is, you need some likable characters and some interesting plot developments that aren't obvious about 10-20 minutes before they are revealed.
I guess this might be likable if you like 'mumblecore' films like Funny Ha Ha and In Search of a Midnight Kiss but after this I won't be in too much of a hurry to seek them out.
If you fancy an unconventional, silly horror film... go watch Rubber... NOW!
A little pretentiousness goes a long way.
Jacques987 April 2009
Hypocrites. You know what the term means. The modest Christian girl that gave you the you're-a-piece-of-ungodly-filth look whenever you slyly grab a feel of your girlfriend's breast, then you found out a few weeks later that the oh-so-modest Christian girl is pregnant (. . . for the third time). Whether it's mature or not, these sort of simple character contradictions make us angry. If someone judges us, then contradicts their own standard, it's nearly impossible for us not to slap their flaw in their face. It's human nature. In a way, that's how I feel reviewing Baghead. Part of me wants to forgive the films faults and admit that I deep-down somewhat enjoyed it, then the other part of me wants to beat its face bloody for its blatant hypocrisy.
From the opening scene alone, the Duplass brothers make it clear that this is a parody of pretentious indie films. They laugh at the idea that everything low-budget is automatically a work of art. They buddy-slap each other on the arm and chuckle at how many pretentious indie films, labeled as art, just downright suck. For this, I cheered. Finally, I thought, someone has the balls to head-on assault the fine-cinema-whores. This feeling of satisfaction lasted until about 30 minutes into the film.
And then I found out that Baghead was pregnant for the third time. And I was mad.
Most of the dialogue in Baghead is improved. I have nothing against this, and for the most part, it worked decently. It certainly added freshness to the stale paint-by-the-numbers horror dialogue we could all recite in a coma if we had to. But then again, the dialogue is far anything special. This isn't Quentin Tarantino, by a long shot. I don't even remember a single line from Baghead, much less praise it for coming up with godly improvised dialogue. In reality, anyone and their half-drunk friends could say the things these characters say. It's a little fresh, but it's nothing special. That's where the first strike of hypocrisy comes in. It's impossible to overlook that the Duplass brothers, who just parodied the pretentiousness of indie films 30-minutes before, now expect to be praised for coming up with some average dialogue that they seem to think is the height of creativity.
Likewise, the plot is . . . well, okay, there isn't any real plot, and that's the point. Again, the idea of someone running around with a bag on their head and trying to scare you is fresh, but it's far from special or original or even creative. The movie has a very loose non-plot structure, but when you look at it overall, you see Baghead just treads the same exact cliché ground horror movies have treaded for years. All the predictable clichés are here. Topless girls, romantic subplots, lost friends, phone line cuts, car dismantling . . . need I go on, or can you fill in the rest on your own? As with the dialogue, the story structure is presented in a semi-fresh way, but it's still exactly the same thing you've seen thousands of times. If a 12-year-old were to write this story in an English paper, it would get a C- for lack of creativity. So, then, why do we praise this movie made by grown men? The Duplass brothers could think of a much more original story, but they don't. They, just like Hollywood, don't feel like putting out the effort to think of something we haven't heard a thousand times. Or even a hundred times.
I read a comment on one site that said this film was infinitely funnier than the big-budget Hollywood production Tropic Thunder. First, the falsity of that comment made me laugh harder than Baghead did. Second, based on comments like those, it seems the audience that liked Baghead simply liked it because it was low-budget. Close-minded, immature, childish thinking at its most extreme level: If it's indie, it's art; if it's Hollywood, it's crap—no exceptions. I put that statement on the same level of intelligence as I put: If I eat an apple a day, I won't get cancer; if I eat a muffin a day, I'll die of AIDS—no exception. Neither statement reflects reality.
