One Point O

Ms. Unger told us that she was drawn to the script, which reminded her of freaky directors she's worked with before.

in an nutshell, this movie is a freaky tale.

on one hand it's computer programer meets the neighbors on another hand it's a virtual sex machine on another hand it's about corporations, product placement, the dangers of commercialism.

the acting is incredible, the story will keep you glued, the cinematography is full of colors, moods, atmospheres, emotions.

this was my #2 pick for a flick at sundance this year behind the woodsman. go see it when it comes out near you.

I'm generally a sucker for a film that lures you in by its atmosphere, without telling you too much, letting the story evolve slowly, leaving the viewer with somewhere to go, something to figure out while watching. One Point O is that film, in spades.

It's yer basic sci fi thriller, with nanotechnology, mind control, kinky sex and seriously warped (but interesting, very interesting) characters at every turn. Jeremy Sisto, as the central character, makes it compelling in a subtle way, in that I really wanted to know what the #@%! was going on with him: was the whole thing in his mind, or was it happening in reality, or what? While the film doesn't spell everything out - which is a good thing, a very good thing - there's enough info that, by the end, the conscientious viewer can get the gist of what's transpired. I do recommend a second viewing, though - get the DVD, as I plan to do, since this one's not shown on cable that often.

I see this film as having tremendous cult appeal, where audience members dress accordingly and hover in a suspiciously extra-dark and oddly damp screening room, late at night. Also a good thing.

The film is often compared to Darren Aronofsky's "Pi" and it's actually similarly intelligent and visually creative, yet "Pi" is more consistent and logical. So what we have great about "1.0"? First and foremost is its message, which is very relevant for the consumer society of today; the very discovery of that message while watching the movie is a rather exciting thing, yet it's a common thing for intelligent movies; but that's not the point, the point is that "1.0" warns you about living to consume products, the corporations will never care much about you, they only want money, more and sooner. That's why they would never care much even about debugging the programs they put into their consumers. Of course, this movie is a sci-fi because I think it's virtually impossible to create a virus for the human brain, even with some kind of microscopic electronic "mites". But doesn't, say, propaganda sounds like someone's trying to put a mind virus into your brain, to make it possess your will and so to control it? Or weren't communism and fascism a real kind of mind plague striking billions of people? May be then even there are demons who possess people and make them do things they wouldn't like to, and they are actually mind viruses, thoughts that have an ability to transmit themselves using verbal channels? We should learn to watch attempts to control our will and to resist them, or we won't be human anymore just like those poor people in this amazing movie. 7 out of 10, because the pace of the story is yet too sluggish and the visuals are overly grotesque which I don't really like, here "Pi" did better.

Paranoia 1.0 portrayed a not-so-distant future of isolation and corruption. Our protagonist - Simon J - suffers from the very beginning and his deteriorating state grows exponentially by the end. There is a clever gimmick behind his "sickness" which I can agree to be plausible.

This cinematic adventure's strengths are not in the casting, but in a grim atmosphere that entices the viewer with a special peek into the world of a paranoid being. This is done exceedingly well and I give much respect to the set designers.

Overall, 1.0 is a look into what corporate power may one day be able to exact upon the masses, in ever evolving, technologically proficient world.

It is easy to draw parallels between this movie and contemporary science fiction like The Matrix or less astute films like the Thirteenth Floor.

However, there is another level of storytelling in this film, something very akin to the way science fiction was told in the late 50's. Reminiscent of classical Twilight Zone or the more modern Cronenberg tradition of weird but very compelling scifi, One Point O makes a point that very few contemporary science fiction films does: it's not about effects or flashy stunts, convoluted terms or flashy names for characters. It's about the actor, director and the film crew telling a story.

The film is strange, no doubt, and maybe somewhat inaccessible to many viewers. But it delivers everything it promises in the outset, and in my opinion succeeds where so many others fail; Minority Report to name but one.

On the contrary to what many seem to think, I found the film quite clear. I had no trouble following the story and wasn't surprised at the end - but in my opinion there is no attempt made to surprise you.

One Point O is a film I will see many times again, as there are so many little details to be found - in the sets, the dialog and the characters.

Certainly it is NOT a film for the impatient.