Look

This movie is basically several stories woven together, with the technical constraint of only using footage from any security cameras that would have seen them. It's an interesting approach, but beyond that I found the actual stories lacking.

This wouldn't be so bad if the packaging didn't make it out as a movie that showed why security cameras were bad; ironically, almost all the significant things the cameras capture the characters doing involve breaking the law or other poor things that you want cameras to capture. Regardless, with so many cameras out there, there's no way even a small fraction of them can be watched by people all the time, since there are so many millions of hours produced each day.

At some point I also realized that *none* of the shots in the movie are from actual security cameras, rather they're all done with movie cameras and then digitally altered to look like security camera footage (blurry, camera ID and time text overlay). Sometimes peoples' faces are pixelated out, as if these were real security camera shots, even though this is just fiction. This for me seemed almost deceptive, trying to trick the audience into believing it was from real security cameras. I don't even think cameras are legal in dressing rooms, as in the gratuitous opening shot of the movie.

I found this movie disappointing, but still have to respect the creators for the interesting technical constraint of having all shots from security cameras. That's its only saving grace.

I really like this movie. Taking the conceit of ubiquitous surveillance cameras and crafting a movie is a great idea and nicely executed.

Remember CRASH. Those were "real life' stories of urban life. Rifkin goes one step further to create "real life" scenarios from surveillance footage. Or seemingly surveillance footage shot on a Sony Cine Alta camera. From sexual charged females caught in a dressing room to a body locked in a car trunk, this is a tour de force of human behavior often caught in the eyes of a security camera.

I thought it was very real at first and was delighted to find it was scripted. And the actors did a great job of being "candid". The stockroom scenes are a seduction delight. The car with the body it in reminded me of the parking lot scenes in Fargo.

Now with Paranormal, we may be entering a Security Camera era of filmmaking. In fact this style of filmmaking reminds me of the mies en scene filmmaking style in the early 1900's, and shows what is happening in front of the camera is more important that what is happening with the camera.

Viewers may went to watch David Holtzman's Diary, by Jim McBride make in the 60's.

"Look", more like watch, takes the movie experience to a new high in voyeurism. Using the medium of film in a new way, Director Adam Rifkin employs the idea and view of surveillance cameras to construct a very thought provoking masterpiece. As the movie opens before any flesh is exposed we are greeted by "facts" about the world of surveillance. It is explained that on any given day an average American can be captured on camera about 200 times. If that's not interesting enough what follows is even more engaging.

The real heroism in coming up with this idea for a picture is the competency for telling it. "Look" could have easily become some pet project that explored the fascinating world of eyes in the sky and manifested in to some stimulating avant-garde piece. Yet, Mr. Rifkin explores, in a very Altmanesque arrangement, the intertwining of seemingly ordinary lives, if only outwardly, and exposes them intimately. Not only is "Look" visually engaging but the story holds up as well.

"Look" is a breakthrough in cinema for creativity and style, reminiscent of other achievers, "Shortbus" by John Cameron Mitchell, "Waking Life" by Richard Liklater and Darren Aronofsky's "Requiem for a Dream". It doesn't just break barriers in film-making it embraces structure, story, tone and pace to create the ultimate engaging movie experience.

It's funny because I don't think the acting in this is very good MOST of the time...but I'm not sure the movie would be any better if it was. The storytelling and the "cinematography" is amazing.

The terrible way that it starts led me to believe I was going to watch a pretty bad B movie and I even started thinking about what else I could do when I couldn't take it anymore...

Then it started to turn into a compelling drama and then a thriller and the whole time I couldn't stop thinking: OMG - there are cameras EVERYWHERE! EEP! I really enjoy that some things don't resolve - that's how life is, right there.

Personally, I think that the way it suspends between reality and fiction - constantly pulling the viewer back and forth between the two - is just amazing. Very nice work.

I saw this movie at Cinevegas at Las Vegas and I enjoyed it. Im going to give some of the plot but not all of it.This is one of those types of movies that I have to give the basics without ruining it if I can. First off there is a town in California that has a video surveillance 24/7. The story involves a lawyer and his family, a gas station attendant(Guiseppe Andrews) and his slacker friend hanging around, two teen school girls, a department store manager and his female co- workers, a nerd at work being picked on, a mysterious dark skinned foreigner in aback pack, two carjackers,a school teacher whose working on a screenplay and his pregnant wife, and a sinister man in a cap following a mom and her child. There lives captured on tapes and which ones cross pass for better or worse. Plus you can tell each ones quirk without even guessing were they heading. Adam manages to make the film fresh without being soap operas. But the gimmick is the sex and violence. At least the violence is realistic but the nudity is two much. But they say sex sales! Hey, you cant ignore it people. I found some segments a little preposterous. But I do like the music montage with Andrews playing the keyboard in the store while his friend dances around the aisle. Its kind of a Pop Rock 80's feel to it. I enjoyed this movie very much. Check it out if it comes to theathres.