Paranoid Park

"Paranoid Park"
Starring: Gabe Nevins
Grade: B

Gus Van Sant has made a living off of directing films that show alienated youths and there social surroundings. This time, Van Sant favors style over minimalism, and makes a pretty good film about a young teen dealing with guilt and loneliness.

Gabe Nevins plays Alex, a teen, who is involved in the "skater community," as a cop puts it. Alex has a girlfriend who doesn't interest him much, and his parents are divorced. He likes to skate, write in his journal, and not much else.

The film takes an interesting turn as it builds towards an answer, and then ends in uncertainty. Van Sant uses a lot of slo-mo, glamorizing young skaters in Portland, the footage is littered throughout, and while it may be distracting to some, Van Sant is clearly trying to build mood.

The film isn't for everyone, if your a fan of Van Sant, who is known for commercial successes such as Good Will Hunting and Milk, this is a different kind of film, one I believe is worth checking out.