What I'm trying to get across is this. Baghead is fresher and slightly more fun than most big-budget horror productions anymore, but that doesn't mean it's good. And that certainly doesn't make it art. When a 12-year-old kid writes this, it's lack of creativity. When two pretentious indie film makers write this, it's art. Uh-huh. If that's true, I might as well take some crayons, draw a few squiggles on a piece of white paper, put on my suit and tie, and, by God, I'm an artist. Pay me. I put as much effort into that crayon drawing as the Duplass brothers put into this story. So pay me, indie art fans. Pay me. I'm an artist. I swear I'm an artist.
2/10
From the opening scene alone, the Duplass brothers make it clear that this is a parody of pretentious indie films. They laugh at the idea that everything low-budget is automatically a work of art. They buddy-slap each other on the arm and chuckle at how many pretentious indie films, labeled as art, just downright suck. For this, I cheered. Finally, I thought, someone has the balls to head-on assault the fine-cinema-whores. This feeling of satisfaction lasted until about 30 minutes into the film.
And then I found out that Baghead was pregnant for the third time. And I was mad.
Most of the dialogue in Baghead is improved. I have nothing against this, and for the most part, it worked decently. It certainly added freshness to the stale paint-by-the-numbers horror dialogue we could all recite in a coma if we had to. But then again, the dialogue is far anything special. This isn't Quentin Tarantino, by a long shot. I don't even remember a single line from Baghead, much less praise it for coming up with godly improvised dialogue. In reality, anyone and their half-drunk friends could say the things these characters say. It's a little fresh, but it's nothing special. That's where the first strike of hypocrisy comes in. It's impossible to overlook that the Duplass brothers, who just parodied the pretentiousness of indie films 30-minutes before, now expect to be praised for coming up with some average dialogue that they seem to think is the height of creativity.
Likewise, the plot is . . . well, okay, there isn't any real plot, and that's the point. Again, the idea of someone running around with a bag on their head and trying to scare you is fresh, but it's far from special or original or even creative. The movie has a very loose non-plot structure, but when you look at it overall, you see Baghead just treads the same exact cliché ground horror movies have treaded for years. All the predictable clichés are here. Topless girls, romantic subplots, lost friends, phone line cuts, car dismantling . . . need I go on, or can you fill in the rest on your own? As with the dialogue, the story structure is presented in a semi-fresh way, but it's still exactly the same thing you've seen thousands of times. If a 12-year-old were to write this story in an English paper, it would get a C- for lack of creativity. So, then, why do we praise this movie made by grown men? The Duplass brothers could think of a much more original story, but they don't. They, just like Hollywood, don't feel like putting out the effort to think of something we haven't heard a thousand times. Or even a hundred times.
I read a comment on one site that said this film was infinitely funnier than the big-budget Hollywood production Tropic Thunder. First, the falsity of that comment made me laugh harder than Baghead did. Second, based on comments like those, it seems the audience that liked Baghead simply liked it because it was low-budget. Close-minded, immature, childish thinking at its most extreme level: If it's indie, it's art; if it's Hollywood, it's crap—no exceptions. I put that statement on the same level of intelligence as I put: If I eat an apple a day, I won't get cancer; if I eat a muffin a day, I'll die of AIDS—no exception. Neither statement reflects reality.
What I'm trying to get across is this. Baghead is fresher and slightly more fun than most big-budget horror productions anymore, but that doesn't mean it's good. And that certainly doesn't make it art. When a 12-year-old kid writes this, it's lack of creativity. When two pretentious indie film makers write this, it's art. Uh-huh. If that's true, I might as well take some crayons, draw a few squiggles on a piece of white paper, put on my suit and tie, and, by God, I'm an artist. Pay me. I put as much effort into that crayon drawing as the Duplass brothers put into this story. So pay me, indie art fans. Pay me. I'm an artist. I swear I'm an artist.
2/10
Can we be serious here...
