SKULL WORLD (director/writer: Justin McConnell; cinematographer: Justin McConnell; editor: Justin McConnell; music: Rob Kleiner/James Zirco Fisher/Sean Motley; cast: Greg Sommer, Shane Patterson, Jason Pluscec; Runtime: 100; MPAA Rating:NR; producer: Justin McConnell; Unstable Ground Pictures; 2013-Canada)
“The pic might work for those enchanted by the likable Greg’s passion to play fantasy games and those who like dudes who wear Halloween masks.”

Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz

Justin McConnell (“Working Class Rock Star“) films this documentary on the Toronto resident fun-loving weirdo Greg Sommer, known as the Skull Man. Greg proclaims he was born to rock, and we follow him for two years. He’s a 32-year-old who lives in the basement of his mom’s house, works in a cemetery as a gravedigger, does some freelance video production (does an online Variety Store TV) and is an obsessive hobby enthusiast who dresses in a cardboard costume as a warrior to engage in Box War games (a role-playing combat sport fought with cardboard weapons). The games were developed in Australia, and since 2004 Greg brought the games to Canada. Highlights include a number of the silly combatant games.

The pic might work for those enchanted by the likable Greg’s passion to play fantasy games and those who like dudes who wear Halloween masks. But the way pic idolized its subject never connected with me, even though the eccentric protagonist seems to be the genuine article yet he still becomes tiresome trying to make a virtue of never growing up.

REVIEWED ON 6/20/2013 GRADE: C

Dennis Schwartz: “Ozus’ World Movie Reviews”

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