by Douglas Messerli
Brittany Alexia Young (screenwriter and director) Munchies / 2025 [11 minutes]
You realize that you are truly an old man of many generations earlier when
Newfest features a film where several vulgar teenage lesbian girls (Caroline
Buddendorf, Regina Chueva, and Brianne Jackson, and Yamini Nambimadom) get
stoned, verbally attack one another, and “sort of” make up saying “I’m sorry,”
and by agreeing they’re all now starved for sweets and snacks.
What else can they do but rush
over to their nearest convenience store, make a rush through its aisles, giggle
when encountering a man with a gun named Cal (Max Castillo) attempting to rob
the store, and giggle some more until he threatens to kill them.
Eventually, they cause such
confusion that he drops the gun, the toughest girl of the bunch grabbing it and
holding him at bay. Well, not for long. When he moves forward demanding its
return, she shoots him dead. For a second they are silenced, but perceive that
behind the mask is a man who according to his wallet has a kid who he caring
for, perhaps the reason for his bungled robbery.
Rushing from the place they spot his car, inside of which is the baby, for
whom, it appears, they now perceive themselves to be responsible. Why it never
strikes any of them to call the police and report the truth, is not explained.
Moreover, this terrifyingly
creepy little movie was defined by the Newfest selectors as a comedy. And even
when attempting to raise funds for this short disaster, the creators seemed to
be oblivious to the film’s full implications:
“Munchies is a coming-of-age story, combining the heart of movies like Booksmart
and Edge of Seventeen, with the raunchier stoner comedy of movies like Project
X or Superbad. Unlike many coming-of-age films, Munchies has a Black
queer woman at its center without her identity being a problem or a source of
conflict. At its core, Munchies shows both the beauty and camaraderie that
comes with female friendship, as well as the friction that can accompany it.
The film explores the central theme that what is done in the dark always comes
to light.”
Sorry girls, usually one doesn’t
come of age by getting stoned and killing another being, even accidentally.
Presuming that he/she speaks
with total irony, I agree with Letterboxd commentator Koî Glasscock, who describes
the plot as representing “The very relatable situation of getting high with
your girlfriends and then accidentally shooting a robber and then getting stuck
with his baby when he dies.” But then, since this individual also awarded the
film four stars, perhaps he/she isn’t speaking ironically.
In the Trumpian world in which
we now exist, it’s hard to know. But trust me, if you have a mind and even half
a heart, no matter how hungry you are, don’t trouble with this piece of tripe.
Los Angeles, October 24, 2025
Reprinted from My Queer Cinema blog (October 2025).
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