The winner of the 2009 biannual Christopher Wetzel Award for Independent Film Comedy, Visioneers is a 
film which does proud both the comedy genre and the notion that independent filmmaking stands for the courage to tell a truly different story in an extraordinary way. The film is the collective brainchild and first feature film of brothers Brandon Drake (writer) and Jared Drake (director), who were at the Gene Siskel Film Center this evening to accept the award from contest jurist Dana Olsen and answer questions after the screening. The near-future story centers on George (Zach Galifianakis, who is getting a lot of attention from the recently released The Hangover) a “level three tunt” at the Jeffers Corporation, a giant soulless corporate empire at which the customary greeting is a flatly delivered “Jeffers Morning,” followed by a middle finger salute (an abstraction of which forms the corporate logo).
An epidemic has begun to spread throughout society in which people spontaneously explode, the exact mechanism of which is unexplained, but the culprit is believed to be stress. There are tonal similarities with Brazil, which the brothers claim to have never seen, and therefore also 1984. However, the depressed, dystopian world that they have created, complete with its own terminology, quirky pronunciations, and popular culture, is no more modeled on that of another work of art as it is modeled on that which it so mercilessly skewers: our present day society. I have gone on before about the rare gift that is smart comedy, and while the the Drake brothers may have been the ones getting the award, the rest of us are the ones with the gift.
Here are this morning’s Oscar-nominated films, alphabetically. The nominees for foreign language film and documentary feature are compiled at the end of the list. (Short format nominees are listed in a 
4 responses so far ↓
1 omar // Aug 7, 2009 at 2:25 pm
omg! i am so happy you reviewed this movie! i just saw it a couple days ago and I loved it.
2 omar // Aug 7, 2009 at 2:51 pm
I would also add that in addition to the depressed dystopian worldview, the directors have an equally hilarious, but tonally opposite take, on leisure culture.
The benign artifice and hilarity of his social life is an ingenious take on the cults of happiness and uneventfulness. There are no artists, no dancing, nothing to add spice to life except butter. Kind of like Brave New World without sex.
Contrary to the posters and trailers and dreary color palette, this film is not a downer. Color and freedom of movement are portrayed through George’s brother, who is an avatar of rebellion and leader of a psychedelic cult of self-expression.
By managing to avoid a robot culture or technological narrative, the filmmakers use familiar modes of mass media to create some of the funniest tv-within-a-movie segments ever.
On a side note, what caused explosions is debatable and seems to be caused more by a bullshit-meter overload.
Finally, what really set this movie apart for me is what it did for me emotionally. Anyone and everyone feels at some level like George. You don’t have to be an activist or an artist to relate to him. All you have to do is dream. And I won’t spoil any more.
3 David // Aug 8, 2009 at 12:00 am
OMG! Thank you, Omar, for your great thoughts. Seriously, I wish more people left comments, especially ones as insightful as yours. It appears that Visioneers is building a bit of a following.
It is easy to relate to George, alright. And to his brother, who accidentally became a cult leader, only to be devastated by the realization that none of his followers have a passion for pole vaulting. Hilarious. And sad.
4 omar // Aug 8, 2009 at 12:17 am
dund! my pleasure to comment on your blog. i know how you feel about lack of comments. but you have many admirers. thanks for promoting the films and adding to our appreciation of them!
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