Anything That Moves (2025) Review: Brooklyn Horror Film Festival

If you’ve ever wondered what it would look like if a filmmaker combined the sleaze of a 1970s erotic thriller with a surprising amount of heart, Alex Phillips’ Anything That Moves is your answer. Shot on 16mm, the film looks like it’s been pulled straight out of a smoky theater that smells like sweat, and bad life decisions. And I mean that in the best way possible.

Phillips clearly has a love for this era of film. The grain, the lighting, the color; it all feels deliberate, down to the stickiness of it. Trust me, it gets sticky. The film follows a cast of characters navigating lust, loneliness, and human connection in the most unpolished way imaginable. But what makes it interesting isn’t just the sleaze; it’s the humanity underneath it. Phillips isn’t laughing at the people in this world but he’s showing them as they are: flawed, searching for something real. There is one scene in particular that moved me to tears, even though what was happening on screen should've done the opposite. 

The performances really sell it. Every actor commits fully to the chaos, blending discomfort and empathy in a way that’s hard to look away from. You can tell the cast and crew believed in what they were making, even when the story itself dips into absurdity. The humor lands more often than you’d expect, and the visuals? Gritty and gorgeous.

Now, this isn’t exactly my style of film, if I can be honest. The erotic thriller vibe isn’t usually my lane. But credit where it’s due: the direction is tight, the tone is consistent, and Phillips knows exactly what he’s doing. It’s sleaze with purpose.

Anything That Moves might not be for everyone, but for those who crave something offbeat, raw, and weirdly human, it’s definitely worth checking out.

This film was reviewed during Brooklyn Horror Film Festival 2025.