CHATROOM: COME ON IN... IF YOU DARE

I wasn't sure quite what to expect from this film, but I did know that I adore the main character, actor Aaron Johnson, from two of my past well-liked movies, Kick Ass and Nowhere Boy. He plays William, an introvert who is disarmingly charismatic and charming. However, we find that he is more disturbed than one can imagine. In a highly clever and original style, this movie brings the concept of Internet chat rooms into a very visual medium. In this "place" (which is of course the Internet) we find many doors with intriguing titles on them and watch as William takes one for himself. This is his chat room. Slowly, other people join in, namely Eva, Jim and Emily. Our view switches back and forth from names in a chat room to where and who they actually are on the other side of the computer in real life. The dialogue is beautifully written so that it sounds like what someone would type in when chatting but yet acted out in a way that sounds like normal conversation. Johnson is the only actor I recognized, however all other actors in this film are excellent and did outstanding work. We learn about all of the people in the chat room and what their real lives are like. As we get to know them, we also get to see how twisted William really is. He acts as a sort of puppet master and gets his new friends to do things they probably wouldn't have done before. William sinks farther down into both depression and depravity as the film grows darker and darker. It is a suspense filled psychological drama and I found it 10 times more scary than Paranormal Activity. I could go on a bit about how good William is in this role, but I won't. I just want you to know that I could. It is a sad film and a tad depressing, but more than anything I found it intriguing, interesting and entertaining. What more could you ask from a film? Loved it!   

CRAZY FOR LOVE

CRAZY FOR LOVE, AKA: MY SUICIDAL SWEETHEART, NOT INSANE
Oh how PC we all are now... first released as 'My Suicidal Sweetheart', now turned into 'Crazy For Love'... but hey, "What’s in a name? That which we call a rose / By any other name, would smell as sweet." Max (David Krumholtz) is a troubled young man who is sent to a mental institution after many unsuccessful attempts to kill himself. In true love story fashion, Max meets a beautiful young woman Grace (Natasha Lyonne) who is also suicidally-challenged and it is love at first site. Once they escape from the institution the real madness ensues. Despite either title, this is a surprisingly sweet movie which is funny but also very touching and unexpectedly sincere. It could have gone way over the top, but only neared the line once or twice. Lots of "D-list" celebrities throughout the film, but it is only the icing across this crazy cake.
PICK: Smart, funny and realistic, this movie has heart... and Prozac and Xanax and...

CONTROL

CONTROL... SHOULD BE RENAMED: OUT OF CONTROL "Love will tear us apart, again..." and tear us apart it did. Only 23 years old, Ian Curtis, lead singer for Joy Division, a late seventies/early eighties band from the UK that exploded onto the post Ziggy Stardust (aka David Bowie) glam-rock scene, kills himself after losing a battle with depression, epilepsy and a tumultuous relationship with his wife, as well as the unexpected catapult to fame. He likened himself Jim Morrison, which would turn out to be sadly ironic. NOTE TO TALENTED, CREATIVE MUSICIANS: SEEK THERAPY! This film, directed by Anton Coorbijn, who has made a name for himself in the music video/production world did a fine job with this film. The grainy black and white shots give the movie an almost documentary style, akin to playing a record rather than a CD. The talent is beyond expectation. Sam Riley is Ian Curtis. Samantha Morton is Ian's wife, Debbie, who effortlessly plays the strong undercurrent of true love and acceptance. She is a most gifted actress and plays off of Riley to create a real bond. Sometimes hard to watch, but compelling and intriguing. After Curtis died, the group renamed themselves and became New Order, one of the most popular 80's bands ever. A must see.
PICK: A good film on its own, but also a must see for all 80's music lovers! Cheers!

WRIST CUTTERS

WRISTCUTTERS DARK EXISTENTIAL LOVE STORY
Welcome to the land of the dead, or more precisely, the land of those who have killed themselves. Needless to say this is a very dark comedy. It is an "indie" film and the cast is mildly recognisable. Patrick Fugit (Who was great in Cameron Crowe's Almost Famous) played the lead role of Zia. The lead actress, beautiful Shannyn Sossamon as Mikal coincidentally played a character from the bland film, Rules of Attraction, who suicides in perhaps the most graphic of suicide scenes. There is potential here for a great expressive film but it is just one one razor blade short of a pack of razor blades. It tries to address the theories on life after death, but it's almost too deep for its own good. When I thought I understood the symbolism and meaning of the plot and characters I was turned upside down and then everything looked pretty silly. It was an interesting story but after a while of not finding a traceable plot, I lost interest.
NOT a pick: Interesting but also tiresome. I might see it again for a dollar.

KURT COBAIN, ABOUT A SON

KURT COBAIN, ABOUT A SON... A SON YOU NEVER KNEW
14 years ago, April 5th, a great mind, borderline genius musician, literally blew up. This is my generation; we all knew what we were doing when OJ had every LAPD going for a joy ride and perhaps a lesser group remembers where we were when Kurt was reportedly dead from a self-inflicted gunshot to the head. I was lucky enough to write for a local music publication and during a break from my "day job" I was able to join Jeff and Matt as we listened to the DJs reporting and trying not to choke on their tears. This is an audio film. Ever been to Aberdeen? You will. There were over 25 hours or interviews with Kurt, his words, his thoughts previously unreleased, by Michael Azzerrad who wrote the book, Come As You Are, about the band (Nirvana). We all joked about Kurt and Courtney being the next Sid and Nancy, and Kurt confesses when he met her he immediately thought of Nancy. Kurt makes some observations and insight about the band, the music, the media. All the while, the screen is busy with flashes of places Kurt lived, worked or hung out. It's a beautiful start to a Cobain coffee table book. Hearing his voice "beyond the grave" was both erie and comforting. He was honest and for once, sounded real. It's like all this time he kept himself hidden from the media and this film broke down any and all walls. He was a very smart man, soft spoken and funny, even if he didn't make the best of choices (heroin and Courtney), like many artists, he was misunderstood. Although even if it's too little too late, it was touching to hear his side of things. This film was touching but it served as too much of a reminder that it was post-mortem.
PICK: A must for any Cobain fans, melancholy and insightful. Bean has his eyes.

HE WAS A QUIET MAN

HE WAS A QUIET MAN SPEAKS LOUDLY

This is a dark, unpredictable film. We have seen this behavior before (going postal) where the fed up, over worked and under paid worker bee decides to take out a few co-workers before shooting himself. Because we know this happens, it is hard to watch a film that brings light to this behavior, that being said, it was done in a very nice light. Bob (Christian Slater) is that worker bee and he takes a lot of crap from a lot of people. He isn't outgoing or good looking (and yes, they managed to make Christian Slater look terrible) and he is a bit of a loner. There is a shooting at the company where he works and he is involved, in one way or another. This is where things get complicated. There are three, yes, three alternate endings to this movie. Some things are explained while others just keep us guessing (while others sit through and watch it again with the director's comments trying to find meaning or intent). There is no way to predict this film's path because it pulls the rug out from under you and before you can sit up in your chair they do it again. The lines between reality and fantasy are so blurred that you can't even tell that there are any lines. Elisha Cuthbert and William H. Macy add to the star power of the movie and do a fantastic job. Slater is perfect as Bob not only in his appearance and the way he holds his body, but also with the subtle gestures that kept him from going too far over the top in this role. It is a very interesting movie and frustrating at the same time because there is no definitive answer. Like the real-life shootings, I guess there is no answer anywhere.

Pick: Well done film and interesting to watch, but slightly maddening to keep score.