Day 222: "Due to the graphic nature of the following program, viewer discretion is advised."

What began in the movie Network comes to a violent and ironic head in Series 7.  This movie follows six strangers who have been picked at random by, what appears to be, a government lottery to hunt and kill each other for the entertainment of the nation.  To its core, this is the inevitable outcome of all of those heinous reality competition shows.  This is Survivor hopped up on methamphetamine.  The film has a very documentary, Blair Witch Project feel to it, minus the shaky camera.  It's presented like a television show would be, minus the smarmy twenty-something host pushing all of the contenders' emotional buttons.  The contestants themselves consist of a nurse in her late fifties, an unwed, eight and a half month pregnant woman (who is the reigning champ), an unemployed husband and father of three, an eighteen year old student, a seventy two year old trailer park recluse, and a thirty three year old testicular cancer patient who doesn't really care.  All of this comes together in a violent, kinetic movie that is a very unique experience.  Unbelievably, a couple of these people actually have a history, which adds to the insanity of the situation.

I am really starting to enjoy watching movies that have no established stars in them.  It's a treat to see new and upcoming actors putting their talents out there with such success.  The only actor I recognized was Brooke Smith, Buffalo Bill's captive/victim from Silence of the Lambs, but the rest of the cast was wonderful.

This movie is about six parts drama and four parts satire.  Christopher Guest could have made this movie as a pure comedy, but it would have been a dismal failure.  Series 7 is one of those rare movies that succeeds by taking itself a bit too seriously.  This is a great movie that delivers a similarly prophetic message to Network.  It's just a lot more blatant and in-your-face with its statement.  Then it hits you in the face with a sledgehammer.  Give it a try if you want something different.  8.75/10.

See you tomorrow, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!