Phil attends the BEST F(R)IENDS: VOLUME 1 & THE ROOM W/GREG SESTERO EVENT at the 3Below Theaters & Lounge - March 20, 2019

No sooner am I all done with my coverage and film reviews from the 29th Annual Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival, I'm back in Downtown San Jose to cover yet another major cinema event! Tonight I had the pleasure of attending the special screenings of BEST F(R)IENDS: VOLUME 1 & THE ROOM W/GREG SESTERO EVENT over at the 3Below Theaters & Lounge! Needless to say, I was pretty damn excited for this one! Now, some of you out there may be familiar with Sestero's name, having written the book chronicling the making of THE ROOM and his friendship with the man responsible for it: Tommy Wiseau! His book "The Disaster Artist" was made into a Hollywood film in 2017 that starred James Franco (who also directed the film) as Wiseau and his younger brother Dave Franco as Sestero (read my review of that film here). So let's not waste anymore time and get this review started!

Original Theatrical Poster (2017)

The first film screened was the latest project featuring this dynamic duo: BEST F(R)IENDS: VOLUME 1. The film's official synopsis: When a drifter (Sestero) is taken in by a peculiar mortician (Wiseau), the two hatch an underground enterprise off the back of the mortician's old habits. But greed, hatred, and jealousy soon come in turn, and their efforts unravel, causing the drifter to run off with the spoils and leaving the mortician adrift.

I found a lot of things that I really liked in the movie, First, Sestero's script deals with universal themes that we all have experienced in our lives: friendship, love, loyalty, greed, betrayal, and death. It almost has a Shakespearean tragedy to it, but feels very contemporary. Now I thought this while I was watching the movie, wondering if this was intentional or just a happy coincidence. However, during the intermission, Sestero admitted to being very high when he wrote the script, so my question was answered. Once again, he and Wiseau play off each other so damn well and have great on-screen chemistry, and with good reason. Being friends in real life for more than a decade, they have pretty much seen it all and lived to tell about it, and they bring all that experience to their respective roles. Of course, Wiseau steals every scene he's in, but Sestero holds his own, and dare I saw, looks damn handsome! Seriously, he look s like a sexy Jesus with porn star good looks! And dreamy eyes that will warm your cold dead heart. Yeah, I went there! And speaking of dreamy eyes, where the hell did actress Kristen StephensonPino come from? Wow! Not only is she absolutely stunning, but she's a damn fine actress, who plays Sestero's love interest and is the catalyst for what happens in the third act! Even though she's only acted in a handful of movies, I'll be watching this woman's acting career with great interest! And yes, she's in Volume 2, so I gotta see what she does next!

Director Justin MacGregor has some really cool shots and compositions that help bring Sestero's script to life, keeping the movie moving at a decent pace. Plus he got some awesome drone shots! Like, a shitload of drone shots! What I also liked about his directing was that it a hybrid of both arthouse style and traditional filmmaking. I dug his style immensely and I can't wait to what he does with Volume 2.

Overall, BEST F(R)IENDS: VOLUME 1 is great cult classic/midnight movie/indie film that cult enthusiasts and brave moviegoers will love and appreciate! Fans of the Wiseau and Sestero team-up will have a blast seeing these two back up on the big screen! 4 out of 5 stars! Recommended viewing!

After the film, Sestero came up on stage and participated in a hilariously funny and engaging and informative Q&A with the audience. Afterwards, we all got up stage to meet him, take pictures with him, and get some cool swag from him! Yours truly bought the Blu-ray with both movies on it, and Sestero autographed it for me as well! Again, this is one cool, laid back guy that you need to meet!

Original Theatrical Poster (2003)

The second film in tonight's double feature was the 2003 cult classic that started it all: THE ROOM. The film's official synopsis: The film is an electrifying black comedy about love, passion, betrayal and lies, starring "The Disaster Artist" himself, writer/director Tommy Wiseau. He plays a successful banker with a great respect for—and dedication to—the people in his life, especially his best friend Mark (Greg Sestero) and future wife Lisa (Juliette Danielle). As the film depicts friendships and relationships in the lives of its five major characters, it raises life's real and most-asked question: "Can you really trust anyone?"

The is one of the most infamous films ever made!! It's widely known as one of the worst movies ever made!! And I fucking love it!! With high levels of campiness, inept dialogue, and see-through plot, insane bantering, chicken clucking, and one of the most outrageous endings ever captured on celluloid!! This is a perfect example of what a true midnight movie should be!!

It's been a long time since I've watched this movie, and despite all its faults (which there is a plethora of!), there's a lot of heart and passion found within its insanely bizarre frames. Wiseau put his heart and soul (and allegedly $6 million of his own money) into this project, with the intention that it would launch his career and make him world famous! It did, for very different reasons! If you have seen THE DISASTER ARTIST, then you know the whole story. But I give him credit, he was able to take a negative and turned it into a very popular and profitable positive! Ever since its initial release, the movie has played all over the country to packed houses at midnight screenings! If you have never seen the movie, then you need to get out of the house more often! 5 out of 5 stars!! Highly recommended!!

And there you have it folks!! What a wild and crazy night it was here in Downtown San Jose! But the the fun has just begun! Both movies are on tour, so make sure you check your local listings to see if either film is playing at a theater near you! To learn more about BEST F(R)IENDS: VOLUME 1 and the upcoming tour screenings with Greg Sestero, visit the official Facebook page at www.facebook.com/bestfriendsmovie. To learn more about THE ROOM and the upcoming tour screenings with filmmaker Tommy Wiseau, visit the film's official website at theroommovie.com. To learn more about the 3 Below Theaters & Lounge, their schedule of films and shows, and ticket pricings, visit their website at 3belowtheaters.com.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!