This Movie Shouldn't Exist | Nirvanna The Band The Show The Movie Review

How did this movie even get made? A look at a bizarre mockumentary comedy that feels like a forgotten VHS cult relic somehow playing in theaters.

There is no way that a movie like Nirvanna The Band The Show The Movie should exist anywhere outside of a recorded VHS tape found in the cult section of a video store. But somehow, it does, and it is has been released to theaters by indie darling distributor NEON. It is nothing short of a miracle, and I am so happy it is getting some love from audiences. Personally, it’s one of my favorites of 2026 so far.

For context, NTBTSTM is a movie based on a show about a band that wants to play at a classic Toronto music venue, the Rivoli. The show was created by Matt Johnson (Blackberry, The Dirties) and Jay McCarrol (music composer on many of Matt’s films) and started as an internet video series in the early days of online video, around 2007. It then became a cult hit that eventually turned into a Vice TV series in 2017. It has been a long time Canadian favorite with some niche appeal in the States.

The point of the show, and the movie, is the same: to get their band to play at the Rivoli through whatever schemes and plans they can think of, filming mockumentary and guerrilla style in the streets with real people. It’s sort of like Borat meets It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Imagine real people interacting with Charlie, Dennis, Dee, and Mac in the streets of Toronto. That’s Nirvanna The Band The Show, and now the movie. It is an unlikely story from internet video series to major indie film, especially with so much going against it! So really, how is this movie real?

First off, look at the title. Have you ever seen a movie title like that? It is insane. Is it a band? A show? A band documentary? A documentary about a band that made a show? Is the band real? Is the show real? It raises quite a few questions right off the bat. If you check listings for genre, it’s a mockumentary, sci-fi, time travel comedy film. But Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie (NTBTSTM for short - is that short?) is so much more than what can fit into a genre descriptor.

Secondly, this show is full of recognizable copyright material, especially from Back to the Future, which the film serves as a love letter to. It is a time travel movie, and they use things like the flux capacitor, the 88 mph jump to time travel, and clips straight from the film. They are also using footage from movies like The Hangover, as the film is shown inside a movie theater during their time travel adventures. On copyright issues alone, its a miracle that this movie made it to the big screen.

Third, there are several likely illegal acts in this movie that were filmed, all in good fun of course with no harm to anyone, but still surprising a legal team signed off on the release! It makes for great evidence in any future court cases, but also makes for great movie moments. These guys got through CN Tower security with parachutes on their backs and snipping pliers to cut their safety harnesses. While there is debate about whether or not they actually jumped off the tower (I doubt they could have done so), the fact that they went through security like that is insane and very funny.

I don’t want to give too much more away, but the way they made this film with a limited budget and crew is simply amazing and inspiring. The VFX work was insane. These moments all felt so genuine that I truly don’t know what was real and what was not. It’s literal movie magic, the kind we don’t see on screen as often with the overuse of obvious CGI and green screens. Things aren’t blended together in the real world like this, with a mix of practical effects and VFX, and it’s what makes Nirvanna The Band The Show The Movie so special.

So if you have a free night and can find a screening near you, go see it. If you can’t see it in theaters, rent a digital copy. Buy the eventual Blu-ray release. Show it to your friends. Have a good laugh. And be amazed at what this team, on this budget, was able to put together.

It is a movie that deserves to be seen and celebrated in the day and age of AI-generated content. It is a truly magical movie experience with heart, ingenuity, creativity, and the kind of genius that defines great indie films. If you truly love movies, this is one you absolutely need to support, because it may unfortunately be one of the last of a dying breed. I hope that isn’t true, but if it is, at least we went out with a bang.