Indie Scene: "The 4th Dimension," "P.J.," and "Clerks"

Hey everyone, and welcome to the latest edition of Indie Scene. For starters, I want to bring up one thing today in this entry. Starting on Monday, April 7, in addition to the weekly Indie Scene column, I’m starting another weekly column called UFC: Ultimate Film Champion. The point of UFC, which I will get into more as Monday comes, is so that I can watch movies many people consider to be classics. I originally came up with the idea as I looked at all of the films that I watched this year, and caught that I only liked half of them at the most. So to put an end to all of that, I’ll watch one movie and write a long detailed essay on it. Many of them will include spoilers and a great chance that some of them will give away the ending. I’ll be keeping a secret to what film the first film is (people who know what it is shouldn’t tell), but I can give you a hint – the essay that I’m writing now is my opinion of a movie and its remake, which recently was released earlier this year. Being that only two movies have been remade this year so far and a third coming out next week, it shouldn’t be that hard to figure out. Now onto the reviews before I keep losing track of what I came here to write about…


“The 4th Dimension”
2006
**½ out of ****
Director: Tom Mattera, Dave Mazzoni
Cast: Louis Morabito, Miles Williams, Karen Peakes


It’s hard to review a film like “The 4th Dimension.” No more than thirty-six hours ago I first watched the film and I still don’t know what I think about it. The film is a mix of David Lynch’s “Eraserhead” (and all of his other projects) and Darren Aronofsky’s “Pi” (and all of his other projects too). There are traces to be found from films such as “Donnie Darko,” and some reviews even consider the film to be a remake of “Primer.” But “Dimension” is more difficult than all of the films listed above put together. In what has been advertised as a movie that has a confusing plot and amazing visuals, I can’t say that the advertisers were all very wrong here. It’s so difficult to explain that I’m including the plot summary from the back of the DVD case (something that I NEVER do). Jack (Louis Morabito) is a loser confined to a workbench in an antique shop. When a mysterious woman presents him with a broken antique clock, unexplainable events begin to occur. After finding Albert Einstein’s journal on his still unsolved Unified Field Theory, Jack becomes obsessed with analyzing time and theorizing its connection to his supernatural experiences, his surreal dreams, and his perception of reality, only to lead to the biggest mystery of all…

“The 4th Dimension” is an epic experimental film very in vein to “Eraserhead,” not only by the direction, but by the fantastic emotional acting by Louis Morabito. He plays a man diagnosed with OCD, playing the role like an actual patient with OCD. He takes the role very seriously and never leaves his character, continuing an experiment that would never fail. The biggest fault, in the long run, is that the film is really uneven. It switches back and forth to present time (if you could call it present time) and flashbacks to when Morabito’s character was a child. When the film keeps switching back and forth, the film becomes more of a drama than an experimental film, and when it acts like a drama, it loses the amazing visuals the experimental part has to offer. But hell, it might just be me. It took me a long time just to get into “Eraserhead,” and after three watches, I’ve respected it a hell of a lot more. Maybe I may need to watch “The 4th Dimension” a few more times in order to appreciate it more than I did. But for something original, you couldn’t beat “The 4th Dimension.”


“P.J.”
2008
** out of ****
Director: Russ Emanuel
Cast: John Heard, Howard Nash, Vincent Pastore


You know when you are so confused about a film that you really don’t know what to say? The kind of film where bias, cynicism, and being an Atheist come into play… yeah, that’s my problem with “P.J.” It might be just me. Hell, I KNOW it’s just me. Tony Farinella viewed the film and loved it. Russ Emanuel, good friend of mine and independent filmmaker, sent me a screener for “P.J.” without me really knowing anything about it. After watching Emanuel’s “Girl With Gun” a few months earlier, I kind of went into watching “P.J.” thinking that it was a type of movie that was just as badass and action packed that “Girl With Gun” was, and being that I watched “P.J.” right after I finished watching the ultimate bloody musical “Sweeney Todd,” it didn’t help much. I was so wrong that I wish I would have knew what I was going to watch before I watched it. It might have been a good movie, but many people know that I have a big bias when it comes to films that deal with religion. I couldn’t even enjoy a film like “Evan Almighty” because of that reason. So when I watch a film that brings up religion like “P.J.” did, I can’t enjoy it. Sorry Russ, but it’s just something I have to admit before I start my actual review.

Charles (Howard Nash) shows up at hospital talking to a psychiatrist. (John Heard) He has a week to understand Charles’ prognosis before Charles gets sent away to a mental institution. The film features some very solid direction from Russ Emanuel. Being his first feature-film (his other ones have all been short films, and some damn fine ones indeed), “P.J.” is a nice turn for a different type of film. “Girl with Gun” was a very espionage flick, but this is more of an inspirational drama. “P.J.” has some fantastic acting also, which really helps its rating in my book. Howard Nash does a great job, but I was amazed by John Heard’s performance in the film. Academy Award winners couldn’t intrigue an audience that well. “P.J.” is too nice for me though. Being such of a mad-man, I couldn’t get into a film that was as loving and caring as “P.J.” was. And being that the religion factor comes into the movie, I can’t recommend it. But I will admit, “P.J.” is a movie that though it will interest many others. Indie lovers will love this film. But due to being biased, I just couldn’t get into it.


“Clerks”
1994
**** out of ****
Director: Kevin Smith
Cast: Brian O’Halloran, Jeff Anderson, Jason Mewes


Every once in a while a comedy comes around that changes the way that you look at things. “Clerks” came around in 1994, and changed the way how audiences viewed their job, their friends, and their lives. “Clerks” was filmed on a budget of twenty-seven thousand dollars, funded off of credit cards and friends of the filmmakers. Thankfully, the film is very successful. It has influenced many, but I don’t think it influenced anyone more than the filmmaker of the film himself. “Clerks” is about two best friends (Brian O’Halloran and Jeff Anderson) who work at convenient stores next door to each other. The worst part about it is O’Halloran isn’t supposed to be WORKING today. But who cares about that? After “Clerks” was released into theaters (it made three million and has since become a cult classic and the most stolen videotape in the United States), Kevin Smith has since became a name to everyone who is really into independent comedies. Since “Clerks,” he went on to direct a group of films that he later called the Jersey Films, films that took place in the Jersey area and all involve characters within one another.

Once his career took off, Kevin Smith has been making films with Miramax and the Weinstein Company, where he is now making one of my most anticipating films of the year. I love almost all of his films (the one film that I have a lot of beef about though is “Chasing Amy,” but it’s been ages since I’ve seen it), but “Clerks” will be my all-time favorite film of his. It’s not difficult and it’s really entertaining. For the lack of plot, it intrigues you the entire time. Throughout the entire time, you can relate to these characters. Each character hates their job, and wish that they could do something else with their lives. One of the main characters says this line: “This job would be perfect if it wasn’t for the fucking customers.” I only held a few odd jobs at a little restaurant over holidays, but I had finally realized that this statement is so true. “Clerks” has inspired filmmakers all over the place. It is the reason why I love movies, and it is the reason why you should.

Well that’s it for this week’s edition of Indie Scene. Next week, I’ll be checking out two new independent films – a horror movie with a very little budget and a documentary with a topic worth discussing – and another one of my favorite independent flicks of all-time. If you’re interested in having your film reviewed for specifically Indie Scene, send an email to Screeners@FilmArcade.net or TonyD@FilmArcade.net with the subject line “Indie Scene.” Thanks again, keep reading, and look out for my UFC article this Monday.