From my favorite movies..

A Brilliant Conflict

Blending excellent reporting and strong storytelling, this is a disturbing film truly stranger than fiction

This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

A film that not everybody knows which maybe is a good thing.I will be honest. I only wanted to watch this movie because it was Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt's first movie together prior to (500) Days of Summer. I expect Joseph's bright face smiling all through the film with no care in the world and Zooey's aura just lightening up the whole set with her beautiful blue-ish, green-ish, grey-ish eyes (frankly, despite practically worshiping her, I don't really know her eye color). My God was I wrong.This movie made me scared of Gordon-Levitt. Seeing him in (500) Days of Summer, I thought he was a crazy loony and like every other guy who has watched (500) Days of Summer, saw ourselves in him. But Lyle, the character he plays is not a pleasant one.I've only seen Zooey Deschanel's big movies like Elf, (500) Days of Summer, Yes Man etc. and only seen her characters in a more of a calm type of person. I never seen her in an intense emotion as I did in Manic. I felt sympathetic for her character. Also her appearance was real just as everyone else in the film. I think they didn't have a make department for the film and I think it was intentional.As for Don Cheadle, he is Don Cheadle, what more can I add? The plot is a roller coaster ride of emotions, most of them practically being negative. Its a psycho thriller that will have you shaking with rage.Overall, the movie is real. The camera is in weird angles and made me a little dizzy but that's just the effect. Everyone looked greasy but that's what the intention was. The theme is great, good to anybody especially any young adult who is facing issues in life. The ending has an important symbolism that will have the viewer sorting out his/her life.

What I like about this film is that it doesn't try to be overly optimistic in order to make you believe that everyone turns out alright. This particular formula of a bunch of teenagers in a psychiatric ward may have been used many times before in other films, but this one leaves me with the greatest impression. Yes, everyone has difficult problems to get through in their lives, but it's how certain people deal with them that makes them end up in situations like this. So many things discussed by the group and even the counselor ring true.It's no surprise that extras were actual young people who've been in psychiatric care sometime in their lives. Even so, Gordon-Levitt does a phenomenal job of being someone who struggles deeply with his emotions and his past.

Manic wasn't a good film but it wasn't a horrible film either. There are many problems with this movie. If there's a few problems with a movie I can usually overlook them but Manic had far too many to just dismiss them. They bothered me the entire movie, especially since they were used to manipulate the audience and advance the plot.Why would a psychiatric ward be co-ed, especially when some of the teenagers are seventeen and some are thirteen? And Joseph Gordon Levitt's character had access to the women's rooms without any problem? That seems kind of ridiculous. If he's a sociopath what's to stop him or anyone else from raping the girls? I also noticed that there were adults in the yard with the teenagers. I don't think that would be allowed. In all likelihood the minors would have absolutely no access to anyone of the opposite sex or anyone over the age of 18 who was also a patient. This movie was self-indulgent tripe. It's too bad because I like Joseph-Levitt as an actor but all the characters were completely one-dimensional. Anarchy guy, Wigger guy, Goth girl. It was completely ignorant of teenagers and mental illness. What the hell did this have to do with being manic or mania or bipolar disorder? Joseph-Levitt was a sociopath. It was just more ultra-cool, hand-held, uber-indie tripe. Indie films used to be good before all this self-indulgent crap started coming out like Garden State.Manic kind of comes across as a corporate public relations bulletin for teens. This is what we think you are. It couldn't have been any more wrong.

I liked the content of the movie. The camera moving around so much was kind of a distraction but otherwise great performances. Zooey is definitely a sweetheart. Also, if anyone knows the listings for the soundtrack can you please let me know. I want the song where at the end of the movie Lyle is sitting at the bus stop and decides not to run and then hes walking back to the institution a song starts to play its all acoustic I believe. (what is it?)Manic was a touching film I liked how the friendships were built. Don Cheadle portrayed a therapist perfectly, hes really a great actor. I can say Manic is on my list of great films that include: Where the Buffalo Roam, Drugstore Cowboy, and Buffalo'66.