Movie Review: BUFFET INFINITY

Watched "Buffet Infinity" last night. I knew getting into it that it was going to be avant garde and weird, so I tried to approach it with an open mind.

For those unfamiliar, "Buffet Infinity" is a cosmic horror movie that's told primarily through television commercials and news clips. What starts off innocently, if not at times, humorously enough, soon evolves into a darker, more insidious tale about strange events and disappearances in an other average, everyday Canadian town.

"Primarily" told through TV ads and clips is the optimal word, because when "Buffet Infinity" sticks to that clever, if not unique, story-telling device, it works surprisingly well. For whatever reason, however, it's like the creators decided about midway through it not to trust that format anymore, or the viewers to be able to make sense of things, so they start interjecting more traditional narrative scenes. At that point, the story starts to get convoluted and fall apart, at least for me.

The first half, though, is nothing short of brilliant. It's quick-paced, witty, and laced with an underlying sense of dread that steadily builds. You know something bad is going on, and it's getting worse by the moment, but it's impossible to anticipate where it's going to wind up.

Featuring a used car dealership with a cheesy, middle-aged, overweight dude in a mask and cape fighting off his arch nemesis, "High Price," as well as an awkward but earnest civil trial attorney asking viewers if they've ever been injured in an accident, the fake "commercials" in Buffet Infinity are spot-on the kind of things you actually see on any local cable channel.

There's the always-grinning lady explaining how she never thinks about her insurance needs thanks to her local agent; a restauranteur whose customers sing her praises as a sandwich maker by declaring, "she's got the sauce!" and a pawn shop owner and his lackluster employee coming up with godawful rap lyrics to tout their business. (The pawn shop ones were by far my favorites - dear God, those two guys were hilarious.)

And of course, there's the ads for Buffet Infinity itself, a brand, spankin' new restaurant that's opened up in town, offering an amazing price for all-you-can eat fare that includes pizza, salads, seafood, steak, Chinese dishes, Indian food, and more. And don't forget its signature burger, featuring layers upon layers of every food item in the buffet carefully sandwiched between chargrilled beef patties and topped with its own "secret sauce" that most definitely is NOT a rip off of the local sandwich lady's claim to fame.

If the ads for Buffet Infinity are to be believed, its menu options are always growing -- and so is its geographical footprint, as it slowly takes over all the nearby businesses...then the houses...then the entire neighborhood...then...

Weirdly, no matter how big the buffet gets, there never seems to be anyone actually working there. Nor does there seem to be any explanation as numerous townsfolk start to go missing, never to be seen again. And what, neighbors wonder, is with that weird, droning sound outside that never stops, and seems to be getting louder and louder?

Hint: it's not an AI data center.

"Buffet Infinity" is worth a watch. I wish the second half had lived up to the incredible potential of the first. But even though it drops the ball, it's still an imaginative flick filled with some unforgettable characters, great moments, and a truly original storytelling style.