Pop Spoon is one creepy dude. He's the imaginary friend of a girl who's too old to have imaginary friends. He doesn't seem to be friends with anyone else. He speaks in the breathy, matter-of-fact voice of Hal 9000, the killer computer in Kubrick's 2001. He's got a smudge of fresh blood on his face, as if he just walked away from a car accident. When he smiles at you, it's so scary it's almost funny.
This maniac is the brainchild of FetusFilmsInc, specifically Aaron Keeling, who wrote the screenplay and co-directed the film with Austin Keeling. What's notable about these filmmakers is that they're still in high school, and have made dozens of movies (along with Justin Benefiel and Andrew Shafer) that exhibit abilities beyond the grasp of many college film students. Pop Spoon shares some attributes with other FetusFilms shorts, such as an emphasis on female protagonists and a tone that combines comedy and horror in the same way that David Lynch does. It even has some of the same plot elements as Posse, which is too long while this movie is too short. But Pop Spoon is a completely original creation in terms of characterization and visual design.
They've been working up to this for a while now, experimenting with editing and lighting effects in films like Working Title and Mr. Carnival Man. But here the framing choices are just right, and the camera filters are spot-on, giving the film a smudgy, stylized look. The fantastic score is by Chase Horseman, which provides a jazzy, ominous backdrop to the title character's evil doings.
Both Pop Spoon and Posse are about adolescent girls who make up imaginary friends for themselves. There would seem to be a generational statement in there somewhere, something to do with "friending" people who aren't really there- they're on social networking sites like Facebook or MySpace. But I won't stretch myself too far to find hidden meanings. I'm just glad the Keelings dreamed it all up.
One minor quibble: The ending is way too abrupt. There comes a point when Pop Spoon seems to get what he wants, but the story ends before he can take full advantage. Is the movie the first of a series? I hope so. Maybe we'll get to see Pop 2: The Spooning someday.
