framptonhollis Films like this naturally annoy and disappoint many people, and it isn't hard for me to see why. This movie is plotless, not much really happens, and the ending is not an ending at all, if anything it is an anti-ending, which I found fitting. There is no real way to conclude this film unless all the main characters die in some way, or something much bigger happens to them, but anything like that at all would be totally out of place here. The point of this film is to depict the daily lives of some characters, dig deep into their emotions and thoughts, and then carelessly shrug as the film cuts to a solid black that feels especially opaque considering how seemingly random it is. The movie just ends in the middle of a scene that could easily have gone on for another few minutes, and led into some other scene which would then lead to yet another. The film has no real beginning, either. It opens up on a quick, insignificant little moment as the main character drunkenly looks around a tattoo shop and talks with the tattooist for a couple of minutes and he explains why he doesn't give tattoos to drunk people and then the scene kind of rambles off into termination. For me, the movie was very interesting and enjoyable to watch. The comedy was fittingly mild and usually rather uncomfortable, the atmosphere was lifelike but interesting, the main character was good company to be around, and those around her were fascinating in their own ways. The movie has emotion, but it also has moments of total dullness. It's entertaining, but also kind of boring, which doesn't make any sense but it's true anyway. It's a witty movie partially about relationships or lack of relationships, and it handles things with a sharp, and sometimes excruciatingly awkward, sense of humor as well as slight sorrow.

sol- Having recently graduated college without any useful real world skills or training, a young woman gravitates between various friends while trying to secure a meaningful job and long term boyfriend in this independent American drama. The film starts off fairly well with her struggle to with what to do with her life after college resonating, especially as her friends express envy for her spontaneous lifestyle when what she really craves is direction and order. This early potential is, however, never maximized as the film mostly consists of awkward conversations between lead actress Kate Dollenmayer and her friends with a lot of whiny complaining. The uncertainty facing Dollenmayer might be heartfelt, but her lack of ambition and unwillingness to take charge of her life renders it incredibly hard to relate to her first world problems. To be fair, bits and pieces of the tale are memorable, like an experiment involving sitting on laps and Dollenmayer talking to the sister of the boy she wants to go out with, unaware that he is listening in the background, but the high points are few and far between with the film concluding in an unsatisfying abrupt manner. The supporting cast here are pretty decent (given that most were first time actors) and some of the dialogue occasionally hits home, but this is still mostly just a series of awkward filmed conversations at the end of the day.

paul2001sw-1 An ultra-low budget film about aimless twenty-somethings wasting their lives brings to mind Richard Lindlater's 'Slacker'; and while Andrew Bujalski's film lacks that movie's experimental formlessness, it does share something of the same mood. The cinematography has the feel of a super-eight home movie; but the piece is acutely observed and feels real throughout. Unfortuantly, it's just not that interesting, in part because its characters just aren't that interesting, and in a sense this isn't accidental; their directionless existence owes much to the fact that they simply haven't lived enough to have anything to care about, anything to say. And while there should be a profound sadness underpinning this, and some sociological analysis, the film never seems to scrape below its surface of whiny, unhappy people. You wouldn't dislike these people in real life, but if they have any notable attributes, they're not on display, and you wouldn't go out of your way to spend time in their company. But what's true of the characters is sadly also true of the film that contains them.

nv-11 I Love Indy films and foreign films. I do appreciate their quirkiness and non-mainstream story/filming. This is not one I would run out and purchase for my video library and invite everyone over to watch it over and over. It drags on and on where no one can articulate anything, not even a clear thought. Maybe that is funny? or haha on me. It has the premise of figuring out life day in and day out post college pre-marriage. Hum-drum. Others have done this and perfected this like Larry David but he is funny and Woody Allen as he is not only funny but clever. Both of these self-visualization directors have a resolve at the end. This movie misses the mark on all. It was like watching a home movie- so many parts of the scenes were hard to visualize or focus on (too much close-up not that the movie was "out of focus"). Now that was interesting as the filming technique parallels each characters' life. Though that may not be the depth this director was going for. If the US Open Tennis finals are on the TV and this is too, watch the tennis. It has humor, drama, real life and a resolve.