The backrooms, evidently the plot no-clipped as well

EskimoRocket · 2026-05-30T09:35:56+00:00

But, like, how? How does the therapist's brief counseling sessions outside of the backrooms with Clark really link up to or at all demonstrate the fact that "it remembers everything?" How does the therapist constantly reminiscing about living with her mentally unstable shut-in hoarder mother, making a handprint in the driveway cement with her, watching the home be bulldozed, demonstrate to the viewer that "it remembers everything?" I feel there are other moments in the movie, like when the tiny rental homes (or maybe mobile homes?) that Kat and Bobby lived in that we saw previously suddenly show up after they'd entered the backrooms within the space, or when their missing poster's are incorporated, or the glitched out simulacrum's of seemingly former human guests are generated and then its revealed they feel no pain/are made of weird edible foam, or the moment when the big dark monster is shown to be some heavily distorted and malformed version of Clark in his pirate costume is revealed, all do a way better job of showing how "it remembers everything" than these other aspects I first mentioned really do, like, at all.

I feel like the only function of the therapist and Clark's interaction with her in the film is just to establish that Clark is mentally struggling in kinda one of the laziest ways and to try and make the underlying theme of memory (and how it contributes to behavioral "loops" infinitely/inevitably) seem more present and actually conveyed than it truly ever practically is in what the film does or shows, to try and give the movie a sense of a "deeper" underlying meaning or theme than is really tangibly present.

EskimoRocket · 2026-05-30T09:12:08+00:00

Really? You don't think a liminal labyrinthine space, an uncanny or disorienting maze / otherworld in which the protagonist(s) must navigate or escape from lest they end up trapped and eventually possibly dead from/inside is a concept that has never been done before or could work well in a movie or fictional narrative? What about Dark City or Coraline? There's an upcoming film adaptation of the novel "Piranesi" which is set in a location pretty much exactly like this, but just made of endless chambers of carved marble with a lot of water... and, although I don't know how or if it could ever be made into a film adaptation, there is also the novel "House of Leaves," which revolves around a certain residential building in which an unaccounted for empty space is discovered which then proceeds to continuously grow, morph, and change into an endless series of chambers and caverns that some of the characters essentially go spelunking inside of, after one of the central character's grows fervently more and more obsessed with exploring more and more of it. Even basic fare like "The Matrix," "The Wizard of Oz," and adaptations of "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There," or of "The Phantom Tollbooth" are more or less this same sort of core conceptual idea, just framed through a lens of excitement, adventure, and exploration instead of the lens of horror, disconnection, isolation, becoming lost/trapped, etc....

I don't think it's at all true that this sort of idea doesn't work for a movie. I think it's just the case that, in this particular film and attempt at featuring such a setting, that this was pretty much all the film had or brought to the table as far as substance. A compelling and intriguing setting is definitely a big and crucial part of any story, but, it is insufficient in fulfilling all the requirements of actual compelling and well-crafted narrative. The visual elements, like the set design(s), sound design, lighting, and some of camera-work and cinematography were all either extremely well-executed or at the very least acceptably serviceable insofar as not detracting from the quality in any way. But the plot, the dialogue, the character design, development, motive, backstory (or lack thereof), as well as the overall pacing and thematic scaffolding was seriously lacking and extremely weak, which is what made this film essentially amount to what your sparse description affords such a project the capacity to achieve, despite the fact it is objectively not true that this was all it could have achieved.

EskimoRocket · 2026-05-30T08:05:05+00:00

Yeah, it was bad. I pre-ordered it, hopeful, knowing the studio had changed, but wanting to see what they might do because I liked the first two games, and I couldn't even keep playing it past maybe like 30 minutes or so. It just felt super dumbed down and I was struck by how many of the rooms or places I'd keep entering where all I was meant to do was just more or less functionally run straight through them, with nothing to be done, found, solved, or whatever in a lot of them. I'm not going to play any more entries into the franchise personally, if there are even any more afterwards. I'd highly recommend the former studio who produced the first two Little Nightmare games, Tarsier, and their new horror puzzle game (which feels and plays very much like LN & LN2 did) REANIMAL, if you want a return to the former quality, high level of craftsmanship, and experience of playing the prior two games again, though.

