Jimmy, an unemployed Hollywood filmmaker, somersaults into an abyss of drugs, alcohol and pornography until he finds himself levitating above his mattress, about to be abducted by aliens. Armed with an eclectic plethora of weapons laying around his apartment, and his estranged best friend, Stiggs, by his side, Jimmy is forced to fight off extraterrestrial hordes before they claim his body and mind.
Gaudy, heady, paranoid and kaleidoscopic — reminiscent of movies like Willy’s Wonderland, Mandy, and House of 1,000 Corpses — this is the premise of Jimmy and Stiggs, a masterclass in nostalgia from VFW director Joe Begos that’s produced exclusively using practical effects. And it dishes more than just buckets of neon blood.
The wheeling, juddering, panic-inducing camerawork (shot on 8 and 11mm) creates an endlessly spiralling, sprawling space of Jimmy’s apartment, much like the endless Backrooms of digital folklore. Meanwhile, the narrative’s frenetic, escalating pace makes Begos’ film feel both longer and shorter than its svelte 80-minute run-time. This isn’t a criticism. When Jimmy and Stiggs arrives at its grizzly final stanza, you’ll experience more sorrow than relief.
Begos — who also assumes the role of writer, producer and leading man — sucks you into a psychedelic nightmare with a vision that feels dear to the heart of a true horror fan. As he pirouettes between splatter, slasher, sci-fi, body horror, stoner comedy, and first-person point-of-views comparable to video games like Doom, it’s impossible not to feel the twisted joy of a kindred spirit doing what he loves, unapologetically choosing style over substance.
In short, Jimmy and Stiggs is a sensorial delight that rollicks in its shoestring budget. Begos’ use of practical effects feels like a revelation when our screens are saturated with AI and lazy, CGI-riddled blockbusters. And as for the fake, Grindhouse-esque trailers (The Piano Killer and Don’t Go in that House, Bitch) that run before the main feature? It’s all part of the ride.
DISTRIBUTOR
Blue Finch
DIRECTOR
Joe Begos
SCREENPLAY
Joe Begos
CAST
Joe Begos
Matt Mercer
Riley Dandy
DIGITAL
16 February 2026
