Friday - May 21, 2010

Latest DVD review!

The newest DVD review was published tonight in FRED Entertainment (the new name for Kevin Smith's former Movie Poop Shoot site). Below...

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Yes, when you read a description that uses the words avant-garde, 99% of the time you should run in the other direction. Most likely what you’ll get is a movie that is so into itself it negates the possibility of anyone else liking it.

Not here, though, as this movie is a genuine treat that both entices and rewards on multiple levels. It feels like a noir thriller that ought to exist somewhere in the 30’s or 40’s with its minimalist set design, cinematography and music choices. The story revolves around a hard nosed female detective on a case that, while it would be useless to try and compress into a neat paragraph, blends the scientific with the very mundane aspects of filmmaking that have long since been tossed aside.

While not steampunk by any means, the movie still feels like a hybrid of the very old and the very modern. Director/writer James Kerwin blends some fantastic elements that deal with the nature of space and time with a fun take on the old gumshoe who just can’t say no to the sauce.

Again, looking at the film’s description you would be hard pressed to want to check out a movie that seems like a blend of too many genres, but I can assure you that it’s worth watching simply for Kipleigh Brown’s portrayal as the weather beaten detective Hoyle and for Chase Masterson of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine fame. These two together make seeking this movie out entirely worth it. Kerwin, as well, deserves much love and respect for crafting a story that not only works as a noir throwback, but also succeeds in bending your mind’s eye as it challenges your expectations of a film dealing with the subject matter it does. Such a wonderful outing for a filmmaker that finally does take a risk in a landscape of directors who play it safe.

-Christopher Stipp