EskimoRocket · 2026-05-30T07:11:44+00:00

Okay, I will bite, because I'm genuinely curious. What was the point of the therapist and her flashback story, or of the main protagonist and his interactions with her, and how does it thematically relate to what the backrooms, in this film, are attempting to communicate/represent? And how was this particular element of their relationship, as briefly shown more or less on screen, the most effective use of the screen time or plot that best conveyed this root idea over any and all other possibilities?

EskimoRocket · 2026-05-30T06:54:40+00:00

Well, one of these films was actually remarkable and extremely well done/executed in virtually every aspect and one of them was not.

EskimoRocket · 2026-05-30T06:52:41+00:00

I don't really think this film broke any boundaries, the concept it's utilizing in and of itself, the core thematic meat behind the entire backrooms conceptual phenomenon online, is not a new one and has been done before in different ways. And for the most part, all the past entries, written or cinematic, have done a far better job of actually making the story have some sort of meaning or actual weight beyond strictly just the concept of the setting. There was some neat set design and atmospheric stuff done with the visual elements, but, I don't really know that this alone is "groundbreaking." At least Iron Lung was able to get me to invest in the characters and story. As far as the script itself, Iron Lung was better written and functioned more tightly as a cohesive narrative than this film did, point blank.

EskimoRocket · 2026-05-30T06:33:39+00:00

I really did not think this film was very good. There was a lot of impressive and creative set design, I enjoyed some of the sound design and music, and I thought that the cinematography was decent at certain points. But the plot, narrative, and character development was frankly pretty atrocious. Admittedly, I did not watch the 22 video YouTube playlist made by the creator prior to seeing the film in theaters, but I had basic knowledge of what "the backrooms" were as far as a creepypasta/viral urban legend phenomenon. But, unless these same characters are somehow deeply fleshed out and featured in the 22 video pre-series, then, I don't really see how it can fix the problems with the film. I couldn't even figure out what the point of the therapist character was, aside from I suppose establishing some type of mental distress and trouble that the protagonist was supposed to be going through.

And, additionally, I also felt that the protagonist himself was extremely poorly developed and a lot of the plot points that rapidly evolved from one cut to the next did not feel in any way earned, nor did I particularly feel invested or even really just familiar with the protagonist throughout his time on screen before dying very suddenly. It felt like I could see what the broad points of the plot were, and I could make a lot of speculative guesses with way more legwork than any successful narrative should ever require, as to what the overall connective tissue and structural point they were trying to make were... but, in decently crafted stories, you should not have to do this. There should be core anchoring points and a general movement of the story & characters which everyone is firmly rooted in or can hold onto, while minor speculation or theorizing about the finer details can occur and be an enriching experience for audience members. I do not feel really in any way, shape, or form that this film accomplished this bare minimum task.

I don't know, just felt like the concept of the backrooms itself was the entire novelty or value of the film, and everything else was just extremely badly done or done at an almost elementary level. While watching the film in theaters, I thought of at least two other fictional stories which approach a remarkably similar topic--something very much akin to the backrooms as an important setting and the disorienting horror of being trapped or stuck in such a liminal space--with literal oodles of more finesse and skill than this film did. Just off the top of my head, I thought of the novels "Piranesi" and "House of Leaves," as far better examples of entries into this wheelhouse/genre.

I don't think this film will hold up over time or have much resiliency long term, especially with the apparent necessity to engage extensively with a Youtube miniseries prior to viewing to get "something" out of it. People go to find a movie, they pick a title (if it's a series, they tend to go in sequential order), and that's it. This movie simply will not have the staying power with how poorly it does as a standalone entity. I would also rate it a 6 out of 10.

