The first of many things Familiar does right is all the college paper headlines in the beginning, each headline marking another milestone in a drunken podcast that was a victim of its own success. This sets up an intriguing backstory that generates a lot of mystery to grab your attention. The podcast setting also excuses the actors from looking like they should be in toothpaste commercials, which is refreshing. The unscripted format of post-casting matches the raw look of the found footage perfectly. Rogers uses a mixture of security cams and a handheld camera, so the perspective source is built into the story. The editing of the camera angles is excellent, as Familiar cuts through the static with dynamic shot choices. It has not only the podcast look, but the podcast magnetism as well, drifting into fascinating territory several times.
Ellis holds up a jar of stolen vampire blood in Familiar.
“And you know what? It all works, resulting in a good movie out of thin air.”
While Rogers firmly plants his feet in the horror genre, Familiar shows a lot of storytelling range for a dimestore Dracula flick. The vampirism concept is built upon throughout the picture, expanding the scope as you go. It’s all the bloodsucking rules that have to be followed that make vampires so much fun in the first place, and Familiar finds a way to roll out some new ones. There is a lot of humor, some of which is really funny, though not enough to overturn the horror apple cart into slash stick comedy. What really impressed me was the dramatics, as this ends up being a rich reflection on the deterioration of the characters’ interpersonal relationships due to others liking what they did. It’s like a modern version of that song “Glory Days”, except with podcasting and vampires.
Another thing that makes Familiar work is the excellent performances. Velazquez steals the show as the Cuban vampire, carrying a lot of the movie on her outstretched bat wings. She has wonderful comic timing, but also knows how to drip with menace. Mendoza also has killer timing, though on an entirely different energy level. He comes off as a Buster Keaton that can blow shit up. Roger is the perfect straight man, with great reactions that usually work that gorgeous cat Ruby into the mix. Hoffmeister destroys all monsters with his troublemaker Ellis. What starts off as a caricature of the drug addict friend blooms into a portrait of a complicated fuck up, one that lives and breathes, all while fucking up. Familiar delivers a lot of entertainment with only having two thin dimes to rub together. A testament to the cinematic power of plastic fangs.
"…shows a lot of storytelling range for a dimestore Dracula flick."
