Great Film overall

Best movie of this year hands down!

As somebody who had not heard any of this before, it became a curious phenomenon to sit and watch a film and slowly have the realities begin to click into place.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

"Parents" is a movie about that feeling, about the conviction that after the kids are in bed and their lights are out, parents engage in weird rituals and unthinkable practices. What about those roars of laughter that come echoing down the hallway from the living room, for example: Are the grown-ups just having a good time, or are they holding their nightly planning session on how to play tricks on kids? "Parents" takes place in the 1950's, an ideal decade for this material, and stars Bryan Madorsky as Michael, a solemn, owl-faced little boy whose life centers on one question: What are the "leftovers" left over from? Night after night, his parents place steaming shanks of meat, juicy red slabs of prime roast, on his plate. Where do they come from? "Leftovers," his mom says. But then his mom and dad wink at each other over the table and share a secret laugh, and little Michael knows in his bones that there is something fundamentally wrong with the menu.The cinematography in this film works to the effect that the horror is conveyed in the most unlikeliest of places, on the contorted faces of the caregivers, (people this child should be able to trust), at the family dinner table, within the realms of the perfect family home. I loved the sets and the costuming, creating this soap commercial 50's world of perfectness, where horror can lurk behind every corner. There are plenty of shots of meat platters and mincing of meat, adding to the Grand Guignol of the whole affair. Knowing what could be on those plates is enough to churn even the strongest of stomachs as Michael observes his more than slightly sinister parents devouring each mouthful with revolting delight. Randy Quaid is superb in his portrayal of the father as he becomes more and more sinister in his son's observations, bullying and abusive. He is far from the perfect father image he wants the whole world to see. Mary Beth Hurt as mother Lily is the classic Stepford Wife who dotes on her family and worries over what creations to come up with for the families 'leftovers' as she so delicately names them ( the origin of which Michael is so desperate to know).Parents can be challenging to watch at times, given the subject matter, and obvious scenes in which psychological abuse occurs as the father tries to get a grip on the situation. It would seem that this is what bothered the critics of this movie the most, given that they saw it in poor taste. However challenging for me equals thought-provoking and I have to admit I really enjoy this type of film, yes it is distasteful, even more so as it is marketed as a horror/ comedy. On a comedy level there are no laugh out loud moments, as it is mainly sick and twisted, and on this point the film fails, but then it cannot be taken wholly seriously either, so it drifts in a netherworld of some sort of undefined sub genre of horror more like a bizarre sideshow spectacle with strong freakish overtones. Parents is certainly unique and unpredictable I will give it that though, and it keeps you guessing right up to the end.Overall rating: 7 out of 10.

In the 1950s, young Michael moves with his parents, Nick and Lily, to the suburbs after his father gets a job working at a chemical factory called Toxico. Michael has a tempestuous relationship with his parents, generated by escalating fears that they may in fact be cannibalistic serial killers.I will admit that I had low expectations of this film, as the premise sounds, of course, ridiculous. But let me tell you: the premise is misleading you if your expectation is a cheap and straightforward horror movie. Part satire, part pastiche, and absolutely macabre, "Parents" is something like "Leave it to Beaver" or your favorite "Brady Bunch" episode trampled underfoot by "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre." While it reads as absurd, director Bob Balaban does a fantastic job crafting a vivid alternate universe where the nuclear family is in fact grossly deformed just underneath the sheen of all-American purity.I think it's inarguable that the material is greatly elevated by all involved here—from Balaban to stars Randy Quaid and Mary Beth Hurt, there is a solid crew of actors and filmmakers at work here. The late and great Sandy Dennis appears as well as a bohemian social worker trying to help Michael sort through what she believes are paranoid fantasies. Bryan Madorsky, who never acted in another film before or after this, is sympathetic enough as the core of the film, even when his acting is less than convincing.Above all, I think that the script does a fantastic job at playing on childhood fears and anxieties that nearly anyone can relate to. While we may not all have suspected our parents were serial killers (or cannibals, no less), the film takes the parts of our parents' lives that we don't see while growing up, and makes them into something profoundly disturbing. The film is tonally unusual in the sense that it elides numerous elements—from fifties nostalgia to cannibalism—but there's a profound discomfort resulting from it that generates a near-constant state of tension. As much as we can laugh at the absurdity of it, we're still beholden to the child's perspective and perception of danger.Overall, "Parents" is a diamond in the rough, and dare I say one of the most original horror films of the late eighties. Slick direction and cheeky fifties nostalgia lend it an inevitable aesthetic flair, and the caliber of performers involved raises the bar considerably higher. As a horror-comedy, it's something of a rarity in that it manages to invoke dark humor with just the right timbre, effectively generating tension through vacillation. We're never really scared, but we're never really safe either. 9/10.

