This movie rocks. I had been wanting to see it because I had heard it was good. I couldn't find the unedited version to rent, so I hadn't seen it until this year. We watched it in my Film and Video class here, and I loved it. I seemed to be the exception to the rule, however. I'd say about 97% of the class disliked to downright hated this movie. Why did I love it, and everybody else hate it?

I loved it because I could see it for what it is. It was a movie made for high school kids, and it looked and felt like something a high school kid would make. It was chock full of swearing, sex, violence, and crude humor. There was no plot. But, it obviously had a budget, and became a satire of itself. In fact, it could be seen as being a movie that force feeds sex, language, and violence (all the things that high schoolers may think as cool) to kids and shows them that it is not cool.

The movie was downright hilarious, and the repetitiveness got hilarious. Everything was run straight to the ground. And it was all so over the top that you couldn't believe that they actually went as far as they did.

The movie, in my opinion, truly grasps the Goth mentality in all of its glory. Disaffected, removed, and yet sweet in a way, with extremes running through it all. The one thing that this movie is not is nihilistic though. Somebody referred to it as "nihilism for nihilism's sake." How is this different from the stylistic nihilism of Pulp Fiction? Not to mention, they did not fully grasp the movie.

*SPOILERS SPOILERS* In this movie, they are at first shocked by the death, and show more emotion for the dead characters. "Why do you have to kill someone everytime we stop somewhere?" They feel sad about killing the dog, and give it a burial as well. The ending is also shock in that, if you even semi-cared for the characters (which should be the nature of film),you felt sad for them, and was shocked by the scariness of the violence and oppression of them. It had emotions through it about violence, making it not nihilistic. The ending could also be seen as mourning and dealing, as Amy doesn't reply to the final question.

The sex issue was treated with unemotion because sex is seen as detached from love. Sex is sex. It is a pleasure. That's what its seen as in this movie. It could be heterosexual or homosexual, but it is just sex. The ending could be seen as the repression of homosexuality by the all-american norm. *END SPOILERS END SPOILERS*

So, I say if you can handle ultra violence, and rampant language, and disturbingly close sex, run to the store to see this movie (if they have the unrated version). Otherwise buy the unrated version. I did. This is a great movie. Hilarious and entertaining with a message, unlike some other modern movies.

10/10

Jordan White (James Duval) and Amy Blue (Rose McGowan),two troubled teens, pick up an adolescent drifter, Xavier Red. Together, the threesome embark on a sex and violence-filled journey through an America of psychos and quickiemarts.

While this is probably not a good movie, it holds a certain nostalgia value for me. Gregg Araki really struck a nerve with those coming of age in the 1990s who had an interest in the Gothic an industrial music scene. With the inclusion of references to Nine Inch Nails, Ministry and Skinny Puppy, it was perfect for that demographic.

The 1990s had a nihilistic undertone that was not seen in the 1980s or 2000s, leading to such films as "Seven", "Dark City", and the popularity of Tim Burton and David Fincher. This fit in that trend easily and possibly propelled it. The follow-up, "Nowhere", similarly fit in, catching the tail end. (The trend essentially died with "The Matrix".)

Amy Blue (Rose McGowan) is with her current boyfriend Jordon White (James Duval) when they abruptly meet Xavier Red (Johnathon Schaech). She was a combined SAT score of 666 and is the brains in the group. Circumstances have them on the run as they leave a trail of bodies behind them in California, all in some sort of self defense. It seem where ever Amy goes someone claims to know her by a different name, a former lover, who now wants her dead. And the number 666 comes up often.

The film is off-beat and quirky and my biggest regret is having missed it in 1995, although admittedly I was too busy getting milked by a cow during that era. It is a cult classic and has a Tarantino quality to it.

Guide: F-word, sex, nudity (Rose McGowan)