It’s 1AM in the morning and I’m sleepy, but I wanted to write a film review on Jamin Winans’ INK while it was still fresh in my head.
Earlier today a my UK Twitter friend @IndieMoviemaker posted a tweet about post on the Double Edge Films blog. I read the post, read the comments and immediately added my own two cents. The blog in question was entitled A 360 Degree View of Internet Piracy and the impetus for the blog seemed to be the madcap bittorrent download of INK to the tune of 500,000 downloads, skyrocketing the film to #16 on IMDB. The comments and responses were educational and you would do well to take a look at the blog. It’s a good read.
Scan ahead several hours. It’s quiet at home. The kids are asleep or in their room watching Ice Age 3. My wife hits the rack and I’m left up alone. I should get my ass in bed but instead I remember the blog about INK. More importantly, I remember it’s on Netflix.
Thirty minutes later I’m 28 minutes into the film and I’m sitting at my kitchen table watching my laptop, excited like a little kid. In short, I loved INK. Loved it. It was entertaining, visually stunning, has a well-crafted emotionally wrenching story — and the performances and martial arts sequences are phenomenal, authentic and believable. INK reminded me of the surreal feel of Donnie Darko and Southland Tales — and it looked just as sharp and creative with about 1/1000th the budget. I think someone from Fangoria magazine called the film, “Poetic.” Trust me, that’s an understatement.
Cinematically, the manner in which the parallel story lines and parallel universes weave in and out of each other was perfection – and signals a virtuoso performance by the director, editor and cinematographer.
Jessica Duffy
The actors were the kind of actors we indie directors dream of finding for our low budget film projects. Jessica Duffy as Liev was remarkable. Her performance was stunning and powerful in the best understated way. She has a gorgeous face and the appeal of a classic Hollywood beauty ( in this way she reminds me of Charlize Theron). Yeah, I might have a wee bit of a director crush on her.
And someone please tell me where the hell did the producers find Quinn Hunchar who played Emma? She’s cute. Charming. Bold. Unafraid of taking chances with her performance decisions. Ms. Dakota Fanning? It’s a good thing you’re getting older because Quinn would be kicking your ass right about now.
Chris Kelly
Chris Kelly was phenomenally hateful and inspiring as John – and I mean that in a good way. I hated his ass at first, then I found myself rooting for him with vigor and screaming at him like a coach would do to his star player.
Two things happen to me when I watch a film. These things distinctly tell me whether I am fond of the film or if I hate it, or if I am putting up with it. The key for me is the feeling that happens around the 45-minute mark. Around that time I know the film is gearing up for its ending. It’s inevitable. But at that 45-minute mark, if I find myself wishing that the film never ends, or more accurately, if I feel as though I can watch the story unfold all day — literally — I know I’ve found a keeper. This feeling happened to me when I watched J.J. Abrams’ reboot of Star Trek. It happened to me as I watched INK.
In fact the feeling was so powerful that I went to the INK website and donated money. There was a link to donate cash for all the folks who downloaded (read: pirated) INK this week. Perhaps my little donation covered one or two Internet pirates.
Next up is the INK Deluxe Bundle, which includes a signed DVD, T-shirt, and a movie poster. Yeah, I get to have those cool-ass glowing eyes looking at me as I work on my next film.
Buy the film, rent it or donate to the producers today. If everyone who downloaded the film paid just $1 the filmmakers would be grateful — and they’d be working on the next film.
Trust me. Do it today. Right now. http://www.doubleedgefilms.com/
Tags: donate, film 2009, film review, ink, jamin winans
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