Paranoia 1.0

Paranoia 1.0 is a one of those movies I bought on a whim. Blockbuster occasionally has these 4 DVD's for $20 deals, and I am always able to find some real gems stuffed in between the billion copies of Norbit and other such DVD's whose only real use is as makeshift coasters or ninja throwing stars. If you dig long enough, you can always find some great stuff that pretty much no one else has seen, a real treat for cinephiles like me. The main reason I snatched up this one was because it stars Jeremy Sisto, one of my favorite actors, who always plays these really great insane characters. He's kinda like Christian Bale, where you never quite know if he's a good guy or if he's gonna go completely bonkers and start axing people. Little did I know that I was in store for a real treat, as the film also features my favorite creepy German guy, Udo Kier, and in a role that isn't completely wasted for once!

The story centers around Sisto's character, Simon, a computer programmer who lives in the weirdest, most run-down apartment complex on the planet. The cinematography of the film is really great, conveying the decaying environment beautifully. Right from the start, I could tell the film was going to be one of those that likes to blend and mix the rules of reality like a dessert chef. Personally, I love these types of films, the ones that make you question reality and keep your brain working on all gears for the duration of the movie. A lot of people can't stand this type of movie, and it's too bad, because they are missing out. Simon starts receiving these oddly empty packages, first just sitting outside his apartment, and then suddenly appearing inside. But are they truly empty? Things only get weirder, as Simon is confronted by his strange neighbors including a slimy porno director whose virtual reality game is more than it seems, Lance Henrikson as a cryptic handyman, and my personal favorite, Udo Kier as an eccentric scientist who is creating a creepy android head that is trying to communicate with Simon, to warn him....but of what? That's the central question of the film, why are these people here in this place, what is wrong with them, and why does Simon feel the urge to down fifty cartons of Country Fresh milk a day? The answers to those questions are sinister and bizarre, and the movie unfolds as such. The DVD extras are pretty run of the mill, with a making of featurette, and trailers. No commentary track, unfortunately, and an ungodly amount of deleted scenes which are really worth sitting through, as many of them really belong in the film. With a creepily pervasive soundtrack featuring songs by Sigur Ros, and top-notch acting from all characters, Paranoia 1.0 is a great mind-warping film for those of us who like to shake up our reality.