LouHomey From my favorite movies..

Micransix Crappy film

Fairaher The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

Cristal The movie really just wants to entertain people.

gpadillo What an amazing piece of junk cinema this is. This is a classic example of someone not knowing quite what to do with the material. A judicious editor could have turned this into a classic harrowing story of teen angst and social responsibility. Instead it's a schlockfest of horror and some of moments which, in better hands, may have provoked unease and shocked audiences into contemplation of the situations at hand, instead provoke hilarious laughter. This, in and of itself, is not a bad thing, but I don't think it was an intentional choice.Nonetheless, I thoroughly enjoyed "Animal Room" for all the wrong reasons.Matthew Lillard gives what is quite probably his best performance, and it's wasted here. But it's still worth watching. As another review stated, "we all know young men like him" but Lillard pulls it off with a sincere creepiness and unrelenting Neil Patrick Harris' as Arnie breaks out of Dougie Houser mode, and although he professes resistance to being part of this group experiment of social misfits, he otherwise acquiesces to his plight and it's difficult to feel any empathy towards to a character who constantly reminds everyone who much more brilliant, witty and crafty he is than everyone around him. Of course, were this to be remotely true, there wouldn't have been a movie.As Arnie's old best friend, Gary, Gabriel Olds turns in a shiny, performance as the golden boy who wants to help Arnie get back on track. His performance, even as good and genuine as it is, can't help but provoke more laughter so out of place is it here.It's also fun to see Catherine Hicks relieved of "7th Heaven" goodness as a creepy, alcoholic Mom who can't seem to keep her hands off an uncomfortable young Gary.Again, there was a good idea here, but it wasn't developed. To start with the premise is completely unbelievable – not far-fetched or impossible, which is acceptable in the right hands, but simply unbelievable. It's difficult to move beyond that. Nonetheless, I thoroughly enjoyed "Animal Room" – but then again, I'm a misfit!

allengaryk-2 Punk-worshipping writer/director does pretentious remake of "Clockwork Orange". After trundling along for several hours, film ends. Sadists gain loads of new whack material. Tarantino's shelf remains undusted.

Movie Freak-2 I really enjoyed Animal Room. It has my favorite actor in it, Matthew Lillard. His performance in this movie is great. I saw this movie back in the middle of April when it first came out to video. This movie made me think a lot about people and those who get picked on and knowing who your true friends are. It's really sad when you look deep into the movie. The main basis of the film starts with Arnold Mosk(Harris) who has been placed in a program for drug users. Every student has their bully. Arnold's is Doug Van Housen(Lillard) who is constantly torturing him. Arnold's old friend Gary Trancer(Olds) is trying to reach out to him and rekindle that old friendship they once had because he knows what a tough time Arnold is going through. The rest of the movie is just a look at their lives and how they cope with one another and their own problems. I really can't stress enough how great of a movie this is. I know many people will not like it. You really have to be a certain kind of person to like it. Someone with a twisted mind, someone who really enjoys art and what life is really about in a film, someone who really enjoys the actors in the film. I fall under all three, as may many more people. It's just so great, the camera angles are good, the acting is great, everything just fits into place. The movie was well put together. If you enjoy any of the three things I listed, go see this movie. It's really great.-A+

Adam E I had heard nothing on "Animal Room," but when I saw it in the video store, I noticed it had a big cast of young future stars and it sounded like it had an interesting premise. I figured I'd give it a try and was quite impressed with it, finding it to be quite a hidden surprise.The story centers around Neil Patrick Harris (who we all know as Doogie Howser, M.D.) as a teen who has a bit of a drug problem and finds himself stuck in a school dropout prevention program where he finds himself often fleeing from a group of mean students there, led by Matthew Lillard (SLC Punk). They often torture and beat up Neil, with the only aid is his best friend (Gabriel Olds, Calendar Girl) who is the only bright spot in his depressed life. Neil hopes to find whatever way he can to avoid the bullies just in time so that things don't get uglier than before.I wouldn't recommend this to many mainstream audiences or those looking for a cheery movie, since "Animal Room" is probably one of the more depressing and disturbing films I've seen. But its also a fascinating and creepy film that gives you plenty to think about and talk about when the movie is finished.The actors are fantastic in their roles. Harris is quietly intense in the lead part as the confused teen. Lillard is the most powerful I've ever seen him. Lillards acting is phenomenal and I look forward to seeing Lillard in even more films for how talented he is. Olds performs the likable part really well that shows plenty of skill and charisma. Amanda Peet (The Whole Nine Yards) and Catherine Hicks (Childs Play, TV's Seventh Heaven) have small, but memorable roles as Olds concerned girlfriend and Neil's crazy mother.The directing by Craig Singer is excellent and the camera work is both beautiful and dreary at the same time, which makes it perfect for the films gloomy atmosphere. It has your eyes glued to the screen right from the beautiful opening shot in an old carnival. The hallucination sequences in the film in particular are quite eerie and have the right creeped-out look to them. If I had to mention a gripe on the film, the script by Singer keeps you thinking, but it feels a little bit sloppy and tries to pack too much into one film. It tends to feel a bit uneven around spots and not all the subplots in the film aren't fully developed.Overall, I would recommend this for art house fans looking for something different or those who are fans of the stars. I found it to be an unforgettable and VERY intense little film that will most likely shock you. Those who don't like brutal movies though should stay away since its a really graphic and violent movie.