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Reviews
Factotum (2005)
Self Indulgent Garbage
I saw this film at the Seattle International Film Festival and I was not the only member of the audience who felt that the film was a waste of their time. This is yet another movie that operates on the mistaken assumption that the shallow depiction of disillusionment can sustain a film. Our lead is lazy, mean, drunk and stupid. There is none of the charm that one finds in Bukowski's actually writing. There is none of the insight. All that is left is filth and muck. And, sorry to say, muck ain't meaning. This movie is juvenile and it is supremely self-indulgent. I wanted my money back. At least if I had used it to get drunk I could have a more legitimate Bukowski-esquire experience.
Last Stop (2006)
A Taut, Clever Film
Last Stop is a great little film. It does exactly what it sets out to do, which is make a very serious observation about contemporary society without being heavy handed.
In the last few months. I have seen literally hundreds of short films. This is one of my favorites. One of the joys of this movie is that it is, in fact, very funny. Too often, filmmakers forget that the most important messages can be communicated through satire.
Greg Williams does not forget this. Not that the only tool in his arsenal is laughter. He does many things with this film: he holds us in suspense, he surprises us, and then (when we are most vulnerable) he makes us laugh ... which, in turn, makes us think. What else do you want from a short film.
In fact, what else do you want from a feature film?
Running on Empty (1988)
Superb
This is a truly fine film. And so few people recognize it. The performances are nuanced and beautiful. And the story is simple and powerful and moving. I suppose when you tell a wonderful story about real people with such a delicate touch, it isn't a surprise that you get overlooked. Without booming music or overdone melodrama or explosions, you just can't get anyone's attention. Too bad. This simple story about a young man who needs more than his surroundings can give him tells us so much about what it is to be human. The film is not about Vietnam. And it's not about protesting. It's about a family and the need for a son to realize himself. I hate to say this (because this is another Judd Hirsch movie) but I think that this film and Ordinary People might be two of the finest films about family dysfunction that have ever been produced.