One Point O Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES
Are you infected?
After receiving mysterious empty packages inside his apartment, a young computer-programmer (named Simon) begins a personal investigation into their origins. This leads him to discover his odd and eccentric neighbors; an artificially intelligent robot-head, named Adam; a virtual-reality sex game; and a possible corporate conspiracy. As the story progresses, Simon's grip on reality becomes more and more tenuous, while his craving for Nature Fresh milk becomes almost unbearable. Is it all just in his mind, or is something more sinister happening here?
| Jeremy Sisto | Simon J. |
| Deborah Kara Unger | Trish |
| Lance Henriksen | Howard |
| Eugene Byrd | Nile |
| Bruce Payne | The Neighbour |
| Udo Kier | Derrick |
| Ana Maria Popa | Alice |
| Emil Hostina | Landlord |
| Sebastian Knapp | Harris |
| Constantin Cotimanis | Polanski |
| Matt Devlen | Cashier |
| Richard Rees | Hiep Pham |
| Lucia Maier | Alley Woman |
| Roxana Ciuhulescu | Tall Woman |
| Michael Weinberg | Bartender |
| Jeff Renfroe |
| Marteinn Thorsson |
5.90 out of 10 (1227 votes)
Visitor Reviews
movie without all the answers
posted on 05 Feb 2009In the near future a young software engineer is the victim of scheme for his mind. Paranoia and fear take over in a quest for survival. The horrible end seems inevitable. For he will be less and less able to make the difference between real and unreal, who to trust and who not.The viewer is in the same position here, so you also have to make up your mind and try to figure out what is happening here. The clock is ticking.Nice obscure characters and reliable acting by most of them. Although the dialogues could have been a little bit more acute.If you like movies which leave you search for answers and will not give you all of them, go see this one. A little bit like Cronenberg.
Atmospheric thriller delivers creeps, laughs - SPOILERS
posted on 22 Jan 2009Saw this creepy film at Sundance January of '04, and it was very effective at creating a claustrophobic yet outlandish Gilliamesque environment consistent with its theme, namely the pervasive and unchecked spread of embedded consumerism.Sisto delivers an increasingly out of control performance that is riveting to watch, and it's a kick to see Lance Henriksen play an off-kilter role like this, though I'd have liked to see it pay off with greater impact. Udo Kier is his usual deliciously kooky self, and Deborah Unger is gorgeously melancholy as usual. That's a good thing, though I'd really like to see this woman get a role she can break out with.The film takes a bit to work up a rhythm, but becomes genuinely unsettling for the better part of its running time, and it generates a number of uncomfortable and truthful laughs.All in all, it was a cool Sundance find, but I also know there's an audience out there that appreciates this kind of work (Gilliam, PKD and other literate speculative fiction lovers), and I think they'll be more than satisfied with this debut from Renfroe and Thorsson.
Intelligent, gritty sci-fi
posted on 31 Dec 2008Well it's finally been seen in the UK! Others reviewers have gone into vast detail so I'll leave that but stay away from matrix comparisons in terms of overall movie feel. Yes there's a computer programme affecting the lives of human inhabitants or at least so the main character believes but it's gritty and more cerebral. Think 1984 meets dark city on the budget of Pi! (Well OK a bit more cash than that, but not much!) I loved Lance Henrikson and Udo Kier in cameo roles, they introduce some lighter moments in the film and do so to good effect. Overall its not one for the masses but sci-fi and genre fans will appreciate it. Overall I enjoyed it and it was worth braving bank holiday crowds in central London. Finally the comments in regard to frederik Pohl mentioned in another's review are right on the money
Polished, but a trivial theme
posted on 03 Dec 2008I recently viewed this at the Sundance Film Fest. I have an overall positive opinion of the film. The semi-futuristic world created is a very unique and interesting one. The photography in the film is outstanding. Very deep reds and greens give a feel comparable to a Fincher film. Lance Henriksen and Udo Kier give wonderful performances. Sisto and Unger are better than adequate. The story builds up very well to the explanation of the odd behavior of Simon J (Sisto) and his fellow apartment building dwellers. The explanation, however, is where I find a problem.**Spoiler**It is revealed that the mysterious packages appearing in Simon's apartment, though they appear to be empty, actually contain tiny "nanomites" that enter his body and begin to manipulate his behavior; most notably, these mites force him to buy and consume large quantities of Nature Fresh Milk. The conspiracy of forced consumption is developed more, but I couldn't help feel like the whole concept was a little trivial.The directors, the D.P. (Chris Soos), Deborah Unger, and Jeremy Sisto were present for a Q&A following the screening. Some interesting things mentioned: The directors each have a past of making commercials; the D.P. has directed multiple music videos for Sigur Ros (they have at least one song in the movie); it was all filmed in Bucharest; at Jeremy Sisto's suggestion (he is also producer), the budget was not disclosed to the audience.
