Lansdown

Rating:
Summary: Not bad, not great
Review: An updated attempt at noir--what used to be called neo-noir, a term that has essentially evaporated--Lansdown is not exactly a bad film. The plotting itself is solid. The soundtrack is evocative. The acting is somewhat spotty, but mostly works. But the script is not what it should be, and that's the major fault here. This does not have the punch of better modern noir, even the semi-obscure indie type (e.g., Cement, Thursday, Killing Time, Trouble Bound) because the stakes are not raised high enough.

We have a put upon husband, a lawyer who thinks he's hot s**t (the viewer is led to believe that all lawyers think this way, since we see inside his office where he smarms around with his partner and intern, both of whom exude smarm as well). The husband's wife is enjoying herself with a younger guy, so there's the setup. The problem is, as mentioned before, the stakes. The wife, finally found out, whines like a high school girl that their marriage just doesn't work anymore. One of the major problems is that her character is so poorly developed that it's completely impossible to believe that her husband would be so possessive of her that he does what he does in this movie, which is some pretty intense stuff. We don't get enough of the lawyer's personality either--specifically a background in rage--to justify what happens in the course of the film. And the lawyer is the key character here, along with his wife. When the characters of the two leads are so poorly developed, the violence that ensues is completely unfounded.

Other characters are, in fact, more interesting. Humor is used, and quite well; there's some genuinely funny stuff and effective laughs. But with the two central characters not being as convincing (not because of the actors' abilities or lack thereof, but because of the script) as they should be, the story is really half-hearted noir.

This could have been a much punchier piece of work if the filmmaker, Tom Zuber, had invested Jake and his wife, his main characters, with more depth. As it is, the film takes more pleasure in the side characters than it does in the main ones which leaves the viewer dissatisfied.

Too bad.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Story, Terrific Actors
Review: Never have I seen such a spectacular movie where the plot is so well written and the actors are so into the parts that they are playing. I especially liked Christopher Baran who played Hector in this movie. He definitely is an up and coming star and will make it very big in this business. He stole the movie bringing a comedic relief every now and then at the exact moments that the picture had needed it while at the same time bringing drama to his character where it should have been. Expect to see this actor in years to come. I give this movie a 9. It would have been a 10 if Christopher Baran had more screen time and top billing.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Story, Terrific Actors
Review: Never have I seen such a spectacular movie where the plot is so well written and the actors are so into the parts that they are playing. I especially liked Christopher Baran who played Hector in this movie. He definitely is an up and coming star and will make it very big in this business. He stole the movie bringing a comedic relief every now and then at the exact moments that the picture had needed it while at the same time bringing drama to his character where it should have been. Expect to see this actor in years to come. I give this movie a 9. It would have been a 10 if Christopher Baran had more screen time and top billing.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Film
Review: Unbelivable production! First time wirter/director Tom Zuber does a fine job pulling this dark comdey together. Stay tuned for "Little Athens," which will begin shooting in late spring. Little Athens is a multi-storied comedy about a day in the lives of an ensemble of Gen Ys. Co-written by Jeff Zuber and Tom Zuber, and to be directed by Tom Zuber, the movie will boast the hottest collection of Generation Ys yet assembled in a single motion picture.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Film
Review: Unbelivable production! First time wirter/director Tom Zuber does a fine job pulling this dark comdey together. Stay tuned for "Little Athens," which will begin shooting in late spring. Little Athens is a multi-storied comedy about a day in the lives of an ensemble of Gen Ys. Co-written by Jeff Zuber and Tom Zuber, and to be directed by Tom Zuber, the movie will boast the hottest collection of Generation Ys yet assembled in a single motion picture.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Film
Review: Unbelivable production! First time wirter/director Tom Zuber does a fine job pulling this dark comdey together. Stay tuned for "Little Athens," which will begin shooting in late spring. Little Athens is a multi-storied comedy about a day in the lives of an ensemble of Gen Ys. Co-written by Jeff Zuber and Tom Zuber, and to be directed by Tom Zuber, the movie will boast the hottest collection of Generation Ys yet assembled in a single motion picture.

Rating:
Summary: Great Character Study
Review: Very interesting and exciting take on "Tarantino-esque" flicks. This new film, by an up and coming production team, will draw in the viewer from the start. Several of the actors stand out for their intense and hilarious performances. This one is surely for "filmers", and not for the whole family, but if you are looking for something original and off-beat, check this flick out...

Rating:
Summary: Great Character Study
Review: Very interesting and exciting take on "Tarantino-esque" flicks. This new film, by an up and coming production team, will draw in the viewer from the start. Several of the actors stand out for their intense and hilarious performances. This one is surely for "filmers", and not for the whole family, but if you are looking for something original and off-beat, check this flick out...