The art of abstract filmmaking is often overlooked by the masses. Its resilience and recent resurgence in pseudo-mainstream films such as the horror curiosity Skinamarink and the sleeper Enys Men have proven that both filmmakers and film goers are gravitating towards cinematic experimentation within today’s niche driven film market. With so many carbon copies being offered from the glut of films being produced, projects that dare to push the boundaries of creativity can be a breath of fresh air to viewers. This is exactly what Australian artist Dan and Dominique Angeloro, the duo behind Soda Jerk, have given with their newest oddity, Hello Dankness, a socio-political diatribe that utilizes eye-winking comedic cleverness to broad stroke America’s headlines from the 2016 Presidential election through then President Trump’s years in office, the COVID pandemic and, ultimately, current President Biden’s ascension to the office.
Hello Dankness is a technical marvel. A masterclass in editing and rotoscoping that shows just how creative artistically driven filmmakers can be, the film is comprised of fully produced movies spanning across 6 decades, featuring Tom Hanks, Ice Cube, Annette Benning, Mike Myers and many, many more. Hello Dankness is a film lover’s fever dream. Even if the clips didn’t coagulate into a cohesive storyline and script, the nostalgic game of naming the films used throughout is enough to satisfy the doting cineaste through its first viewing. Soda Jerk’s approach to producing carefully curated nostalgic pop mashups isn’t new. Working in music videos and movie mashups for a little over two decades, Soda Jerk’s newest is a clear indication that they have mastered their craft of subversive abstract storytelling.
There is an abundance of positive attributes going for Hello Dankness. For starters, it is the most star-studded film of the year. The aforementioned technical aspects of its creation will mesmerize any budding editor or VFX student. The craft is on full display. The storytelling through clips works incredibly well and the zaniness of the creative aspects of the film is on par with early 80’s schtick comedies reminiscent of films such as Amazon Women on the Moon or The Kentucky Fried Movie. The socio-political narrative keeps the film focused and the freshly divided vignettes placed throughout keep the project from going off the rails. There are moments that stand out: a surreal riff featuring a Donald Trump/Garfield concoction is worthy of mention. It’s a scruffy and entertaining moment, and its inclusion helps break the monotony of the clip-centric storytelling that comprises the film’s run time. And there are moments that are strokes of genius, such as a moment where you hear a rant so shrewd and idiotic, that you believe the filmmakers jokingly added it in themselves, only to realize that the culprit is actually Alex Jones, and the insanity is a sound bite from his InfoWars program. There are also great references to X-Files and QAnon conspiracists and a surprisingly poignant connecting segment featuring Robocop and George Floyd. There is enough here to keep you glued the first time through, but the magic does fade and the cracks in the film begin to show.
Hello Dankness may suffer from being too insular. The clips really will attract and excite the generation of film goers who have affinity for the films utilized throughout. If you are not a fan, or if you don’t know these films, the genius of the film wanes and the entertainment value unravels. Also, anyone really plugged into the past eight years of American history may be a bit remiss to revisit it. The severity of the recent past may be a bit too touchy a subject for what basically boils down to an well-made elongated TikTok mashup. There are moments where you wonder if the satire is derived from irreverence and that maybe the filmmakers see the past eight years as low hanging fruit. More than anything, the inspiration is derived from the gimmickry in its presentation. Hello Dankness has a short-term appeal, and that may be all that it needs as it arrives in a culture that thrives on throwaway content. The film straddles the line of genius and shrug-worthy gimmickry, ultimately earning the polarizing “love it or hate it” stamp it deserves.
Hello Dankness does what it set out to do. The delivery is admirable, although the packaged content isn’t necessarily fresh or reticent. A film lover who remembers these films and gets their tongue-in-cheek references will have a blast of dopamine, while all others may quickly lose interest and sink into boredom from Soda Jerk’s self-interested showboating. And that’s fine. Abstract films have been dividing audiences since their inception, and we should expect nothing less from them. They are very insular pieces of work and sometimes the craft surpasses the message. Hello Dankness can be recommended in small circles. It may be stumbled upon in a future where viewers have no indication of the fabrication involved in its creation. Whether a viewer loves it or not, the existence of Hello Dankness is a welcomed one. When it comes to the modern film climate, any film taking as big a swing as this one deserves its moment in whatever spotlight it’s afforded.
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