Ever finish watching a movie and be left with more questions than answers? Then when you try to figure out the answers to those questions, resulting in more questions which leave you more confused than when you started? That’s normally the sign of a well executed movie. Some of my favorite movies like Donnie Darko, Inception, and The Mothman Prophecies left me feeling in such a way. I know that I wasn’t the only one, there are entire websites dedicated to trying to figure out these movies and others like it. There is a problem, however, when I am left feeling that way after watching a movie that wasn’t intended to make the audience feel that way. That’s the sign of a movie that wasn’t executed very well. Cinema Salvation is such a movie.
The movie is billed as “a comedic and insightful look into an aspiring filmmaker’s journey to direct a film about his ex-fiancé who didn’t believe love was enough.” Maybe it’s just me, but I can’t seem to figure out or get past this billing. The movie is filmed in a documentary style. I thought that it was a real documentary until about thirty seconds in when I realized it was a mocumentry. I don’t think it really makes the most of that style of shooting. With other movies like Cloverfield, Blair Witch Project, and Paranormal Activity, they have that attempted sense of realism which adds to the movie’s appeal and value. Cinema Salvation doesn’t get that added value in my opinion.
Furthermore, I’m still not sure if this story actually happened if real life and was recreated in this way just for the movie or if it was totally fabricated. I tend to believe it wasn’t based on any true events; however, actors and films referenced in the movie as previous works of Greg (Ryan Scott Self), the director in the movie, are real life movies made by the real director and writer Mike Cohen. That’s where I am slightly confused. If you are going to write a fictional story then why include factual information? It does make it seem more realistic, but again that doesn’t enhance the movie.
The highlight of the movie was Ryan Scott Self. His performance as Greg was fantastic. Self was able to make Greg a very likeable character. Someone that felt very genuine. By the end of the movie I was glad that things had worked out for him. He alone makes the movie watchable. That doesn’t mean because of him you should watch the movie, it just means that if you had to watch it he makes it better.
He is helped by new comer Samantha Cutaran, as Becky. She too does a good job giving her character enough dimension that you take an interest in her as the audience. Unfortunately for the rest of the cast I can’t say the same. The rest of the characters I found to be dull and some of them were just plain annoying due to their over acting. David Alan Graf, as Dean is the best example. I dreaded seeing him come into a scene. That’s not because I didn’t like his character, its because I found his portrayal of the character to be over done.
I’d go in for the story itself, but the aforementioned billing of the movie sums it up perfectly. There really isn’t much else to it. It would have been better served as keeping strictly to a mocumentry, rather than attempt to bring in factual events relating to the director. It definitely has its moments and those moments all include Ryan Scott Self. I think that for him and Cutaran this turned out to be the perfect film to display their acting abilities. I can definitely see either of them in higher quality movies down the line.
Rating: Skip it unless you are a talent agent looking to discover a new client. (2/10)
Trailer Below:
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