Co/Ma [Mike Figgis, 2004]

In CO/MA you can't trust anything. Apparently it's a documentary
about a group of filmmakers attending a workshop where they have to
make a film in a ludicrously short time.

The only parts of this film you can pretty sure about are the
excerpts shown of the awful soap the `students' are filming. The
rest of the time it is never clear whether this is a real
documentary or mock documentary, whether the people are genuine or
acting. Normally this sort of experiment becomes excruciatingly
tedious, but for some reason CO/MA maintains an interest. It is
first of all good fun, a kind of piss take of all the reality TV
genre, but it does also work on a more serious level (manipulation
of the audience, etc).

Whatever you do, though, don't believe anything in it real. I even
have my doubts about the whole workshop thing.

And what ever happened to Max von Sydow?

[IMDB link: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0457307/ ]

Edmond [Stuart Gordon, 2005]

Edmond just wants an honest deal.

He leaves his wife and sets out for a night on the town, a bit of
freedom from his miserable life. Every encounter along the way
seems like someone out to cheat him. Every transaction has a price,
and it's usually too high. Everyone has an angle. He just wants to
explain how he feels; and he ends up with someone else's blood on
his face.

This is a powerful film, fizzing with Mamet's sharp, stylised
dialogue. William H Macy's wonderful performance renders the
transition from the naive to the murderous both credible and very
frightening. The camera constantly studies his face – finding
someone in desperately need of genuine connection; someone who is
raging at the injustices of life; someone who spouts vicious racism
and wants to preach in church.

Edmond is not necessarily a very likeable man, yet he becomes a
sadly tragic figure.

[IMDB link: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0443496/ ]

The Roost [Ti West, 2005]

A mildly amusing mock TV horror introduction is about the only thing
of interest in this cliché ridden film. It's a horror film that is
not very frightening, just tediously long: the 80 minute running
time seems like 180.

[IMDB link: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0387549/ ]