Windsor Drive

I watch a lot of movies, some good, some bad. This may have been the worst I have ever seen. I don't normally write reviews of bad movies, as in many cases it could just be my opinion; but in this case the reviews submitted already are obviously written by the people who produced this nonsense. They are MUCH better at writing fake reviews and biographies (read the director's) than they are at writing a legible screenplay.

A good movie should tell a story. This fails to do that on any level. Instead of a story you can expect unnecessary "art shots" (camera gimmicks), music that in many cases fails to match the scene, and awful acting.

This film is like a well made and coherent version of a later David Lynch production. Spare, lean and intense, it has the triple layers of Mulholland Drive with the brutality and raw emotion of the highlights of films such as Lost Highway and Blue Velvet. However, this is not a mere pastiche or "Lynchian" film. This production has a distinct unique voice. Anna Gurji is as always heart stoppingly beautiful and a perfect blend of tough and vulnerable on screen. A credit to Georgia! With a small cast, it paints with a rich palette.

I was invited to a red carpet premier of Windsor Drive in North Hollywood, CA, by director Natalie Bible, and exceedingly glad I attended. Names like David Lynch and Ridley Scott come to mind, but don't really fit as a comparison. What Ms Bible' (pronounced like a french name) actually captured and created with amazingly edgy, and emotional, transitions and sequences, is so much more than these possible counter-parts bring to mind.

Ms Bible's profound emotional ride was accomplished using her unique sense of story telling through the use of metaphoric song lyrics, reverse scene shots, over-lapping layers of emotion evoking images, and her completely powerful editing – giving rise to an unprecedented enhanced experience. Couple this with an intriguing script penned by Tommy O' Reilly, and the results are unquestionably memorable. This ride is not going to be what you think, but rather so much more if you let it's pure emotional genius infect your psyche. You'll walk away with the feeling that you've seen something special, something unusual, something uniquely identifiable to Natalie Bible's vision of movie making. With Tommy O Reilly's first produced and released script, and Natalie Bible's poetic sculpting of his story, these two up-and-coming creative film forces are to be watched closely.

I don't want to leave out the fact that the acting talent adds so very much to a creative endeavor, and if that's true than we must recognize all of the actors whom attributed so much talent to this picture and helped make it powerful. With captivating performances by Tommy O' Reilly, Jillian Murray, Kyan DuBrois, Anna Biani, and Amanda Musgrave, among a long list of other talented supporting artists, all adding to the incredible creative mix pushing this film to hit the proverbial mark.

I want to remind everyone at this point that the budget on this movie was... well, TINY. So, when you sit there and enjoy the emotional havoc being thrust upon your awareness, just remember how much work it must have taken and how little money they achieved this art with.

David P

I watched this movie cold and thought I had downloaded a corrupt file. This movie is insulting in the delivery of its premise to the viewer. There is no subtlety in the delivery of plot points. The kids in my 8th grade theater class had better more innovative directing styles. The music at many points was erratic and completely out of place. There were a couple of actors in this film that sounded like they belonged in a porno, or on cable access. Overall the main actor was convincing as a mentally ill aspiring actor but his portrayal of protagonist was lacking in depth.

This is not a normal film and will likely not appeal to majority of potential viewers, but that doesn't mean it is a bad film. It is a bad film because the director is either inexperienced, unorganized or underfunded. The production of an above average film school project with the editing of a 10th grade film assignment and the acting of a 5th grade thanksgiving play does not make a good indie film, even if you dress a few characters up in tweed and have a lot of quick cuts.

delete delete delete this film will have you wondering more about its choices in production than its own substance. also, it is labeled as a thriller but the only twist is completely obvious from the get.

Have you ever had one of those moments where you realize that reality is all a blur and what you thought was right isn't even close to it? Well that's how I felt when I sat down and watched the Windsor Drive Premier at Laemmle NoHo 7 Theater in North Hollywood. The debut film by Natalie Bible' co-owner of Absinthe Productions starring Samaire Armstrong, Anna Biani, Kyan DuBois and Tommy O'Reilly, is nothing short of brilliant and though it may confuse and even upset you at times, it's one that had me question what I watched days after viewing.

Windsor Drive right out of the gates makes you feel relaxed and ready for everything it has to offer. Then out of the blue it kicks you in the junk and doesn't say sorry. No apologies needed, as I realized how much I wanted a film like this in my life. With the over saturated market flooded with bland characters, overused plots and typical looking camera angles it's hard to find a diamond in the rough. Windsor Drive is more then just a diamond though; it's an adventure, an experience that transforms your senses with every scene. It made me uncomfortable and rethinks my thought process and to be honest I was a little upset.

Why?

Natalie Bible' did not give me what I expected. She didn't give me a story that was mundane yet familiar. She didn't feed me a bunch of plot holes disrespecting me the viewer to the point of exhaustion. She didn't give me garbage wrapped up in pretty marketing design. Instead Bible's translation of the script was beautifully shot, well edited and an emotional roller-coaster that had me wanting to get in line again and again and again. Though at times Windsor Drive did feel like a long music video because every scene had music and that's usually something I dislike. Yet, realizing how strategic every little detail of Windsor Drive was to Bible' you realize that the music elevated the chaos of Tommy O'Reilly's character River Miller.

Tommy O'Reilly's gripping character River Miller is chilling and unnerving at times. O'Reilly's good looks mixed with a voice any woman would die for, any man for that matter, not only elevates the wannabe movie star character but helps keep you dialed into his story. River Miller is one messed up dude and to be honest it's someone all of us at one point of our lives can relate too. We all struggle with identity and wanting to fit in and that's why we become invested with O'Reilly's character. You want to understand his struggle, his pain, and his thoughts while maintaining a safe distance.

However, O'Reilly is not the star of Windsor Drive. Windsor Drive is the star. This film can stand-alone and will not and cannot be put into a box. I suppose if there was a genre to file Windsor Drive under it would be Documentary before Thriller/Suspense. Natalie Bible' and crew set out to create the best damn film they could and they did. It's the most honest interpretation of the drive and obsession of making it into a cutthroat business of Hollywood. Thank you for forcing us to take a deep look into what we all continue to strive for; be the popular kid on the block.

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