Funny, but I don't see many reviewers (here or otherwise) commenting on the title sequence. The titles are done in a very imaginative way. In fact, it is so unusual (but not unique) and subtle that my friend didn't even notice that we were watching the title sequence. One of the reasons I enjoy independent films is because you get little gems like this after you sift through enough dust and sand. Without the title sequence, I would only be giving this two or three stars.
However, if you remove the title sequence from the equation, this is not a particularly good film. The story is acceptable and the film looks like most independent films, but the acting is pretty bad. The leads might even achieve acceptability, but the secondary characters and extras (or whatever you want to call them) are Grade-A amateurs. It doesn't help that all the characters are pretty off-putting and extreme. I believe that you have to care for at least one character in a movie, or at least empathize with a character, in order to enjoy it. Directors understand this and often achieve success by having you identify with multiple characters at different points within the story. "Zzyzx" fails in this respect.
Finally, the pacing is pretty poor. I wouldn't say that the movie is boring, but it comes pretty close.
Final advice, rent it and watch the title sequence (which means you have to sit through several very boring and poorly-acted minutes prior to the titles) and then rewind and watch them again. If, after watching another 15 minutes of the movie, you're bored or just disinterested, you can take the DVD out, return it, and you won't have missed anything.