OrinHD24 February 2009
The ONLY redeeming thing about the filmmakers of this dung heap is that they managed to make the images stick to the tape. I think Sony actually had more to do with that than the filmmakers. No discernible script... Camera work that is vomit inducing in it's whip pans... focus (what's that?) and lighting that, well, wasn't. I've seen better movies made by elementary school students. Wait, this MAY have been made by elementary school students! OK... the actors get a point for their ability to improv but, thats it. One point above awful only. To call this a "style" of film-making is to give "Style" a bad name. I wonder if the director at the start of this film is channeling the actual filmmakers when he says that he made the film we see for $1000 which is twice what he wanted to spend.
Very Good Film
mattfly12 March 2008
Bag head was a very good movie. I got a chance to see this here in Austin during SXSW Friday night. It was quite an interesting night.
I received and email from a good friend and movie enthusiast telling me, to go see this movie Friday night at midnight. I asked him what movie it was he came back with, its a secret but trust me its not to be missed.
So, I trusted my friend and went to the Alamo Drafthouse and caught this flick. I must say, thank you to him. The movie was awesome.
The Characters in the movie were quite possibly the best part about the movie. The relationships they formed with each other were believable, which is what every movie should have. Each character could be related to in almost every decision they made and every emotion they felt.
They movie was ended with a Q and A where the directors and actors talked about the movie. It was very informative and they announced the movie was picked up by Sony Pictures and was slated for a June/July US release. I will def. see this one again.
I received and email from a good friend and movie enthusiast telling me, to go see this movie Friday night at midnight. I asked him what movie it was he came back with, its a secret but trust me its not to be missed.
So, I trusted my friend and went to the Alamo Drafthouse and caught this flick. I must say, thank you to him. The movie was awesome.
The Characters in the movie were quite possibly the best part about the movie. The relationships they formed with each other were believable, which is what every movie should have. Each character could be related to in almost every decision they made and every emotion they felt.
They movie was ended with a Q and A where the directors and actors talked about the movie. It was very informative and they announced the movie was picked up by Sony Pictures and was slated for a June/July US release. I will def. see this one again.
A haphazard, disorganized independent film
StevePulaski11 July 2012
I've stated before that I love to venture out of my comfort zone when it comes to film, and I believe everyone should as well. We can't simply conform to what mainstream Hollywood spoonfeeds us and forces us to see and believe, like American cinema is the best and only kind of cinema. We must challenge our tastes with films of different countries, by different directors, of different styles, and different mediums. I've been swimming in the sea of mumblecore recently, and have now reached my last stop in the Duplass brothers', Jay and Mark, filmography. That stop is Baghead and it was more like being kicked off from a good ride.
The brothers would later go on after this film to make what I call "mumblecore with actors," meaning the films are true to the roots and definition of mumblecore, but instead of utilizing amateur actors, they would recruit more well-known stars and challenge their abilities. Baghead is inept in almost every field of filmmaking and even at eighty minutes feels like an assault on patience and tolerance.
We get a story concerns two couples who, after attending a film festival hosted by a good friend, become inspired to go to a remote cabin in the wilderness, crossing their fingers that inspiration will dawn on them and they will be able to whip up something. Soon, they start seeing a man with a paper bag on his head outside, and begin penning a screenplay parallel to this. Then, the simple sights become more prolific until the man is visibly stalking them in their cabin.
The couples are Matt (Ross Partridge) and Michelle (Greta Gerwig), and Chad (Steve Zissis) and Catherine (Elise Muller). Along the way, convoluted love interests start to form between the two couples and I will spare you the details because it would become a chore on my part and you, the reader, to read about it. It becomes something like Matt likes Catherine but is too afraid to ask her out, and Chad has liked Michelle for a while, etc. These characters are so stock and faceless that it's hard to even make out who is who at times. Assuming you're even interested.
At this point in time, the mumblecore movement in cinema was still forming and, while the movement is more ideal for whimsical comedies and light-hearted dramas, nobody ever said a horror film couldn't be constructed following the rules of the genre. Unfortunately, crossbreeding the genres resulted in an unsuccessful film. No atmosphere is created, no believability or interest is structured, and the dialog for the film, which, by the brothers, is the part that is usually taken very seriously, is taken in a haphazard, disorganized manner, with only fragmented screams and vague arguments brewing. It's a complete mess.
