Fits & Starts

Fits & Starts is one of those short films that makes you love the possibilities of film. It is an amazing piece of work that dabbles in the surrealist nature of David Lynch films and the strict rigid comedy of Wes Anderson movies. Hell there's even one part that could be a perfect parody of every Bergman film. But there really is no way of describing what this film is. All in all, while watching this movie, I could not keep my jaw closed. It was inspiring and breathtaking. If you can catch it at a festival, do so; you won't be disappointed.

Fits & Starts is a short film (10 minutes) centered focused on a man and a woman, Verlin and Iris, "conversing" with each other while sitting on a couch. The film spoofs many conventions of film-making, and is very surrealistic.

What an amazing film! Although I haven't seen any of Vince Di Meglio's other directorial work yet--the bulk of his film credits are in visual effects--I can't wait to see more after watching Fits & Starts. This is what I want more feature length films to be like. Fits & Starts is unapologetically rule-breaking and bizarre, but at the same time it doesn't just play like a random progression of images, as some intentionally odd films, or sections of films, do. Even though Verlin and Iris have very limited changes of expression, and they don't literally talk to one another, their interaction is captivating, well shot, and Di Meglio's barbs at film-making conventions are both funny and enlightening.

My only slight complaint is that I would have preferred to hear less traditional music, but it's not enough to bring down my rating of this film. A 10 out of 10 from me.

I was lucky enough to see it at the AFI Fest, and it's by far the best short film ever made. The entire movie is an allegory about the internal struggle of a severed earthworm. The film clearly displays both sides to the now doubled worm- how one side feels free, almost happy that it has freed itself from itself, and the other side is more reserved, and sits more like a passive observer perhaps even thinking "Wow, I didn't know I was capable of splitting into two". The second half misses being a longer, whole earthworm, and can only play xylophone and watch as the other half can sing and dance and feels independent. But in the end, the earthworm, while divided, is still whole... and the two parts, while physically separate, will never become apart. A must for existential nature lovers.

But that would overly simplify why this short is so wonderful. We all know that foreigners are funny and that xenophobia is the greatest thing since velcro. We also know that (mis)communication between the sexes needs all the fun poking it can handle. James Rasmussen is a supremely odd looking individual, and he is used in the way that Jeunet and Caro use Dominique Pinon in Delicatessen and The City of Lost Children, an off-kilter character who charms you with the ability to overly express his lack of expression. Neither actor need say anything to make you understand their plight, and they don't have to resort to obvious sympathetic ploys to gain your empathy.

As a film, Fits and Starts achieves the organized randomness that was previously only perfected by Soderbergh's Schizopolis and Godard's Week End. It would be a monumental waste to deny Mr. Di Meglio and Mr. Rasmussen a long term contract with a studio which would make Michael Bay cower in fear and p***s envy. Not necessarily in that order.

I saw "Fits & Starts" during my last screening at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival. After seeing dozens of films over the preceding 10 days, I was completely captivated by this original gem. The film is an absurd, surreal comedy. It is fresh and hilarious - like nothing I've seen before. The costumes and sets are perfect. The colors create a warm and bizarre dream world that I loved inhabiting. "Fits & Starts" was easily the best short subject at 2003 Sundance. Seek out this movie! It is remarkable. It left me inspired and in awe.