I first heard about "Green Room" from an online article saying Patrick Stewart, the beloved "Star Trek" captain, would be playing a Neo-Nazi. Naturally, this peaked my interest due to my odd fascination of how cinema portrays Skinheads/Neo-Nazis and the peculiarity that a mega star like Patrick Stewart would play one.

Jeremy Saulnier has directed a very small list of films including one of my favorites from 2013, "Blue Ruin," and has really made his mark. He isn’t a household name but he should be, especially to a cinephile. These days, directors pump out nonsense cash-cow films every month and fail to see the lack of original ideas. Saulnier, in my opinion, is one of the best American directors to emerge on the scene in the past five years. He brings so much dedication to the emotion of his films that you feel a part of them, as it should be. His subject matter tends to be more on the anguish and turmoil side, supported by pure chaos, which makes his films stand out. He has an eye for finding these, for a lack of a better term, “no name” actors and showing their true potential.

"Green Room’s" cast is what initially drew me in, from Anton Yelchin ("Charlie Bartlett," 2007), Patrick Stewart (you know him), Macon Blair ("Blue Ruin," 2013), Imogen Poots ("28 Weeks Later," 2007), Alia Shawkat ("Arrested Development," 2003-2013) and more names that I haven’t heard of. It almost seemed to be a thrown together cast that had some hidden talent that was just waiting to shine. When the trailer was released, it blew me away. I knew this movie would resurge modern horror and show off Saulnier to a broader audience. What could be better than a punk band fighting to survive while being held hostage in a green room at a Neo-Nazi bar? Nothing. "Green Room" has an intriguing and dirty feel that sets it apart from more recent horrors.

At this point, I was completely hooked and couldn’t wait to see this work of art. The only problem is, living in a small town meant limited resources that held me back from seeing it on the big screen. I checked every week in hopes that "Green Room" would somehow appear in Binghamton, NY. My prayers were answered and I knew I had a short window to see this so I took the first chance I could.

The editing throughout this film is incredible; it truly stands out due to its "our-viewer-isn’t-stupid-and-can-fill-in-the-blanks" mentality. You may not understand exactly what is happening right off the bat but your mind quickly starts filling in the spaces. It is quite impressive and is a key factor for the remaining time in the movie. The cinematography by Sean Porter is flawless and encapsulates Skinhead/Neo-Nazi culture to a tee. Porter immerses the audience into a gritty sewer-like atmosphere with dark lighting looming over each scene. This limited setting movie in Portland, Oregon, makes you feel as if you have walked through a door and ended up in a nightmare that is impossible to escape. Porter frames up each scene intimately and romanticizes the tension felt by both sides throughout this bloody story. The music also played a huge part throughout. Initially, the movie starts with punk jams then is combined with strangely eerie ambient tracks. As the movie advances, the music sways from “we don’t give a damn” to “holy shit what is happening”. The soundtrack makes this films ambiance extremely heavy and terrifying. Something a horror movie needs to survive.

Neo-Nazis have a certain stigma to them that most people find appalling and frightening. Well, they aren’t wrong. "Green Room’s" portrayal of these deviants is spot on and proves that you walk very lightly around them. When the Neo-Nazis are introduced (as a whole) you seem them as drunk, almost moronic, rage machines. The band quickly realizes after they cover the famous “Nazi Punks Fuck Off” by the Dead Kennedys that these people really aren’t to be messed with. Something that would normally seem obviously but some members of the band are cocky and want to push the envelope. After playing some original tunes, the calm the crowd down and can finish their set without being beaten to death. While being rushed out of the bar, a band member forgets her phone so they go back innocently to retrieve it. After coming into the room, they discover a dead woman surrounded by angry radical Neo-Nazis. This is where the movie ramps up to 100. Now after seeing the unforgettable the band is held hostage and has to fight to survive.

"Green Room" is one of my favorite movies of 2016; I would recommend this movie to anyone who is looking for a thrill. It definitely isn’t for the weak-stomached but it is sure to leave you gasping for air. This movie left me emotionless, dirty and relieved all at the same time. It had its shockingly disgusting scenes that made you question what humanity really is. I tried to place myself in the characters shoes and I couldn't. The realness of this movie validates why this is a step in the right direction for the horror genre. Jeremy Saulnier proves that he should be taken seriously with this modern day horror classic. His writing and directing are superb, shows that he can make it in the film industry. The cast had many shining stars but my personal favorites where Anton Yelchin and Imogen Poots. The two of them acted the hell out of this movie. Yelchin and Poots drew out their inner demons and let them run wild. It comes with a heavy heart knowing that this is one of Anton Yelchin’s last movies due to that terrible tragedy. I expect to see a lot more out of Poots; she showed that she could push herself to the darkest places and still stays above water.

"Green Room" scores a remarkable score of 9 out of 10 in my book. This is a must see.

Green Room (2015) - Red Band Trailer