Amuse Yourself: A weird, dusty slice of old-school oddity

Is it worth your time?

Honestly? Only if you have a very specific itch for 1930s variety fluff that makes absolutely no sense. If you are looking for a cohesive narrative, you will hate this. If you enjoy watching people just sort of… hang around in rooms while music plays, you might find it charming in a basement-archivist kind of way.

There is a scene near the start where Jefferson Machamer is trying to sell a cartoon, and the guys he’s talking to are so cartoonishly 'screwy' that it feels like they’re performing in a different zip code than everyone else. It’s not exactly high art. It’s barely a movie, really.

The vibe is just… chaotic.

The whole thing feels less like a film and more like someone filmed a talent showcase in their living room. The models just sort of drift in and out of frame. There is zero reason for them to be there half the time, but Machamer clearly thought he was onto something.

I found myself staring at the background furniture more than the actors. The lighting has this weird, flat look that reminds me of Felix in Love, just without the actual animation charm. It’s all very static.

• The music is loud and comes out of nowhere.
• The 'three morons' bit goes on for about five minutes too long.
• I’m still not entirely sure what the cartoon actually was.

There is a distinct lack of rhythm here. One minute you’re watching a conversation that goes nowhere, and then suddenly, a musical number starts with zero transition. It’s jarring, but in a way that’s almost impressive. Like, who edited this? Did they just use a pair of scissors and hope for the best?

I’ve seen weirder stuff, sure—like Human Cargoes—but this has a specific kind of 'insane ego project' energy that is hard to look away from. You can feel the desperation in every frame. Machamer really wanted this to be a thing.

It isn’t, but that’s fine. It’s a relic. Sometimes you just need to watch a bunch of people from 90 years ago pretend to be busy while a band plays in the corner. 🎷

Don't look for a moral. Don't look for character growth. Just accept that you are witnessing someone’s very strange, very specific dream.