Is Everything We're Seeing Really There?

We've all had those dreams-- the ones  that are all consuming; so real that we can't differentiate them from reality, even after we wake up. Sometimes it's a huge relief when we realize that someone didn't die or that we really didn't get fired. Sometimes it's a huge disappointment to become aware of the fact that some amazing dream didn't happen, or the worst -- you wake up thinking something awful that did happen was actually a dream until reality sets in a few seconds later.

Just how are we able to establish our subconscious mind from our conscious mind? Maybe we're walking around thinking we're seeing something when it's not actually there. Jacob, in "Contractor's Routine", makes me wonder if whether what we're seeing may actually be there or is it just a figment of our imagination. His subconscious is always there by his side making sure he's making the right decisions. We all have that voice inside of us and for the most part I'm pretty sure that I don't have physical signals showing me the way to go, but how do I know for sure?

There could be signals that are so slight and that I may be so used to that it's not something I think about because it just is. We may never know and some will choose to believe the most logical thing because they can make sense of that. However, that could just be their subconscious giving them physical signals so that they know not to question their own subconscious. It certainly blurs the line between imagination and reality.

Symathy for serial killers?

People who kill are condemned in our society; especially when they get some joy out if it. It's impossible to know what is going on in the mind of a serial killer. They usually plan their moves and follow through precisely so that they can get the most enjoyment out of their act.

In "Contractor's Routine" we see a different side to the story and it gives us insight into the reasoning for this serial killer's actions. We get to see parts of his past that have led to his present thoughts that he may try to fight off, but can not completely rid his mind of. I find myself feeling sorry for him. Once I see where he's coming from and where he has been my mind starts to draw conclusions as to why he is the way he is.

This is what brings conflicting feeling within myself. Is it okay to have sympathy for a killer? Even more so, it is okay to have sympathy for a killer that gets a kick out of planning his killing and viewing them as accomplishment? When is killing someone ever okay and can someone who kills for the hell of it ever truly be forgiven?

How does "Contractor's Routine" fit in the indie world?

Indie films are known for their uncensored material and stripped view of human behavior with at times obscure plots. We get to see through the director’s eyes without the Hollywood glam clouding the movie with what the studios think we want. Indie films dare to go places that some find hard to deal with. They attempt to connect with people through crudely depicted stories that follow the artistic thought process behind the film.

    What it so great about “Contractor’s Routine” is that we get to see all the things that makes indies so unique. In the film we see the main character move through a typical day, constantly fighting off the demons that have him contemplating life and the reason behind the actions that we take. We get a raw view of one man’s struggle to make some kind of meaning from the thoughts that move through his head without initiating them; why are we plagued by uncontrollable urges?

Great indie movies of time past had given people the opportunity to see creativity and beauty of what one might find disturbing if seeing it on the street, not being able to understand. I love that we see the heartbreak and dark times that lead up to the character’s warped view of the world. Director Yuri Tsapayev shows us that there are reasons for every action and whatever actions we question of the main character, we are given the deep emotion that continue to haunt him.