Go see Sketch

.

Normally, I don't share my thoughts on movies until the end of the month, but Sketch is in theaters now and I don't want you to miss this chance to take everyone you know—every age you know—to the movies. Lady Steed and I took the 18yrold, the 16yrold, and the 8yrold, and we all dug it. I laughed the most and I also jumped the most, but we all dug it.

If you missed the trailer, no need to watch it now. Just go see the movie. But if you want the gist, here it is:

A kid finds a pond in the woods behind the house that can magically repair / bring to life things: a cellphone, a hand, a plate. Just as the movie is heading into Pet Sematary territory (he's carrying his mother's ashes to the pond), he interrupted by his sister and—oh no—her sketchbook of horrors falls in. Before you know it, their community is overrun with her imaginary bestiary.

I don't want to undersell what happens next. This is, in fact, a straight-up horror movie. But the monsters are so cute and charming and . . . drawn that my laughter and delight tended to max the same time my terror did. It's an astonishing accomplishment and writer/director/editor Seth Worley should be able to direct anything he wants after this.

Oh.

It's not "just" a horror movie. It's a moving family dramedy. It's a killer action film with iconic moments that should get reimagined in America's playgrounds for years to come.

In other words, this is the movie to take your kids to. THIS ONE. The kid actors do great work. Real action and drama and comedy happen when there are zero adults in the scene.

(Not to knock the adults. Tony Hale in particular kills.)

I'm seriously considering returning a time or two with the 8yrold bringing with us a different set of her friends each time. She's in a sensitive-to-scary-stuff stage right now but she was completely invested and laughing at the jokes and jumping much less than I did. (But then: I'm a jumper.) 

Anyway, I have two or three tiny quibbles with the movie but they're not significant. This is the movie of the summer. This one. Show it to the kids. Take your friends. Catch a midnight showing. All are appropriate ways to enjoy Sketch.

Just enjoy it.

(ps: i feel constrained to mention this is my first time watching an angel studios film, in case you're suspicious of my enthusiasm; which is fair—but this movie deserves it)