Bad Movie Club: I Am Here....Now

2009 space Jesus movie

Bad Movie Rating: 5/5 (Johnny: 5/5; Fred: 8/5; Libby: 4/5; Kristen: 5/5; Josh: 5/5; Eric: no rating)

Real Movie Rating: 2/20

Plot: Space being Neil Breen lands his grandmother's paperweight in the a baby-doll-head-littered desert near Las Vegas. And he brought his monster mask with him because he's here to teach us lessons about renewable energy. He steals a drug addict's clothing and truck (probably a hybrid) and drives to town to get angry and do a bunch of unrelated things. Then, he shares an awkward moment with a woman who has wings tattooed on her back and leaves, but not before threatening us with a sequel.

There's Neil Breen. Josh found that ad. I guess when you're the #1 realtor in Las Vegas, it gives you certain liberties. You can almost hear him whispering in your ear (probably through the rubber lips of a monster mask) throughout the entire movie: "Selling houses is a cinch. Watch me make a movie." Anyway, I don't want to write about this movie. You just need to see it because it's an incredible work of art and about to become your favorite movie of all time.

Instead, here's a letter that I've written to Neil Breen. I'll follow up with what I guess will be my blog's first-ever interview if he writes back.

Mr. Breen, 

A few of my friends and I watched I Am Here....Now last weekend and thoroughly enjoyed it. I thought it had almost this mystical quality, and I've really never seen anything like it. And I watch a lot of movies! The movie had a little bit of everything--violence, action, spiritualism, romance, humor, environmental awareness, science fiction. Anyway, I have a few questions about your movie: 

1) I'll start with the end--it seems that your character sets things up for a sequel with a promised return. Do you have plans for an 'I Am Here....Again'? Have you started writing a screenplay? 

2) This movie has almost an avant-garde approach, especially with some of the editing and all of those doll heads in the desert. Who are some of your cinematic idols? What films influenced your work? 

3) The following images or ideas from the movie were fascinating, but I'm not sure I understand any of them. I know a lot of artists don't like to explain their creations, but could you elaborate on any of these? 

-- the doll heads in the desert

-- the monster mask

-- the shots of the main character where seems to be part-robot or part-computerized

-- the gas guzzler that the character ends up borrowing from the drug addicts in the desert--is the irony intentional? 

4) "The Being" reminded us of the Biblical Christ. White robe, stigmata, miracles. He also had a compassion for the downtrodden--Jesus did, after all, befriend a prostitute in the Gospels--and a love for the Earth like I imagine the real Jesus would have had. Some of his actions, however, seem to clash a little with what you'd expect from Jesus. He steals a truck, he makes characters' eyes bleed, he has relations with a woman. I don't even know what my question is here. 

5) The decision to crucify the evildoers of the world was an interesting one. Money-hungry capitalists, gang members, those responsible for the destruction of the environment. A small handful of sinners were punished, but I'm not sure that's enough of a warning to persuade humanity to take advantage of the second chance The Being gives them at the end of this movie. What do you think makes this character decide to spare humanity and keep his experiment going? 

6) Why the four dots in the title ellipsis? I'm an English teacher, so I felt that I had to ask. 

I appreciate the time you took to even read any of this. And thanks for making this thought-provoking and endlessly-fascinating film. I watch a lot of movies and have a modest little movie blog, and I Am Here....Now has been one of my favorite movie experiences in a very long time. I'm looking forward to watching your other work. 

Your newest fan, 

Shane

Breen's (quick) response: 

Thanks .There is no sequel . I made FATEFUL FINDINGS ( in theatres for the last 14 mo. ) after NOW in 2012 . I'm now shooting PASS THRU . Have no idols . Influence by many films . You can freely interpret the images . literally or figuratively . They are metaphors . Crosses are metaphors for eliminating many people .

So there you go. Neil Breen either doesn't have any time to waste with bozos, doesn't like the cut of my jib, was offended by my questions about the ellipses, or a combination of 2 or all 3 of those. I'll tell you what though. The way he talks about his own work reminds me of another auteur.

He also said I could share this:

Go see http://igg.me/at/Pass-Thru-film . for a 10 video presentation for Pass Thru .