Florida City

While Googling "Florida City" I ran across the resurrection of this film, now renamed "Small Town Conspiracy". It sounded like the movie filmed in my old hometown of Center Hill. I watched the trailer and the first scene of a Main Street circa 1940's made me sit up in amazement! There it was!!! Center Hill's Market Street as it was dressed for the movie when it was filmed there! In the second scene I saw both of my daughters as they were used as extras during the parade scene. I immediately contacted them and within a few minutes my oldest had found and purchased the movie online. She was very pleasantly surprised to see herself back when she was a teenager, and my other daughter was a 9 year old! The movie looks very interesting, we love period pieces such as this and best of all, it takes us back to the day when Center Hill became a movie set and everyone there was a "star"! Can't wait to view this and thanks to whomever finally made this available to the public! By the way, Center Hill's Market Street is ~still~ a ghost town, now with fewer buildings and none of them occupied.

There has been quite a lot of talk recently and a major book about FDR knowing in advance about Pearl Harbor and letting it happen in order to get the country involved in the WWII. This is an interesting look at the cover up in action in the few days before the attack.

Zen Gesner plays an alcoholic small town sheriff who isn't up to handling the first murder in the small town in Florida. His struggles and mistakes along the way are quite interesting and it shows how difficult it is to investigate a murder properly. When a young Japanese woman in found murdered, he stumbles into a conspiracy to cover up knowledge of the attack. Just wonder if all of it really did happen.

The cast isn't very well known but they are competent. Overall worth a watch because of the fascinating subject matter.

I saw this movie at the Daytona Beach Film Festival and I must say it was not a pleasant experience due to the quality of the projection and sound system. Nonetheless, the film needed quite a bit more work on its editing and script writing. I understand the Producers and Director had a very limited budget, but more effort could have been put into bringing this film to a conclusion. The ending seemed way overacted and not very suspenseful. Except for W. Morgan Sheppard, the acting was not much better either. Keep trying Mr. Clemente. You can use this film as a base towards improving on your next.

Viewed this at a film festival here in Daytona. Anyone who rated this higher than 5 stars were definitely involved in the making of the film. The fact that one of them was from Orlando should tell you something considering that is where the filmmaker is from. The lead role couldn't have been worse. I saw a comment say Zen Gessner was flawless....my god it was just terrible. Zen should never be allowed to have more than a line or two. In fact until this movie and since I don't think he has. The idea was good, but the acting and script were lacking. Avoid this unless you see it in a dollar bin at WalMart and even then you might want to pass.

I recently saw this movie and I loved it from start to finish. The story, the characters, even the scenery was incredible...why this movie isn't a #1 box office hit is beyond me. I do not want to give anything away, but I highly recommend, even insist, that everyone see this movie. It makes one think about history and current events in a totally different light. The budget for this film was $750 000, but it looks more like a $90 million picture, missing only the CGI and big name actor to sell it to the masses.

Zen Gesner (playing the lead role of John Haleran) was flawless. In fact, all of the characters are so realistic you feel like you know them by the end of the movie, and remember them long after the credits roll.

Director Ralph Clemente has told an amazing story and successfully takes viewers to another time in America.

I often feel cheated when I see movies at the local theater, but if Florida City were playing, I'd pay double.