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Spun (Unrated Version)

Spun (Unrated Version)

List Price: $19.94
Your Price: $17.95
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A strange, and stylish drug film.
Review: Ross is a college dropout with a drug problem...a big drug problem. Ross gets the opportunity to get free drugs if he will become the driver of the local Crystal Meth dealer.

Over the next few days, Ross will come into contact with a kooky stripper, crazy cops, crazier junkies, and a wacko named Spider Mike (brilliantly played by John Leguizamo.)

Dark, dirty, repulsive, and sometimes funny, 'Spun' is a tale told through the eyes of speed freaks. Shot with quick camera motion, and trendy styling, video director Jonas Akerlund does a superb job of setting a grimy atmosphere (you almost feel like taking a shower after watching the film.) The film is peopled with great performances from Brittany Murphy, Jason Schwartzman, John Leguizamo, and Mena Suvari, as well as terrific cameo appearances from Debbie Harry, Alexis Arquette, and Mickey Rourke in a stand out role.

Those looking for something different will enjoy 'Spun', as well as fans of anyone in the cast.

Nick Gonnella

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Visionary Brilliance
Review: I've seen all kinds of movies, and a LOT of all kinds of movies at that. Hell, I work at Blockbuster! But I can honestly say I have never seen anything like this before. If you know that this film is directed by someone previously know for directing music videos, you will be slightly less surprised by this spectacle, for many scenes have a very music video like quality. I never would have thought this would work for a movie, but if it ever did, it would work on a drug movie. Shocking, that there's a connection to be made between musicians and drugs...

This movie is truly visionary. Every scene is gorgeously directed, some featuring animation, purposely campy special effects, fast motion, or random sound samples. It really is the kind of thing one really can't describe. Just know, it REALLY feels like you're spun too.

Each character is played to a tee, without exception. Brittney Murphy is surprising convincing, as is Mena Suvari. John Leguizamo is hilariously tragic, Mickey Rourke is great, particularly toward the end, and Jason Schwartzman, who is probably the weakest of the characters, is still excellent. The only problem with all the characters in general is that they really don't seem to exist on this earth. They have no past and no significance.

This acts as both a strength and a weakness of the film. It's a strength because it really brings you into the mind of a speed freak; no future, no past, barely even a present. It acts as a weakness because instead if it being a hard-hitting look at drugs in society, it's a little too easy to detach from. It doesn't leave you with the right impression. Instead of making you really think about drugs, it leaves you instead with "what a gritty, visual piece," and once you've said that, you can easily forget about it.

The music was provided by ZWAN's Billy Corgan. At first I was happy to see his name in the opening credits, wondering what some solo material might sound like. While I liked the music itself, it added a fairly inappropriate tone to the film. If the director did mean for this to be a somewhat light piece, why did they add music that sounds so soulful and thought-provoking? It makes it seem like the director was trying for something, and that he failed miserably. I get why one would nab Billy Corgan to do music for this though. I'd expect they were looking more for material like "Bullet With Butterfly Wings" or ever "Ava Adore"; something a little rougher, a little more Smashing Pumpkins and less ZWAN, which in my opinion would have been much better.

All in all, it's a must-see movie.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Quite the trip
Review: This was a great and very well thought-out/planned film. The screenplay was brilliant and the acting superlative. The best part of this whole film is definitly the cinematography; it is second to none with an obvious indo-music video slant (characteristic of the directors background making music videos.) that creates an absolutely surreal and disconnected feeling indicative of drug use. Oh yah, if your into this kind of thing, drop some mushrooms before you watch this, its almost as though the movie was designed for drug use; it was a crazy trip the whole way through...try it...you'll like it!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: It was fun to watch
Review: Spun is one of those movies you pop in if you're looking for movie that's not a family movie in any sense, but an entertaining movie that's more than a little disturbing with a very twisted sense of humor.

I'll be brutally honest: This movie is not a great movie, probably not even a good movie. It will never win any awards, and there are movies out there better representations of what drug addiction is like, such as Trainspotting. So if a great movie with a great representation of drugs and a wonderful plot is what you're looking for, rent something else.

However, it is fun to watch. Perhaps the R rated version may be easier for most people to swallow than the NR version. (...)

I give this movie a four because when I first decided to watch it, it was as a Smashing Pumpkins\Zwan fan wanting to see Billy Corgan's cameo and hear his music, but when I finally saw it, I almost forgot about Billy because I was too busy enjoying the movies. I was impressed with the cast- Mickey Rourke, of course, was great. Yeah, real shocker, Mickey Rourke getting high and sleeping with a 25 year old. Did he have to act at all? Just kidding. Regardless, he was definitly the best part of the movie.

