The Worst Film Ever

Plot so thin, it passes unnoticed.

Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

***Some spoiler alerts***Think that guy next to your desk might be an alien? Think the girl in the copy room talking to the Xerox machine might be from another planet? You might be right!DRONES has the vibe of OFFICE SPACE (1999), combined with a little Twilight Zone thrown in for good measure. The birthday cake scene in both DRONES and OFFICE SPACE is painful to watch, for those of you who have experienced that. For good measure, DRONES throws in a company-composed birthday song. Yikes!There is also a parallel running joke - OFFICE SPACE had its TPS reports, while DRONES has the company database that is being changed from chronological to alphabetical. (Minor point: when you search a network server or database, you can sort it anyway you like, so this issue was really pointless.)Actors/directors Benson and Busch have put together a nice little indie comedy, but they could use a bit more seasoning and experience. At 98 minutes, DRONES feels long. It might have worked better as a 60-minute TV piece.All of the scenes takes place in the same drab, all-too-familiar office. There is NO visual variation - this might have been a creative choice, but it could also be done as a simple stage play, requiring very little in set design.The cast is populated mostly by unknowns, with a few recognizable character actors (Samm Levine, Angela Bettis, and James Urbaniak). Jonathon Woodward brings a sort of Nathan Fillion-vibe to the Brian character, and Angela Bettis as Amy is believable as not being from this planet. The lack of "celebrities" works in this film's favor.Some technical issues may have been a result of the directors' relative inexperience, or perhaps they were creative choices. Some scenes linger a little too long in the shot, creating awkward moments. Sometimes characters are not in-frame, but the camera eventually pans/tilts to capture the actors. If these were creative choices, they came off more as annoyances.If you are expecting sci-fi CGI from the aliens, you will be sorely disappointed. Except for a very brief special effects scene (only a few seconds of green light FX), there are no CGI scenes. The aliens are completely human-looking, and you will see no spaceships, explosions, tech gear, or ray guns.That is likely a budget decision, but it also hearkens back to such TV fare as MY FAVORITE MARTIAN to MORE & MINDY to THIRD ROCK FROM THE SUN, and others. Effects were few and far between, aside from a few unusual costumes or a crudely built "spaceship".DRONES is worth a viewing, but lacks long-lasting memorable scenes that made OFFICE SPACE a "classic" (the latter wasn't particularly big at the box-office either, but it did find an audience in numerous cable viewings). Perhaps DRONES will have an second life on cable as well.

I tuned into this reluctantly, expecting Cone-Head type nonsense, but was pleasantly surprised to find a dialog driven comedy both smart and funny.If only my selection of movie channels would schedule more like this. I almost missed it, I've become so cynical about the constant barrage of action, crime, bad horror, and cheap sex farces, that dominate the selection.If you like being treated as if you have a grain of brainpower, then watch this little gem.Maybe the aliens will evolve us.

Drones is a small film well worth watching if you enjoy quirky, well-written, well-acted comedies. Going in, I didn't understand that the sci-fi angle would be so central, but it was nice to see a low budget production that features (more or less convincingly) "aliens" without the need for tons of makeup. And Drones almost as funny as 'What Planet Are You From?' (which also needed little in the way of FX). Angela Bettis, not the typical cute/perky "young thing" one might expect in a role like this, is quite arresting, with a lovely smile and expressive face. I found all the performances to be solid, with a cast of actors who are unfamiliar to me. Good comic performances all around. I also enjoyed the songs playing over the closing credits, including one that listed many aspects of earth life that might befuddle extraterrestrials. The quirky birthday song was also a hoot.

I had the pleasure of seeing this at the Florida Film Festival this past weekend. Clever and witty, with a fantastic cast. There are touches of Office Space, but it's unfair to compare it too closely. This is an office all it's own, and the humor is in a whole other universe.Jonathon M Woodward, who plays Brian, is Bill Murray reincarnated. His voice, his mannerisms, his comic timing, all of them are positively brilliant. Sam Levine, as Brian's sidekick, has brilliant timing, and completely steals the scenes he is in.The scenes between Angela Bettis and Jonathon M Woodward are some of the greatest emotional scenes, whether they be funny or sweet. Angela has a very real stage presence, and a perfectly wicked grin. Just entirely too much fun to watch on screen.Great humor, great cast, great soundtrack. You'll love it. Get thee to a film festival and watch it!