2023 FILM MAUDIT 2.0 FILM FESTIVAL REVIEW!
Giuseppe Mozzarella Prosciutto (Matthew Buxbaum) is a loser, a failure, a terrible World War I pilot–but he’s the county’s last hope. A monster known as The Terrasite has made its way to earth, and it’s wreaking havoc on anyone and everyone that it comes in contact with. Now, Giuseppe must summon the courage to face the monster and save all of humanity.
I laughed out loud almost from the opening seconds of The Terrasite, and the comedy never relents until the film’s final frame. Giuseppe is silly, and he’s berated throughout the entirety of the film as a result of his ineptitudes. This is such a simple way to deliver comedy–but it works brilliantly. As the film progresses and Giuseppe’s role becomes more and more clear, the comedy strengthens, reeling in viewers, and never letting them go.
I’m incredibly impressed by the animation–using two different types at the same time. Cohesion here is important, because It feels that it would be easy for those two styles to conflict with one another, to cause confusion, or just altogether not work. The Terrasite relies heavily on Buxbaum’s ability to create a cohesive product–and he delivers. While claymation isn’t the primary animation present in the film, it is the most impressive. Stop motion allows this form of animation to come to life–and the Terrasite, the actual monster, effectively blends with the rest of the film. The juxtaposing forms of animation actually helps to create something more entertaining and visually appealing, and The Terrasite ultimately becomes a lot more fun as a result.
In such a simple film I think it’s easy for viewers to see the characters on screen as cartoons rather than actual people. It’s possible that this creates a disconnect, that this film sort of appears to viewers as something of a joke and not a genuine story full of passion and emotion. That’s not the case with The Terrasite, as Writer-Director Buxbaum is able to capture emotion through his visuals, and just as brilliantly, through his dialogue. Even though the situations being depicted on screen throughout the course of The Terrasite are intense, it’s not intensity that makes its way to the forefront of the film–but rather comedy. What could have been intense is quickly flipped on its head, and the comedy that comes to life via both the dialogue and the animation is truly funny. Again, I laughed out loud throughout the film, and that’s really a testament to what Buxbaum is able to create in a number of ways.
The Terrasite is a unique journey through animation and comedy–and the two pair as well together as any film that I’ve seen before. Emotion is present throughout the duration of the film, and it captivates viewers. By way of the animation and the comedy The Terrasite comes to life, invites viewers in, and keeps them engaged from beginning to end.
Written & Directed by Matthew Buxbaum.
Starring Matthew Buxbaum.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10
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