Sizzlin’ Summer of Side-Splitters 2025: Relaxer (2019)

Aug 18-24 indie comix week: When I was a kid, I used to read Mad Magazine and Cracked, so when I got a little older, it didn’t take much convincing to pick up Eightball and Hate. I’m an OG in the “complaining about superheroes” game, and my scars were anointed on the Comics Journal message board!

Directed, written and produced by Joel Potrykus, this is a Y2K movie 20 years too late and that’s why I love it.

In 1999, Cam (David Dastmalchian) gives his younger brother Abbie (Joshua Burge) a challenge: Beat level 256 of Pac-Man or never get off the couch. Then, Y2K ruins the world, but the game continues and Abbie is frozen to the couch, half awake, half dreaming, still running through the mazes with Inky, Blinky, Pinky and Clyde. Then, he blows up Cam just like Scanners.

I told you the whole story but in no way will this spoil this film.

Set in the same universe as The Alchemist Cookbook — both have Cortez (Amari Cheatom) show up — and Adina Howard is also in this, a movie so made in Michigan that the soda is Faygo.

This movie will remind you: No one can drink an entire gallon of milk.

You can watch this on Tubi.