Loop (2007/II)

Director:

Pericles Lewnes

Writer:

Pericles Lewnes (writer)

Genre:

Thriller

Plot:

Imagine waking up not knowing who you are, who you were, or who you will be, in a place familiar yet foreign...

Awards:

1 win

Cast

David Arthur	...	Man #2
Adrian Bond	...	Dobbs
George Brown	...	Emad
Shannon DeVido	...	Summer
Pericles Lewnes	...	Joseph List
Momo Nakamura	...	Japanese Woman
David Ridenhour	...	Man #1
Beate Whitesell	...	Woman In Field

Runtime:

85 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Company:

Pocket Change Productions

Quotes:

Man #1: Think of déjà vu; you flash from reality to that weird familiar and then back again... if you flip that around, that's where we seem to be.

Movie Connections:

References Easy Rider (1969)

A Cinematic Brain Blast!

I've just finished watching Pericles Lewnes' LOOP for the second time, and I find myself struggling to form words, as my mind is still reeling (looping?) from the experience. How can I adequately express my love for this remarkable film? LOOP is obviously a deeply personal reflective and observational journey, causing one to wonder how autobiographical the film is and how urgently Lewnes should be put on suicide watch. Based on my own humble interpretation of this rich tapestry of image and idea, I have to conclude that the tortured genius is safe, at least for now. While some Kurt Cobains turn to the pistol, Lewnes prefers to shoot his brains out with a camera.

And so he does in grand fashion. On the surface, LOOP is abundant with Lewnes' signature psychedelic imagery and eccentric, often mysterious characters, propelling the viewer through a semi-psychotic narrative that fluctuates between socio-political awakening and fever dream. Visual effects reach far beyond their budget to create a landscape both surreal and hyper-real. The film's rare flashes of humor are absurd and subtle, falling perfectly naturally amidst the bleakest moments of anguish and despair. Comparisons to Lynch, Cohn Brothers and early Raimi come easily to mind.

But the vortex of this rabbit hole winds deeper still. Frantic motion and Daliesque composition augment LOOP's Rubik's cube chronicle of a man desperately trying to make sense of a world he cannot comprehend because the logic of decency and morality do not apply, where the concepts of mind and humanity are shattered and reformed, where it would not be a surprise to find Kafka waiting impatiently for Godot, or perhaps Clinton battling Obama for leadership of the allegedly free world.

LOOP is a visual and cerebral roller-coaster, both thought-provoking and brain-blasting, twisting and spinning back on itself with dazzling visions and conceptual mindfreaks until all the puzzle pieces come together with a bang, leaving me personally needing desperately to do SOMETHING dammit, whether it's break out my inner activist to fight for change, kick back with a bongload of kind bud, or blow my f*cking head off. Or maybe just watch LOOP again.

I've just finished watching Pericles Lewnes' LOOP for the third time, and I find myself struggling to form words, as my mind is still reeling (looping?) from the experience …