Timecode

As I sat down to watch this movie I was cursing because I couldn't find the remote. Lucky break for me! After a few minutes of uncomfortable misgivings, I mean! 4 screens of hand-held camera with weirdly variable sound - Oh God, what am I watching here? I slowly became hooked and hypnotised. I would suddenly realise that I had been so intent on the top left corner that the situation in the bottom right had changed from an interior with one character to an exterior following another and I hadn't noticed when and how this had happened. If I had the remote I would have been constantly stopping and rewinding and I would have totally destroyed the flow. So, here's the thing thing. If you are watching this movie for the first time on DVD or VHS - loose the remote control! Not a Great Film but an interesting and noble experiment. (And heartening to know there are still some grown-ups left in Hollywood).

Imagine seeing four different stories at the same time on screen. Well! My friends! The time has come. This movie concept has been developed in Director Mike Figgis' `Time Code.' Even though it is visionary exhausting, I think it works. Of course, all four stories interrelate with one another in the film's last act (which is something that we see from time to time- `L.A. Confidential' , `Magnolia', and `Short Cuts' etc.) Even though it is not as good as the Figgis' classic `Leaving Las Vegas', I am glad that Director Figgis took the time to make a different type of film. **** Good

Watching the film, it was easy to see that it was a challenge to film. I think it was well directed and coordinated. If only I could get past the fact that the plot line is craptacularly boring. There is really very little memorable about the plot. I mostly entertained myself in the challenge of trying to follow as much of it as possible. It was kind of fun to see a conversation going on in one frame, and seeing that same conversation simultaneously taking place in the background of another frame. Thus I can't imagine wanting to watch it more than once. Good to rent, but not to buy. I made that mistake, but that doesn't mean you have to.

Well shot, but what exactly is it that is worth watching? I love the whole 'digital thing', and the split screen four ways- but there's not much substance behind the neat camera work. I hope this new digital revolution doesn't end up giving us even more shallow and empty stories, like the film-school nuts gave us in the 80's and 90's. Sure, the camera swirls and moves and is really fun, but if there's not a good story or good acting- what's the point? I might as well play a video game. Although the actors were all fine in this, I kept wishing there was a good story..

You know, some times an 'idea' has never been done before because it should never be done. This movie is a perfect example. Why on earth would anybody think that people want to see a movie split into four quadrants? I mean, I could take a script as bad as this, and film it upside down. Does that make it good because it is 'daring and original'?

I have never seen a movie quite so awful as this. Producers went too far, adding to much artsy understanding. The average person who did not attend film studies classes would not understand some of the lingo spoken in the movie. What was with all the lesbian action in the movie? Is that part of the film industry? C'mon! (SPOILER) The last couple of scenes, when the funky white man is rapping to an opera undertone is the worst and actually made me laugh. I was actually embarassed for that actor, whomever he was. Don't bother watching this movie, it's a waste of two hours.

Too much. Too bad. Screen split into four sections. Some seem connected. Some don't. Woooooooo. It's got the "video" look. Glassy. Too bright. Too far away or too close. Shaky at times. Woooooooo. The dialogue is hushed in three screens. Loud in one. Loud screen changes often. Draws your attention. Woooooooo. All this can't cover up the fact that this film is essentially crap. Boring dialogue. Stilted acting. Pointless drivel. Boooooooo. Too much. Way too bad to watch more than a few minutes.

A fantastic effort that narrowly missed out on being brilliant. I loved what this movie tried to do, although ultimately it became a little boring. I love real time movies, and I love long takes, in this case the whole movie. With a stronger plot and script for the actors to work with, this style could succeed. The one thing I noticed at the end of the movie was how draining it was trying to follow every conversation on each of the four screens.