Primer

This odd 2004 indie production (e.g., $7,000 budget) caught my eye in the program grid and with nothing else on on Christmas Eve afternoon. Weird is an understatement, even for an old time science fiction fan like me. Though this film does indeed fall into the science fiction wing of the library, it isn’t Star Wars/Star Trek big bang SF but rather more from the Stanislaw Lem/William Gibson school of intellectual puzzles and the SF aside, the movie it most reminds me of is Memento.

Frankly I don’t think I can do much good explaining Primer but Roger Ebert takes a decent shot and it did win the Sundance Grand Jury Prize for Drama. Shane Carruth wrote, directed, produced and stars and I give him credit for doing a lot with that slim budget.

You will come away puzzling over nearly everything about this movie, in a good way, if you watch on day when you mind is open for business.

moderately recommended