The biology of advertising in the near future (if not now?)!!!
posted on 18 Oct 2008Is it safe? Is it safe? Is it safe?I don't think so!!!"1.0" will serve'n'dice you up into Kubrick-esque mind games. Clockwork Orange does come to mind here. In the very near future, one company (F.A.R.M) controls 90% of the worlds food products and most other supermarket items. To reap more greedy profits, it starts conducting experiments in 16 unsuspecting apartment buildings. Mysterious packages arrive, but contain nothing in them. They keep coming and coming, but still they are empty? F.A.R.M. buys up local hospitals, to cover up the mysterious deaths of an experiment gone insanely wrong. Its hard to tell more without giving away the rest of dee story. Well worth the watch, folks. Sir Stanley Kubrick would be proud of these two "first-time directors", already Renfroe and Thorsson were aptly named by Variety magazine as the 2004 top-ten hot new directors to watch out for.Ensemble cast of characters, "Six Feet Under" star, Jeremy Sisto (Simon J), luscious Deborah Unger (nurse Trish), Lance Hendrickson (Howard), Udo Kier (Derrick), and others should easily win dee SAG (Screen Actors Guild) ensemble acting prize for 2004. As of yet, its still not released, but when it does, it will be the sleeper film of dee year folks, and quite possibly, in the top-ten grossing film of 2004...can't wait..........SHANG SHANG...y'all!!!
Badly done Matrix style rip-off
posted on 28 Sep 2008Simon is a computer programmer who is being pressured to complete a code. He begins to receive unmarked, seemingly empty packages from an unknown source. These packages add to his already paranoid state, making him install a high tech alarm system and put pad locks on everything. His only real communication with the outside world is the currier that brings him the items he requests, including milk, which he begins to buy and drink in large quantities. As he looks into who is sending him the packages, he discovers one neighbor is stockpiling cola and making internet "cybersmut" films through virtual reality programming, another neighbor has been using the smut program on a regular basis and is stockpiling juice, and yet another neighbor is stockpiling meat. The movie goes on to make you believe SImon is really going crazy, until near the end they reveal that he is just a very advanced computer, infected with an invisible program delivered through the empty boxes. Simon's creator was also a neighbor who admits to him the glitches in the program have cause him to become sick and the best thing is to end it all. This movie was basically a waste of time, but if you have 2 hours to kill and want something hard to follow to watch, then this is the movie for you.
Gritty, Orwellian nightmare that falls WAY short.
