I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

hyped garbage

a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

I am a huge fan of Shirley Henderson. And this is a great movie to watch her in. She seems so fragile, so pitiable, so perpetually in need of a hug. Although her counselor cares for her, Kath still becomes more and more distraught, and the viewer does begin to fear for her sanity and her life. Rightly, as it turns out.I have to discuss the ending (hence the spoiler warning). At first I was annoyed; we don't seem to get an explanation. After she breaks into the CCTV place, the guy there seems to think that she has discovered some secret of his. So he goes to her house and tries to make her open the door. But what is it he thinks she's discovered? She then calls up her sister's boyfriend and tells him that she's found out something new about Annie's murder. When they meet in the morning, he apparently thinks that Kath knows that HE is the murderer (which she doesn't, or she certainly wouldn't have been there to meet him), and he kills her. In the same way Annie was killed.And then there's the thing with the roller-coaster picture appearing on the CCTV footage. Very weird.I haven't figured out the truth yet, but there is clearly some kind of reversal going on. When Kath finally confronts Annie, it turns out that it isn't Annie, but Kath herself. This has to mean that Kath (being "frozen") is dead, and has probably been so throughout the movie. She is somehow a ghost investigating her own death. We never see Annie's face; maybe Annie doesn't exist, she's just an invention of the ghost, to trick herself into not confronting the fact that it is she - Kath - who is dead. I don't know, but it's something like that.I like the movie a lot. It makes you think, and it has a wonderful performance by Henderson, who keeps it interesting throughout. I had no problem with the slow pace; as long as Henderson is in view, there's always something to enthuse about.This is a good DVD to own.8 out of 10.

Up until a few days ago I hadn't heard of this film but when I saw it listed in the television guide and read that the always excellent Shirley Henderson was in it I decided to give it a go. I'm glad that I did as it was pretty good.Shirley Henderson plays Kath a woman who can't get over the disappearance of her sister two years before. She is convinced that somebody has done something to her but the police have no evidence to suggest foul play. The only real clue is CCTV footage which shows her entering an alleyway but doesn't show her leaving. Kath is helped by the CCTV operator who lets her review the tapes and by her Counsellor who she discusses her problems with. I won't say anything about the ending as I wouldn't want to spoil it for first time viewers.The film is fairly bleak, both in the subject matter and the way it is filmed, there was a constant sense of isolation and cold. As I'd expected Shirley Henderson did a great job in the leading role, the supporting cast also put in good performances, I especially liked Roshan Seth as her counsellor. While I did enjoy the film I felt it looked more like a superior television production rather that a cinematic production intended for the big screen, not that that is necessarily a bad thing, it makes a nice change to see a thriller with no guns in sight let alone the explosions that seem de rigueur these days. If you get a chance to watch this fine film I'd certainly take it.

This is Shirley Henderson's film through and through. If "Frozen" does nothing else it must surely let casting agents see that Henderson can be stretched further than we have ever seen before and that she will deliver the goods. Her performance has already been recognised in the BAFTA Scotland Awards in 2005 where she (rightly) picked up the Best Actress prize. This is the first time that she has carried a film as the star that she is. Here there are no places to hide since she is on screen in mostly every scene. With a flawless Lancashire dialect (she is Scottish) and a paper-thin fragility, she convinces us that she is trapped in this bleak but beautiful (and rarely filmed) place as she searches for the truth behind her sister's mysterious disappearance.The film is slow though well paced, stark and bleak, but never dull, but would have been a whole lot better if the end wasn't so obfuscated and needlessly confusing. In a whodunit (and this is) you can't short change the audience by not telling them what happened. From what I can tell, about half the audience when I saw it really liked the film. Others were disappointed and without doubt this is not a commercial film by any standard, but it is one worth seeing just for Henderson's tour de force.

I recently saw 'Frozen' at the 2005 RiverRun International Film Festival, and I must say I enjoyed it. However, I don't think it's a film you'll watch over and over again... explanation: The basic synopsis of 'Frozen' is a girl, Kath, is curious about what happened to her sister, Annie. Is she alive? Dead? Living a new life? When Kath finds some evidence showing Annie the day she went missing, she becomes almost obsessed with finding her. It's not the most original plot you've ever heard of, but it is pulled off very well for what it is.Along Kath's "journey," you'll meet a few central characters, though after all is said and done, I find some of the characters --or more importantly, the one emphasized most (a therapist/priest character)-- has little to no real relation or development to the plot and could've been done without or built upon in many areas. Though the acting is convincing throughout, it's because of this that some of the exchanges can feel as if they're unnatural or dragging (even at a 90min. runtime.) What the previously mentioned slacks on, 'Frozen' more than makes up for with visuals and sound. The film uses lots of blues and dark greens, which give it a very cold feeling. This pulls you in to relate to the character, who describes herself multiple times as feeling "frozen." The camera work itself is good as well, with some very good shots scattered about. The sound is equally cold as the visuals. There's not much use of music here, which further helps with the feeling of isolation.Overall, the movie is nothing amazing, but even considering the flaws, 'Frozen' is a very good and interesting watch in the thriller category (especially considering what's been passing as "thrillers" lately.)