I liked this film, but I'm honestly torn between the aspects I liked and the obvious flaws. This film couldn't decide what it wanted to be. A dark comedy, a satire, a surrealist film, a thriller? In some ways, the film is a blend of all of these genres, but it sparsely executes any aspects of those genres effectively.There's not enough laughs for it to be a dark comedy. There's a scene in particular where a character is getting stabbed, whilst a '50s pop song plays. The delivery of the scene is like a thriller, yet the use of the song makes it feel like a comedy. I feel like an opportunity for some great dark comedy was missed (think Shaun of the Dead, with the use of the Queen song). The nods to '50s pop culture are cute at best. There's some suspense near the end, but we already know from the start that the parents are cannibals - so why was there a "big reveal" scene? The dream sequences are fun, but never really amount to much. It seems like the dreams were only added to make the audience think the lead character had a wild imagination, so that the "big reveal" scene would be even more shocking. Again, it's not really a secret that the parents are cannibals... the poster gives it away! The directing by Bob Balaban was quite good. Some fun takes, and great set up shots. Going back to the flaws though, it really feels like the director had a plethora of creative ideas, and wanted to fit them all in to one film. There's a a recurring theme of the colour red throughout... but then there's also a theme of the colour green... then both seem abandoned when the nearing the finale. It's like the director wanted to throw in some symbolism, or deep meaning, but then forgot about it due to focusing on another idea. It's sad, because I think Balaban is a creative director, and he went on to director a legit underrated cult classic - "My Boyfriend's Back". This film was more like a "my first cult film" than a true classic.The acting was great by all involved, especially Randy Quaid. The soundtrack was generally good, with the use of some '50s songs. The placement of the score was hit or miss though.Despite the flaws, there's something charming about the film. Maybe it's the '50s setting, or the surreal aspects, interesting direction, or even a surprisingly good performance from Randy Quaid. Whatever it is, this film has all the makings of a cult film... however, this is more like a cult not-so-classic.

The opening sequences of "Parents" immediately catapult us back to the swinging 1950's. A family of three moves from the big city to the cozy suburbs. Michael is a bit of an introvert and terrified child, but that's not too hard to understand, because he's literally surrounded by weirdos. His parents are bonkers and even at school he only befriends girls that allegedly come from the moon. Mommy and daddy like to eat meat – and tons of it – but Michael righteously questions the origins of their family diners. For a good half hour or so, I had high hopes that "Parents" would be a refreshing and exciting horror comedy (like "Eating Raoul" or "Flesh Eating Mothers") , but it's actually quite dull and spiritless. This is a black comedy without the courage to offend or upset. There's hardly any gore and the lines and situations remain politically correct at all times. In fact, the only thing about "Parents" that genuinely works effectively is the apt recreation of the 1950's atmosphere. The Leamle family fits perfectly into the idea of a post-war American model family. They live in a cozy suburb, daddy (complete with thick Buddy Holly glasses) goes out working whilst mommy takes care of the household and everybody punctually gathers around the table for diner. The 50's ambiance gets particularly epitomized through the traditional cinematography and the cheerful soundtrack, including contemporary tunes from the Big Bopper and others. I really wanted to like "Parents" a lot more, but it honestly wasn't funny and/or horror enough for my liking. There's only one sequence I really appreciated as a horror fan, notably the ghastly nightmare Michael suffers from, in which his cannibalistic parents chase him around the house with bloodied mouths.