What We Do in the Shadows

Courtesy of Madman Entertainment, Resnick Interactive, Development, Unison Films, Defender Films, Funny or Die, and New Zealand Film Commission

The bulk of us sighed sadly when "Flight of the Conchords" ended in 2009, and the two leads went their separate ways. Their show was awkward, hysterical, and led to a lot of catchy, inappropriate music. I am happy to report that both Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie have found mainstream success. McKenzie actually won an Academy Award for Best Original Song a couple years ago, and Clement has come back together with old comedy partner Taika Waititi to bring us this vampire loving mockumentary.

 The film follows four vampire roommates in Wellington, NZ who fight about everything from dirty dishes to orgies of bloodlust. Each character has a rich backstory moored in both the traditional ideals of vampirism in the Western canon, and strange idiosyncrasies that make them lovable and ridiculous. Clement plays Vlad, a ladies man who often flies into fits of rage, while Waititi plays a European dandy with a sweet disposition and pious sensibilities. Rounding it out is Deacon (Brugh) and newly minted vampire Nick (Gonzalez-Macuer) who doesn't get the hang of the propriety and secrecy of being part of a new monster race. Often Nick gets people injured, or shoots his mouth off in public, lending to some really surreal, funny scenes. Also in the film is his friend Stu (Rutherford), who everyone seems to like a lot better than their new vampire roommate.

 The film had over 120 hours of footage, all improv from the actors, and it definitely shows in the goofy, ridiculous banter between all the leads. While the film itself is rather small, made in a country that doesn't get great US distribution, it has become a hit and rightly so. Between its seamless feeling of improvisation, its long shots, running gags, and impressive effects, it's a really awesome, funny film that deserves all its acclaim.