I was invited to see a cast and crew screening of this film and LOVED it. It is Beautifully shot. The entire cast is Excellent. I found the direction crisp and the writing to be very strong & powerful. This film took me by surprise, very subtle in it's style in some places and then WHAM right to the heart of the films disturbing, yet enlightening premise....that we are ALL Statistics, we just don't know when or how it will happen. Once you realize this, it's like watching an accident about to happen, or not happen, you don't who it will be next, or how it will happen and you just simply can't look away. The way the filmmaker laces the characters together reminds me of the masterful Robert Altman film, Short Cuts and some of it's Rawness of American History X, yet it's even more original in it's execution of it's concept than those. The Director has a unique voice. Our lives ARE precious and this film will make you ponder that fact deeply.
9 Reviews
Dreadful
rjpurves18 October 2010
Warning: Spoilers
This is by far one of the worst films i've ever tried to watch this year.
Now after letting that sink in, here's why. Oh and I reference certain parts of the film, so don't read on if you care about spoilers.
1) Nothing happens!
We have this opening title sequence of a man in a car driving around the freeway's of L.A. smoking a cigarette ... and it goes on like that for FIVE minutes. It's not telling the story, it's not furthering the plot, it's just making us all bored.
The "structure" of the film keeps cutting away to completely different people, and it's that point where we lose any emotional bond with the "characters". After fifteen minutes of this I just stopped caring, especially when it got to the whiny twenty something talking about his girlfriend and then it descended into this college frat boy conversation which made them both fairly unlikeable.
2) Cinematography.
What cinematography? It looks like it was shot on a Mini-DV camcorder with no lighting and no colour correction. This makes all the radio station stuff looks like it's the black hole of Calcutta and the outside stuff look blown out.
There's no real change in camera shots either, all the compositions are fairly boring with no real attempt at a visual style. It's all straight on two shots, or single close ups. All the cutaways are to other people.
This isn't all that surprising since the film is basically a bunch of talking heads.
3) Dialogue.
Who speaks like this? Anyone? It's all so forced! Remember what Harrison Ford said to George Lucas on the set of Star Wars ... "you can write this **** George, but you can't say it." There are conversations that just don't work because of this. For example, the DJ and his manager ... I was expecting something a little more than we got. In that particular scene we have to go back to point no.1 because nothing happens by the end of it! No real emotional change, no status quo change, no nothing. Thanks for stealing two minutes of oxygen.
So yeah for a film that's apparently dialogue driven, it's not doing any driving at all.
4) Music.
It's nothing to write home about, too bad it's used as an emotional cudgel to hit us around the head with.
5) Characters
What characters? The only real character in the film is the highly upset and slightly unhinged DJ! Everyone else seems to be phoning in their performances! (that's probably due to the dialogue, see earlier.)
Most of what you see in this film are fairly unlikeable people. The other guy in the DJ booth seems to sit there looking on with abject glee as his co-host melts down, whispering unhelpful lines. Not sympathetic at all. Actually this applies to most of the film it must be said.
Oh and if you have to explain to the audience via title cards what the character names are, that's bad too.
6) "Star Trek: Generations" syndrome.
This is a big one for me. If you've not seen that particular star trek film, let me explain.
An audience's emotional engagement with a film only occurs when they see something that provokes a visceral reaction within that person. It could be a horror film making people jump. A romantic comedy where the audience falls in love with the characters or "Irreversible" where there's a fairly horrific 9 minute sequence in it that reviles universally.
If you don't show this in any way shape or form, the audience tends not to care. If you only tell us about something bad happening then it's doubly false. That's ST:Generations syndrome.
This film has this glaring fault as a major plot point! Something has happened to the DJ character and instead of showing the audience, he just talks about it instead. Talks! We haven't seen it, we haven't experienced it with him therefore we don't care about it!
*facepalm*
I can see where this all came from. The filmmakers saw "Crash" and thought "that's a good idea! We'll do an intertwining character story!" Unfortunately they missed the point behind crash: characters we have a connection with and actually care about.
What bothers me is this could have been a quite interesting film. There's a good point to be made out of the story, but it's so ineptly handled it squanders all it's opportunities. It's so bad, half the audience walked out of this film within 30 minutes of it starting. On that basis alone, I would highly recommend you avoid. If this is the state of indie film, we're all in trouble.
Now after letting that sink in, here's why. Oh and I reference certain parts of the film, so don't read on if you care about spoilers.
1) Nothing happens!
We have this opening title sequence of a man in a car driving around the freeway's of L.A. smoking a cigarette ... and it goes on like that for FIVE minutes. It's not telling the story, it's not furthering the plot, it's just making us all bored.