posted on 25 Aug 2008While Paranioa 1.o has a darkness and a mood of sublime terror it's script seems to propose questions and never answers any of them. The direction is one note with set-up piece after set-up piece being displayed and it never seems to make any kind of statement. Is Simon really infected? Is he really a victim of a conspiracy to infect the entire building? Or is all his imagination designed to feed his own paranoia to justify his own existence? Instead he buys and drinks a lot of milk which is REALLY over priced. One time he goes to the store and buys a half-gallon of milk with a newspaper and one other item and his total is over $20. The movie LOOKS great and it is very tense throughout but Jeremy Sisto (whom I love as an actor and also co-produced this movie) is miscast as Simon. I felt I was watching and actor acting like he was paranoid not an actor really paranoid. Paranioa 1.0 works on some of the basic levels but is otherwise an empty and convoluted mess. ** out of 4
Incredibly boring movie
posted on 21 Aug 2008I wanted to watch this movie, since I saw the categorization "Genre: Thriller / Mystery / Sci-Fi", and a decent 5.8 rating and thought it might be good. However that categorization and rating is very misleading it turned out.I started to watch this movie, and sat through the first 48 minutes of it, hoping it would eventually get interesting. Sadly it never did, so I stopped right there.The main flaw of the movie is that the pace is extremely slow, and the lack of any interesting plot. It definitely do not deserve to be in the "Thriller" category, there is nothing thrilling about it at all(the first 48 minutes anyway, doubt the second half gets any better..).If I had to give this movie any sort of label, it would have to be "Genre: slow-paced wannabe pseudo-intellectual sci-fi", and would recommend you avoid it at all cost, unless you need something to doze off to.
Easily the BEST Sci-Fi Film of 2004
posted on 05 Nov 2007I can't believe more people haven't seen this film. I downloaded this film from the internet by chance last year before it came out (It was called "One Point O" then), and I told so many of my friends that they made the trek to the Montreal Film Festival to see it. I anticipated that it would also show in the Toronto Film Festival (where I live) but unfortunately it did not.The cast is brilliant. Udo Kier as a creepy neighbor. Lance Henrickson (in something watchable for a change) as a basement dwelling bum, the deliciously sexy Deborah Kara Unger play the main character Jeremy Sisto's (Six Feet Under, Wrong Turn) love interest.This film actually kept me guessing until the end. It's well paced, originally written, and beautifully shot. It's the exact style of science fiction that I love the most.I just picked up the DVD, now called "Paranoia: 1.0" (I prefer the original title). It's a must have for any sci-fi fan.
weird, creepy, dark, and disturbing
posted on 14 Oct 2007This has been described as "Kafka-esque" but for me to judge that I'd have to be familiar with the works of Kafka, I guess. But I can say this is a pretty dark and creepy flick, with Jeremy Sisto as a computer programmer holed up in his apartment working on code and receiving lots of empty packages and drinking lots of milk, and dealing with plenty of strange neighbors. So what's going on? Is there a computer virus that's spread to humans? Because there's some kind of disease afoot too, there's always bodies getting carted away. And what of his neighbors? Well one (played by Bruce Payne) is into S&M and porno and video games, another (Udo Kier) is some kind of weird inventor with a talking robot head, another is a young woman who is a nurse in a cancer ward that goes to freaky clubs at night to get her jollies, whew. Sisto keeps getting all these weird packages delivered INSIDE his apartment no matter what security measures he takes, and he keeps buying milk, and some creepy dude at his employer is on his butt about making his deadline, and things really start falling apart. Seems like perhaps there's some kind of corporate thing going on and the boxes that seem empty really AREN'T, just because you don't see anything doesn't mean there's something there, explains a friend. Definitely a creepy movie that oozes menace, and it'll make you think about what your neighbors might be up to. Unfortunately this is one of those movies where the sound mix is so low on the dialog that you have to turn it up but the sound effects (when they kick in) are enough to blast you through the wall, in which case your neighbors will wonder what YOU'RE up to. Still though, a good movie, very interesting and rather disturbing, well worth seeing. 8 out of 10.
A Sinister Vision of Creepiness
posted on 12 Oct 2007This darker Brazil (1985) movie with its creepy but very effective Dark Water (2005) photography and visuals is a colorfully subdued terrifying mystery with a solid and harsh ending. It has the cramped and odd Barton Fink (1991) nightmare going on. What this movie has going for it is a decent underlying technological premise that is contemporary for today and an climatic twist that is consistent with the build-up in the movie. However, the movie itself becomes so absorbed by its absurdity and it begins to wear the audience down while Brazil with its satirical black humor was able to maintain a sufficient balance to compel its audience's interest. Unlike Dark Water that was much more atmospheric and yet straightforward in its impact, One Point O requires its audience to become submerged within its psychic devastated world. Unlike the creative independent Blair Witch Project (1999) where the audience becomes a seemingly vicarious observer, we are asked in this movie to become part of the crazy paranoid world from within. Unlike the light and generally uplifting you are there inside one's mind of Brainstorm (1983), the audience in this movie almost needs to take anti-psychotic medication to enjoy and appreciate the movie. Perhaps the art has become too real for an audience. Seven out of Ten Stars.