Baghead concludes on a cheap, indie note, but before that, we have a truly unbelievable twist that isn't even examined or further developed. I conclude by saying it was a smart move on the brothers' part to try and nudge the genre into the limelight by having popular actors in the roles of amateurs. The acting here is yet another problem in this parody (?), satire (?), homage (?) of errors.
Starring: Ross Partridge, Steve Zissis, Greta Gerwig, and Elise Muller. Directed by: Jay and Mark Duplass.
The brothers would later go on after this film to make what I call "mumblecore with actors," meaning the films are true to the roots and definition of mumblecore, but instead of utilizing amateur actors, they would recruit more well-known stars and challenge their abilities. Baghead is inept in almost every field of filmmaking and even at eighty minutes feels like an assault on patience and tolerance.
We get a story concerns two couples who, after attending a film festival hosted by a good friend, become inspired to go to a remote cabin in the wilderness, crossing their fingers that inspiration will dawn on them and they will be able to whip up something. Soon, they start seeing a man with a paper bag on his head outside, and begin penning a screenplay parallel to this. Then, the simple sights become more prolific until the man is visibly stalking them in their cabin.
The couples are Matt (Ross Partridge) and Michelle (Greta Gerwig), and Chad (Steve Zissis) and Catherine (Elise Muller). Along the way, convoluted love interests start to form between the two couples and I will spare you the details because it would become a chore on my part and you, the reader, to read about it. It becomes something like Matt likes Catherine but is too afraid to ask her out, and Chad has liked Michelle for a while, etc. These characters are so stock and faceless that it's hard to even make out who is who at times. Assuming you're even interested.
At this point in time, the mumblecore movement in cinema was still forming and, while the movement is more ideal for whimsical comedies and light-hearted dramas, nobody ever said a horror film couldn't be constructed following the rules of the genre. Unfortunately, crossbreeding the genres resulted in an unsuccessful film. No atmosphere is created, no believability or interest is structured, and the dialog for the film, which, by the brothers, is the part that is usually taken very seriously, is taken in a haphazard, disorganized manner, with only fragmented screams and vague arguments brewing. It's a complete mess.
Baghead concludes on a cheap, indie note, but before that, we have a truly unbelievable twist that isn't even examined or further developed. I conclude by saying it was a smart move on the brothers' part to try and nudge the genre into the limelight by having popular actors in the roles of amateurs. The acting here is yet another problem in this parody (?), satire (?), homage (?) of errors.
Starring: Ross Partridge, Steve Zissis, Greta Gerwig, and Elise Muller. Directed by: Jay and Mark Duplass.
not my thing
trashgang12 January 2018
So much written about this flick. And I saw it a few times on list of most shocking flicks ever so time, after ten years of existence, to pick it up. Immediately you will notice that this is a low budget flick. No special effects, not a score to mention, you now, a real independant flick.
But I was left with a bitter feeling. In fact, it's all blah blah and not that much of horror. At one moment you think things are going wrong but it isn't. It's moer about the rejected actors, 4 of them, having feelings for each other and going to a cabin to talk to make their own movie. And so a script is written and you can see it coming, The script comes alive. What happens next is for you to see but for me it was a bit low on everything. Can't complain about the plots but to say, shocking or a horror, not one bit of it.
Gore 0/5 Nudity 0,5/5 Effects 0/5 Story 2/5 Comedy 0/5
But I was left with a bitter feeling. In fact, it's all blah blah and not that much of horror. At one moment you think things are going wrong but it isn't. It's moer about the rejected actors, 4 of them, having feelings for each other and going to a cabin to talk to make their own movie. And so a script is written and you can see it coming, The script comes alive. What happens next is for you to see but for me it was a bit low on everything. Can't complain about the plots but to say, shocking or a horror, not one bit of it.
Gore 0/5 Nudity 0,5/5 Effects 0/5 Story 2/5 Comedy 0/5
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