Premium

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.

An enticing film - you begin to watch and within minutes you want to know how it ends. I think there's something in all of us that always hopes for it to work out for the guy, to see him get the girl. While this movie delivers that in a sense, it doesn't leave you with a traditional happy ending.

While the lead male role was performed well I didn't feel like it was very emotionally connecting. Perhaps that's just a reflection of his character, always playing it 'cool' and never really letting you know what's going on in his head. The role didn't offer much chance for an emotional curve.

Opposite the lead male role there is Zoe Saldana's character, and seeing this movie after knowing she's been in two of the biggest films in 2009 you begin to understand why. An impeccably understated yet convincing and satisfying performance. Quite simply a grace to watch on screen.

The other aspect that stuck out to me was the music - I would love to have this soundtrack playing in my home.

This movie is like a little gem you hide away in your private stash, only sharing with someone special, and only then watching once every so often, yet thoroughly enjoying it every time.

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...

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.

I'm a filmmaker myself and I see quite a few films. Premium was one of the most enjoyable and well done films I've seen on the festival circuit this year. Part of the genius is the direction. Pete Chatmon confidently lets this perfectly cast group of actors perform without trying to use any tricks to make the story more interesting or feel like a studio project. Zoe Saldana was excellent as usual but I was pleasantly surprised by the way the lead actor, Dorian Missick was able to handle himself in a cast that includes Hill Harper and Frankie Faison. Something is wrong if Missick does not get more leading roles. I did some research and discovered that the writer/director took his time and developed the script over a number of years. It shows. This is a film that any demographic group would enjoy. I expect to see it in THEATERS early next year.