The Frame

I truly enjoyed the creativity of this movie. It was a pleasure to watch.

If you're wondering whether to watch this movie, I would lump it into a more creative, slightly less Hollywood-esque version of other enjoyable mind-bender type movies, like Vanilla Sky, Burn After Reading, The Usual Suspects, etc.

I recommend it. Don't over-analyze the sci fi bits too much, just enjoy the ride.

It's riveting from the first minute. It does drag a bit at the end, but I didn't mind as there was a lot of depth to what the main character was going through and I enjoyed the journey.

The dialogue was refreshingly smart, and, on a side note, the lighting was particularly good. Thanks for this film. It was refreshing, creative and kept me guessing and curious right 'til the end.

THE FRAME is the second film from writer-director Jamin Winans and it represents a significant improvement over its predecessor, INK, on all fronts. The basics of the plot, which is very hard to describe as it is without giving away too much information, is that there are two people, Alex and Sam, who are each going through some difficulties in their lives. Through some weird turn of events they end up meeting and eventually help each other come to terms with their pasts and current realities. I'm possibly missing something, but that was the gist of what I got out of it. The film speaks to the theme of our past defining who we are, to ourselves and others. Both Alex and Sam are in situations that they feel trapped in because of where they've been, but it takes meeting the other to discover that they are the authors of their own stories. And somehow, a dirty, black-clad man with a wrinkled hat who sprays ink on things has something to do with it. I think that to really grasp the fullness of what Winans is doing here requires more than one viewing, and I'll probably return to it at some point. For now, though, I'm just digesting it. In comparison to INK, though, THE FRAME is a much better film. It benefits from a slightly bigger budget, and the camera-work and editing are all improved. Even the acting, while not spectacular, is better than it was in INK. There aren't a whole lot of visual effects, but one effect of people turning into ink did look pretty cool. There's also some playing around with aspect ratios towards the end. Overall, THE FRAME was a visually creative, unique sci-fi/fantasy film that explores themes of redemption and overcoming doubts with sensitivity and a little flair. If you liked INK, then you should check this out but I would also recommend it to anyone who wants something the likes of which they haven't seen before.

8/10

What a find this gem of a movie was! The originality of the film is amazing. David Carranza's acting is incredibly captivating. The movie is thought-provoking in so many levels.

There is a fairy-tale quality to the stories of Alex and Sam, but in darker tones and with the substance of a thriller. The movie is a blending of stories and genres, all interweaving and working with each other in a thrilling and strangely beautiful ballet of movie-making magic.

Alex, played by Mike Carranza playing Mike Carranza, meets Sam, played by Tiffany Mualem playing Tiffany Mualem through the television in his living room... That must have sounded so confusing on paper, yet Director Jamin Winans never lets the viewer have to carry the weight of the plot in order to appreciate the movie. The complexity of the plot device is more Memento than Primer or Inception, if you need a point of reference. In other words, the viewer is never more confused than the characters themselves are.

The final act is the most brilliant, in my opinion, but where some viewers might mentally disconnect because the movie demands more of the viewer. I won't spoil it by going into details.

Do yourself a favor and watch this movie, and keep an eye on both Jamin Winans and Mike Carranza.

Be patient with the first twenty minutes, which may seem slow, but are crucial in establishing the starting point before you are taken down a truly fantastical sci-fi rabbit hole. It most definitely is not what you think it is when you first start watching, and waiting for the weirdness to begin is worth the wait, I promise you. This film asks familiar questions about free will and determinism but does so in a very original and thought-provoking way. David Carranza's performance is complex, layered and award worthy. What is The Frame? You'll have to watch to the end to find out!

If nothing else, this is a film that will make you think. A professional criminal and a paramedic meet through his TV set, like he turns on the TV and they talk to each other. They both question their own sanity, and additionally he thinks she may be more sinister than supernatural. It doesn't take her long to work out that he is a character in a TV series, and he soon realises she is one too. The obvious thing to do is meet up; he pressurises her to give him her address, which she does, but when he arrives, her apartment is occupied by someone else.

So they are not only real as well as TV characters but living in different dimensions though occupying the same space. There is quite a bit more to it than that, but if you manage to figure it out, chances are no one else will quite agree with you. The one criticism that can be made of "The Frame" is that in places it is rather slow.