Mysteria

I was skeptical to start and 5 minutes into it I turned it off. Maybe I didn't give it a chance but after a phone rings for 45 seconds in a scene I was utterly annoyed. Who writes, directs and produces a film and thinks people want to hear a phone ringing that long?! Torture.

Mysteria is not an especially good movie. Washed up writer gets somehow involved in a weird mystery and intrigue.

Problem is, the murder suspect has an airtight alibi -- from the murder victim! But no one seems to care. That's how poorly written this is! The film is full of holes like swiss cheese.

That said, it might be worth a peak on a rainy day when you have nothing to do and the internet is down so you can't get to your porn.

The film includes a bunch of washed up or third rates actors in their own right like that racist bigot Danny Glover who can't act himself out of a paper bag. Somehow he thinks that struggling to speak above a whisper is a thespian skill! The film is directed a bit like a film noir, it's a bit reminiscent of Angel Heart, and stylized in a way that's somewhat appealing. Maybe that's what kept me from turning it off, because the story line is poorly written. None of the actor's actions make sense or are believable.

Washed-up former Hollywood screen writing bigshot Aleister Bain (Robert Miano) is living a sad existence in a seedy apartment, trying desperately to finish a script he is months behind on before his agent (Billy Zane) cuts off his funding. The arrival of a beautiful film student (Meadow Williams) coincides with Bain's mixing up with the murder of the wife of a powerful Senator. Two cops (Danny Glover and Michael Rooker) separately try to get to the bottom of the mystery.

The cast draws you in to "Mysteria" and the plot keeps you interested. Miano is the star, and ably performs as a beat up, put down has-been who is thrust into a world that seems a perfect match for one of the scripts he was noted for writing in his past. The countless twists that come from arrivals of new characters keep Bain on his booze-soaked feet to find out what his connection is.

"Mysteria"'s supporting cast is strong. Danny Glover whispers his way through hearing Bain's story, while Michael Rooker proves his underrated worth as the tough Captain who has more mystery than he lets on. Meadow Williams is the weak spot, she tends to say her lines as if they were held up behind the camera. Academy Award winner Martin Landau has a couple of funny scenes as Miano's elderly landlord.

Cinematography and design came together strongly to portray the grime of the setting, which was shot in Los Angeles but never said to be where the film took place. Strategic shots of an empty bottle of booze in the foreground while Bain continues his investigation serve as a recurring motif of what the film is making it's main character out to be.

What keeps the film from a better score is a soundtrack that seemed perpetually off track. A large ensemble score didn't match the interior shots of a grimy apartment. The script rambles a bit too often, especially at the beginning, and might lose some viewers who don't get hooked in soon enough to see a far better second act.

Overall, "Mysteria" is an able, interesting low budget thriller that doesn't disappoint but doesn't really thrill, either.

I felt compelled to keep on watching this movie to see if something was going to happen. Unfortunately, nothing really happens, it really is the worst movie I have ever seen, it was a total waste of 90 minutes of my life. I will never get that 90 minutes back.

I do not know how anyone could possibly give this movie a positive rating. It was totally mind numbing!

I will not give any spoilers to the movie or mention the plot. The plot may seem clever, but is incomplete.

Mysteria seems like half a movie, and is extremely slow moving. It could have been highly edited leaving most of the tape on the floor, and adding an ending.

Perhaps the production company ran out of money when making Mysteria and left in the 90 minutes of content to recuperate some revenue.

I do not know of anyone that I would recommend this to.

I can imagine that the viewers rate this movie low because of the unanswered questions at the final. Though, for me there are not any unanswered questions and even if you can find the ending very simple you watch the movie without getting bored but with whole interest until the end. One viewer commented that its very similar to Mulholland Drive. Thanks , and congratulations , that's a very correct determination. The movie is about a Hollywood scenarist who want to complete his last script under deadline pressure and a murder investigation around him which inspires him for his script . The acting, the cast and roles are very good and the atmosphere of the movie is simply fantastic. It's a very nice cocktail of suspense and provocation of mind . It's a low budged movie which most strong part is the scenario and i think it reaches the target. Sometimes we all mess up with reality , imagination and our dreams. What's wrong when we get inspired and turn this into a story ? Don't we dream this sometimes? Surely we do..I advice to watch this movie..If you are a movie fan you fill find for sure the taste of a nice movie in it. If you only watch movies occasionally and are interested only for the ending instead of the " taste " maybe you could be disappointed. At any case it deserves a considerable positive rating..