So, to sum up, it's pretty much just an entertaining movie with twisted humor and disturbing topics.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: I've been Spun!!!
Review: "Spun" is a fascinating journey into the lives of LA drug addicts. Director Jonas Akerlund has created a frantic nightmarish world that is both funny and disturbing at the same time, and never ever boring.Rounding out Akerlund's frenetic visual style is his amazing cast. It's true that this film is chock-full of unsavory drug addicts who you wouldn't want to give a ... for, but every single one of these actors portraying them are so entertaining to watch, that you won't mind a bit spending this 90 minutes with them. First and foremost...MICKEY ROURKE! This is by far Mickey's best role. He plays the Cook, a hulking [person] with his own meth lab he runs out of a motel room. He supplies the schlep rock Ross (the wonderful Jason Schwartzman) with speed as long as he, in turn, drives him and his stripper girlfriend (brilliantly played by Brittany Murphy) around in his car whenever they need it. These drives include trips to the gas station for "ingredients," visits to the porn store, beer runs and chauffeuring Nikki back and forth to the strip club for work. And the bulk of the film carries on this way, focusing on this bizarre friendship, clouded by rail after rail of crystal meth. But like I said, you can't take your eyes off of this cast, no matter how covered they are with sores and blemishes. Everyone is simply outstanding!!!!Rounding out the cast are John Leguizamo as Spider Mike, a dealer, and Patrick Fugit and Mena Suvari as speed freaks who hole themselves up in his house, awaiting their next drug feast. Also, there's Peter Stormare and Alexis Arquette as a couple of cranked out cops, Deborah Harry as Ross' lesbian neighbor with a great interest in martial arts and Eric Roberts as...well, you'll just have to see....On top of that, there're also plenty of cameos from Rob Halford and Billy Corgan, so keep your eyes open. "Spun" is an absolute visual spectacle, and further proof that even music video directors can make good movies.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Disappointing
Review: Don't let the intriguing cast and plot fool you- this movie is not worth your time. I found myself more interested by the music than the actual film, thanks to Billy Corgan, who did an excellent job(as always)and even makes a cameo appearance. If you're into the likes of movies such as Requiem for A Dream, definitely don't waste your time on this. It's not funny or realistic, nor does it keep one's attention. It tries too hard to disgust the audience and make them think it's fast-paced by using cheap camera tricks. Not to mention the characters and script are horribly underdeveloed. I still can't figure out why so many successful and talented actors and musicians actually opted to be a part of it.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: I've been Spun!!!
Review: "Spun" is a fascinating journey into the lives of LA drug addicts. Director Jonas Akerlund has created a frantic nightmarish world that is both funny and disturbing at the same time, and never ever boring.Rounding out Akerlund's frenetic visual style is his amazing cast. It's true that this film is chock-full of unsavory drug addicts who you wouldn't want to give a ... for, but every single one of these actors portraying them are so entertaining to watch, that you won't mind a bit spending this 90 minutes with them. First and foremost...MICKEY ROURKE! This is by far Mickey's best role. He plays the Cook, a hulking [person] with his own meth lab he runs out of a motel room. He supplies the schlep rock Ross (the wonderful Jason Schwartzman) with speed as long as he, in turn, drives him and his stripper girlfriend (brilliantly played by Brittany Murphy) around in his car whenever they need it. These drives include trips to the gas station for "ingredients," visits to the porn store, beer runs and chauffeuring Nikki back and forth to the strip club for work. And the bulk of the film carries on this way, focusing on this bizarre friendship, clouded by rail after rail of crystal meth. But like I said, you can't take your eyes off of this cast, no matter how covered they are with sores and blemishes. Everyone is simply outstanding!!!!Rounding out the cast are John Leguizamo as Spider Mike, a dealer, and Patrick Fugit and Mena Suvari as speed freaks who hole themselves up in his house, awaiting their next drug feast. Also, there's Peter Stormare and Alexis Arquette as a couple of cranked out cops, Deborah Harry as Ross' lesbian neighbor with a great interest in martial arts and Eric Roberts as...well, you'll just have to see....On top of that, there're also plenty of cameos from Rob Halford and Billy Corgan, so keep your eyes open. "Spun" is an absolute visual spectacle, and further proof that even music video directors can make good movies.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Throws the viewer into the spin cycle
Review: There have been many movies made in the past decade regarding drugs, mostly pot a la Dazed and Confused or Cocaine such as Traffic, even heroin like Trainspotting. This is the first film I am aware of that takes an unflinching journey into the not so wondrous world of Crystal Meth. Jason Swartzman, Mickey Roarke Mena Surveni, Brittany Murphy and John Leguizemo play a group of slackers whose main goal seems to concern getting high.
Each of them portrays colorful characters who somewhere around the way got hooked on drugs. Roarke being the "Cook" even has a mobile labratory he sets up in motels.
The direction of this movie while artistic is not exactly conventional. In other words this movie is bound to be disappointing to many seeking another "Traffic" or "Blow".

The best parts in my opinion are when we see into the head of Swartzman after he takes a hit, perhaps the director was intentionally making a trippy movie counterbalancing the central message which would be drugs are not glamerous or maybe he just had fun experimenting with the subject matter and the camera lens to present a visual souffle of artistic angles and shots. This movie won't make my all time favourite film list, but it is a movie I can enjoy more than once.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Lazy as hell!
Review: This has to be one of the emptiest films I've ever seen, it's pure style over content. There are maybe 1 or 2 entertaining moments provided by Mickey Rourke (the only entertaining character and the reason for the star) but when it ended, I was left feeling numb.
There's no plot and it's a hugely derivitive movie that rips off everything from Requiem for a Dream (and other drug movies) to Beastie Boys videos.
I'm not sure what it was really trying to say about drug addiction, apart from the fact that you can pick up strippers if you take speed. Watch Trainspotting or Requiem for a more mature and informed attitude to drug addiction.
The only thing the film had going for it was that there's alot of energy so the time did pass pretty quickly. If you spend your time in front of eMpTV then this is the film for you whilst you wait for the next masterpiece from Eamon.
Jonas Ã…kerlund, don't give up the day job mate!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: kinda good
Review: i'm really judging this movie as good because of the acting. otherwise it's a fair share of vulgarity and stupidity.


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