The Last Big Thing

I liked this movie a lot. It made a lot of interesting statements about society in general that really appealed to me. I also liked its reflection of two Non-Conforists living in an extremely conformist environment. This movie was good, and different in a new, interesting way.

I caught this film in the mid 90's at a screening in New York and later on Showtime. Angry and hilarious, it's an unrelenting--and prescient--blast at where this culture was headed...straight into the celeb/fame/money vortex. A fringe anarcho-intellectual named Simon Geist creates an underground magazine called "The Next Big Thing" (which may or may not exist), which lures a bunch of LA fame wannabes into his weird, punishing "Agenda". This film had an intelligent confrontational energy that reminded me of 70's punk--translated into film. As the New York Press described it in a review/interview at the time: The Punk Rock Apocalypse!

I liked this film a lot. I keep looking for it to appear on dvd. If you're a fan of strange indie productions like Niagara Niagara, Bottle Rocket, Interstate 60, Cherish and the like, this should work for you. Sure it's extremely low-budget, but the acting is fine. The egotistical main character reminds me of many people I met in LA over the years. I laughed hard and long. I turned around after viewing and recommended it to my teenage kids. They were equally impressed and have watched over and over again with friends. If you can catch this on Sundance or Independent Film Channel, don't miss out.

"The Last Big Thing" is a wonderful satirical film that sardonically whips pop culture to the point of humorous self-desctruction. The characters are so interesting and fun to laugh at/sympathize with. Which brings me to an introduction to the characters I liked best...

Simon Geist is a man in his late 30s/early 40s who creates a pop-culture driven editorial magazine called "The Next Big Thing". Thing is, this magazine doesnt really exist, and it is only an excuse for Simon to get close to actors by interviewing them, only to bitch-slap them silly, insulting their way of buying into pop culture. His live-in female friend, Darla, is also writing a magazine (which is real), which mainly has to do with her and Simon, as well as her and her father. Darla is a genuinely loveable (or loathable) character, depending on how you view her muted neurotic behavior. Magda is a prostitute, the character i liked the best. Brent is a flat character with not much to him, as is Tedra, the music-video queen for a bunch of B-rated rock bands. Still, these characters weave a very interesting web together. And this movie questions all the motivations that people have for what they do and why they do it. Its a wonderful film and I suggest you see it if you're in the indie/art house crowd. Mark my words!

I came across this movie on cable on night. It's interesting but not completely.

Working with little money, the director takes what would be nothing more than home movie sets and creates a Faulkner like stream of consciousness that swirls around a shallow, uncreative world.

The dryness of Simon Geist is comical. He is the 'know it all' jerk that criticizes modern art but offers no alternative. And at the end you find that he is what he hates.

The response to this movie has been pretty brutal. If Ingmar Bergman had made this, I would have expected better. But I say kudos to Dan Zukovic. It's far from being a great movie, but I have considered watching it again.