The "structure" of the film keeps cutting away to completely different people, and it's that point where we lose any emotional bond with the "characters". After fifteen minutes of this I just stopped caring, especially when it got to the whiny twenty something talking about his girlfriend and then it descended into this college frat boy conversation which made them both fairly unlikeable.
2) Cinematography.
What cinematography? It looks like it was shot on a Mini-DV camcorder with no lighting and no colour correction. This makes all the radio station stuff looks like it's the black hole of Calcutta and the outside stuff look blown out.
There's no real change in camera shots either, all the compositions are fairly boring with no real attempt at a visual style. It's all straight on two shots, or single close ups. All the cutaways are to other people.
This isn't all that surprising since the film is basically a bunch of talking heads.
3) Dialogue.
Who speaks like this? Anyone? It's all so forced! Remember what Harrison Ford said to George Lucas on the set of Star Wars ... "you can write this **** George, but you can't say it." There are conversations that just don't work because of this. For example, the DJ and his manager ... I was expecting something a little more than we got. In that particular scene we have to go back to point no.1 because nothing happens by the end of it! No real emotional change, no status quo change, no nothing. Thanks for stealing two minutes of oxygen.
So yeah for a film that's apparently dialogue driven, it's not doing any driving at all.
4) Music.
It's nothing to write home about, too bad it's used as an emotional cudgel to hit us around the head with.
5) Characters
What characters? The only real character in the film is the highly upset and slightly unhinged DJ! Everyone else seems to be phoning in their performances! (that's probably due to the dialogue, see earlier.)
Most of what you see in this film are fairly unlikeable people. The other guy in the DJ booth seems to sit there looking on with abject glee as his co-host melts down, whispering unhelpful lines. Not sympathetic at all. Actually this applies to most of the film it must be said.
Oh and if you have to explain to the audience via title cards what the character names are, that's bad too.
6) "Star Trek: Generations" syndrome.
This is a big one for me. If you've not seen that particular star trek film, let me explain.
An audience's emotional engagement with a film only occurs when they see something that provokes a visceral reaction within that person. It could be a horror film making people jump. A romantic comedy where the audience falls in love with the characters or "Irreversible" where there's a fairly horrific 9 minute sequence in it that reviles universally.
If you don't show this in any way shape or form, the audience tends not to care. If you only tell us about something bad happening then it's doubly false. That's ST:Generations syndrome.
This film has this glaring fault as a major plot point! Something has happened to the DJ character and instead of showing the audience, he just talks about it instead. Talks! We haven't seen it, we haven't experienced it with him therefore we don't care about it!
*facepalm*
I can see where this all came from. The filmmakers saw "Crash" and thought "that's a good idea! We'll do an intertwining character story!" Unfortunately they missed the point behind crash: characters we have a connection with and actually care about.
What bothers me is this could have been a quite interesting film. There's a good point to be made out of the story, but it's so ineptly handled it squanders all it's opportunities. It's so bad, half the audience walked out of this film within 30 minutes of it starting. On that basis alone, I would highly recommend you avoid. If this is the state of indie film, we're all in trouble.
An introspective and involving look at society and our role in it.
real_hiflyer4 January 2009
How this movie has a 4.2 rating I'll never understand. For writer director editor Frank Robak it is without doubt a labor of love. Kent Harper, co-producer and principal actor does a marvelous job as he evokes a universal emotion in us all, and touches on some facet of each viewer's life in his frustration in not being able to comprehend why things are as they are, why people visit violence upon each other, why life itself seems cruelest in giving us those things we love most and then taking them away. It's not your typical movie. It's more an examination of the state of our world and the ways in which we interact with each other, whether purposely, negatively, or simply in passing. And the affect these interactions have. Definitely one to watch again, a great surprise, and a lesson to me to go with your gut and read these viewer's offerings here, so as to not put more onus on it's 4.2 rating which would cause so many, including me, to normally just pass it by.
