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Reviews
The Advocate (2013)
A low-budget courtroom thriller that's actually thrilling!
Is Allyson Dougherty guilty or not? It's a simple question at the heart of The Advocate. But the bigger question is what will her attorney Ray Shekar do once he finds out the truth. And how far will he go to find the truth? The Advocate poses an interesting moral question: Can there be absolute justice? It answers it in a thrilling and thought provoking way.
My rating of nine comes in the context of its budget. Having seen so many of these low budget thrillers over the years, this ambitious movie stands tall. Not only is the story compelling, it looks great, with an amazing score and incredible pacing. By no means is it perfect, but one can't really compare low budget films with big budget studio fare. A really interesting part of the story here is that these are first time filmmakers with limited resources. What they produced was amazing, and I can't wait to see what they do next.
The Indian (2007)
The Indian takes you on a delightful journey
I saw this movie from the second row of a sold out theater during the Cinema City International Film Festival. I wasn't looking forward to craning my neck for the entire movie. But this wasn't just a movie, it had just won friggin' Best Picture at the fest! It had better be good, I thought out loud. Well, it wasn't long before I forgot where I was and was totally engrossed in the film.
Other than Matt Dallas of Kyle XY fame, the cast was largely unknown to me. The younger crowd won't be disappointed with Dallas, or his beautiful co-star, Alison Haislip. These young thesps had chemistry. However, I was more impressed most with Sal Landi's intimate portrayal of Skip. No spoilers here, but he's the real star of the pic, even if his name isn't written in giant letters on the poster. Angela Lanza's conflicted Mona had me wishing she was on screen more.
Those expecting a highly polished movie should consult Roger Ebert. The Indian is definitely an Indie affair, and I mean that as a compliment. For a movie that was filmed in less than two weeks (per the Q&A session with Gorrie after the screening.) it is simply remarkable. Technically, it won't compete with larger budget films. Emotionally, not only can it compete, it does what few films of any budget can: it delivers. This jaded film-goer found himself wiping his cheeks on more than one occasion.
This is a must see movie for teens and adults alike. Recommendation: buy two DVDs, one for your permanent collection, and another to loan. You may not get that copy back!