I picked this movie up for 10 bucks at Target, having no idea what this movie was about. But it seemed cool and Paris Hilton is in it. Of course, she's the farthest thing from a decent actress, but I can't deny that she's gorgeous. However, Paris shouldn't be your number one reason to checking out this movie, since she only has about a 20-minute supporting role. Naturally, since she's the only cast member with more than a shred of popularity, they're gonna use her as a marketing ploy. The rest of the cast, however, is good for the most part. James DeBello is somewhat of a known actor, having been in movies like "Swimfan," "Detroit Rock City" and "Scary Movie 2." The only actor, besides Paris, whose performance was kind of weak was the main character/protagonist. But even his acting was decent. Normally, I complain about the shaky camera-work I see in a lot of these independent films, but in this film I felt it was necessary--due to the trippy, chaotic nature of the story. I wouldn't dare compare "The Hillz" to "A Clockwork Orange" (like the synopsis on the back of DVD cover does), but it's hard to compare any movie to Kubrick's masterpiece. I'm sure some may describe this as an all-white, West-coast version of Larry Clark's "Kids." I, for one, wasn't a fan of that overrated mess of a movie. "The Hillz" doesn't glorify the behavior of its characters. If someone chooses to emulate the behavior of the young people in this movie, that shows where their morals are at. I think of the film as a sharp, biting commentary on the lives of hedonistic youths in L.A. and how it can be difficult to abandon a group of friends, no matter how deviant they happen to be. One thing's for sure: the movie never has a dull moment. There are also nice moments of humor, like when the main character fantasizes about Paris Hilton's character saying dirty things to him every time he has sex with another girl. If there's one thing I have to criticize, the ending is pretty rushed. I was left with an "is that all" feeling.
Review of The Hillz
