Modify (2005)

This movie is an expository documentary about the various forms of body modification practiced out there today-- mostly focusing on the US.  It is shot mostly in interview form without hearing or seeing the interviewer, spliced in with footage of performances, surgeries, branding, etc.  It goes in depth with why they do it and the fascinating insight of their personal beliefs and philosophy.  It's inspiring how they can do such extreme things with their bodies and not fear what others may think of them.  A good deal of it is very graphic and should not be seen by the light of heart, but it is definitely a good documentary to watch whether you have tattoos/ piercings or not.

Brief Interviews With Hideous Men (2009)

This movie is about a grad student who is conducting research on why men think the way they do.  The entire movie is shot out of sequence and seems to go on tangents, not really following a specific story line.  This reminded me of the avant-garde film Sink or Swim.  The story is told in segments like that one, but it isn't as experimental as that one.

Another thing that is out of the usual form of the standard narrative movie is its genre hopping qualities.  It seems as though half of the movie is shot from the point of view of the interviewer, which gives the impression of a scientific trail or even a documentary.  The stories told by the interviewees are original, refreshing, and give insight to the characters as well as show honesty and vulnerability.

On the other hand, the movie is also shot as a typical drama.  These are usually shown to tell the story of the woman who is conducting these interviews.  We don't get much information of the life of this stoic woman or why she has shown interest in conducting this research until much later into the movie.  The movie skips around and does not tell the story in a linear fashion, but that is what adds to the overall message and feeling that the movie wants the audience to take away from it.

I thought this was an excellent movie with a great message, structured and executed in a creative and exciting fashion.  Apparently it was a hit or miss movie with most, which I definitely see how this isn't for everyone, but it was a hit with me.

Good Dick (2008)

This movie is about a 20-something male who works at a video store and starts to romantically pursue a female customer who regularly rents adult movies.  This romantic comedy dramatically strays from the common cliche's of the genre while staying true to its formula.

The story is told in linear chronology which works for this movie because it is about building relationships and figuring out who these people are at the same time that the characters get to know each other.  The main character takes the audience on the same journey that he is taking when he's trying to get close to the love interest and trying to figure out who she is.

The film had a straightforward storyline that the linear structure did a good job of telling, but what I definitely did not like about the film was its ending.  At the end, we get some insight into the female's background and a taste of why she was introverted and weird about sexual relationships and relationships in general, but I felt that the mystery unfolded too quickly.  The character development happened too quickly, making the end feel rushed.

On top of not giving a clear explanation of her past or why she changed her ways, the ending scene of her and her "boyfriend" meeting in front of the movie store, talking with no sound made this non-cliche movie have a cliche ending.  A movie that did such a good job for 90% of it, to end like that was disappointing.  It was completely out of character to have a 360 degree change of personality in just a few minutes.

Overall, it was a good movie, but if the ending was different it could have been a great one.