Review of Invisible Engine

Though the comedic shorts on Invisible Engine are clearly the stars of this site, its founders will admit that they began making them – oddly enough – as a sort of after-thought. Launched in November of 2004, three University of Southern California undergrads created Invisible Engine Films to promote a full-length film the trio had recently produced, a decidedly dramatic thriller called “The Prototype”. After submitting their film to festivals across the country, the guys – Sean Bury, Chris Cantwell, and Matt Wyatt – had nothing to do but sit back, wait, and use all that swanky film equipment to create some of the silliest videos on the world wide web.

If you were in a fraternity in college, or you enjoy dating frat guys, or you think Animal House was robbed of an Academy Award, then Invisible Engine Films is the site for you. The video titles themselves should tell you something of their content – a name like Dicks Out Tuxedos can really paint an accurate picture.

Vids range from 30 seconds to eight minutes, but most hover somewhere around the two minute mark. More recent sketches are listed first, but scrolling through to the older shorts is worth the effort, trust me. The boys are also sure to include outtakes

The Inga Krautz Collection is the perfect send-up of every music-hocking infomercial you’ve ever seen. Because, you know, the only thing funnier than a kazoo is lederhosen. And I think Crime Wave is one of the most original sketches I’ve seen in a long time (certainly funnier than anything Saturday Night Live has put out in ages.) The on-screen banter between these college buddies is clever and off-the-cuff – watching them have fun with each other is fun for you, too.

Oh, and if you’re comedy isn’t really your thang (how is it that you’ve read this far?) then check out the official website for The Prototype. Though the trailer has yet to be uploaded, the film’s premise does sound pretty spooky.