With the wonder and joy that is Netflix, and ready access to literally any movie you can name, I've become more interested in recommendations for movies.  When I stumble across somebody's list of must-see movies, I think there have been several times when their brief description of the movie has been enough for me to add it to our Netflix queue.  However, after Point and Shoot, I think I shall better remember the fact that there are a lot of complete idiots out there publishing lists of fantastic movies that are, in fact, not fantastic at all but rather quite horribly, horribly awful.

Point and Shoot is one such example.

Do not attempt to watch this movie unless you are a) looking for movies to bolster your suicidal tendencies, b) looking for movies to assist you in refining your drug-taking techniques, c) looking for movies that reinforce your idea that there is no meaning or purpose in life other than to dull the pain, or d) looking for movies to scare the living crap out of anyone that is considering moving to New York City to embark on a modeling or photography career.

The movie ostensibly is about the director/photographer's first date with a young model, Athena, and the subsequent ups and downs of their romance.  This requires copious amounts of alcohol, drugs, swearing, and indiscriminate nudity.  We watched about 40 minutes of the film before turning it off in disgust as these things became more and more prevalent.  I should  have taken a cue from the fact that the film is not rated to realize that there might be good reasons it is not rated other than that the director forgot to have it rated.

There are only two touching moments of humanity in the first 40 minutes of this 83 minute film.  The first occurs on the first date between Shawn and Athena.  She talks about how lucky she is to have ended up in New York City.  She comments how she doesn't think any of the friends she grew up with will ever leave her home state of Oregon, and that she feels bad for them.  Shawn asks her why she feels bad for them.  "I don't really feel bad for them, I guess.  I just feel bad, you know?"  What an amazingly telling statement, a moment of actual truth and realism and honesty, the heart of the incessant need for alcohol and drugs and parties and sex. 

The other touching moment is when Shawn is attempting to film himself to send to Athena during a 3-week modeling trip she's on in Paris.  Expressing and capturing honest emotions is difficult - even for a hip photographer/director/actor. 

The rest of the film is a massive silencer over the pain that seems to otherwise fill these people's lives.  There is no joy, no happiness, no reality to any character in the film.  The only emotion it stirred in me was pity and disgust.  Athena comments at one point about her only fear is not living life to the fullest.  This is almost immediately followed by an orgy of drugs and alcohol and sex that precipitated me finally shutting the movie off.  Is this living life to it's fullest?  Drunk and stoned and shattered by casual sex?  Is this the best joy that can be had? 

Apparently so.  Don't watch this movie if you're depressed, or happy, or sane.  It's unrated, and completely inappropriate for children - or adults for that matter.  And, take it from me, don't assume that every cowboy with a blog or a website spouting off the best movies of the year/decade/century/millennium has any idea what they're talking about.  Most likely, they don't.

I know I sure don't.