PrometheusUnderground

i was lucky enough to see this film when it played in Montreal. i have seen other people cite the violence as what is so amazing or over the top about the film, but it's the character and subtlety i most enjoyed. here's a surprising example: one of the first scenes in the movie is nearly five minutes long, shot black and white in a very sparse room, with two talking heads: the main characters discussing philosophy of all things. what's so amazing about this? well the entire audience was wholly absorbed and engrossed in the scene. now that is film-making. if you can write and direct a scene where there's no action, there's not even color on the screen, and you can entertain with a philosophical discussion: then staging an exciting riot is an afterthought. i really thought the riot was just that: an afterthought to an otherwise very thoughtful and entertaining little movie.

many people would consider the writing of Georges Bataille pornographic. many people would consider the films of Richard Kern or even of Bertolucci to be pornographic. underground cinema always has pushed the envelope of our sensibilities and i think Story Of The Eye is no different. i think calling something porn has more to do with the way it is made than what exactly is being shown. pornography is cheaply produced for a buck. it is exploitative of its talent and its audience. this film is neither. the filmmaker is no hack, his imagery is subtle, symbolic, and often sublime. granted, subtlety is tossed out the window at times when penetration and bodily fluids take center stage, but those are jolts that intend to shock. i was shocked by this film, and i am so rarely shocked that it was actually refreshing. i've seen enough to not be shocked simply because the film is so explicit, but because it is so gorgeously photographed and interestingly designed AND so explicit. i highly recommend this for anyone interested in checking out a film that really goes there.

this is a little indie film with a lot of heart. it is a sincere looking-for-love story about likable lesbians who aren't stereotypical and flat like we see so often. in terms of story and character, i think Go Fish compares favorably to the L Word and Chasing Amy. funny enough, the gorgeous Guinevere Turner who wrote and starred in Go Fish, was the inspiration for Kevin Smith to write Chasing Amy and she plays a small role in it, and also she acts in and is a writer for L Word. don't expect many comparisons between Go Fish and L Word or Chasing Amy in terms of production tho, there's not really any comparison since Go Fish is a very gritty 90s indie. but i found all the characters to be really interesting and likable with believably naturalistic performances. also, i must say that the sex is pretty hot.