Best movie of this year hands down!

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

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.

The Parking Lot Movie (2010) *** (out of 4)Bizarre but entertaining documentary taking a look at a parking lot in Charlottesville, Virginia where we see the man who owns it and the men who run it. We get to hear their various stories but mainly we see what they do at their job, which is usually nothing as they sit around trying to keep themselves entertained while waiting for someone to cheat them. This is a pretty strange documentary but director Meghan Eckman spent three years on this project and it's certainly original to say the very least. I must admit that I didn't find too many of the personal stories very interesting. Perhaps had more time been devoted to the actual characters then this would have improved things but even at 70-minutes the film does seem a bit too long so perhaps not adding any extra scenes was good. What kept me entertained was some of the things that I was curious about. Every time I leave a parking garage I usually wonder about how much money they're taking in and about the person who might own it. It was fascinating hearing from the owner who talks about how he got in the business and how he hires people to look after the lot. Another interesting aspect was hearing the workers talk about how boring it was and we get to see some of the activities to keep them entertained. However, the best stuff deals with some of the rude customers and how the employees deal with them. Even better are the scenes dealing with people trying to get away without paying.

Why did I like this movie so much? A movie about a car parking lot? I'll start off by saying there is hidden meaning behind the vague simplicity. The meaning is deep. I felt secretly connected. I felt that nice warm indie movie feeling.What connected me to The Parking Lot movie was the opinions of the attendants, and the situations they got in. I also admired the unintended, amateur splash of artistry that was laying in the background of the movie. It made me feel young.The opinions of these attendants were deep, they range from personal thoughts of pollution, greed, power, common sense and fairness. But what makes their viewpoints shine is that they all live a lifestyle contrary to their daily customers.neat.

This documentary is just a one-hour long rant, the usual 'outcasts are better than you' cliché from indie movies.The guys working at the Parking Lot aren't really better than the preppies they dislike so much, and the tirade about rich and unpleasant daddy's boys and girls driving SUVs and making in one year the money the parking lot attendant will make in his whole life reeks of sour grapes, frustration and reversed classism.Sure, who doesn't despise arrogant jerks who live on daddy's money... but on the other hand it's not a good reason to be equally obnoxious. I can't see much difference between the annoying brats who, as the movie put it, "think they're hot *bleep* because they drive daddy's car" and the parking lot attendants who think they're hot *bleep* because they have a Ph.D. and feel they're rebelling against society.The parking lot attendants come off as pretentious, wannabe-intellectuals who try to pass off their shortcomings as a 'way of life', even as a voluntary exile from the 'outside world'. But in truth I find it hard to buy such idea... I can't help but thinking the whole thing is a self-comforting facade, a way to cope with unfulfilled expectations.At one point one of them say "you get paid to do nothing!", so it makes me wonder a bit... Are those overqualified intellectualoids working at the parking lot because it's a non-competitive job, where they're paid to sit and read or listen to music and goof around? Are they rebelling (in a pretty inane way) to capitalism or are they just a bunch of Peter Pans who refused to grow up and take responsibility, so they just live in their little world where they are Somebody and nobody questions them?To be honest I've always struggled to get the 'Slacker pride' many indie movies have celebrated over the years...As a whole, the movie is just boring and not remotely as funny as many reviews made it to be. I can't even relate to them, not because I'm a SUV-driving no-good frat-boy (which I'm not), but because if I'll ever find myself stuck in a rut like that, I would really struggle to feel so proud about it.The Parking Lot Movie is an exercise in self-importance, self-indulgence and unjustified smugness.An obnoxious manifesto of the underachievers who are proud to be underachievers (and afraid to prove themselves)Hell, if you're so smart and educated, quit that job and go earn thousands of dollars a month... So you can get back at the preppies on their own ground instead of making petty remarks while exerting your Parking Lot Attendant powers.

Well not that I would foolhardily give away any spoilers I think the title does a good job of doing that..This movie is about a parking lot.. takes place in a parking lot.. and does not leave the parking lot. While it wasn't the longest documentary I have seen, it seemed like it. The camera work was decent and the story line was actually amusing. The first twenty minutes or so I was skeptical yet.. I still ended up watching the movie in its entirety. I must say that the movie gave me a momentary euphoric feeling but not one that could compare to lets say.. Shrek.If you don't have anything else to watch.. this will help pass the time.