Y2K, the directorial debut of Kyle Mooney, has taken audiences on a wild ride through time and emotions. Set on New Year's Eve in 1999, the movie follows best friends Eli (Jaeden Martell) and Danny as they celebrate the turn of the millennium at a house party. But little do they know that electronics will come to life and go on a killing spree. This unexpected turn of events shifts the entire tone of the film and leads to a heart-wrenching death scene.

Uncover the Magic and Melancholy of Y2K

Preparing for the Y2K Hysteria

Kyle Mooney, along with his friend Evan Winter, drew from their separate lives to create a movie filled with nostalgia. During the pre-production process, they spent hours watching YouTube videos of video yearbooks and taking screen grabs of what people were wearing. One such detail was the moment when all the girls in Mooney's school were wearing overalls and a white shirt underneath, which made it into the movie. This attention to detail added a unique touch to the film.

The Saturday Night Live alum felt that mining this Y2K nostalgia was a fun process. It allowed them to relive the memories and share them with the audience. As Mooney said, "Everything that's in there is something that was likely meaningful to me or to him or to both of us in some way."

The Impact of Danny's Death

Danny's death scene is a turning point in the movie. Julian Dennison, who plays Danny, felt the pressure to get the scene right. He saw it as the "gateway into that world" where the movie takes on more horror elements. Dennison explained, "I think even while we were shooting that, we could kind of feel what the scene was and how important it was. There was like this mutual respect, and we could kind of understand each other during it."

For Mooney, directing the death scene was a fascinating experience. Shooting chronologically made it even more so. He said, "I felt like we knew it was coming, and it was fascinating, because we were making this whole different movie. We tried to make it as comfortable for these guys as possible and be thoughtful about the transition."

Working with the Cast

Jaeden Martell and Julian Dennison, both born after 2000, enjoyed slipping into the "lack of convenience and the lack of technology" of the 1999 era. Martell expressed his wish to have experienced that time. He said, "I think it would be the lack of convenience and the lack of technology. I wish I got to experience that. I wish I didn't live in the age of everything being so accessible."

Dennison also spoke highly of working with Martell. He said, "I think I was really blessed and fortunate to work with people like Jaeden. There was this mutual respect during the shooting of the death scene. We could understand each other without needing a lot of words."

Directing the Death Scene and Beyond

Mooney shared his experience of directing his own death scene, which involved a beheading. He had a team of people on set to help him, including his partner Evan and the special effects makeup artist Louie Zakarian. Mooney said, "I love that sort of thing. There were so many takes, and I was constantly questioning how I was doing. But it was a great reminder of the vulnerabilities of being an actor."

Dennison also praised Mooney's performance in the scene. He said, "It was very complex with the camera movements and smoking. Watching him was very impressive."

Guest Appearances and Time Jumps

Getting Fred Durst to make a cameo in the movie was a highlight for Mooney. He described Durst as "so awesome" and said that they were blessed to have him on set. The last scene of the movie features a 2005 time jump, and Mooney explained that it was mainly to establish where the characters were at the end of college and to show how the world had evolved.

When asked about the significance of 2005, Mooney said, "That might be a question for my co-writer. We wanted to give it a coda and check in with these characters. I don't know why we specifically chose 2005 over other years."