Zzyzx

ZZYZX is a sign you see in the middle of nowhere on I-15 between Los Angeles and Las Vegas- my wife and I were wondering how it is pronounced-

Zissicks? Zissk?

We always make the joke that north of Las Vegas is Area 51 and south of Las Vegas is Area 52-60, culminating in ZZYZX. heh heh heh. There always appear to be suspicious little enclaves and compounds out in this neck of the woods. And of course, China Lake and the Marine Base for real.

There is no more dessicated place than the Mojave Desert to choose as a location for a thriller, and this is sounding like a great film and a great locale.

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.

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.

Zzyzx is, simply put, possibly the best independent film I've seen in a long long time. Period. By any standards, it's a great film. It's well written, well acted, and (especially considering it's budget constraints) well directed. Do yourself a favor, and put this one in your NetFlix queue, and then spread the word. It's the fact that occasional films that are this electric get MADE that keeps me scouring the shelves of video stores, and reading independent film reviews online. In a world where The Blair Witch Project becomes a multi million dollar maker, it's a criminal shame that this gem has stayed under the radar for so long. Help bring it up where it belongs. Support independent film!

Just want to point out that this film is DIFFERENT from the film starring Katherine Heigl. These two films have been getting mixed up a lot because of their similar names. To be clear, Zyzzyx Road is a 2006 film starring Katherine Heigl, Leo Grillo, and Tom Sizemore. The film is about an accountant (Grillo) who has an affair with a seductress (Heigl) in Vegas. Heigl's psychotic boyfriend (Sizemore)turns up and things get ugly. Zzyzyx is a film that came out around the same time by Richard Halpern starring Ryan Fox and Robyn Cohen. In this film two friends crossing the desert get themselves in a dangerous situation, which makes it terribly clear that desolation and desperation can have a frightening effect. There has been a bit of a battle between these two films, look it up online.