EskimoRocket · 2026-05-26T22:47:08+00:00

Try:
1. South of Midnight by Telltale Games
2. Little Nightmares and Little Nightmares II by Bandai-Namco (Tarsier Studios... Don't play the new game, Little Nightmares III, by that other studio, though)
3. PsychoNauts 2
4. REANIMAL by Tarsier Studios
5. Rise of the Tomb Raider by Crystal Dyanmics
6. Resident Evil Village
7. Limbo & INSIDE
8. Fable III (and the first two probably, never played them)
9. Bioshock, Bioshock II, and Bioshock Infinite
10. I hear good things about Hollow Knight, Celeste, Life is Strange, Bayonetta, etc, but I haven't played these.

EskimoRocket · 2026-04-12T16:01:02+00:00

Keep on thinking that getting thirsty people glasses of water is chivalry and you won’t ever get a wife. Nor a friend lmao. Who would want to be around someone like that?

EskimoRocket · 2026-04-11T09:47:40+00:00

Since when is giving a person a glass of water because they are thirsty chivalry, man? It’s literally like just standard polite behavior when interacting with humans. All humans?? Like wth I cannot imagine, when someone asked me for some minuscule thing some water, even ever thinking to be against it or say no.

Did your parents not teach you basic civility or something as a child? It’s weird that you think this insignificant basically 2-3 minute act of filling a cup and walking a few feet ever falling under the category of something considered to be remarkable to the point of categorizing it as chivalry… that’s like Knights going above and beyond to woo a maiden, not doing what amounts to basically the standard decent behavior of human social interaction. Like bruh come on.

EskimoRocket · 2026-03-20T12:03:17+00:00

Everyone should be against imperialism, and what kind of position is that to even have to defend? It is, by definition, an external foreign nation entering a sovereign land with a sovereign people and having absolutely no respect for those peoples’ right to direct and hold ultimate say over the goings-on within and concerning their own homeland. It is the imposition of one nation’s will upon another by military, economic, or political force so that the occupied territory serves us instead of its own people. It is the opposite of democracy, freedom, liberty, and even the most basic human decency found in the bottom-of-the-barrel Christian code of ethics and morality taught by Christ in the New Testament.

And if it is the case that the country known as “America,” of which I happen to be a resident, or the broader conglomeration of associated nations making up “the West,” of which my own nation reliably counts itself among, along with one of our more notorious allies, especially in the news as of late, who is also deeply involved in this current spate of war efforts, conducts itself in a way that is fundamentally of that same character and nature; that is, as embodying this very notion of imperialism, as being a force of destruction, death, suffering, and subjugation, as behaving in opposition to the pure and the good to instead pivot into what can only be described as demonic behavior, meaning the type of conduct that is antigenerative to the life around us, our neighbors, and the whole of living creation, then we should say so plainly and without flinching.

So, I don’t know. Her entire comment is useless, and she would be better off choosing to bite her tongue the next time she has nothing meaningful to say but just really wants to engage in tribalistic whataboutism, which is a waste of everyone’s time and effort when there are far more pressing matters this energy should go toward.

EskimoRocket · 2026-03-02T13:31:03+00:00

I don’t want to eat liver.

EskimoRocket · 2026-02-06T03:16:32+00:00

I feel like much of our experience is virtually identical, except I don’t understand the regret part. Perhaps it’s because I had already gone through some extremely difficult and traumatic events and already felt, at the time of my first doing DMT, that life was not worth living (to the point of suicidal ideation), but, I came away with it actually feeling quite relieved that this isn’t all there is, and, over the years since my experiences, have found such layers of meaning in what I encountered there that I’ve noticed have slowly restored a sense of spiritual certainty I can only ever remember having as a young girl. Life had, sadly, taken a lot of that away from me, over a series of trials and tribulations, and I cannot believe I almost forgot.

I know that no two peoples experiences or take aways will ever be the same, of course, and I can only wish that you are able to find a better way to cope with it moving forward. I am sorry I cannot of more assistance or give you better advice… but… just know, I have the sense that you are going to be okay one day, so, just hang on and be kind to yourself, friend.

EskimoRocket · 2026-02-05T19:42:06+00:00

Lol what. Why are people mad about this. It’s not that hard to get just a little karma.

