Anything that moves

Anything that moves

A modern mix of exploitation, giallo, ’70s porn, black comedy, and bloody slasher horror

Liam lives in Chicago and is one of thousands of bike couriers. He delivers food and sex. His clients love him, business is booming, and he and his girlfriend push the boundaries of their own sexuality every day. His life follows a rhythm that has been familiar to humanity since the dawn of time. Until a serial killer starts stalking the city, apparently choosing victims from Liam’s list of clients. His sex- and orgasm-filled life as a courier suddenly takes a turn toward violence and danger.

“Anything That Moves” is a wonderfully original film. It feels as though director Alex Phillips, whose “All Jacked Up and Full of Worms” we had the pleasure of screening in 2022, pulled his latest movie from behind the counter of a seedy video rental store. Shameless and deliberately tasteless, it laughs in the face of good taste, flirts with sleaze, and pushes the boundaries of both the audience and the film itself. Shot on Super 16, it pulses with color and desire, while Phillips treats camp with deadly seriousness. At first glance, “Anything That Moves” looks like shameless pulp. But that is only the surface. Liam’s sex life becomes a pretext for a story about loneliness and a provocation to look at sex as something joyful rather than shameful.

Alex Phillips skilfully blends exploitation cinema, giallo, ’70s porn, black comedy, and bloody slasher horror into a combination that is utterly overwhelming. Fans of John Waters, Gregg Araki, Italian giallo, and the exploitation gems of the 1970s will feel right at home. Keep an eye out for Ginger Lynn, a legend of adult cinema, who appears in a supporting role.