Dead Flip

Farizan recalls Jumanji’s eerie atmosphere in this nostalgic, supernatural thriller, set in the late 1980s and early ’90s. Maz, Cori, and Sam, all 12, used to do everything together, until Sam disappeared on Halloween night in 1987. Now it’s 1993, and Maz and Cori haven’t spoken since Sam’s funeral, where the two had a falling-out; Cori believes Sam is dead, but Maz is convinced he was sucked into their beloved pinball machine. A serendipitous run-in at the mall puts Cori and Maz back on each other’s radar. Closeted lesbian Cori is now a homecoming queen nominee, while track team captain Maz struggles with an alcohol dependency. Maz is elated when he visits the neighborhood the trio grew up in and finds Sam, still 12, standing in front of his old house, but Cori is suspicious of Sam’s sudden reappearance. Maz and Cori attempt to hide him from prying eyes, but when people and animals turn up petrified throughout the community, the duo realizes that his still-12-year-old body is the least of their concerns. In this nostalgic, fast-paced adventure told through three alternating perspectives, Farizan (Here to Stay) skillfully blends lighthearted comedy with grotesque horror. Maz is Iranian; Cori and Sam cue as white. Ages 12–up. Agent: Leigh Feldman, Writers House. (Aug.)