The Frame

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 he can do this with a minimal budget, what can he do with big bucks..? But then would Hollywood producers force their mindless pap on him..?

Hard to say, but I am way impressed..! If you forget the religious aspect and simply consider it all as consciousness projection it all makes pretty good sense.. Considering how much video, movies, etc I watch it would not be a surprise to me to have a reflective manifestation like this.. haha Really solid acting by the main cast.. Really good directing with impeccable timing.. Fluid cinematography and nothing shoved in your face.. Even the gunplay was realistic and within the bounds of logic.. Like a few other movies about consciousness and perspective this is basically a simple Inception.. Everything is relative, even how we perceive the meaning of this play.. Well done everyone involved in this and thank you for putting something smart out there and allowing the audience to receive something positive amongst the typical horror and angst Hollywood cranks out these days.. 👍

I am a huge fan of Jamin Winan's film "Ink" so I have been waiting for "The Frame" for awhile. After seeing it I wasn't disappointed, even if it doesn't top "Ink." This movie has much better acting and is overall of higher visual quality, but the story is much slower and probably could have benefited from a little more editing.

I do think that Winans is the most original film maker in the game right now. He reminds me of Christopher Nolan and I would love to see what he could do with a blockbuster budget. The main area where his movies fall short is in the acting department. While the main characters are played by good actors, some of the smaller roles are played by people that simply aren't good.

Overall, this movie is completely original and doesn't fit into any category. Even if someone's review gave away the whole story you would have to see it for yourself to understand. This is a movie that is going to mean something different for every person that watches it, but it's not for everyone. Winan's movies are dream-like and some people will prefer a more straight forward story. But, I think the movie is beautiful. Winan's visuals and music are always stellar. I am already looking forward to his next project, whatever that may be.

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.