Machiavelli Hangman Debut

What an incredible debut is this film for Shervin Youssefian (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1352346/) who had been navigating the waters of the independent film world for quite some time. Some may even argue that Machiavelli Hangman is so fast-paced that it can be the ultra combination of all those short films that were marinating inside this filmmaker's head. Not many films directly burn their way into my all time top ten list, but Machiavelli Hangman was so compelling in its brilliant use of unconventional techniques that there was no easier decision than bumping it up to #7, right next to Shawshank Redemption at #6.

Most studios release their films toward the end of the year so that they stick in the minds of academy voters. In the case of Machiavelli Hangman, it early December release was only a coincidence considering that the filmmakers were still scrapping to find enough money to finance the film in early March. Now that they have come such a long way, their independent risks have finally paid off.

The academy has always had a kind eye for independent films and filmmakers. It awarded an Oscar to beginners Ben Affleck and Matt Damon for their screenplay Good Will Hunting; Billy-Bob Thornton for Sling Blade; This is the film of the year that ought to be nominated, at the very least for its ground-breaking incredibly fast-paced screenplay and amazing performances.

If the film was told in a conventional Hollywood narrative, it would have still made for solid entertainment. However, the fact that Youssefian decided to tell the story within such a disjointed structure, makes Machiavelli Hangman (http://www.hangmanmovie.com) one of the most inspiring pieces of filmmaking of the decade following such examples as Sixth Sense, Memento and Pulp Fiction.

Audiences will not know what they're really getting themselves into until the introduction scene where the style and feel of the film throw down the gauntlet. Within the first five minutes, I knew that this was going to be different than anything I had ever seen before and the more the story developed, the more I knew I was right.

Machiavelli Hangman does what Shawshank Redemption did so well and is watched over and over for. It plays with time and space and interpretations versus what is really happening. While everyone thought that Andy Dufrain had committed suicide, the truth was that he had been planning his escape for more than two decades! Although that type of magic filmmaking was used only at the end of Shawshank, Machiavelli Hangman seems to be full of it, from its opening credits to the conclusion.

Audiences may not be so familiar with Machiavelli, but after this film is released the Italian philosopher will become a household name across the nation!

Vay Vu is a movie reviewer. Machiavelli Hangman http://www.hangmanmovie.com