Writer/director Julian Glander, best known for his 3D animated video game, ART SQUOOL, and Adult Swim contributions, gets personal with his feature debut, Boys Go to Jupiter. This animated slice-of-life musical conjures Scott Pilgrim vs the World, Barbie, Playmobile toys, and The Florida Project. But Glander and his producing partner, Peisin Yang Lazo mash up their evident influences in a way that feels wholly unique. It’s hardly the first film to depict that nebulous, confusing, and sometimes scary period betwixt teenhood and adulthood. But it feels fresh in so many ways. This one has sleeper classic written all over it. I wouldn’t be surprised if future filmmakers one day cite this film as an influence.
The story follows Billy 5000 (Jack Corbett, host of NPR’s Planet Money TikTok series),, a suburban teenager and recent high school drop-out, who is languishing in the dead zone between Christmas and New Years Eve. He decides that the best way to get his life on track is to earn $5000 delivering food via the Grubster app. He commutes on a Swagtron hoverboard, taking him across the paths of many oddball characters, who are voiced by a staggering roster of talent. Among them: an ineffectual security guard (Julio Torres, Problemista), the downtrodden owner of a mini golf course (Joe Pera), a fanatical Christian woman (Sarah Sherman, SNL), a spirited octogenarian (Cole Escola, TVs Search Party, Broadway’s Oh, Mary!), and the diabolical CEO of an orange juice company (90s comedy legend, Janeane Garofalo), who also happens to be the mother of Billy’s crush, Rozebud (indie musician Miya Folik). Influencing his misadventures at every turn is a donut-shaped alien he accidentally picks up during a delivery, and a worm-like creature (Tavi Gevinson) who may hold Billy’s fate in their… whatever it is that supernatural worms use instead of hands.
Meanwhile, Billy checks in with his friends, including the supportive and aptly-named Beatbox (Elise Fisher, Eighth Grade), a wild card called Freckles (Grace Kuhlenschmidt, TV’s The Daily Show), and the friend group scapegoat, Weenie (Chris Fleming). The crew are usually getting into some manner of suburban mischief. i.e. “We’re going down to the train tracks. Do a little train track stuff.” His family, including older sister, Gail 5000 (Eva Victor, Sorry, Baby) provides motivation in the form of tough love…
Effed by the Wind 