Arc started very slowly, with the look of a pretty typical drug-life low budget indie movie. Something to watch with half an eye while going through the paperwork. Then it started to pull me in. Somewhere along the way I stopped working through the accounts and became glued to the screen. Sure it has a few clichéd set pieces and a few moments of wooden acting, but after the first 30 minutes or so it pans out to be a nicely put together movie. I'm giving it an 8 based on the way that it managed to involve me in the characters and the story. Don't expect any fabulous Hollywood sets, this obviously hasn't got a huge production budget, but the story arc is well done and satisfying. For some reason it reminded me a bit of Running Scared. Worth watching.

Ex-cop, now drug dealer and addict tries to redeem himself by finding a missing kid with the aid of a hooker. Low budget film that strives to be more than a run of the mill story of a man reaching for redemption. Shot in a variety of different color schemes and styles the film makes the effort to be more than it well worn plot would lead you to believe it is. Peter Facinelli in the lead is merely adequate in a role that requires him to be stoned much of the time. I don't think the film really succeeds in what its trying to do, but I will give the filmmakers points for at last trying to spice things up. I think that one of the problems with the film is that its way too long at around two hours since its slender clichéd thread of a plot doesn't really have the strength to support the tale. I can't recommend it unless you're someone like me who is tired of seeing these ultra-low budget direct to video films that all look and sound the same.

A friend of mine recommended Rob Gunnerson's ARC to me a while ago. He had seen it at a festival and was raving about what a powerful piece of film-making it is. I recently had the pleasure of catching it at the Hollywood Film Festival and my expectations were surpassed by leaps and bounds.ARC is packaged deceptively. It's opening is stylish, hip, disaffected and edgy. It's a world of drug dealers, smut hustlers and hookers, beautifully expressed in black and white with bursts of isolated color. What's brilliant about this film, however, is that about a third of the way through, it rips the unwritten contract between filmmaker and audience in half. The film abruptly shifts from edgy and disaffected to vulnerable and human.It's in this jarring break that I truly connected with Gunnerson's main characters: a drug dealer and a prostitute. Regardless of what they do for a living or what they've made of their lives, what's at their core is made so identifiable by the filmmakers that it was impossible not to see myself in their shoes. Which is scary as hell considering the world they're in. Once he's cast his spell and has your gut, Gunnerson, takes characters and audience deep into one of the darker worlds I've seen on screen in quite some time. I could hear the audience around me squirm as the film edged towards a climax that is at once cruel, touching, and very, very powerful.My hat's off to the entire cast (Peter Facinelli must be seen to be believed) for giving this indie film performances that can only be described as art.The director and D.P.'s collaboration should also be celebrated. The film and its look feels so tailor-made for it's DV format that frankly, it doesn't feel like DV… it just feels distinctly THIS FILM. Clearly talented, Gunnerson has achieved the alchemy all directors strive for, which is creating, out of nothing, a powerful, unique and emotional experience that stays with you. I hope he makes more soon.

When I saw the film at Indie Gathering I was absolutely floored, I sat in my seat absorbing all that I could. The progression of the character was a thing of desire, because it wasn't a traditional love story or good verses evil it was a well thought out script that had twisted and turns and ups and downs but it made you want to watch more and more. Peter's performance was just amazing and my hat goes off to him. It was very noticeable that he loved the character and made it his own. Thanks for the great film and I look forward to seeing of ARC and other projects that Robert has up his sleeve.Derrick Mullins