The Hollywood Complex (2013)

It's a mild crowd pleaser for people who are exhausted by blockbusters.

There is just so much movie here. For some it may be too much. But in the same secretly sarcastic way most telemarketers say the phrase, the title of this one is particularly apt.

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

One of those movie experiences that is so good it makes you realize you've been grading everything else on a curve.

*Spoiler/plot- The Hollywood Complex, 2011. A yearly ritual of child actors and their parents converging on a large condo complex to work together to land a Hollywood gig.*Special Stars- NOne. Some casting directors and acting coaches of some note.*Theme- Persistance is the way to stardom.*Trivia/location/goofs- Documentary. Shot in the large Oakwood condo complex on Barham Blvd across from the back lot hill area of Universal Studios and up the road from Warner Brothers Studios.*Emotion- Probably too boring for anyone not connected or interested in The BiZ. I found it worth my time in viewing. Although very little new clues or insights in making it big was NOT contained in this film's story. Seeing the work involved is enlightening to the average film audience viewer.*Based On- Yearly Hollywood pilot season casting matters.

I've caught bits and pieces of this movie over the last few months, and finally watched it in it's entirety. I'm not sure if it was the filmmakers goal to show how screwed up Hollywood is or not, I got the sense they felt the people they were filming should be taken seriously, but the egocentric, scam laced, delusional lifestyles of these people made me glad I've never had any interest to pursue any sort of dreams of fame. I felt sympathy for the kids, as they were being pushed into something most obviously didn't want to do, manipulated by nightmare mothers, exploited by scam artist agents, and insincere casting directors. I could feel the awkwardness as the kids simply repeated what their mothers told them to say about things like why they wanted to be actors & actresses.Every scene alternated as an example of how everyone in the Hollywood machine was trying scam someone else out of their piece of the pie, and these parents willingness to throw all their money away on these scams in their displaced desires. Watching these parents make their children jump through hoops like trained seals was surreal. The entire movie was an example of poor parenting and the train wrecks that people can be. The scenes that stood out for me was the BS new- agey exercises for the kids to "feel great" about themselves, the fat tacky mother talking about getting out of their one stop light Missouri town and talking about how she use to drink all the time, the agent that repeated the same spiel with different girls, the self proclaimed "movie star" Tami Erin's name dropping (even though she's only had 4 credits to her name), and the one mother that joined Scientology to network with the stars.There was value to watching this movie, but based on the "success stories" at the end of the movie, I'm not sure the filmmakers realized what message non-Hollywood types would take from it.

I've stumbled onto this documentary a couple of times now, and I really enjoyed it. I like shows like this that introduce you to people with weird or unusual hobbies (in this case, the parents' hobby, not the kids'). These people are so into what they're doing that they're oblivious how out of touch they've become with reality. Do they really believe their children are going to become big stars? Although I don't understand their thinking, and I'd never want to put my kids through this, I appreciate that these people have a dream and are trying to make it happen. In reality, 99% of these kids will return home with zero TV/movie credits. They'll return to their "regular" lives and, in 20 years, will probably tell they're friends about how they once "spent 3 seasons living in Hollywood, trying to become a big star, haha". It'll make for great after-dinner conversation. The kids I would worry about are the ones who actually succeed in LaLa Land. You know, the future "Corey Feldman Lifetime Achievement Award" winners.I liked the dark-haired young lady who was there with her Mom and got no auditions and no call-backs. One year later, she was back home, riding horses, and infinitely happier. I also liked the black woman who was determined to keep her kid out of jail. I wasn't sure if she REALLY wanted him to be a star, or just wanted him out of the neighborhood they used to live in.The only "sad" story was the heavy-set woman with the blond, irritating daughter. They lived in what had to have been the tackiest apartment I've ever seen. They live there full time, yet her daughter had less talent than just about anyone else in the movie. I doubt she could get cast in a school production, much less a Hollywood show. I wish someone would have stepped in and told them to just Go Home! Anyway, a very interesting and informative movie. Definitely not my lifestyle preference, but a valid one just the same.

"The Hollywood Complex" follows several families who live in a strange apartment complex in the Hollywood area. I say it's strange because it is made up of families who think their child will become a star--and the management host a variety of events geared towards these kids. These families have allowed the filmmakers access to their lives--to follow them and show their quest for fame.This is a hard film for me to watch. I agree with the previous reviewer that children should NOT be working and should be allowed to be kids. And so, seeing these nutty and selfish parents pushing their kids or allowing their kids to become obsessed with stardom really irritated me. While I wasn't as irked as I would have been if these had been child beauty pageant contestants, they aren't a whole lot different. Don't these folks have any values or life aside from pushing their kids to become actors?! Look at what they give up in search of this dream. And, how many of these kids really want stardom and how many are just pushed into it by insane parents? The film has many strange yet fascinating moments. A few that stood out for me included: One family rummaging through trash can for aluminum cans to recycle in order to afford to live out their dream of stardom--as they can barely afford this lifestyle.Tami Erin--a 38 year-old star with only five IMDb credits. She portrays herself as a great star (her big claim to fame was playing one of the Pippi Longstockings) and talks about her acting school or some such nonsense."Crying on Cue Workshop". This is just too amazing to put into words.Cory Feldman at awards ceremony for child actors! No one seems to see the irony of this even though Feldman is the poster child for the screwed up child actor.One child acting school touts Brittany Murphy as an alumnus. Murphy died recently from a combination of things--including drugs--at age 32. Sad and VERY ironic.Families leaving fathers and other siblings back East for months or years at a time.One mother dabbling in Scientology by taking classes, as it might give them an edge on getting closer to the Hollywood elite! One lady who insists her child will NOT compromise their values. Later, however, the kid does a reading for a cursing hermaphrodite. The lines the man at the audition reads are SICK--and the man talks about hacking off a person's manhood to this child.Scams, scams, scams--with talent agencies and photographers making HUGE promises to untalented and unattractive kids.I know these comments seem harsh, but I just couldn't help think that none of these kids needed to be doing this---they should just be kids. The filmmakers chose, quite wisely, not to narrate or comment on all this--just showing everything and letting the viewer make up their own minds--which, I assume, are about as negative towards these folks as I am. Well made and fascinating--like a very nasty train wreck that I just couldn't stop myself from watching.