Mimics
Kristoffer Polaha wears both the first-time director and leading man hats in Mimics. The film follows a down-on-his-luck impressionist with big dreams. When a mysterious agent offers immediate fame, it comes with a few caveats.
Sam must use a specific dummy and suffer the consequences of never saying no. As he skyrockets on social media, his confidence grows, but his dummy, Fergus, does not enjoy being the butt of the joke. Sam’s autonomy disappears, and violent things begin to happen.
Polana scores big with his cast. Singer Mōriah delivers a sweet and fleshed-out love interest. Thank you to screenwriter Marc Oakley for not making her a cliche. Oakley actually makes a voice cameo as the spam caller that repeatedly contacts the Reinhold household. Stephen Tobolowsky plays Sam’s adoring grandfather, Melvin. He is so darling, you want to put him in your pocket. He elevates the entire project.
Chris Parnell is Late Show host Jack Conrad. Like Tobolowsky, his easy presence makes Conrad a believable icon. Kristoffer Polaha is effortlessly charming. I genuinely enjoyed his impressions. He has an aura similar to Jim Carrey in his dramedy roles. He carries the film like a pro. 
Calling Mimics a light horror is anything but an insult. It is a genre-bender: a sweet love story, a character study in ambition, passion, and an eerie warning about the trappings of fame, all wrapped in culty folklore that wouldn’t surprise me if it were ripped straight from the bowels of Scientology. It’s a breezy genre film that twists in unexpected ways and one that puts Kristoffer Polaha’s underrated talents in the spotlight.
Mimics Trailer:
Written by: Marc Oakley
Starring: Kristoffer Polaha, Mōriah, Chris Parnell, Stephen Tobolowsky, Jesse Hutch,
Jason Marsden and Austin Basis
Produced by: Ken Carpenter, Kristoffer Polaha, Adam Karm, and Ben Wagner
MIMICS is the daringly unique directorial debut of Kristoffer Polaha — delivering fun, fright, and romance. When a struggling impressionist and a contract for fame take center stage, the battle for a good man’s soul takes the spotlight.
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Clever and subtle handheld camera movements pack a subconscious punch. The script keeps you on your toes from the opening shot. Writer-director Brock Heasley forces the audience to sit up and pay attention as theories swirl in their minds. Your eyes dart across the screen in fear of missing either a performance or the intricate production design. 
Neal McDonough plays The Benefactor with a slick, mesmerizing control. I wish we’d seen more of him. Sean Astin plays Kevin’s dystopian colleague and aids in his mission, Gabrielle. Astin brings his inherent charm, comic timing, and uncanny ability to connect with his fellow castmates. He is a joy to watch. Kristoffer Polala gives Kevin a grounded aura. His soothing narration feels like a warm hug. Something about his tone projects strength and calm simultaneously. He navigates the script’s nuance effortlessly. 
THE SHIFT has elements of The Matrix, Total Recall, Sliders, The Hunger Games, The Stand, and Faust. Fans of LOKI will eat this up. The narrative juxtaposition of multiple dimensions with resurrection is immensely clever. Heasley combines trauma, grief, guilt, technology, and faith with dystopian science fiction in an impressive fashion. While it leans heavily into the religious realm, the genre aspect is enough to captivate.
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