Channels (2008)

I'm thinking about all of the good, really good independent movies that are out there and that I have probably missed. Fortunately I didn't miss this one. A friend saw it at a festival and he ordered it. It is a remarkable film, in that it plays like a romantic comedy, but contains deeply serious undertones - What defines what is real and what is not? Can we define our own reality by believing in something strong enough? Sounds like a college course in existentialism.But it is a movie and it gets us to the point where those questions are important enough for the main characters to ask themselves.One of the main characters is played by beautiful Km Oja,who brings a loveliness along with her very fine acting skills to her role. Well, really two roles, because she plays two different characters. She is both funny and kind of tragic.The male lead is played by Nat Christian, who brings a refreshing naturalness to his role. He is both honest and subtle.There are other very fine performances, notably by Ed Asner, who has us in the palm of his hand with a funny monologue. Joan Van Ark looks great and she should be back on the screen. John Kassir and Taylor Negron play it real, while portraying off-beat characters. This is an ensemble cast of very fine actors who never "push" to tell the story. I really liked the music score by Rossano Galante. The main "song" was written by Daryl Orenge and Cynthia Hasson, and the lyrics by Christian.The overall look, cinematography by Michael Hardwick and production design by Dolores Piazza, was well coordinated with the story, as it was romantic and inviting. Some good visual effects by Duane Condor.CHANNELS was written and directed by Nat Christian as well. He did an excellent job of bringing it all together to invoke a feeling, which allowed us to think about the questions posed.Indie movies, with original voices such as this one, are getting harder and harder to find. I hope that there are more opportunities for the many talented filmmakers out there.