Here's a statistic...Statistics #1 in my book!
jaypullano17 January 2006
"Statistics is literally now one of my favorite movies and I anticipate getting to see it again. I am still moved when I think about the movie and how it played out and the character development, acting, and beautiful cinematography. How the accidents and high areas of conflict or pain, so to speak were replaced with a dissolve or a nice cut rather than your typical "realistic" gore or vivid accident. I am really taken back. Its everything I preach on my jackets or in life...life isn't fair and it isn't easy but it depends on how you look at it and there is hope. I really can't say enough about it and the crew you teamed with and I was HONORED to have been a part of the screening and the party and meet everyone. I am just babbling now but like I said I can't say enough about it and I still get choked up thinking about how this is the message I have been dreaming for in a film. I have not been moved like this since a Requiem, Amelie, or Last Minute. All these movies moved me in a different specific way but in a relative sense the power of each film was the same whether it be depressing, loving, or inspirational. This film is on that level. I think this movie has the potential to change the way people think in a positive light. It was weird because right before I came to see the screening I was watching TV and there were commercials for Bloodrayne, and Underworld and I thought about Kill Bill and Aeon Flux and especially The Matrix how all the movies nowadays PREACH how the ONE must take over or change the world...but no movies speak about WE about US about TOGETHER. That is what sets this movie apart. It tests people, it questions people to think about those around them and not just themselves...I think this movie has potential to be tremendous."
Statistics - Amazing and Upsetting
pbasch-15 May 2007
Really exciting movie. It is, I suppose, a drama, but you could also call it a horror movie, in that it is about the horror of our fragility and the randomness of death. Very scary. By the time you see the pregnant lady and her loving husband, you say, "oh, god, what are they going to do to her." I found that the movie colored my vision for hours afterward, and made me want to spend as much time with my family as possible. The movie has a protagonist, but it also has a Hero, a character who Does the Right Thing. And it also has a Villain, an evil man with a death wish.
In short, this movie is about how you feel on your worst day, but with a glimmer of hope. Really well done, but you have to tolerate being really upset.
In short, this movie is about how you feel on your worst day, but with a glimmer of hope. Really well done, but you have to tolerate being really upset.
Great plot, great acting!
uncleradar11 January 2006
I really enjoyed this movie. Kent Harper, who stars in the film, is absolutely terrific. I'm afraid of leaving someone out, but I also really enjoyed the performances of Jody Jones, Costas Koromilas, Shelley Mack, and especially Marilyn McIntyre and Stephen Wozniak (no, not the Apple guy). The plot summary that's provided on this site is right on. The movie really makes you think about how important it is that we not be so self-absorbed, but instead look out for each other and take care of each other. The plot very much reflects the values and personalities of Frank Robak and Scott Rudolph, who have wanted to make this movie for years. I hope this one gets into all the major film festivals, and when it does, you absolutely must see it if you get a chance.
Fantastic film
bmxfisher200010 March 2007
It had a great message to deliver and you will definitely receive it by the end of the film. You will get into your car differently. It just touches you in many ways. It will shock you and possibly make you shed a tear. Considering that this was a low budget film and took a long time to complete, I was still captured in the realistic scenes and stunts. Statistic's score was very good with bands like Maktwain and Joee corso, who helped add to the film's mood. Great actors like Mikael Paul, Kent Harper, and others helped make Statistics an award winning film. Indeed a great job from everyone who put together this film. _GHOST_
A Film For Our Times
brianna-820 April 2007
Congratulations for acceptance into competition at the 2007 Silver Lake Film Festival! For anyone who hasn't had the opportunity to see this film - now is your chance. This movie is moving, daring, emotional, and very relevant to the world we live in today. I hope everyone sees this movie for the truth it speaks, and for the ability it has to make us look at how we live our lives and perceive the world. Huge kudos to the director, writer, producer and actors in this film for putting all their heart and passion into creating the kind of movie that we forgot this town was capable of making. I encourage everyone who sees this movie to pay it forward and tell everyone they know.
Don't pass up a chance to see this movie!
ideasbymissy22 May 2007
In a time when all of the movies that are currently being released are either remakes, have poorly written plots or bad character development,it is exciting to see a film that breaks away from the norm.
Statistics is a movie that should not be missed. It's stories and characters will find a way into every viewer's psyche. The performance by Kent Harper is mesmerizing. It was very reminiscent of former talk show host Allan Berg, who himself became a statistic when he was murdered by neo-Nazis in the mid 1980's.
The well written, character driven plot will be sure to touch each viewer, reminding them of a friend, family member or even themselves in a similar situation. The dialog between the characters is natural and the acting is of the highest quality. I hope that we see more from the actors in this cast and the writer in the future.
So, please don't miss this movie.
Statistics is a movie that should not be missed. It's stories and characters will find a way into every viewer's psyche. The performance by Kent Harper is mesmerizing. It was very reminiscent of former talk show host Allan Berg, who himself became a statistic when he was murdered by neo-Nazis in the mid 1980's.
The well written, character driven plot will be sure to touch each viewer, reminding them of a friend, family member or even themselves in a similar situation. The dialog between the characters is natural and the acting is of the highest quality. I hope that we see more from the actors in this cast and the writer in the future.
So, please don't miss this movie.
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