Zzyzx

Special thanks to Richard Halpern for that stellar review above!

I don't know what the "legend" of zzyzx road had to do with this movie at all. The "legend" was mentioned at the beginning of the movie, via titles. That's it. Don't see what it had to do with the story.

Supernatural elements? Where? Maybe I slept through that part. In fairness, I sleep at some point during most movies.

Check it out, though, if you're a fan of Kenny (The Shield). You could do worse at the video store.

Hope it gets distribution!

I'll give it a 5 for Kenny's (and that girl's) acting.

Just saw a cut of this film and it was fantastic! Exciting thriller starring that dude Lemonhead from THE Shield. Great cinematography, story kept me guessing. Lots of action, drugs, blood, sex, fun! Very mysterious, moved at a great pace! Story about a couple of guys who run over a dude with their car then try to cover it up, only to bump into the dudes wife 5 minutes later. Then all hell breaks loose! Really built up the legend of Zzyzx Road really well. Had some great supernatural elements. Had this really cool car crash sequence and the performance from all of the actors were top notch. Had that sexy actress from The Life Aquatic too. Movie zipped on by at 90 minutes....wish it was longer because the ride was truly exhilarating!

Check it out. Truly, a great, great movie.

The things you stumble onto when looking for a movie. Initially, I wanted to watch the all time bad epic that was Zyzzyk Road. But being a little drunk and not paying attention, I stumbled onto Zzyzk (a.k.a. Burned). I regret my curiosity.

Okay, so this movie was just something to watch. Two guys, who seem like friends, accidentally kill a man on the back roads while seeking out a little adventure on the notorious Zzyzk Road (located somewhere in Nevada). They soon stumble onto the dead man's wife and suddenly a cat and mouse game happens between the two men and the woman. A lot of twists and cussing happen along the way, but it ends up being a convoluted and sometimes ridiculous movie.

This movie is just a bad student film trying to be some kind of weird indie flick. It's crudely shot and it seems to have a lot of off the cuff dialogue. It has a weird subplot about some cult or something broadcasting their dark message through the radio, but I lost interest pretty quickly in that subplot as the story devolved. I suppose with some more money and in more capable hands this could have been a very cool film, but unfortunately it doesn't have those things working for it. I'll give it a 3 for trying its best.

I'm also pretty sure this is a better film than Zyzzyk Road.

Funny, but I don't see many reviewers (here or otherwise) commenting on the title sequence. The titles are done in a very imaginative way. In fact, it is so unusual (but not unique) and subtle that my friend didn't even notice that we were watching the title sequence. One of the reasons I enjoy independent films is because you get little gems like this after you sift through enough dust and sand. Without the title sequence, I would only be giving this two or three stars.

However, if you remove the title sequence from the equation, this is not a particularly good film. The story is acceptable and the film looks like most independent films, but the acting is pretty bad. The leads might even achieve acceptability, but the secondary characters and extras (or whatever you want to call them) are Grade-A amateurs. It doesn't help that all the characters are pretty off-putting and extreme. I believe that you have to care for at least one character in a movie, or at least empathize with a character, in order to enjoy it. Directors understand this and often achieve success by having you identify with multiple characters at different points within the story. "Zzyzx" fails in this respect.

Finally, the pacing is pretty poor. I wouldn't say that the movie is boring, but it comes pretty close.

Final advice, rent it and watch the title sequence (which means you have to sit through several very boring and poorly-acted minutes prior to the titles) and then rewind and watch them again. If, after watching another 15 minutes of the movie, you're bored or just disinterested, you can take the DVD out, return it, and you won't have missed anything.

"Zzyzx" has to be the best film seen by the fewest people ever. It was only by the luck of a friend's recommendation that I even heard about this flick. Honest to god, my life is richer because of it.

The first interesting point about "Zzyzx" is the fact that it is a real road, in a really spooky desolate desert area, with a truly odd history. Not the one portrayed in the movie, but weird nonetheless. With that as a starting point, this piece of work takes you on a hell of ride, despite its miniscule budget. As always, good writing is the key, and this baby's got it. Twists, portent, and finally complete resolution make it all worth it. Sure it's upsetting, but not gory for gore's sake or anything of the sort.

If you like desert flicks shot in daylight, relish this film. Here's a hell of a story well told. So tell your friends!