Everyone on Earth will face the loss of a loved one and the process of grief at some time or another. Those who already have dealt with grief know how grueling a process it can be. Now, imagine midway through the grieving process, the person you’ve lost suddenly returns - as an alien.
That’s essentially the premise of I’m Totally Fine, an indie sci-fi comedy with a melancholic undertone. Led by actresses Jillian Bell and Natalie Morales, the film tackles the dreary topic of losing someone, in this case, a best friend.
Vanessa (Jillian Bell) is in the midst of grieving her deceased best friend Jennifer (Natalie Morales) when she finds Jen, or an alien carbon copy of Jen, chugging olive oil in her backyard.
The film is the directorial debut of Brandon Dermer, who predominantly focused on directing music videos up to this point. He joined KRLD’s What to Watch to discuss the story of his first feature film, citing the turmoil of 2020 as a major inspiration.
“It was 2020… And like everyone, the rug was pulled out from under us. For me, my anxiety is such and the pandemic obviously was like the uncertainty cranked up to 11. Like, every day, we were learning something new, it was really stressful. And I started to realize that the moment I stopped trying to control this thing that was out of my control out of everyone's control, I could be a little bit more happy and present,” he said.
“I wanted to sort of synthesize that feeling into a story in a way that in an alien, something that is the most foreign out of this world concept, which because that's what it felt like we were living through.”
Much like everything in 2020, the shooting of the film was unconventional, according to Dermer, who says the film was shot in just ten days.
Dermer worked with several familiar faces in the comedy world to create this film like Alicia Ketry (American Dad), Kyle Newacheck, and Blake Anderson (Workaholics). The real highlights of the film are Jillian and Natalie, who were originally meant to play each other’s characters.
“We originally wrote the alien for Jillian because she's so funny, and she read the script, and she actually really resonated with Vanessa. She lost her father 10 years ago, and she knew exactly beat by beat what we were viewing following the stages of grief,” Dermer said.
Dermer ultimately hopes I'm Totally Fine makes people laugh but also serves as a gentle reminder that the time we have on this planet is finite.
“We really hope that this movie inspires people to like, reach out to someone, maybe you haven't. Because life is short and precious. And like every morning, it's really hard to remember that in the midst of this crazy world that we live in. “
I’m Totally Fine is now available to stream on Amazon Prime and Apple TV+.
If comedic tearjerkers are your thing, then get your tissues ready, 'cause there's more where that came from. Here's What to Watch this weekend.
dead to me season 3
This dark comedy follows a widow who has just lost her husband in a hit-and-run accident. As she is in mourning she reluctantly visits a support group and befriends a woman who is completely opposite from her. Unbeknownst to them, they shared a connection in the worse way possible.
This show covers death, grief, and how life moves on after a loved one passes. With an all-star cast including Christina Applegate, Linda Cardellini, and James Marsden, “Dead to Me” is a binge-worthy drama that will sure to produce many laughs.
The third and final season of Dead to Me is available on Netflix.
She said
Inspired by the New York Times best-selling book of the same name and the controversy that changed a generation, “She Said” details the New York Time journalists Megan Twohey and Jodi Kantor who were brave enough to unravel one of Hollywood’s biggest webs.
The #MeToo movement took the entertainment industry by storm revealing many secrets and holding Harvey Weinstein accountable for the decades of sexual abuse that he was able to get away with it. Weinstein getting sentenced for his crimes set the precedent for more women to speak out against their abusers and paved the way for things to never be the same again.
She Said premieres only in theaters on November 18th.
The Menu
A young couple played by Anya Taylor-Joy and Nicholas Hoult travel to a remote destination to experience fine dining from an acclaimed chef who is played by Ralph Fiennes. They are in for a shock when this poetic cook decides to take his food artistry to the next level.
With food, murder, and laughs this thriller comedy will satiate your hunger for a good movie.
The Menu premieres in theaters on November 18th.
A christmas story christmas
Christmas is just around the corner and one of the most popular Christmas films of all time finally has a sequel. A Christmas Story Christmas is the follow-up to the 1983 classic A Christmas Story.
The story is set 30 years after the original movie and follows grown-up Ralphie Parker as he handles Christmas, only this time as a dad. Peter Billingsley returns for the role of Ralph Parker 40 years after the previous film.
Ralph returns this Indiana along with his family and soon realizes that Christmas is nothing like it was when he was a kid. Fans of the film will also be happy to see that many of the same characters also returned to the film.
A Christmas Story Christmas is available to stream on HBO Max.
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