4/14/2008
Paranoid Park
Paranoid Park is the latest (on dvd) release from director Gus Van Sant who brought us films like Elephant, Good Will Hunting, and Finding Forrester. While the production quality of this movie doesn't quite live up to that of GWH or FF (it's about the same as Elephant), it provides a very realistic (and possible???) view of one kid's experience in life.
A kid about 16 years old, named Alex likes to skateboard. His friend and him go to a park downtown called Paranoid Park, it's where all the real intense skaters go. They plan to go a second time but his friend decides he can't go. Alex has nothing better to do so he goes anyways just to watch. While there a older guy asks him if he wants to jump a freight train... Alex manages to get involved in the accidental murder of a security guard, which starts a chain of events in his life, disillusion, confusion, guilt, etc. He is eventually told by a friend that the best way to get something on your chest is to write it down - which is ideally what Paranoid Park is. The story is told out of order and there is much more to it than this, the story is told as if we are reading it as Alex is writing it, it bits and pieces, in the order he remembers it. As he randomly remembers something he missed, our picture of the situation is filled in.
The film has basically all no name actors, and the vast majority of them are teenagers who likely have little or no experience in acting. Due to this, the film is at times a little bit strange, however they pull it off and I feel like the no-name people help bring about a better sense of realism to the situation. (I would find the story less believable if it was Shia LaBeouf playing the lead role)....
This is a good movie, and if you get the time, you should check it out. It's very slow, but I found it interesting. The movie is certainly not for everybody. It is very artistic and there are many shots with no talking. If you feel like this sounds interesting, give this movie a look.
Rating:
What will Gus Van Sant do next?!?
Related Links:
IMDB
Official Site
A kid about 16 years old, named Alex likes to skateboard. His friend and him go to a park downtown called Paranoid Park, it's where all the real intense skaters go. They plan to go a second time but his friend decides he can't go. Alex has nothing better to do so he goes anyways just to watch. While there a older guy asks him if he wants to jump a freight train... Alex manages to get involved in the accidental murder of a security guard, which starts a chain of events in his life, disillusion, confusion, guilt, etc. He is eventually told by a friend that the best way to get something on your chest is to write it down - which is ideally what Paranoid Park is. The story is told out of order and there is much more to it than this, the story is told as if we are reading it as Alex is writing it, it bits and pieces, in the order he remembers it. As he randomly remembers something he missed, our picture of the situation is filled in.
The film has basically all no name actors, and the vast majority of them are teenagers who likely have little or no experience in acting. Due to this, the film is at times a little bit strange, however they pull it off and I feel like the no-name people help bring about a better sense of realism to the situation. (I would find the story less believable if it was Shia LaBeouf playing the lead role)....
This is a good movie, and if you get the time, you should check it out. It's very slow, but I found it interesting. The movie is certainly not for everybody. It is very artistic and there are many shots with no talking. If you feel like this sounds interesting, give this movie a look.
Rating:
What will Gus Van Sant do next?!?
Related Links:
IMDB
Official Site
Labels: movies
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