Art House

I was pleasantly surprised by this movie. Many indie movies don't really amount to much, but this movie was unique and really funny. The acting was great and the writing was intelligent. It was clearly done on a modest budget, but the filmmakers used that to their advantage. The humor is self-reflexive and very smart. There is a lot of "Hollywood Insider" humor, but it doesn't come off as pretentious the way some comedies about Hollywood do. It's the kind of movie that is actually funnier the more you think about it. I'm sure I haven't even gotten all the jokes yet. If you are looking for a well-crafted movie with a really intelligent sense of humor, I highly recommend this movie.

"Art House" was part of a series Hollywood Video did a few years ago where they gave releases to first-time filmmakers. This one is a send-up of film-making and the auteur condition (think "8 1/2" with a modern patois) with Chris Hardwick as this type of person. His performance reminded me of Richard E. Grant in "The Player" as he is very hilariously unable to compromise on anything. It also shows a lot of young guys trying to navigate their social lives (think a bit of "Swingers" and their foibles around town.) I wanted more; it seems to pick all-too obvious targets and the low production value shows. It also seems to be self-consciously hip at times. Still, there are a few belly laughs here. 6/10

I was impressed with this movie, and recommend it. I was looking for something different to watch, and picked it up at my local Hollywood video, not expecting too much, but was pleasantly surprised. The movie is a about a group of young aspiring movie makers trying to get their script made into an independent film, all the while becoming less idealistic in their outlook. I enjoyed the performances, especially Chris Hardwick as Weston Craig and Dan O'Donahue gave a nice understated performance as the lead. Funny and clever, it was a highly enjoyable experience.