‘ME, MYSELF, & THE VOID’ (2024) Comedy, mental health, and a mystery.

ME, MYSELF, & THE VOID

me Myself & the Void poster

Tim Hautekiet‘s Me, Myself, & the Void follows comedian Jack after one bad night on stage morphs into an out-of-body experience when he wakes up in a rudimentary version of his apartment, looking over his body on the bathroom floor, with no idea what’s going on. Alongside the manifested versions of his best friend and ex-girlfriend, Jack must navigate through his issues and fading memories to figure out how he got there before it’s too late.

me Myself & the Void still 2The film boasts visually engaging elements, including a stage production style set, black-and-white flashback moments, and a halo effect when Jack and Chris step into a memory. The editing is as fast-paced as the dialogue. Hautekiet and co-writer Nik Oldershaw never give you a minute to breathe but certainly laugh. Jack and Chris’ chemistry is dazzling. The entire film plays out like a live improv show, and it’s electric.

me Myself & the Void still 3The entire cast nails each beat. Kelly Marie Tran oozes charm as Mia. She is so watchable and gives Mia a genuine heart. Chris W. Smith delivers honest best-friend vibes. He’s got that sitcom aura in the best way possible. Jack De Sena is spectacular, running through the emotional gambit. He reminds me of Jack Black, with a loveable quality that draws you in. Discovering that Smith is De Sena’s comedy partner in their popular sketch comedy channel Chris and Jack and now the world makes more sense.

me Myself & the Void still 4The script is whip-smart. It is a ping-pong match of wits between best friends through self-doubt, anxiety, and depression. The film is a dizzying whirlwind of meta-purgatory, tackling the incredible nuance in relationships and the importance of communication. It’s about owning your shit. Me, Myself, & the Void is one of the best indie gems of the year.

ME, MYSELF, & THE VOID Trailer:

Out of Body Indie Dramedy Me Myself & The Void
Starring Jack De Sena, Chris W. Smith, & Kelly Marie Tran
Debuts October 1, 2024 from Echobend Pictures
Streaming on Major VOD Platforms Worldwide

 

Me Myself & The Void world premiered at Dances with Films and went on to screen at fests around the world. At FilmQuest, Me Myself & The Void won the award for Best Ensemble Cast and scored nominations for Best Screenplay, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Editing and Best Score.

A down on his luck stand-up finds himself in a void world, hovering precariously between life and death. It is in this void that our hero, Jack, must discern how he ended up face down on his bathroom floor and find a way out before it’s too late.

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SXSW21 review: ‘Lily Topples The World’

LILY TOPPLES THE WORLD

WORLD PREMIERE – Documentary Feature Competition

LILY TOPPLES THE WORLD follows 20-year-old sensation Lily Hevesh – the world’s most acclaimed domino toppler and the only girl in her field – as she rises as an artist, role model, and young woman.  Filmed for over 3 years across countless cities and featuring appearances by Jimmy Fallon, Katy Perry, Will Smith, YouTuber Casey Neistat, and a steady stream of Gen-Z creators, LILY TOPPLES THE WORLD is a coming-of-age story cloaked within a unique portrait of an artist, a story of how passion and artistry can make dreams come true, and an unlikely American tale of a quiet Chinese adoptee who transforms into a global artistic force with over 1 billion YouTube views.  From director Jeremy Workman (The World Before Your Feet) and from executive producer Kelly Marie Tran (Star Wars: The Last Jedi), in her first film in a producing role.

I accidentally stumbled upon domino toppling videos on YouTube with my 3 and 5-year-old. We went down a rabbit hole of competition and exhibition videos and haven’t looked back. Little did I know that one of the best domino artists in the world was already on our radar. Lily Hevesh builds mesmerizing creations. SXSW21 doc Lily Topples The World follows Hevish on a journey of self-discovery and entrepreneurship.

After her freshman year, Lily decides to leave college to pursue dominoes full-time, despite finally feeling like she’s made real friends. When you step back, it’s easy to see the metaphor from this choice in respect to her artistry. This was the first domino in what would become Lily’s journey to conquer her own goals, both through social media, business, and personal growth. Patience, creativity, and engineering are only a few attributes it takes to master domino toppling. There’s real math involved, but Lily also manages to make it accessible through classes and her lovely disposition. She is incredibly generous and humble with her fan base. Her male peers respect the hell out of her. It was so refreshing hearing the way they spoke of her talents. Her goals are huge. Lily wants her own brand of toppling domino. She and her father pound the pavement to find a partner to make the best product that’s ever existed. Can she hustle the corporate world and navigate her artistry at the same time? Lily might be small in stature but she is a huge force to reckon with. She knows her stuff. You’ll be in awe of her ability to own a room, regardless of who is around her, all while maintaining grace, poise, honesty, and ambition.

In the doc, we learn about her adoption, her childhood, and during the course of filming, we watch her grow into a fully self-aware young adult. Mixed with her simply stunning domino displays, Lily Topples The World gives parents and kids hope that nonconforming is still magical. You’ll find your niche in the world and they’ll always be people who want to be part of it. Happiness begets happiness. Kelly Marie Tran executive produces for the first time. After experiencing her own racist backlash from her role in Star Wars, backing a project about a Chinese American girl who also receives vile troll comments feels right. Lily Topples The World is triumphant. Lily Hevesh is the kind of role model we need on screen.

Directed by Jeremy Workman

Produced by Jeremy Workman & Robert J. Lyons

Executive Produced by Kelly Marie Tran

Edited by Jeremy Workman

Cinematography by Michael Lisnet & Jeremy Workman