UpwardPP

I watched “Backrooms” for the second time in the theater. The second time around, my brain was able to keep up with what I was seeing, so I could take my time and really appreciate the film. While it doesn’t have the political overtones of the 1990s, the era after the end of the Cold War is reflected in the film in ways beyond just its hardware and media: the standardized, uniform office spaces, the dead-mall-like commercial facilities, and so on. I also bought the elaborate movie pamphlet. They gave me an A24 plastic bag, too. They also handed out an explanatory booklet at the entrance. Happinet is really doing a great job. The 16-minute “special film” after the end credits was also shown. (That one might be better left to the internet.) Since the film is rated “G” for all ages, there were noticeably quite a few parents with small children. After the screening, I heard a little girl say to her father, “It was scary. I might not be able to sleep tonight.” In another family, a little boy bombarded his father with questions: “The Backrooms are so huge. How did they make them? It has to be CG, right?” When his father didn’t answer, I almost leaned over and said, “It’s all sets,” but stopped myself. When he grows up, he’ll eventually find the truth for himself. It’s important to be inspired, to have “questions” and to sense that something is “strange” or doesn’t quite fit. This is the kind of film that makes you do that.