sol- Not the M. Night Shyamalan thriller, this earlier film of the same title revolves around a man living 'off the grid' in a society in which the government keeps tabs on what everyone does through purchases made, routines and habits. To evade authorities, our protagonist has to constantly change appearance and never interact with the same people for too long - something that leads to him living an existence a la Denis Lavant in 'Holy Motors'. Innovatively shot and edited, the film is film is as engaging visually as it is intellectually with the lead's head framed in neon signs, shots from inside wine glasses and an offbeat opening in which he appears to turn around and talk to the camera before it is revealed that he is conversing with a brick wall! The plot is sometimes hard to decipher, especially in term's of the government's motives and a quest for immortality subplot, but the pure weirdness of it all renders the film compelling from start to finish. More vexing in any case are the wild changes in tone throughout. At times, the film is borderline comical as our protagonist snorts sugar, talks with over-the-top fake accents and converses with an avant-garde artist, while at other times, the tone is deathly serious with a genuine sense of danger and unease in the air. Like it or not though, this is certainly one of the most unique and strangest films ever made and while certainly elements might be off-putting for some, at its best, the film ranks alongside the finest paranoia thrillers out there as the main character finds him pursued by mysterious forces for which few others believe even exist.

robalex-1 I don't see how anyone could claim to have deduced the plot of this monstrosity. The film begins with a disheveled man wandering around town with chicklets for teeth. He glances at the camera often so you won't forget. He goes to a diner and talks funny for a while. Then he wanders off to a trash can where he pulls a new costume out of a trash bag. Having ditched the chicklets, one assumes the movie can only get better. Unfortunately you find out that those little pieces of gum impaired the character's ability to speak. Without them he rambles endlessly about some sort of big brother complex he has. It doesn't fit anywhere into the chicklets plot they had been following earlier. Then they eventually cut to the antagonist who we know is a villain because of the gray face paint on one side of his face. Our hero walks around dressed up as a cleaning lady and then is somehow pulled out of a puddle of water by the cyborg. After this my memory is blank. This movie is very much like death, and you'll agree if you survive it.

gerry-7 When I first started watching this movie I thought it was a student film. It certainly has a raw quality to it in the camera work, the filmstock, and the acting/directing. But as I continued to watch I was intrigued by the story. Its basically The Matrix idea done on a students budget. But don't dismiss it! The computer work in the movie is particularly inventive. Keeping in mind that this movie was shot in 1988/89, the use of computers is intelligent yet trippy. The acting takes some getting used to. It's not slick and natural. It's more forced, but it ends up adding to the plot of the film. I have to say that the ideas used in this film are quite clever and would recommend a viewing to anyone intertested in 1984-esque themes.

Barbecue In a very-near-future world, a corrupt government monitors everyone constantly with computers and surveillance. One man has managed to evade assimilation, and operates outside the system, fighting to preserve his freedom. An engaging and imaginative story and some very interesting editing and camera work. There are some confusing and slow parts, but all in all, an excellent example of what a small crew with brains and talent can do on a shoestring budget.