Review: Mockbuster

Back in the early 90’s, a group of friends and myself used to meet up every weekend and make short films…usually involving lots of blood and killing! They were zero budget films, but we had FUN making them, and of course we all dreamed of either being big time actors and/or directors.

It was with these weekend memories still in my mind, that I sat down to watch Mockbuster; a documentary about Australian filmmaker Anthony Frith who, having fallen into the mundane world of directing corporate videos, decides it’s time to pursue his true ambition… making movies.

He contacts The Asylum: the notorious production house who introduced the world to the likes of Sharknado, King of the Ants, Abraham Lincoln vs. Zombies, etc, and asks if he can direct one of their movies…and they say yes!

What you would think would be an enlightening and dream come true experience, quickly turns into barely controlled chaos as he’s tasked with directing a lost-world dinosaur film in suburban Adelaide, on a six-day shoot and shoestring budget…and it just keeps getting more stressful from there!

When the end credits rolled I immediately logged into my Letterboxd account and gave it 5 starts. I loved it.

Mockbuster is a documentary about pursuing your dreams, discovering that those dreams may well come with plenty of caveats, and then finding the mental and physical strength to keep on going despite what may seem like unsurmountable odds.

It’s funny, it’s poignant, it’s inspiring, and it’s also a little bit stressful just to watch as everything unfolds before Anthony and he has to take it all in his stride and get the movie completed.

Highly recommended.

My interview with Anthony is now available to download (Episode 641) and is also available to watch on our YouTube channel.

On digital now from Miracle Media.

Review by Dave from a streaming link supplied by Aim Publicity.