Baghead (2008)

Baghead is a drama, comedy, romance, and horror movie in one package, filmed in the style of the indie “mumblecore” movement. Mumblecore is code for “shoot it like Cassavetes,” shakily, loosely scripted, and with an emphasis on human frailty. Made by the Duplass Brothers, who previously helmed The Puffy Chair, Baghead is surprisingly successful in its many goals. It’s pretty thin as a horror movie, but the true horror is the sexual and career ambition of the four aspiring actor-writers who take a secluded cabin to write themselves the next big thing and find themselves stalked by someone wearing a bag as a mask. The actors’ various jealousies and naked desire for advancement flavor a pretty spot-on satire of today’s indie scene and the kinds of movies it produces. I don’t want to overstate this one, but I was surprised to discover it is clever and humbly effective.