Razzennest was actually my introduction to Johannes Grenzfurthner. The film starts off slow but finds its footing quickly. It's so clever that you will become angry at yourself for not thinking of the idea first. There’s a solid payoff and it’s just as amusing as it is terrifying. I’m one of those weirdos that listen to the audio commentary of nearly every film, so in case it wasn’t clear, I loved it.
As soon as the credits rolled, my wife and I started digging into the mind behind the film. What else has he done and where can we watch it? Lucky for us, Drafthouse Films had e-mailed me and suggested we take a look at one of their recent acquisitions, Masking Threshold.
Beautiful in every way, Masking Threshold is a lot like listening to the cool philosophy professor do stand up exclusively to the iPhone generation. Johannes is back with thoughtful commentary on most things while appealing cinematography dances back at you. Another intelligent film, the 100% on Rotten Tomatoes seems almost obligatory.
Both films are absolute treasures, and to say that I’m a fan is an understatement. The process of sitting and taking these in was an absolute pleasure and I couldn’t be more thrilled to watch Johannes’ star climb.
Razzennest had its world premiere at Fantastic Fest and will continue making the rounds at festivals. Masking Threshold began appearing in select theaters on September 30th, and it will be available on digital on October 7th. Check them both out, you WILL NOT be disappointed!
Jessie Hobson