Trash Humpers

I watch all of Korine films - this is one of the weirdest

First off, let me start by saying that the title is important. If you are the type of person that would be interested in seeing a movie called, "Trash Humpers", you are the type of person that will LIKE a movie called, "Trash Humpers". I am. I loved it. If you would be turned off by such a title, you will be not like this film. Move on. For those of us that are attracted to artistic filth, you found another home in Harmony Korine's masterpiece. For the record, this title goes down in history as one of the most memorable in cinema, right there with "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre."I will assume if you are this type of kick-ass person, you already know what this movie is about. I won't go over the idea of the film, just why it is special.What kind of genre does this film belong in? No one can clearly agree. Some say "Horror". Others say "Dark Comedy". Isn't it amazing that what makes one person laugh can horrify another? Just trying to figure out the category of film this belongs in is challenging enough.This viewing experience feels like a collection of performance art pieces. It also feels like a popular collection of "You Tube" clips waiting to happen.You get the special opportunity to spend over an hour with a group of lunatics. I personally find insane people to be among the most fascinating. This film delivers in the insane department. In fact, I would say that this is a new benchmark in insanity captured on film. (By the way, I am aware that I am saying film instead of VHS. This movie is art. It is a FILM, not a MOVIE.)"Trash Humpers" plays like a collage. Not exactly like (but not exactly unlike) William S. Burroughs's "Cut-Up" technique. After all, you could take all the scenes of the film and mix them up and you could still watch the film without disturbing it's flow.Sometimes, I say things like, "This is one of the best films I have seen this year". But, how often do I say, "This is one of the best films I have seen in my life?" This is one of those rare moments. It is a mirror to your own uniqueness. You get the wonderful opportunity to remind yourself that YOU ARE ON A DIFFEREN'T LEVEL. Celebrate that! Buy "Trash Humpers" immediately. Beg, borrow, steal or KILL to own this film. But then again, what do I know? I'm a patriot. I hide in trees.Isaac Keith Martinez2010

Korine is well known for his over the top shock, I'm a huge fan off all his past efforts.(Gummo, being in my top 10 list)If your looking for story, don't come here, but what nightmares really have stories anyway. Supposedly it's basis is from Korine growing up in New York, and being awakened every night to bums on the street corner drinking, yelling, and inappropriate fortifications with trash cans.(hence the name)In a way the film is quite scary to me. While viewing I realized, that if I was a child and witnessed this live or even on film, well, I'm not even sure how to explain it really? I was speechless through most of the film, and I think that Mr. Korine was very successful in the points he was trying to get across.(if he even intended at any?) It was filmed using the dogma 95, created by Lars von Trier, and similar in it's grainy representation as Julien Donkey Boy. A hand held camera, no over dubs, all live audio. I must say that some of the images in this film were burned into me, like pausing your plasma t.v. for hours, only to press play and still see the burnt outline of the last picture. There is also a love hate thing going on, I'm not sure really? Like I said before I'm a fan of Korine, so maybe this is by default? But!!!...If you are tired of the norm, and like a little hot sauce on your french fries, then I think you might appreciate this film. If you found it laying on the street(with no label) and watched it, I think you would be confused as to what to do with it. Should you show it to your friends? Should you throw it in the garbage? Maybe you should turn it into the police? Personally I like that feeling when watching a film, it's alive and breathing, as apposed to these teenage commercial disappointments they keep trying to shovel feed us...

I'd like to preface this review by stating that I'm a huge Harmony Korine fan and have loved a lot of his work (ie. Gummo, Julien Donkey-boy, Ken Park, Mister Lonely) that being said. . .How can I put it?. . . this "film" is. . .um, not good. Trash Humpers presents itself under the guise of art/film/forgotten relic. However, it comes off as a convoluted mess with no direction or directive, that is neither enjoyable nor shocking in any way.According to Korine, this "film" (I put the word film in quotes because it is used very loosely in its respect to this particular piece) is supposed to resemble some piece of lost or forgotten footage recorded onto a VHS tape that has been stored away in an attic or hidden under some floorboards and forgotten, only to be unearthed years later and viewed. What the VHS tape contains is an account of four old people and their daily lives of wandering around, tap-dancing, vandalizing property, and well. . . humping trash receptacles and trees. Other than the fact that this "film" has absolutely no point or any artistic expression what-so-ever (which is reason enough to loathe it) there were other aspects that bothered me as well that may have made a horrible "film" just bad.1. Korine should have cast actual old people to play the lead roles in his film, and not young people (his wife included) to wear old people, latex masks. It just makes the whole production look more stupid than shocking.2. One of my favorite parts of all Korine's films is the dialogue and how it's presented. This film has very limited dialogue, and when it's delivered it seems really forced. The fake conjoined twins (or whatever they are) are a classic example of trying too hard while saying their lines.3. This "film" may have been a much better 'short' rather than a full-length production. . . even though this movie is only 78 minutes long, after 30 you feel like you've sat through a few hours already. The "film" actually had a decent sort of concept, and I did like how it was filmed on VHS tape. . .however, the lack of any content doomed it. If you go to youtube and watch the trailer for this "film", you've basically seen what you'll be seeing for over an hour. . .over, and over and over again.In summary, this "film" was a disaster and a huge disappointment for any Korine fan. I can't help but think he actually made this production for some strange, inside-joke type of reason. Maybe to premiere it to film students and listen to their reactions of how brilliant it was and then laugh to himself as they showered him with praise.Korine's latest work misses the point of indie film entirely and plays us all for fools. I don't know. . .but for whatever reason. . .just avoid Trash Humpers at all cost. I know die-hard Korine fans, like myself will still need to see it for themselves, just don't say you weren't warned.

so odd as to narrowly avoid the trash can