Slamdance 2024 Film Festival – I suspect that most film lovers will get a real kick out of writer/director Rafael Toledo‘s short Blockbuster. The Brazilian film is a whacky love letter to popcorn cinema, those big movies that often come out during the summertime and go perfect with a fistful of snacks and a big soda. This is an endearing 10 minutes that’s not without its comedic notes.

The short stars Luiz Gomide Walther as Abel, a wannabe director who is obsessed, and I mean really obsessed, with explosions throughout film history. He has one goal in mind: film an explosion to rival some of his favorite big screen ka-booms. He starts small, filming a tomato can over fire, before it erupts and splatters the walls red. After that, he suddenly decides to detonate a building across the street and film it.

Much of the short is just Walther talking in front of the camera, with his own camera nearby. He’s absolutely fine in the role, giving the character added dashes of humor, making for some offbeat and quirky moments. I especially like when he encounters a woman in the elevator, notes the candy in her shopping bag, and assumes she’s going to watch a movie, until she tells him that her TV was stolen. The short has several of these little moments that elevate it beyond just a guy perched in front of a camera, talking about his love for destruction in film. Toledo also included cuts of heist movies and genre classics like Godzilla and The Thing from Another World, which John Carpenter later famously remade. These clips only add to the love letter feel that this short has.

It’s clear that Toledo adores movies, especially genre films. Blockbuster is an inventive ode to the creative process and film in general. This one has a lot of heart, passion, and humor.

8 Out of 10