Premium

Read my past reviews, and you know how rare it is that I sing the praises of any film made after 1985.

Premium is one of the best independent films I have ever seen. I realized after the screening at the Urbanworld Film Festival just how much garbage I've watched lately. I hope Mr. Chatmon is able to get a theatrical release so that everyone can have an opportunity to see the movie, but if it does go straight to DVD, it will be a rare gem in the secondary market.

I don't want to over-inflate the movie. It wasn't a complex story with a lot of special effects or over the top dramatizations. It was a very simple story that was divinely executed. Everyone did what they were supposed to do. The film maker had enough respect for his audience not be the director, the writer, the star, the key grip and the caterer. He selected his role, he focused on that and hired people to do the rest.

It's a character study and a date movie. And its good. I've been a champion of the urban independent film maker for a while. This movie reminded me why...UFC

Dorian Missick pumps gas at the station owned by his mother's boyfriend. He goes on an endless round of auditions for dumb roles: the drug dealer, or the mugger, or the rapist. He hasn't gotten a part since a burger commercial. Then, one day Zoe Saldana drives up. He and she are ex-lovers, and he's never gotten over her. She's engaged to be married in a couple of days. So in between the gas station and the auditions, he makes one last try for her.

Pete Chatmon's movie is .... well, it's mostly the portrait of what appears to be a loser, but there's an undertone of life going on while you seem to be stuck. The performances are excellent, but despite some clever bits in the editing, in which scene-setting credits appear like a script, this appears to be less of a story than a tale of desperation, and Missick's struggle to keep a positive attitude in the midst of slow-motion disaster.

I usually don't do this but I've recently started following the chat rooms on PREMIUM and it's been very rewarding to see the response. When we set out to make this film, from a script I started writing in 1999, our objective was to show that emotion and the human experience is something that is universal. I believe we have succeeded in doing that. Putting black characters in the film does not make it only accessible to black people and this film has something for everyone. After all the festivals, reviews, comments, and awards the film has received, it seems like we're striking the right chord and people agree. PREMIUM is all about adding more to the cinematic menu so be sure to check it out when we hit theaters and DVD later this year! Spread the word...

Apparently the MANY movies that imizrahi2002 claims to have seen have not opened his brain to great film making!! LOL (you shouldn't toot your horn so much) Thanks for not writing that book you said you could write. (close call there)

Anyway...This is a simple movie with a timeless story told in a very new way. It shows how a story doesn't have to be convoluted to be interesting. And how complicated life can get in the blink of an eye.

If you like the same story, but told with amazing Hollywood special effects, explosions and Harry-Potter-type plots..... Then listen to IMIZRAHi2002's review. (he or she should see a lot more independent and story-based films before talking the way he/she has about this type of movie. (that is MY opinion on his/her review ) 8-) Judge for yourself....

Great film for a night when explosions and effects are not what you are looking for. A funny, smart, heartfelt, intelligently written film.

This movie got my attention while flipping cable channels. Its one of the better love movies out there that no one knows about and is a must have if you are into Black cinema or not. I haven't really seen Dorian in action before but have become a fan of his work. Zoe is of course a beautiful woman and only gets better. The plot is also great and well written, it could be considered a perfect date movie or one that you watch when you just want to stay home and cuddle with your significant other. I don't know why this movie didn't get more headlines during its preview and release (it should have), but the fact that its not a well known movie actually makes it a better movie.