Ponderosa

When the buffet where Zeke's mom works closes down, he's forced to entertain the wild advances of a rich regular who is weirdly and vehemently obsessed with becoming his father. Zeke (Jack Dylan Grazer) enjoys the peaceful and measured nature of life upstate under the watchful eye of his mom, Sandra (Alexis Bledel). Their world flips upside down when the buffet where Sandra works closes down, thrusting rich regular George (Bill Camp) firmly into their lives. In an attempt to create a father-son bond, George takes a rather unhealthy liking to Zeke that swings between touching and tenuous. His fixation quickly unearths a darker portrait of desires and grand plans. A new contemporary American nightmare is born as Rob Rice takes a magnifying glass to the relationship between generations old and new. As struggle and frustration bubble up around the family’s attempts at forging a new life, Robert places us squarely in the middle of this growing chasm with fearless ideas at every turn. Around every corner is an image, disorienting and full of mad intent. You’ll want to stay well after the credits roll for this one — the surprises come thick and fast.—Casey Baron