Shotgun Stories (2007)

Shotgun Stories tracks a blood feud between two sets of half brothers in the cotton fielded back roads of Southeast Arkansas. This auspicious directorial debut by Jeff Nichols features a strong lead performance by Michael Shannon (Bug) and has been collecting a litany of awards and nominations since debuting at the Berlin Film Festival -including one for Best Picture at the 2008 Independent Spirit Awards

An surprise gem.

Not expecting much from this DVD rental, I was rewarded with one of the best film experiences of the past year. This is film about a blood feud between a reformed alcoholic's two separate families, set in rural Arkansas, and beautifully acted by the mostly superb cast. The backdrop of poverty and truncated aspirations is deftly but lovingly constructed -- as convincing as Faulkner or Cormac Mc Carthy, but using landscape and footage of labor (e.g. cotton gathering or catfish seining) rather than prose. The denouement, though somewhat predictable, is done with such thoughtful restraint that the realism evoked by the first half of the film stays completely undissipated. Makers of big commercial films almost never achieve this. They could learn from this first-time directorial effort. December 21, 2008

An amateur film which shows the filmmaker's inexperience

This is a film from a young film school student. It's about a group of half-brothers in Arkansas who hate each other and the violence that erupts between them. It's supposed to show the personalities of a certain type of low-class southern men who work in dead-end jobs, drink a lot and do not show much outward emotion.

This is an amateur film all the way and shows the filmmaker's inexperience. The acting wasn't bad, but the pacing and editing were horrible. This was supposed to be a serious drama but I frankly couldn't keep myself from laughing out loud at times.

Perhaps this filmmaker will get better as time goes by but I just didn't see his talent in this film.
November 23, 2008

Disappointed

I saw the trailer way before the movie came out and was psyched to watch it. I even took a train to NYC in hopes of watching it, but the theatre stopping showing it a day prior. Finally I ordered it from Amazon and watched it with my girlfriend who also was anticipating watching it. We were both hugely disappointed. The previews made the movie look so intense but I thought the movie was weak. The soundtrack was one song played over and over. Their was no great revenge scene, the acting was almost amateur. Ugh, just horrible. October 6, 2008

a shot of rawness

a movie that may be slow going but it works well.the people seem real with their responses and emotion, i've never been to america so movies have been my main source of information as to how the people live their lives. this movie changed my view on americans dramatically. it shows how simplicity in a movie can overcome and expose the unnecessary complications created with big budgets in some movies. buy it September 13, 2008

shotgun

this is a sleeper so go for it i hope you enjoy it as much as i did August 29, 2008

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