The Last Generation

I thought this was a movie based upon Jim Simmons' novel The Last Generation. Apparently only the title was borrowed. This is a black and white movie about a guy looking for a milkshake. One friend is looking for love, the other a milkshake. Wow. Cutting edge, avant-garde and bold. Like a pair of really cool sunglasses or an e-mail sent from your IPhone. I mean it probably would be all of those things if anyone screens it. Pretty nice he got one of the actors from Ugly Betty, but who are the rest of these people? "No names! Just talent." Isn't this Rosen guy the same one who did Alphaville? Maybe not. It's a common name.

THE LAST GENERATION is this beatific, weird, storybook of a short film...and when I say "film", I mean FILM... As in gritty 16 mm black and white reversal stock, which I haven't seen for quite a long time. Legend has it, that this was a thesis film... and a very ambitious one at that. Apparently it was so ambitious that it has taken the filmmakers 20 years to finish. The cinematography is very reminiscent of Jarmusch, and the original jazz score is beautiful and haunting at times. Overall, I would say that this is a very interesting film, and it's nice to see Ana Ortiz (UGLY BETTY) in her college days.

Last Generation is a wonderful short film with a unique voice. While the comparisons to Jarmusch are fair and complementary, let's not forget about the French new wave influence and even Bergman. Like any fresh voice we may search for comparisons and influences to explain what we've seen but let's also celebrate a unique auteur's vision come to life. Richly drawn and fresh characters bring to life a journey with memorable secondary characters scored with a jazz track.

Rosen's short film The Last Generation is a lovely short story and display of high quality filmmaking. Gorgeous black and white photography from start to finish. The composition is truly great, and the camera work is smooth. The thoughtful and precise decisions that went into this really elevate it to a higher level than any short/indie film I've ever seen. Rosen brought all the elements together and showed us something lovely, yet down to earth. Lighthearted, yet complex. It's easy to appreciate the work and vision behind this piece.