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ShangLuda Admirable film.

Verity Robins Great movie. Not sure what people expected but I found it highly entertaining.

Kamila Bell This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Chris Roberts Paranoid Park is an unpredictable, fresh film from Gus Van Sant that tells the story of introspective-teen Alex's struggles with life as he gets involved with the killing of a train station security guard. The whole film hitches on the performance of its star, Gabe Nevins; fortunately, Nevins is in just about every scene of the movie. Nevins is an absolute newcomer to movie-acting, but he works perfectly here. Every scene that he's in, the viewer is completely captured in his quiet, emotional turmoil. Nevins' big, beautiful, sulky eyes tell a story all their own. He's wonderful.Unfortunately, the other young actors are not so comfortable or capable in front of the camera. They are genuine enough though for it to be forgiven though. The real problem here is Van Sant, who's cinematography is trying far too hard to "look" independent. The goofy camera angles and Van Sant's trademark moving-angle/moving-actor camera-work seem un-natural and distract from developing the characters more (which is where more focus was needed). The story jumps forwards and backwards in time so much that sometimes you don't know when you are, but once you've figured the chronology out, that's not a big complaint for me.Overall, the film is a success. It's a reasonable enough story with interesting characters that's well-held-together by an amazing and fresh young performance by Gabe Nevins (just watching him is reason enough to see this movie). As a bonus, the material he's acting out is unique and interesting. A solid thumbs-up purchase for me. Hopefully we see more of this young actor in the future.

pm_alan A lot of people defending this movie have some valid points, and I think this movie was a decent attempt at what it's trying to do. In my opinion it just doesn't work. This movie is basically a yawn fest, and the plot is THIN. I get it, he's trying to let us inside the mind of a teenage boy trying to deal with no only a difficult family life, but also an unfortunate and traumatic event. Skateboarding seems to be used as his escape. It has the makings of the dramatic film it's trying to be, but there is just too many jumbled and mixed up scenes that offer the viewer nothing. It gets excruciatingly difficult to watch scene after scene of the camera just staring into the blank and expressionless face of the main character. I don't know, accuse me of being one of those people that need "Michael Bay explosions" to be entertained....whatever. I have no problem with movies that aren't action packed or straight forward, but this movie is too much.

joshua5 I don't know where to begin. For me this is a landmark movie. Yes, skateboarding is central to it. And it inspires a lot of the visuals, music, lighting and camera work. But it isn't a movie about skateboarding tricks or a cameo by your favorite boarder. If you don't understand what I am referring to you won't get this movie. There is a lot of texture, mood and sensory involvement that isn't presented in the standard way. Its not weird, flashy, jarring or artsy, but it is art. If you need a catalyst to reach your own art, it inspires a synchronicity I have rarely experienced. It is a bit cerebral and it leaves me wondering if justice was served.

tonigenilmanda If it's an art and essay film, there is not enough art, not to mention essay.If it is a thriller, there is not enough thriller.If it is a teenage drama, there is not enough drama, and as far as teenagers are concerned, there is not enough NOFX and too much Nino Rota.I thought it could be a trailer for Tony Hawk's forthcoming movie, but there is no Tony Hawk, so I guess I'be been cheated: it's not Tony Hawk biopic.If it's an action movie, it lacks explosions, which would have added some interest to it, or at least would have make jump the sleeping ones into their chairs.Most of the characters seem to be dead inside, but it's not a zombie movie. In fact, if it is a movie, there is not enough plot. If it is not a movie, it lasts too long to be a music video.If it's a music video, well... it's an album I will not purchase