Search - Circle of Eight on DVD

Unexpectedly Stylish and Unusual Movie

Compay | New Orleans, LA | 03/01/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Circle of Eight was an interesting little movie that wasn't shot for DVD, but for the web. The film is a cooperative effort between Paramount Pictures, Mountain Dew, and Myspace that was part of an online series. The DVD, however, is a bit different from the online version.

I'm big on visuals, so I was happy with the directing job by Stephen Cragg, who mostly shot for television in the past. The colors and lighting are great, and the editing is fresh and different, like watching an episode of The Shield or a music video. The movie was shot in the former Linda Vista Hospital, which is supposedly a haunted building. In any case, the apartment building that serves as the setting is definitely dark and foreboding. I also enjoyed the movie's score, which ranged from upbeat rock and electronic, to haunting melodies.

As far as the story, it's difficult to get into details without spoiling it. There's a mystery that pulls you in from the very beginning, and even though the concept has been done before (by both Eric Bress and Harold Ramis), it's still a decent surprise. The movie scores points by not making the conclusion too obvious, although I thought they tried a little too hard to make some of the characters quirky. As a side note, I know this was co-produced by Mountain Dew, but the product placement was just a little too overt.

Bottom line: the film gets confusing at times, but it's still more entertaining than other straight-to-video movies. The film's ending leaves room for interpretation, so it's worth checking this movie out to form your own conclusion."