Ten Inch Hero

I don't know if I can convey in words exactly how wonderful this movie is. I was very lucky to see it at the 2007 Newport Beach Film Festival. And from the laugher and tears that the whole audience had, it was fantastic.

The stories of all the characters were combined to tell a wonderful story. The story, the direction, the acting, the music, was above par for anything you usually see today.

I was laughing so much at times my sides hurt. My eyes got wet at other times. And sometimes you just got an overwhelming since of happiness.

When it was over, I turned to the girl setting next to me, and we both agreed we wanted to see it again, right then and there! And the whole audience started clapping.

I surely hope to see this on the big screen, where I will drag all my co-workers and friends to. I have not stopped talking about it, and they are all now convinced to go see it, when it hits the big screens. And trust me, I'll be buying it when it comes out on DVD. It is one of those movies, that you can just watch time and time again.

I can't even begin to tell you how amazing this film is. The cast is wonderful, the script is fabulous, everything about it is perfect. I can't find a flaw in the film, except that it ended. I went to see it for Jensen, and he was AMAZING as Pristley, but the entire cast was just exactly right. They hit the nail on the head. I laughed, gasped, got sucked into the movie and never wanted to leave it.

I got to see it at the Newport Beach Film Festival, and was lucky enough to get to meet Jensen, Danneel, and Elisabeth. They were all total sweethearts, and so down to earth. It made the movie even better for me, but even without them, the movie gets two thumbs up from me. If you have the opportunity to see it, do it. You won't be sorry. I hope that this movie gets distributed for everyone to see, and that one day it'll be on DVD so I can watch it over and over. Seriously, it's THAT GOOD.

Ten Inch Hero is a touching, elegant and sweet movie about people not quite so ordinary, and the masks they wear for each other without even knowing, without even wanting to. It's also a movie about tearing down the masks and - simply - finding what's really important.

The movie is worth watching at least several times. The dialog is witty and sharp, the plot elegantly constructed and absorbing, the music masterful (and funny, because it perfectly mirrors the plot and - surprisingly - brings comic relief in a few carefully chosen places), the filming beautiful and professional, and the actors good, funny and entirely believable.

Clea DuVall is, as usual, a quiet but very intense presence on the screen, yet the filmmakers don't let her steal the show entirely. Same goes for Jensen Ackles, the central "fun" character, who has quite a few superb moments that show both his comedic ability and enchanting subtlety. Alice Krige was a wonderful casting choice, and her presence (complimented by the music) transforms the scenes in funny and touching ways.

In other words, I want the DVD, and I want it right now!

I have to admit it. I feared this movie would be WB fare because of the actors involved and the many young audience members at the film festival where I saw it who seemed, shall we say, infatuated by certain actors in the film. The girl next to me said "Oh I love him" or similar comments every time the character Priestly came on. Because at film festivals cast and crew and their families and friends often turn up, I was tempted to ask her if she knew the actor, such were her expressed feelings of seeming familiarity with him. My husband, actually, had wanted to see this film which could be, at first glance, dismissed as a "chick flick". However, I was pleasantly surprised at the snappy dialog, good plot, fun characters, and genuine emotion that this film registered. I also loved the feelings of camaraderie among the main characters in the film. It is a heart warming film and I highly recommend it.

OK, let's be honest. I've seen (the start of) a hundred of these sorts of movies --- low-budget indie flick about a quirky group of friends, billed as a comedy but not really many laugh-out-loud moments. Most of them are utterly dreadful, and I can tell within ten minutes that I hate these people and/or have utterly no interest in their lives.

But every so often you get lucky and the whole thing works. From the first minutes you're intrigued by something, you soon care about every one of the characters, and by the end you're as in love with them as they all are with each other.

Watch it with someone you love; you'll be happy you did so!