Timecode

Rating:
Summary: DVD format correction
Review: It should be pointed out to prospective buyers of the DVD edition of this movie that it is presented in a Fullscreen version, not Widescreen as stated in the technical specs above. Or, if there is a widescreen edition, I've only been able to find the fullscreen version.

Rating:
Summary: Quite possibly the most irritating movie ever made.
Review: Sure, it's very innovative: 4 screens all at once, no editing, and one take. Unfortunately, not all original ideas should see the light of day. This movie has basically no story, it is just a 90 minute long take of 4 different cameras. THAT'S ALL. There is not a compelling enough storyline to keep a sane viewer engaged. Thankfully the volume is brought up on the important shot that the director wants us to watch, but that doesn't save this mess. I don't understand what people see in this movie besides it's originality. Just because an idea is new, does not mean it's a good one.

This is just one big mess, and one of the most ANNOYING AND FRUSTRATING MOVIES I'VE EVER SEEN.

Rating:
Summary: Only worth watching on DVD
Review: Yes, I generally agree. I watched the whole thing through first and enjoyed the novelty, although felt rather overwhelmed by it. The plot is rather insignificant; definitely it's a film for those interested in the ideas involved (i.e. four cameras filming a single take, and the synchronicity between them) and this is most interesting when you hear Mike Figgis' voiceover track or see the other excellent supporting stuff on the disc. It's also useful on the DVD to be able to select one of the four cameras and only hear the sound from that, instead of just the overall mix.

All in all: A very interesting idea - Not hugely entertaining in it's own right as a film, but most definitely worth renting or buying to see what Mike Figgis was attempting. Unique.

Rating:
Summary: Very Interesting
Review: Although I agree with one of the reviewers here that "Go" is a more interesting example of stories colliding in an exciting way, that reviewer missed the real attraction of this film, especially from a designer/photographer's perspective. What makes this film more than worth watching is Figgis' use of sound. The DVD's special features give great insight into how this was created, but the short of it is Figgis wrote the screenplay on sheet music paper, in sheet music format, rather than a traditional book-like screenplay. This allows him to create an incredible soundscape that leads you through the film, tells you what to pay attention to, and carries the timing perfectly. I was reminded of a video installation at this past year's Whitney Biennial, where you were moving through rooms of wall-size video, all different, but with sound moving you along. At any rate a worthy watch for sure.

Rating:
Summary: Diffrent Format
Review: Its a simply dialog and easy to catch up. Feels like a amateur movie.-

Rating:
Summary: FALL ASLEEP or GET A HEADACHE
Review: A little hype for nothing. Many of the lines in this movie are directly taken from other groundbreaking artists -- most obviously Chekhov -- regarding new artistic forms. While the attempt at artistic form was made...the story really lacks anything worthwhile. Enter the world of Figgis and you'll need some heavy duty aspirin.

Rating:
Summary: quite brilliant
Review: THE NEW FILM MEDIUM OF THE FUTURE IS NOT EVEN FILM! IT IS DIGITAL VIDEO. THIS FILM IS QUITE BRILLIANT AND INNOVATIVE IN MANY WAYS. THE FIRST IS THAT FIGGIS BRINGS THIS NEW MEDIUM TO A FAIRLY CONVENTIONAL MAINSTREAM AUDIENCE. SURE, DOGME 95 IN DENMARK, DANCER IN THE DARK, ETC. HAVE ALL DEALT WITH THE DIGITAL MEDIUM. BUT FIGGIS, AN ACADEMY AWARD WINNER, SHOWS A MASS AUDIENCE THE POSSIBILITIES OF DIGITAL VIDEO. GETTING BIG NAME ACTORS AND ACTRESSES TO HELP HIM IN HIS EXPERIMENT DIDN'T HURT HIS CAUSE EITHER. SECONDLY, NO ONE HAS EVER SHOT A FILM (WITH A VISIBLE STORY) IS ONE TAKE. HITCHCOCK CAME CLOSE IN ROPE, BUT IT WAS NOT A TRUE REAL TIME FILM. FIGGIS PRESENTS NO GIMMICKS IN HIS SHOOTING. ONE REALLY FEELS AS IF THEY MIGHT BE WITNESSING ONE AND A HALF HOURS OF HOLLYWOOD LIFE. AND ON THAT SCALE, REAL TIME SHOOTING THAT IS, IT IS MAYBE THE MOST INNOVATIVE FILM EVER MADE. I KNOW OF NO OTHER NARRATIVE FILM THAT HAS ACHIEVED SUCH A FEAT. I ACTUALLY DO NOT LIKE FIGGIS. BUT THIS FILM IS HARD TO IGNORE. IT TAKES IDEAS OF FILM, THEATRE, PERFORMANCE ART, SATIRE, COMEDY, AND NUMEROUS OTHER THINGS AND BLENDS THEM INTO A SINGLE IDEA. DO NOT BE CAUGHT UP IN THE PLAOT. IT IS ONLY SECONDARY. SURE...WE HAVE SEEN FILMS ABOUT THE DEMISE OF HOLLYWOOD A MILLION TIMES. BUT THAT WAS ONLY IN THE STORY LINE. IN TIMECODE WE GET THE DEMISE OF HOLLYWOOD AS THE PLOT, BUT THE REAL DEMISE OF HOLLYWOOD AND HOLLYWOOD FILMMAKING IS IN THE ACTUAL MAKING OF THE FILM ITSELF.

Rating:
Summary: Clever...but boring.
Review: This is the kid of movie that critics love because its something different. (Movie within a movie, etc.) Even though its mostly improvised there is something totally unreal about it all. The women are too beautiful, the lesbian stuff doesn't wash and the gun business is just phony. If you want to see a brilliant example of different stories colliding in an exciting way see GO.

Rating:
Summary: Interesting...
Review: Mike Figgis' experimental foray into digital media is a film shot completely in real time and played out over a screen divided into quarters. You watch four small screens all at once and while inventive, it's more than a little gimmicky. It does have a great cast though, including Selma Hayek and Stellan Skarsgård. If you've ever seen the Polish art films of Zbig Rybczynski, this will remind you of them.

Rating:
Summary: Appreciate the effort, but
Review: But, but the bottom line is, you didn't need four screens. You could have simply shot scenes. When the one screen was highlighted, the other screens we're not adding to the story.

And, come on, could you possibly put another cliche in the movie. Burned out hollywood producer, coke out of viles, limos, affairs, anorexic blond women in the bathroom crying etc. Everything you've already seen a million times, on the screen four more times at once.

Sorry, but just did not work for me.