Previously, I discussed the reviews thus far on multi-plex hot numbers. With my grad school work load on hiatus for a couple of weeks, I've had more time to go to the movies. Therefore, I can devote a little time to the slightly obscure films that have hit theaters recently.

First off is Brick. This is a film that is way too cool for its own good, yet I enjoyed every minute of it. Have you ever wondered what would happen if the film noir genre crossed paths with the teen film? Brick is the answer. Brendan (Joseph Gordon-Leviit) is the Bogart protagonist on a mission to find his distressed ex-girlfriend (Emile De Ravine). What follows is a surreal journey into the high school scene with a touch of noir. Ok…a splatter of noir. These kids do not talk the moronic slang of typical Generation Y hollow-heads. They speak a certain language that you can only hear in classic film noir. At first it seems like a cheap novelty. The kids refer to cafeterias instead of bars. Ha ha! However, I slid into my seat and got comfortably accustomed to this style. It then dawned on me: Brick is one hell of a cool flick. It contains a convoluted plot that demands a second viewing, but this indie gem is worth the admission. With a sweet edge of originality, I can do nothing but suggest this film. It is nice to see a little experimental variety in the film world.

Grade: A-

Now comes the interesting part. Co-writer bendi recently expressed his hate and disdain for the Terry Zwigoff project Art School Confidential. Despite his crushing blows on its exaggeration of stereotypes and poor writing, I have to come clean and say….I think I like it!

Bendi previously covered the synopsis: a high school outcast is accepted to a "prestigious" art school only to find that art students are shallow and hold little regard for real talent. Oh yes, and there is a murder on the loose on campus.

As someone that despises pretentiousness, I couldn't help but appreciate what this film was hitting at. Bendi mentions the use of unnecessary stereotypes, and I will acknowledge that. Specifically, Nick Swardson portrays a homosexual, and his character is handled rather mean-spiritedly and with little respect towards gay representation. However, I commend the film's depiction of intellectual elitism. Some may question whether people really act this way, and my response is: yes! As a film student, I listen to wannabe philosophers scream out during classes to proclaim their so-called brilliance. The characters in Confidential are a bit cartoony, but they are not far off from the truth. Zwigoff does go over the top with his character depictions, but that only enhances the experience for those fed up with academia pretentiousness.

Then there is the plot. The murder mystery is an awkward counterpart to the film's exercise in mockery, but it eventually leads up to a conclusion that I found rather satisfying (I will now take this moment to let bendi scream at his computer monitor)

Is Art School Confidential one of the best films this year? Not a chance in hell. However, I appreciate it for its balls-out lampooning of art institutions. This is not a laugh-out-loud, but rather a laugh-on-the-inside type of comedy. Love it? Hate it? You be the judge. I just hope bendi still speaks to me!

Grade: B

Crumb, Ghost World, Bad Santa — all solid Indy comedies, a pretty decent streak if you ask me, and, sure, every hot streak must come to end, but how can anyone end a hot streak with something as terrible as Art School Confidential?

It is relatively rare that I refer to film as downright terrible, usually that honor is reserved for the work Michael Bay, Brett Ratner or starring Julia Roberts, Terry Zwigoff should never have been mentioned in the list, yet there he is.

Basic Plot: Kid wants to be a great artist – kid goes to art school – wackiness ensues. This leaves a lot of room to work with but somehow Zwigoff and writer Daniel Clowes turn this film into jumbled mess of stereotypes, that you can't help but groan at. For the purpose of this review, I'm not going to go into too much detail, it doesn't deserve the attention. Suffice it to say I can't recommend this film to anyone, even on rental. Watch at your own risk.