Channels (2008)

everything you have heard about this movie is true.

Best movie ever!

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

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

It's not often that I can feel an authentic expression. In art it is sometimes referred to as a "voice." Often times, I would rather hear a "voice" than see a formula well done.In CHANNELS, a filmmaker's voice is heard. He doesn't shout it, but sort of lays it out like prose. The filmmaker is Nat Christian, who wrote and directed this movie with a lot of passion and a keen vision. The central question in the movie is whether or not we can make our own "realities."Christian's actors are also keen and very talented. Kim Oja plays two roles with real confidence and a lot of skill. It was hard to do, but she pulls it off beautifully. In the lead role, Christian gives a fiercely truthful performance, with subtle nuanced layers piling on as his character grows from being almost motionless to being in love. An honest actor, I felt like he just walked off of the street as his character. Ed Asner plays a supporting role with a subtle humor. He is one of those actors who can play it very straight, while being funny. Taylor Negron comes of sympathetic. John Kassir brings his experience and talents and delivers some funny moments as a frustrated agent. The music is irresistible. The look and feel of the whole movie is seductively romantic. The movie hits with a one-two punch of thoughtful poignancy towards the end.

I just started writing comments on movies. I watched three recently. Two I loved. One I didn't. I'll get around to writing about the movie I didn't like. But the two I loved were "Slumdog Millionaire" and "Channels.""Channels" is a very special piece of work. it is funny, romantic and beautifully quite profound. Questions were posed that I suppose I've had passing thoughts about, but "Channels" brought them to the surface for me by pulling me in to the story.It was directed and written by Nat Christian, who did quite an artistic job of putting all of these moments together. His vision imbued the movie with a poetry, or maybe a lyrical quality that was quite appealing.The cinematography by Michael Hardwick very much helped capture this vision as did the nice production design by Dolores Piazza. Duane Condor gave the movie some haunting Visual Effects. The musical score by Rossano Galante is quite marvelous. And there is a cool song written by Daryl Orenge, with Christian providing the lyrics.The actors all were wonderful. Ed Asner is fantastic in a cameo appearance and is funny at times. John Kassir, famous for his character roles and "voices", gives his very fine talents as a manager. Taylor Negron, who normally plays goofy characters, does a really nice job and comes off quite sincere in this. Joan Van Ark is also sincere and appealing while keeping her character tough. The lead character is played by wonderfully talented Kim Oja. She's really fun to watch and, in the moments when she loosens up, she sort of reminds of an old movie actress, Carole Lombard.Christian plays the lead character with a powerfully nuanced performance. In his subtle looks and gestures, we know what is going on with him. I would like to see more of this compelling actor.And I would like to see more movies like "Channels", and that's what the energy out there feels like.

A movie like this is rare and wonderful. This sweet whimsical movie that is entertainment the way I like it. it makes you, forgive my cliché, laugh, cry and think. I thought about how little actual time we have here to enjoy what is "real" to us. And not to let little things get in our way.The acting was real. Nat Christian, as the main character, never hits a false note. This actor couldn't lie if he had to. Kim Oja graces the movie with her charm. John Kassir, a terrific actor, is very funny as an agent. It was a joy to see Taylor Negron not camp it up and still be funny, but in a real way. Ed Asner plays it gruff with a skillful mix of comedy and drama. A scene with Joan Van Arc and Nat Christian is very moving. Both are consummate actors. The direction is crisp with a sure hand by writer-director, Christian. The score by Rossano Galante is extremely moving. I recommend it to anyone of all ages.

This kind of film is a wonderful mix of a contemporary love story and some old fashioned comedy. There is a real sincerity here which promotes a really nice feel all along the way.At first I wondered if the kids of today would like it as much. And I though, yes. We may be at a time where people of all ages are getting more reflective about our time here.The cast is superb. The lead guy,played by Nat Christian, underplays the character of Black just right. He brings out what he needs to with a subtlety that only true artists can do. Kim Oja, the female lead, is sweet and fun in the role of Katherine. As always, Ed Asner, the consummate actor is compelling to watch. Taylor Negron, John Kassir and Joan Van Arc balance out the cast with impressive skill and talent.The direction and the writing (also by Nat Christian) walks a fine line between comedy, philosophy and drama and I feel that Mr. Christian executed the incredible task beautifully.I was left thinking about the movie hours later and even after I went out and I came home. It just stayed on my mind. CHANNELS truly comes form an artist's point of view. An original voice. And I sure do feel we need more original voices.