The Last Place on Earth

I saw this at the Pan African Film Festival in LA. It was a really sweet movie. I mean, there was no sex or violence, just a nice story with good actors. It was refreshing. The only thing I didn't like were the cross fades. But that's a lame technical comment from me.

This movie is very well done, it is a bittersweet love story and the acting is superb. I thought it to be very artsy and tasteful as well as containing a subtle undercurrent of socio-political comment. Somewhat reminiscent of Love Story, but with great music!

A young banker loses his Mother, and on the way to scatter her ashes at her preferred location meets a woman whose car has broken down. She cons him into giving her a lift and they spar a bit, eventually falling in love. He ends up taking extra time off from work and gets demoted upon his return, and eventually gives up banking altogether to pursue a music career. There are surprise twists so I wouldn't want to say too much and spoil it for those who have not seen it. I would buy this movie as well as watch it again and I recommend it to anyone who has ever had a great love.

I just happened across this movie as it was beginning on one of the premium movie channels. I found the love story to be very good. It is one of those "surprise" stories in which seemingly incongruous strangers end up being lovers for life. There is tragedy in their lives, and it tests the depth of their love. While there is not gratuitous sexual content or nudity, it is certainly not prudish. It is worth seeing for the story, for the values it espouses, and for the fine acting of the two leads. It is distractingly filmed, however, with many double-exposures, which tend to seem "cute" or "contrived" and certainly are not in keeping with the movie's tone. I guess this is evidence that in many cases - if not most - the writer should probably not also be the producer, and definitely should not also be the director, as is the case here. I recommend this movie for anyone who likes a really good love story.

Giving this film a 3 may have been an act of generosity. I feel compelled to start with the positive. I was rooked into seeing this film on Showtime out of idle curiosity that seemed to be paying off quickly. The first scene was a well-shot hospital scene that turned out to feature a completely unrecognizable Phyllis Diller turning in a performance that I found to be really intriguing. I thought I had stumbled onto a gorgeous indie film.

It's as though a good cinematographer's nephew wrote a screenplay and the cinematographer had no choice but to help him make it. I feel compelled to write here everything wrong with this film. The bad decisions are myriad. It's well photographed and that's IT. The story is one of the most hackneyed pieces of boy meets doomed girl tripe ever filmed. The lack of self-awareness in this film is embarrassing.

I have tried writing all of the horrible decisions made here and I am overwhelmed. I've erased them all and tried to restart a dozen times. I'm simply forcing myself to stop trying to justify how bad this film is. I WOULD recommend showing this thing to film school students. I might even buy a copy. It's a genius example of how film making can have all the correct components but be torn apart by the lack of ability of the film maker. This is indulgent wish fulfillment gone to monstrous excess. Scene after scene, this turkey rewrites the book on bad directing. Ed Wood never knew HOW to make a movie. Director Slocom read the book on how to make a film and then gleefully threw it aside.

"The Last Place on Earth" came as a total surprise. We took a chance with this indie film brilliantly directed by James Slocum who also wrote the screen play. Mr. Slocum achieves a small film that is a feast for the eyes as well as a story that we know can happen. The music score is by Eric Swanson. The thing that knocks the viewer out is the perfectly beautiful cinematography created by David Dechant; without a doubt, this film is gorgeous to watch because of all the natural settings that serve as background to the story. Also, the movie is greatly helped by the amazing editing of Frederich Wardell.

Mr. Slocum ought to be congratulated for not turning this film into a weep fest. Rob Baskin, the young man at the center of the story suffers a great loss when his mother dies. Her dying words seem prophetic for what Rob would experience after this tragedy. Taking some time off he runs into a young woman who is not afraid to give him a piece of her mind. Rob is taking time off from his boring bank job. Later, on the road, he meets Ann, the outspoken girl, and it turns out to be a match that will serve to liberate him from what he is doing in life in order to pursue his true call: music.

The film has such a sharp look, greatly helped by the vistas of the west one is taken to by Mr. Slocum in this voyage of discovery. Dana Ashbrook and Tisha Campbell play Rob and Ann two young Californians that fall in love. Phyllis Diller is seen briefly as the dying mother too sick, we know she will not survive. Also Billy Dee Williams has a small part as Ann's doctor. Brook Peters, another distinguished actor, plays Ann's father.

We shall be looking forward to other films by Mr. Slocum and wish him well in his future work.