Kaboom (2010)
dir Gregg Araki
Originally watched on September 15, 2026.
Don’t mind me, I’m just using a different version of the film poster in a cheap attempt to obscure the fact that I’ve rewatched Kaboom yet again… Stoppppppppppppp, okay? Don’t give me shit. I don’t want to hear it. It’s clearly my comfort movie. I don’t care that it’s terrible.
This time around I actually did have a basis reason to rewatch! Initially I was planning on attending a meeting of a local film club that meets at a bar in Friday nights. The theme was “back to school movies”. Obviously I thought of Kaboom. So I figured it would be a good idea to brush up on the details since it had been ages since I last saw it (literally less than six months ago).
Confession: I did not go to film club. Of course I didn’t. Like, duh. Everyone knows I’m a total hermit these days. That’s the whole point of having a film blog. You don’t actually have to talk to anybody. But I was fully prepared to defend my case that Kaboom is good, actually.
Here’s a list I came up with of things that I actually love about Kaboom:
* strong opening scene. I think it’s a great hook to hear about Smith’s recurring dream/prophecy. PAUSE. This is actually the first time I’m realizing that the lead character is named Smith as in Dark Smith from Nowhere. Sigh. Everything is Nowhere when you think about it.
* I think this is when Gregg started to have fun with the concept of mystery. The teenage apocalypse trilogy doesn’t demand answers. It’s more about trying (and oftentimes failing) to survive whatever bullshit is thrown your way. He really started asking questions in Mysterious Skin, with Bryan trying to figure out the whole alien abduction mystery. Then in Kaboom, Gregg gets to have more fun with it. Secret messages. Weird dreams. Strange men in animal masks. What does it all mean? It’s fun!
* the introduction of Roxane Mesquida and Nicole LaLiberte as regulars in the Araki ensemble. I loooove the old theatre troupe thing when directors reuse the same actors in all their projects. John Waters and Divine, Mink Stole, Edith Massey. David Lynch and Jack Nance, Laura Dern, Kyle MacLachlan. Gregg Araki and James Duval, Roxane Mesquida, Nicole LaLiberte. It’s chic.
* In my opinion this is the strongest Araki soundtrack of all time. I literally have this playing on repeat in the salon. There’s just something about it. Like he actually outdoes himself.
Saturdays- Cut Copy
Catastrophe And The Cure- Explosions in the Sky
Crystal Visions- The Big Pink
Weekend- Ladytron
Mind the Wires- Tears Run Rings
To Fix the Gash in Your Head- A Place To Bury Strangers
Paris- Friendly Fires, Au Revoir Simone
Mirror’s Image- The Horrors
Stars- The xx
In Your Room- Airiel
Sugar Crystals- Airiel
This Love Is Fucking Right!- The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart
Soft Shock- Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Dream About Me- The Depreciation Guild
Shallow in Youth- Auburn Lull
Our Secrets- Hellen Stellar
First Punk Wars- Iron Curtain
Clean Coloured Wire- Engineers
Song Seven- Interpol
The Bitter End- Placebo
