A spacey Canadian odyssey of the non-epic variety from first-time feature filmmaking team and married couple James and Rebecca Dunnison, the next-to-no-
budget "Stuff" has a few qualities to recommend it, increasing the possibility of its resurrection in the future world of countless movies and cult stuff available via the Web.
Until then, for this uneven but watchable Bunuel-meets-Tarantino oddity, it'll be a roundabout ride through such niche showcases as the defiant fest of raw talent Dances With Films, where the digital video production screened recently via distractingly poor video projection at Laemmle's Sunset 5 in West Hollywood.
Producer-director James Dunnison wrote the twisted "Stuff" screenplay with wife Rebecca, and they cast musician Max Danger in his acting debut as the unlucky lead who shoots his own mother in the head by accident. With a herky-jerky energy and irreverence that includes blatant jabs at the formulaic aspects of movies, the film is shot smoothly by William Morrison.
Some of the performances are less than ideal, and the filmmakers employ many familiar storytelling shortcuts, but "Stuff" is rarely boring or pretentious.
A skinny little lady killer when he puts in the effort, Philip (Danger) is a bike-riding hospital employee who lives with an unbearably hypochondriac mother, Margaret (Maureen Burgoyne), and works with a heartless jerk (Joe Sather). His mom is paranoid, suicidal and so domineering that affable Philip is tethered psychologically, if not physically, but a trip with her to a new doctor brings him in close proximity to sexy Rosie (Sandra Guerard).
His good luck continues when a valuable ring drops from the sky and hits him in the head. Like a slacker Aladdin on the verge of a huge change of fortune, Philip discovers that the ring could be worth a lot when he's almost hustled by a wily jeweler. Philip also scores easily with Rosie, but their first big evening is interrupted by his leaving to attend to hysterical, gun-toting Margaret -- and shooting her dead.
With an unfriendly heavy dubbed the Sword of God (Winston Spear) looking for the ring and eventually trailing Philip, "Stuff" more or less dances through the wreckage. Philip tries to hold on to enigmatic Rosie -- but admits in a despairing moment that he's "damaged goods" -- while his mom's death remains a secret. Indeed, her body is buried and then dug up when the lead starts to believe the ring has healing powers. Alas, the filmmakers seem to run out of ideas down the stretch, and the movie coasts to a forgettable conclusion
STUFF
Bullseye Film
Producer-director
James Dunnison
Screenwriters: James Dunnison, Rebecca Dunnison
Executive producer: Bruce McDonald
Director of photography: William Morrison
Art directors: Jordan Estall, Sarah Wilson
Music: Justin Deneau
Casting: Rebecca Dunnison
Color/stereo
Cast:
Philip: Max Danger
Margaret: Maureen Burgoyne
Rosie: Sandra Guerard
Yiorgo: Joe Sather
Sword of God: Winston Spear
Running time -- 87 minutes
No MPAA rating.
budget "Stuff" has a few qualities to recommend it, increasing the possibility of its resurrection in the future world of countless movies and cult stuff available via the Web.
Until then, for this uneven but watchable Bunuel-meets-Tarantino oddity, it'll be a roundabout ride through such niche showcases as the defiant fest of raw talent Dances With Films, where the digital video production screened recently via distractingly poor video projection at Laemmle's Sunset 5 in West Hollywood.
Producer-director James Dunnison wrote the twisted "Stuff" screenplay with wife Rebecca, and they cast musician Max Danger in his acting debut as the unlucky lead who shoots his own mother in the head by accident. With a herky-jerky energy and irreverence that includes blatant jabs at the formulaic aspects of movies, the film is shot smoothly by William Morrison.
Some of the performances are less than ideal, and the filmmakers employ many familiar storytelling shortcuts, but "Stuff" is rarely boring or pretentious.
A skinny little lady killer when he puts in the effort, Philip (Danger) is a bike-riding hospital employee who lives with an unbearably hypochondriac mother, Margaret (Maureen Burgoyne), and works with a heartless jerk (Joe Sather). His mom is paranoid, suicidal and so domineering that affable Philip is tethered psychologically, if not physically, but a trip with her to a new doctor brings him in close proximity to sexy Rosie (Sandra Guerard).
His good luck continues when a valuable ring drops from the sky and hits him in the head. Like a slacker Aladdin on the verge of a huge change of fortune, Philip discovers that the ring could be worth a lot when he's almost hustled by a wily jeweler. Philip also scores easily with Rosie, but their first big evening is interrupted by his leaving to attend to hysterical, gun-toting Margaret -- and shooting her dead.
With an unfriendly heavy dubbed the Sword of God (Winston Spear) looking for the ring and eventually trailing Philip, "Stuff" more or less dances through the wreckage. Philip tries to hold on to enigmatic Rosie -- but admits in a despairing moment that he's "damaged goods" -- while his mom's death remains a secret. Indeed, her body is buried and then dug up when the lead starts to believe the ring has healing powers. Alas, the filmmakers seem to run out of ideas down the stretch, and the movie coasts to a forgettable conclusion
STUFF
Bullseye Film
Producer-director
James Dunnison
Screenwriters: James Dunnison, Rebecca Dunnison
Executive producer: Bruce McDonald
Director of photography: William Morrison
Art directors: Jordan Estall, Sarah Wilson
Music: Justin Deneau
Casting: Rebecca Dunnison
Color/stereo
Cast:
Philip: Max Danger
Margaret: Maureen Burgoyne
Rosie: Sandra Guerard
Yiorgo: Joe Sather
Sword of God: Winston Spear
Running time -- 87 minutes
No MPAA rating.
- 7/10/2000
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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