NanoBarton Fink
posted on 06 Oct 2007My goodness, I see people comparing this to Welles' "Le Proces." That film was characterized by its coherentness: noir fate brought into the story. It was thoroughly aware of its place in film history.This has none of that coherence, in fact the opposite, a studied confusion.Look elsewhere, dear viewers, This is a thinly disguised "Barton Fink," yes, down to the girl, the building, the box, the "movie," the cops, the guy next door and most of all, the co-opted written product. There's a thin veneer of science fiction, of "code" and "the game" but where Barton integrates them with the story, these are just pasted on. How sad to be so inferior in so many ways to the original.Ted's Evaluation -- 1 of 3: You can find something better to do with this part of your life.
Dada meets Kafka meets Max Headroom
posted on 06 Jul 2007"Paranoia will destroy ya…" wrote the Kinks many years ago. The paranoia in this film…well, you'll have to watch the film yourself to see what happens. Step into a grim, surrealistic world (think Dada does Kafka) where strange, unexplained things are going on. A mysteriously empty box that keeps appearing on the doorstep of Simon (played by Jeremy Sisto, people dying under odd circumstances. Simon's world is dreary, dark, depressing and confusing. It is peopled by others who are as confused and zombie-like as he has become—Trish, the cancer ward nurse (played by Deborah Unger), who uses kinky sex to make herself feel alive after being around so much death, the inventor (played by Udo Keir) of a weird robot head, the peculiar custodian played by Lance Hendricksen. Their souls are being sucked dry by a culture that demands that they perform, conform, consume. The only character with energy in this soulless atmosphere is the Neighbor, a sleazy director of S&M porn games, played by Bruce Payne with his customary intensity and nuance.( Why is he left out of the DVD credits?! His is the most memorable character. I second Brittmatt2005's excellent comments on the message board.).Though unrelentingly grim, it is worth seeing more than once. This Kafkaesque film is textured, with many levels of meaning woven into the surrealistic package. There are many messages to be extracted---the dangers of amoral corporations out to control and out of control, the deadening effects of a conformist society, questioning of the extreme measures people will go to to feel alive in a dreary world (TV "Reality" shows, anyone?). By the end of the film, the mystery of the box is revealed. It is a trick that is, as Max Headroom once said, only "20 minutes into the future," a science fiction about to turn into science fact. Is this all a metaphor for what is going on now in our culture? See for yourself. This film, unlike the majority of sorry excuses for entertainment out there, will make you think.
Check out this Intriguing and unique film.
posted on 23 Apr 2007Have you ever left the theater with more questions than when you came in? Check this one out. One point O is a refreshing alternative to the Hollywood formula ..... beautifully shot and well directed, with a cast and dialog that is right on. The intrigue never lets up. The film was the subject of many Interpretations and discussions long after leaving the theater. One Point O is an all-too-realistic near-future portrayal of individuals becoming isolated and paranoid - eventually targeted by the ultimate corporate marketing ploy. This is truly a unique script! This was my favorite at Sundance this year.
Pure trash
posted on 11 Apr 2007Don't waste your money with this piece of "work". Boring, underdirected, overplayed, overdramatized, inconsistent -- these are just a few words that come to mind when watching this garbage. The movie promises to keep you in suspense until the very end, however, half way through you realize that you are no longer interested in finding out what's going on. The dialogue is so bleak and uninteresting, you will find yourself nodding off after about 40 minutes. The producers have tried to combine suspense, horror, intrigue, sci-fi, gore, and romance, and they failed miserably. The actors' plays leave you wishing for Pauly Shore's return. To summarize: if you want to see a bad, yet somewhat entertaining movie, watch Biodome. Don't waste your hard-earned money with this garbage.
