MovieChat Forums > Frownland (2008) Discussion > Is it like James Fotopolous films?

Is it like James Fotopolous films?

posted 16 years ago by krosszone
4 replies | jump to latest

I'm wavering as to whether I want to go drive 70 miles to see this. I really appreciate James Fotopolous' work like Zero, Migrating Forms, and Back Against the Wall. He seems to also focus on inept characters who never leave their apartment and his grainy 16mm epic-length movies consist of long takes with little dialogue. His work prevails as exercises in patience, but at the same time one is drawn into the claustrophobic and diseased universe he creates. I can't say I enjoy Fotopolous' work but they are original and engraved in my memory. It sounds like FROWNLAND is cut from the same cloth. Anyone seen both a Fotopolous film and FROWNLAND can confirm (or deny) this parallel?

[–] nwmoor 15 years ago

"Frownland" is far more enjoyable, and far more advanced, than anything Fotopolous has done. It's a provoking little film, but in a good way, whereas I've always felt the Fotopolous films were nothing more than endurance tests for artsy-fartsy types.

[–] PrawoJazdy 14 years ago

In description, they sound similar. In execution, they are actually pretty different.

Anyway, of the Fotopolous films I have seen, "Back Against The Wall" ranks way above "Frownland". But Frownland ranks above "Zero" and "Migrating Forms"

All are good if your into that sort of thing.

[–] polysicsarebest 14 years ago

How many have you seen? Back Against the Wall is a really compelling piece of cinema, no matter how you slice it.

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pre·ten·tious: characterized by assumption of dignity or importance.

[–] PrawoJazdy 13 years ago

I have only seen the three mentioned above. And yes, "Back against The wall" was fantastic.