Lightning Bug

I picked this one up at the video store because Prepon is on the cover, and being a huge That '70's Show fan I like to see other stuff that the cast is in. I was glad I did get it as it was very well acted by everyone in the film. The characters were very believable whether it was a psycho religious mom or a redneck teenager. The story was pretty simple and in this case that's not a bad thing. I also found it interesting that Prepon was exec. producer. I think anybody that has or has had aspirations of getting out of their hometown to make it the entertainment industry will relate to this movie on some level. It also goes to show that you shouldn't overlook a DVD on the shelf of the movie store just because it hasn't had a big theatrical release.

I bought this imported DVD misguided in its genre. I was expecting a horror movie, based on the cover of the DVD, and the sentence: "The Most Frightening Monsters Are All Around Us" highlighted in the back. However, "Lightning Bug" is a powerful coming-to-age suspenseful drama, with an excellent direction and acting. It is difficult to highlight individual performances, since I would be unfair with this stunning cast. However, the sick and disgusting devoted character of Ms. Duvet, magnificently played by Shannon Eubanks, irritated me with her hypocrite life and behavior. The Region 1 DVD has a beautiful package and many features, but unfortunately it does not have English subtitles or closed caption. The accent of some characters of this small Alabama town where the story takes place is quite difficult to be understood by a foreigner, and I lost some words along the story. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Not Released"

Lightning Bug is an amazingly honest movie that touched me in more ways than one and I hope everyone gets a chance to see it. The cast is phenomenal and includes talents such as Bret Harrison, Laura Prepon, Kevin Gage, Ashley Laurence, and Hal Sparks just to name a few. Robert Hall brings to life the very real issues of domestic violence and chasing your dreams no matter what people say. It immediately captures the audience's attention and holds it until the end. The music fits in perfectly with each scene and actually adds an extra element. The film allows you to laugh, cry, and cheer throughout pulling from the audience a whole spectrum of emotions. I definitely recommend this movie.

Fantastic performances by all. Prepon moves boldly away from her most famous role (Donna; That 70's Show)with ease. It is sad to know that many families go through this stuff everywhere in the world. Not recommended for families with abusive situations! It was great to see the film show support for a teen with dreams outside of what the adults wanted. The DVD has a ton of extras and I was really surprised by the amount since this is an "Indy" release. I loved the ending since it kept all in their true character form. If you watch the deleted scenes you will get more out of the older brother's character and watched the "Making of" featurette for a good amount of the actors' love for this film.

A drama/thriller, set in the South, about a young boy who longs to escape the misery of his childhood and the misunderstanding of his hometown...

I have known about this film for many years, being a serious horror fan and thus a fan of both Robert Hall and Ashley Laurence (both very nice people, by the way). Not until now, with the Blu-Ray release, did I finally get around to checking it out.

Robert Hall impresses. How much of this is autobiographical and how much is not is hard to say -- I suspect it is much more dramatic than the real story. But it works here, and is legitimately frightening in a way that horror films are not -- abuse is a serious fear for many people. Spousal abuse and child abuse are sadly all too real.

The religious aspect I am uncertain about. There are obviously religious people in the South, and I think the film did a good job by showing that not everyone in town thinks Halloween is Satanic (the line for the haunted house is pretty long). I wish they had explained more about how the church was or was not Bible-based...