A bad dream on a budget and online = good performance.
posted on 13 Jan 2007This movie definitely had a smaller budget than most movies of this stature. It will also definitely boggle your mind. The end contains good closure to give it a good finish. The actors/actresses did a wonderful job. If you're looking for something like The Matrix, or just love technology movies (note: this will not confuse you if you are not technological adept.) you will like this. The music, oh my, the music went perfectly with this and made the movie very emotional.** Spoiler **Be sure to pay attention at the very end, as it will tell you everything. Watch carefully when they show his head on the floor.
Reminiscent of classical scifi
posted on 11 Jan 2007It is easy to draw parallels between this movie and contemporary science fiction like The Matrix or less astute films like the Thirteenth Floor.However, there is another level of storytelling in this film, something very akin to the way science fiction was told in the late 50's. Reminiscent of classical Twilight Zone or the more modern Cronenberg tradition of weird but very compelling scifi, One Point O makes a point that very few contemporary science fiction films does: it's not about effects or flashy stunts, convoluted terms or flashy names for characters. It's about the actor, director and the film crew telling a story.The film is strange, no doubt, and maybe somewhat inaccessible to many viewers. But it delivers everything it promises in the outset, and in my opinion succeeds where so many others fail; Minority Report to name but one.On the contrary to what many seem to think, I found the film quite clear. I had no trouble following the story and wasn't surprised at the end - but in my opinion there is no attempt made to surprise you.One Point O is a film I will see many times again, as there are so many little details to be found - in the sets, the dialog and the characters.Certainly it is NOT a film for the impatient.
Does any one know what cool apartment they used for the movie?
posted on 18 Aug 2006There was some kewl stuff in this movie. Especially the Mid-Rise Apartment in the movie. Really neat. Does anyone know what Country this apartment was in? Was it Romania? Iceland? Was it really a set? It was really neat Art Deco type apartment, seeming it was of the 1920's or 30's. If any one has the inside on my question about this mysterious Mid-Rise, I would really appreciate it. And also take special note to those old European dial phones. Was that current for this Country? I loved the Film Nior & mystery of this movie. I really Liked Jeremy Sisto. Have never heard of him before. And that German actor. Udo Kier? Hope I spelled it right. And I also love anything Lance Henrickson is in.Love them Indies.Peace Josh
Very bad film to DVD transfer
posted on 14 Aug 2006It's a hard film to critique because of the extremely poor transfer, film to DVD. I picked this up at a local food market and presume that the distributor bottom- lined it.Had to fight to concentrate on the story because of the visual "muddiness". Literally couldn't always tell what was visually happening.Story of course has been done plenty of times before as any long-time sci-fi fan knows. I became irritated with the main character in his not figuring out the source of his and the other characters problems. Though I'm not usually unsympathetic to some well placed poetic license being used, the ending of this film, brain transfered to the robot, made me think that the writer/producers didn't have a sure hand on what all the proceeding nihilistic story was leading to. Should have ended with a clean up of the building and a whole new group of test subjects moving in.
Beware, you can be infected!
posted on 06 Apr 2009This film is an amazing dark thriller that is greatly filmed in a noir-style type. The settings are always dark, mysterious and full of a surrealist ambiance that grabs you in suspense since the beginning until the end of the movie. The plot, which is extremely confusing, is passed in a near future, where almost everything is similar to the present except the nanotechnology, which is more advanced… I love the kind of cinematography which is presented in this movie: the mysterious characters, the dark settings, the strange and confusing plot, the surreal ambiences, those camera shots from the most bizarre angles… However, in this particular case, I didn't appreciate very much its ending (which I will not spoil), maybe because I was expecting some kind of different disclosure. It doesn't mean the end is bad, not at all, but I was expecting something else… Just because of that I will score this movie as 9/10 and not the 10/10 I was thinking I would give it when I was watching the movie… Anyway, it's an excellent movie made in some Sci-Fi and surreal standards that shows us a possible scenario to the future, when the technology and the informatics systems will mess (even more!) with our brains!