This movie is the proof that the world is becoming a sick and dumb place

It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.

Blistering performances.

... simply the worst film I can think of at the moment.Comparisons to David Lynch's early work are unfair blemishes on his reputation. Surely the only ways in which this film resembles 'Eraserhead' are that it's low-budget and shot in B&W.There is no content or depth in this film, it is just a long set of scenes loosely strung together, held together by one running joke. What is that joke? Others have commented on it here -- professor Hess's birthday.There is nothing else. Period.Note that the lack of special effects isn't an issue. Tarkovsky's 'Solaris' and Godard's 'Alphaville' both satisfactorily represented space travel with limited technology, as does 'The American Astronaut'. The problem is that there's nothing for the space travel scenes to bind together -- the film is empty.It was difficult to believe that the film was *only* an hour and a half long. It felt like an eternity. There was a constant trickle of audience members leaving all through the session. Well, that was at MIFF, maybe the viewers were a little more discerning than the usual crowd. I stayed because I felt that there must be at least an attempt at redemption at the end. Sadly, no. Just a continuation of that joke.Maybe I'm just spoiled by the likes of Bela Tarr, Wim Wenders, Mike Figgis, Jim Jarmusch, Terrence Malick and other mind-alteringly talented directors.Then again, maybe there's a simpler answer -- that this film really is devoid of all worth.

The American Astronaut is the kind of film that no right-thinking development body, media council or production company would dream of supporting. Good. In their hands, what a nightmare it would become. Instead you might wonder if Cory McAbee and BNS Productions were dropped on their collective brain once upon a time. In a good way.TAA embraces the low budget and turns it into its strongest feature. Black and white makes every grimy detail somehow gorgeous. The brass fittings and real wood interiors are reminiscent of the rickety technology that fired a rocket into the eye of the moon decades ago. It is not at all like Eraserhead, but that is exactly what it reminds you of. Alternatively, imagine Steptoe And Son in space, with one Harry H. Corbett and a near infinite number of dirty old men.In the same way that Alien gave a convincing glimpse at the distant future of long-haul space travel (ignoring the parasites for a moment) TAA points out that the first steps are likely to be sweaty, spotty, lonely little head trips which only serve to emphasise our humanity when we reach our destination, even if by that point our humanity is disturbed. But there is a real depth of feeling throughout.To say nothing of the great soundtrack, the cracked sense of humour, the striking artistic style and the excellent effect of the death ray.It isn't perfect. It feels like there should be more when it finishes, but only because every sensible film tends to tie up its loose ends and provide a recognisable conclusion or resolution at all costs. TAA isn't sensible and has no costs, so what can you expect?

I saw this movie originally as part of the Southern Film Circuit Series in the Fall of 2003, I was instantly amazed by the entire film, but unfortunately because I had to view at a separate time from the viewing at the theater I did not get a chance to talk with the filmmaker who made it, which I now incredibly regret. During the beginning of the movie when the words are uttered "but it's my birthday" got me immediately interested in the film and its weird quirkiness is definitely held during the entirety of the film. The movie hold an odd mixture between old western and old science fiction movies that give the film a certain nostalgia. The movie is odd, which I love, so if you are looking for a regular run of the mill film, this is most definitely not it. But if you give the film a chance, you just may be able to recognize the various references made throughout the film and the beauty that is this rare gem.

This film is billed as a sci-fi, musical-western comedy. Sounds both original and strange doesn't it? The American Astronaut proves to be both of these (and strange definitely in a good way, believe me).The story is centred around space trader Samuel Curtis (played by writer and director Cory McAbee), who we find in a bar on an asteroid belt, landing in order to make a deal. The scene in the bar is extremely funny, and introduces us to the fact that this is partly a musical. In the bar, unbeknownst to Curtis, is his intermittently-reoccurring nemesis, Professor Hess. Hess, a psychotic killer, pursues Curtis throughout his subsequent journey, in which he performs a number of deals, culminating in travelling to Venus to provide a suitable male to the women of Venus, in order that they release the body of their late suitor, Johnny R), and the dialogue between the two is one of the highlights of the film.This film is stylishly shot in black and white, and Cory McAbee manages to convey the idea of outer space extraordinarily well with some simple direction. Especially impressive is the collage of still photographs showing Curtis explaining why Professor Hess is in his pursuit - it is funny, original, and ingeniously simple. Shot on a low budget, this film does not suffer from the fact in any way. McAbee's use of light and shadows is reminiscent of Orson Welles' direction in Citizen Kane - simple, but astonishingly effective.With a superb soundtrack from McAbee's band The Billy Nayer Show, and the script as impressive as the direction, the film's slightly abrupt ending is the only chink in this otherwise flawless masterpiece; although even that has an upside, in that it leaves you wishing to hear more of Samuel Curtis, and the others.Hopefully more from the same director will do.