A Lonely Place for Dying

Boring, no action, horrible directing (and editing), music is equally bad. Acting was so-so, but it seems like actors behave by instinct and not by script. It's like they were improvising the whole time, guessing lines. Very bad

My 16 yr old recently made a film as a school project. It's some 20 times better than this un-talented waste of time. Well, what to expect from fake "wanna be" directors and writers who can justify their "movie career" only by listing their amateur films here and spending more time writing fake ratings than making more movies (if you google this Justin Eugene Evans, this is his only film in his 30+ yr long "professional career"). The guy actually walks around bragging about some 60 awards he got (!!!) and asking young people if they wanna "star" in his future projects. Not kidding, I did some research, because I was wondering who would make something this cheap and bad. Also, check out these 9 and 10 star ratings - all fakes; Never gave any other ratings and reviews other than this. Sad, pathetic and time-wasting experience. Best to be avoided at any cost.

This whole thing should be packed in a solid 15 min short. Why stretching it so long when there is no substance, or artistic quality to make people go through it all? That was a big mistake. Directing is extremely bad. you're not supposed to pay attention to directing, but this movie makes you pay almost ALL attention to it - in a very frustrating way. I can't explain it, I did not feel comfortable for some reason, being so much "aware" of directing and photography. This movie can't really compete with anything "real". It feels like a home project, or a school project (done by a non talented kid who just wants to get a passing grade). Sorry, I wouldn't give this "project" a pass. My advise - skip.

Not just your regular action movie. There's more behind the guns and fighting than the usual "shoot em up" action flick. The story line is actually well thought out rather than an excuse for more shooting and gore. Great for those looking for action, story twists, chemistry between the main characters, and a story line to bring it all together.

Some great names that I've never heard of before. Ross Marquand and Michael Scovotti were fantastic. Loved their chemistry on screen. Hope to see them in more movies in the future.

The directing was very well done. Truly blown away that this movie was made on a small budget. Great quality and very well written.

Very likely to keep most audiences interested through the whole film.

INGREDIENTS

One (1) of the Russians from 15 Minutes (but temper him till we can empathize--in this case with a standout performance by Ross Marquand that in many aspects leaves in the dust the rest of the community theater cast who get any real screen time, aside from a couple big-name-recognition cameos that do leave you wanting more).

One (1) Bob Woodward-like character from All the President's Men.

One (1) '70's parody detective character from Tom Jane's Stander.

One (1) Ed Harris-like, Fedora-wearing Parcher-based character from A Beautiful Mind.

One (1) Serpico look-alike good-guy-turned-bad-guy. Pinch (to taste) of generic, disposable "red-shirt" henchmen (or is it now "hench-people" or perhaps "hench-persons"?) extras.

DIRECTIONS

On a mise-en-scène stovetop with lighting inspired by the look and feel of Peckinpah's Wild Bunch, stir in the plot of the SciFi film Enemy Mine over very low heat, bind one character to a chair a la Reservoir Dogs (but "torture light," please…rest assured that no ears, or 'nads--"I get my kicks above the waistline, Sunshine!"--were harmed in the making of this movie). Add a touch of virtually any and all Die Hard films, then barely simmer for 94 minutes, and…

What you'll be rewarded with here is a technically proficient, impressively-executed-for-an-incredibly-low-budget, film that's touring the festival circuit in 2010-11. A Lonely Place for Dying definitely clears the bar technically (and kudos on achieving that look for only $200k), but just sneaks under the fence creatively, albeit with a few memorable lines and set pieces. Aside from achieving some very nice visual effects, enviable ambiance, and the accompaniment of a very professional and dense musical score (that unfortunately sometimes seems to cover up "important" dialog) at really rock-bottom prices, there's not a lot to see here that you haven't already seen, BUT…with the right backing and a real budget, Robert Rodriguez-style director Justin Eugene Evans clearly demonstrates that he has his technical chops well in order, and he just might pull off a darned good film in the near term if he stays focused and motivated...and uses fresher, home-grown ingredients!