Four Eyed Monsters (2005)

For all the hype it got I was expecting a lot more!

Absolutely Brilliant!

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

Anyone who gets of their backside and makes a film should be applauded. The couple that made this obviously put their heart and soul into it. However, it's not always effort that breeds greatness. This film starts really well - the opening scenes suck you in and you want to know more - but after that it becomes banal quite quickly. 20 somethings worrying about their life, direction and relationships is a often used plot point.. but here it 'is' the plot. The film has the usual micro-budget tell tale signs. Some dodgy camera work, some 'not quite on the money' acting and some quality issues. But, overall, it works in the context of a slice of life in the myspace/facebook revolution.I'd put money on Crumley and co making something big at some point in the future, but this is a public airing of their education really.Well worth a watch, but don't expect a film with this kind of budget to compete with Hollywood.

I caught this film at the Waterfront Film Festival in Saugatuck, Michigan. Going into the film, I really knew nothing about it, but I felt I owed it to the filmmakers to go see it, since they interviewed me, a struggling college student, the day before. Well, I'm glad I saw it.Four Eyed Monsters, Directed (along with a lot of other things) by Arin Crumley and Susan Buice is an experimental film that works on a lot of levels. It's about a couple that meet on an internet dating service and decide to continue their relationship using only artistic mediums so they don't fall into the trap of a traditional mundane relationship. Throughout the film they communicate through notepads, emails, video letters, and other things.Watching the film I thought a lot of it was based on their own history together (and the filmmakers confirmed this, though I don't know how much). I really enjoyed the style of the film, they tried new things and experimented with different shots and things, sometimes it didn't work but a lot of the time it did.I won't lie, I'm a dedicated festival goer, throughout the weekend I didn't get much sleep because I watched movies all day, and Four Eyed Monsters was one of the last movies I saw, so unfortunately their were moments I struggled to stay awake (not because the film wasn't good). The ending seemed a little out of place to me, and the directors mentioned that they continue to tinker with the film throughout the festival circuit, so it would be interesting to see what previous versions of the film are like.So, to sum it up, I'm sure people that only go to mainstream films in theatres with huge budgets and huge stars won't appreciate this film. But anyone that knows what independent films are like should check this movie out if they can. It's a helpful film for aspiring filmmakers, and I congratulate Susan and Arin for that, and I'd love to see what they're working on in the future.

.....both times I saw it in Austin. The film takes an approach at film-making that I have never seen before, with a topic so apt that you have to see it to understand. The style is somewhere in between faux documentary and fiction, and the editing and music are virtually seamless. Another thing that really stuck out for me in this film was the acting, they have this ensemble of something like 50 actors, all spot on with their performances. I recommend seeing this movie at one of it's upcoming screenings to check out all of the talent oozing from every pore of Susan, Arin and every actor involved in this film. I think their next screening is at Gen Art in NY, and I'm sure its making the festival circuit elsewhere. Don't miss it if you can help it!

I recently saw Four Eyed Monsters at the South by Southwest Film Festival and out of the nearly 30 films I have seen at the fest I believe this to be the best.I was amazed at how emotionally honest this film was. It was able to really get to the core of human desire and its battle with reality in a way that few other films do (I'm sure the fact that the movie is extremely autobiographical helps in this matter).Arin Crumly and Susan Buice really need to be commended not only for their amazing job at writing an incredibly touching an honest story but for making a film that was very experimental without ever being pretentious. They mix their fictional story with real-life interviews, animation, different filming and editing techniques, and a bold and fantastic ending that could have been a disaster but instead adds a whole new layer to the movie and makes an already moving film that much more so.