source: Schizopolis

Trailer—Schizopolis

Schizopolis

Not everyone will get this movie. In fact, I imagine most won't. That's not to say that people that don't like it are idiots, it just means that this isn't their kind of movie. It's not particularly linear, there's no obvious through line to cling onto and no real conflict to overcome in the traditional sense. This isn't your average, run of the mill, production line movie. This is different. This is original and the fact that it manages to be entertaining and challenging at the same time is a testament to a very good film maker. I make films myself, and I learnt a lot from this movie in terms of structure and the expectations of moden movies. It doesn;t always have to follow the path. It's a shame that its so hard to find in this country. Anyway, thats by two bits worth...

Soderbergh apparently worked on this movie with a video camera and several friends. The movie was an effort on Soderbergh's part to return to the most basic elements of film making, without the big budget, big lights, and big names. He succeeded ten times over. I've seen the movie many, many times and it only gets better. Its humor is at times subtle and at others out-right raucous. Each time through you'll be certain to notice something new and amusing that you'd missed before. Fantastic!

"Schizopolis" (from 1996) is clearly a "cult movie" wannabe that is so conceited about its own apparent genius that at the beginning of the film director, Steven Soderbergh (in a truly condescending tone) personally addresses the movie-audience, telling them that if they don't understand this picture's story-line, then, they must keep viewing it over and over again until they do. (definitely no funny) Produced on a modest budget of just $250,000 - "Schizopolis" is clearly one of those movies where I swear that they were making up all of this asinine nonsense as they went along. With "Schizopolis'" story being consistently disjointed, fragmented, shallow, and empty-headed - I was completely bored with this amateurish rubbish within the first 15 minutes.

Fletcher Munson, the lethargic employee of a pseudo-religious self help company, and his doppelganger, the friendly but dull dentist Dr. Jeffrey Korchek (both played by Steven Soderbergh). The film comparable in some ways to the earlier work of Richard Linklater (notably "Slacker"), mixed in with the visual sensibility of a Devo music video. I am not sure if this is experimental, or art house, or how you categorize something that has no real plot, and sometimes no real logic. There is a certain genius to it, though. I am not overly familiar with Soderbergh, probably having seen less than half of his feature films... but this one will definitely leave you with the impression that he is a genius, an eccentric and an artist. Whether or not this is true, I have no idea... but he wants us to think so.

Stream-of-consciousness conception, sharp writing and creative technique. There's plenty here to amuse any smart audience, but the parts add up to an (intentionally) oblique whole. The film is so playful and irrespective of convention, it's as if Soderbergh threw up his hands and said 'Screw it, I can't make the movies they want me to." Take it with his work since and you've got the most supple, witty and consistent filmmaker working in the U.S. today. There's lots to analyze, and myriad connections to be made. But don't try to make too much sense of it... let it take you, and enjoy.

I am glad that Soderbergh is making films, even if every other one is a glossy mess. Like many filmmakers, he lives in and loves the medium. Unlike most of them, he experiments in film with things that matter — and he does it while pretending it is a joke. This will be seen by many as a bizarre hoax, a vanity project, a sandbox. But I think not; I receive it as a small, complex personal project. His marriage was falling apart. He was baffled by matters of duality: simultaneous understanding and confusion. So he made a film featuring himself and his already ex-wife. In it, time faces itself; everyone has dual lives among which they shift. You'll only get part of what is going on the first time around, but this rewards multiple viewings. Ted's Evaluation -- 3 of 3: Worth watching.

The first time I saw this film I was entertained and mildly confused by what I had just witnessed, it primarily represents a satiric look at modern life Pre Office Space, but saying just that does not do the picture justice. The combination of surrealism, satire and general creativity make this film worth while and most importantly worthy of multiple viewings. At times it feels as though it is being weird for the sake of weird but remains to peak curiosity. Some very funny situations and lines. Not for everyone, but for those looking for something different and willing to keep an open mind this is an excellent, original film. If you want loud bangs and shiny things, watch Soderberghs other films like Ocean 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 etc.