Customer Reviews

Nothing So Strange

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

The old saying in marketing goes that people DO judge a book by it's cover and a company by it's slogan. This may be true. But I hope it's not the case with this film. Looking at the cover of the DVD people may get the idea that Nothing So Strange is some one joke gimmick on the death of Gates.
This is not even close. No way. The film in fact is a brilliant examination of truth in the media and a probing look into the nuances of a group dynamic.

Nothing So Strange is a film about a grassroots activist group called Citizens for Truth and their post assassination search into the truth behing the murder of Gates. The film succeeds as both a well crafted mystery and as a most convincing mock documentary. I had to stop and ask myself repeatedly throughout the film, "Wait. Did this really happen?" The filmmakers commitment to veracity is unflinching.

The performances in this film really make it fly. David James is fantastic in the starring role. Playing "David James" (many of the actors used their real names in this film) the fiery leader of Citizens for Truth, his work is truly worthy of awards. And the entire cast is top notch. I was amazed to learn that more than half of them are non-professionals.

If you're a fan of docs, mock docs or the daring and gritty cinema of the 1970's this film is a must see. I highly recommend it.

I saw this indie film in its blink-and-you'll-miss-it theatrical release, and I got this DVD at the official site. It's not what you might think. It's not really about Bill Gates so much as the investigation into his "death." And it's as much about that investigation as it is about the personalities of the people doing the investigation--a very flawed grassroots group called Citizens for Truth. In the Gates-killing parts, there's a lot of chilling stuff to turn on the conspiracy theorist in you, but the focus on Citizens for Truth is so true to life it is painful.

The DVD extras are all as if the movie is a real documentary. Even the director's commentary is in character, with director Brian Flemming and two actors hashing out a new "two years later" drama (I'll refrain from any spoilers). And the DVD links to the Web, where there are even more QuickTime movies, official reports, photos--all as if the assassination is real. So beware. This movie could take over your life.

A serious subject is dealt with here in a very real manner. So much so that you actually think it happened!! You'll walk away really wondering - is Bill Gates dead? Did I just wake up and miss the biggest news story since the Kennedy assassinations? It's a good look at what might just happen if there was a real class war in the United States, and under investigation in the notorious Rampart police division of Los Angeles. Like being fascinated by a car accident, you will find yourself mesmorized by the folks that are trying to get to the bottom of the mystery that surrounds this case.

Great guerilla indie film making. I was lucky to see it on the big screen at a film fest. The director Brian Flemming is an inspiration for all want-to-be film makers. Solid performances, especially David James. The underlying social commentary is very of this moment.

this is a great underground movie... and it isn't *really* about the assassination of bill gates. yes, old bill takes a bullet, but that's only the beginning.

the real story is about the forming and eventual destruction of a citizen's committee - the story of countless groups (including governments) that topple under the weight of hubris, greed, and internecine struggles.

the making of this film is pretty good too, considering that they shot a lot of footage for which they had no releases... and in public meetings where the actors got up and spouted off scripted statements related ot the plot of the film that must have sounded insane to the unwitting scene partners that included police commissions and town councils.

additionally, this film is offered to the public 'open source' - meaning that you can re-edit it any way you want... a bold concept, and one that should take hold in that hell of bad stories, hollywood.

truly a work of art, and a collector's item.

I was very excited to see this film finally available on DVD. I originally saw this years ago at a San Francisco film festival on the big screen with Brian Flemming on hand for a Q & A after the screening. This film was ahead of its time in that, like the comedy "Bowfinger" they actually shot scenes in public forums without any prior knowledge, i.e. the scene in the town hall meeting.

In addition, this film diagrams and dissects the "murder of Bill Gates" like all those conspiracy shows currently flooding the History Channel.

This layered with the politics and dynamics of the "citizen's group" is what makes this indie film mysteriously compelling.

Other interesting trivia is that there are numerous actors in this film that are now breaking out on the scene. I suppose interesting stuff if you follow indie film scene like me. Most notably is Keythe Farley who plays the character Keith Charles. You may recognize his voice as Thane the Assassin in the video game Mass Effect 2. I also read that Keythe Farley & Brian Flemmings's "Bat Boy - The Musical" is getting buzz in Hollywood as a major movie release with John Landis slated to direct.

An interesting premise becomes an exercise in tedium, and I found my self constantly hitting the fast forward button. Everything goes on way too long; the characters get obnoxious very quickly, and the payoff is pathetic. I suppose for legal reasons, the name "Microsoft" is never mentioned, but that contributes to the film's failure to create any sense of reality: if Bill Gates really was assassinated, you'd think people from his corporation would be involved in investigating a coverup. But this doesn't happen, so it all seems pretty dumb. By the end, I was mad I threw away $15 and over an hour of my time on this very amatuerish production.

Listen, Bill Gates is not dead! If you don't believe me go to encarta.com and you'll see information about Bill Gates. In 2000 Gates transferred the title of CEO to Ballmer. While remaining chairman, Gates also took on the title of chief software architect to focus on the development of new products and technologies. That's information about Bill Gates. If he died 1999 how could he do something a year later?