The 55th Nashville Film Festival has arrived, and I plan on bringing you all the coverage from the festival. On today’s menu, I have two films created and/or starring some local Nashville natives in Clone Cops and Catch a Killer.

Plot: When Otto’s derailed on his way to becoming the city’s youngest detective, he stays in the police business as a bioremediation specialist cleaning up after a serial killer. With an uncanny knowledge of horror films and his natural-born instincts, Otto, and his pregnant girlfriend Lex, crack the code to where the killer is going to strike next…now they just gotta catch him.

Teddy Grennan’s Catch a Killer has a fun and unique concept. A killer on the loose using horror movies as a backdrop for their kills is such an incredible idea. The film pays much homage to the movie before it while attempting to carve out its own identity. Grennan’s direction stood out to me the most in the movie. He carves out these blocks within his direction that identify only what he wants you to see when he wants you to see it. This allowed for some genuinely suspenseful moments in his build.

A horror/thriller is only as good as its score, and composer Jacques Brautbar brought this film up another notch. Brautbar’s ability to deliver these cold and intense moments with his music elevates the rough patches throughout the film. I would love to see Brautbar’s ability in future horror films.

The project’s independent nature holds back what could’ve been. I don’t particularly knock the movie down because it’s not in their control, but smaller projects can feel cheap, and this one did at times. Overall, Catch a Killer is a unique and inspired thriller with solid elements. Director Teddy Grennan has an eye for fantastic direction and looks forward to seeing what the future has in store for him. At the same time, Sam Brooks delivers a good performance.

Plot: In an alternate future, a notorious gang of outlaws finds their hideout besieged by an unrelenting police force unlike any other. But these are not just any law enforcers – they are Clone Cops, an army of replicating officers, each more determined than the last. As the gang battles for survival, they uncover a bewildering truth about their own identities and the nature of their adversaries. It’s a wild, weird, fun-filled race against time and technology as they seek an escape from the clutches of The Clone Cops.

The days of quirky independent movies are few and far between. Clone Cops reminds me of a movie that you would see on the shelf at Blockbuster on a Friday night and read the synopsis and be like “yep, I am in.” The writing The days of quirky independent movies are few and far between. Clone Cops reminds me of a movie that you would see on the shelf at Blockbuster on a Friday night, read the synopsis, and be like, “Yep, I am in.” The writing duo of Danny Dones (also directed) and Phillip Cordell bring to life this video game-esque quirky comedy that is full of hilarious one-liners.

While the film is relatively straightforward, it has many layers that highlight some of the world’s inefficiencies in the corporate world. Anybody who works in the 9-5 world will understand the hilarity of how true to life this story is. Although it plays well as a comedy, the honesty of the script from Dones and Cordell will entice viewers to latch on even in this oddball of a world.

Ultimately, Clone Cops is everything I wanted it to be and more. It’s the perfect B-movie comedy that will surely find itself a little of a cult following. It has impressive visuals, a banger of a score, and a script that is hilarious and relatable (something not always easy to do). We need more films like Clone Cops in the world that allow us to make fun of our lives while also shutting off our brains and enjoying a good laugh. I definitely recommend checking this one out.