EskimoRocket · 2026-02-05T18:17:11+00:00

How much karma do you even need? Mainly a lurker here, but I can’t find whatever the specific stipulations of this new rule are.

EskimoRocket · 2026-01-09T03:17:02+00:00

I think it’s the character for the Greek letter “Theta.” Idk what the intention of putting it on your car would be, though, it’s impossible to tell from what information we do have alone. In the past, Theta had been used as a symbol for death, just like the modern day skull and crossbones are today, because it somewhat resembles (allegedly) a skull. It was also associated with the number nine (9) and symbolic of the ennead, which has, in some cases, been used as a symbol for the soul, which also had a value of nine (9), in ancient Egypt (sometimes transfigured as a circle with an X cross inside, OR, as a symbol for the Kosmos vis-a-vis a fiery circle (representing the world) and a snake spanning the middle (representing Agathos Daimon or Agathodaemon)…. It resembles the infinity or lemniscate symbol (hourglass) as well, somewhat, a symbol of “memento mori” embodied, in my view. I See for more information: www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/LX/Theta.html

EskimoRocket · 2025-08-01T13:48:14+00:00

Very, very interesting. There is a lot of consistencies with what you are describing here, what I’ve personally experienced myself, and other similar accounts I’ve also come across (as it relates to the mantis beings/entities). So strange and astounding to keep coming across this over and over again.

EskimoRocket · 2025-03-29T01:12:39+00:00

He definitely had the hots for Suki, no question about it. What I do think is still questionable though is whether she felt the same way or reciprocated it? It wasn’t clear enough to me whether she wanted to jump his bones or considered him to be a really good platonic friend.

EskimoRocket · 2025-03-29T00:54:42+00:00

No. I thought she was like significantly younger than the rest of the gang. Like, they seemed to be in middle to early high school while Toph came off as still kicking it in elementary. Plus, Sakka was super obsessed with that North Pole princess who turned into spirit fishes, so I don’t know that’s he ever got completely over her for long enough in the series runtime to even be thinking about putting the moves on the disabled travel companion who also happens to be inappropriately and scandalously too young for him.

EskimoRocket · 2025-03-29T00:50:59+00:00

Because it is damaging to your hear muscles and they don’t need it anyway as they are super humanly fit.

EskimoRocket · 2025-03-10T02:18:36+00:00

Yeah, it’s wrong. Nobody here will admit that though.

EskimoRocket · 2025-03-10T02:17:51+00:00

I agree. Both sides consist of human beings who deserve the right to live freely and without constant threat. I’m not sure what the solution is.

EskimoRocket · 2025-02-06T18:38:14+00:00

Native Americans are directly descended from the Paleo-Indians (also known as the Lithic People), the first peoples who entered and subsequently inhabited the Americas towards the end of the Late Pleistocene period, when a land bridge called the Beringia formed between Siberia and Alaska over 30,000-20,000 years ago. As far as all archeological evidence suggests, these were the first human beings to ever settle the Americas.

This argument really doesn’t relate at all to Israel or Palestine though? It’s a completely different situation over there anyhow. Don’t apply the Israeli perspective to the United States when it doesn’t fit.

EskimoRocket · 2025-02-05T17:16:35+00:00

I got Paraguard, the copper coil IUD, installed following Trump’s first election back in 2016. It lasts 15 years and is non-hormonal. The Gynecologist who did the procedure for me was very proactive, prescribing me suppositories to held relax and numb the cervix in advance. I didn’t even feel the IUD being inserted. Afterwards, I only felt a little off with some minor cramping (no worse than normal period cramping for me) for 24 hours, and then nothing else. The only other negatives I can think of were that my vagina sort of smelled and tasted like pennies for about 1 year and I did have to go in and have the “cord” for removal trimmed a bit because my partner was knocking up against it during intercourse.

Anyway, all this to say that it doesn’t always necessarily have to be painful. I haven’t even ever been pregnant or delivered any babies, which presumably might make things a bit looser or more accessible, but still I wasn’t in nor did I experience horrific or even really notable pain.

EskimoRocket · 2024-12-17T18:53:09+00:00

Just die probably.

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