I came to know about "Manchvegas" through a magazine review. I'm always willing to try something new, esp. something not too self-important or sanctimonious (most indie films, you know?), so this seemed up my alley.And I enjoyed the heck out of it. The story really moves, which is the key to the experience. It appears that the filmmakers had a very tiny budget, and the actors are hobbyists, but there's a core romantic story here that makes it worth watching.If you don't like lighthearted movie, this isn't for you. But for a quick, fun, and unique experience, check it out! The filmmakers seem to be doing their own thing and having fun with it, which I appreciate.

Reviewing and analyzing low-budget movies is almost never as gratifying as it is for the big-budget ones, because often the cheapies make up for their lack of full-throated entertainment with eagerness and a strong effort. You almost feel a bit guilty when you pick on them, too, because you know the director probably hocked his entire Star Wars action figures collection to finance his labor of love.Even so, the odds are against the low-budget movie. In order for it to be successful, it has to be really, really good, because it's sure not going to get a huge advertising blitz – word of mouth will likely make or break it. The good news is that twenty years or so down the road, even the worst (especially the worst) will reemerge as cult classics. Hey, if it worked for Rocky Horror, it can work for anything.I don't think that sort of fate awaits Monsters, Marriage and Murder in Manchvegas, from the makers of Freaky Farley. This direct-to-video comedy is set in Manchester, NH; well, it's actually Manchvegas, a fictional stand-in for Manchester, but you get the drift. Anyway, the story focuses on a prank-loving group in town called the MOS (Manchvegas Outlaw Society), led by Marshall (director-writer-star Matt Farley). Marshall, who appears to be in his twenties, is in arrested development and only wants to have fun; meanwhile, his female coconspirator, Jenny (Marie Dellicker) is beginning to wish for a more adult relationship, which leads her to date older guys while still pining for Marshall. Secretly.Meanwhile, young women are being kidnapped off the streets and then murdered. Who's behind these diabolical crimes? Who knows? Who's up to solving the mystery? Why, MOS, of course! On the plus side, the movie is enthusiastic and silly; its high-energy attitude (despite the macabre plot) help disguise the fact that this is a poorly acted, poorly written, and poorly directed film. Okay, maybe that's more like damning with faint, faint praise. The acting is uniformly – and hysterically – grade-school bad. People recite their lines as if they learned them two minutes prior and couldn't be bothered to add such luxuries as tone and emphasis. The plot itself is nonsensical, sort of what you'd expect a hyperactive kindergartener to come up with after three hours of recess.And I know that's mean, and after all this is not a theatrical release anyway (it went straight to video), so what did I expect? I didn't expect much at all, frankly, and that's really what I got. The movie looks as if it were produced by a first timer, but this is the fourth entry for Matt Farley. I admire his perseverance, especially since he can't be making any money off these enterprises, but if your fourth movie is still really, really awful, maybe it's time to find another line of work.

OK, I know this is low-budget, but I still had a really good time with it. Here's the thing: it's low-budget and doesn't pretend to be high budget. Just a fun time...a movie that's hard to compare to others, and that's good! The girls (characters of Melinda and Jenny) were cute and the lead actor Matt Farley was funny in throw-himself-into-the-character way.It has a mystery and romantic entanglements, but the main reason to watch is the FEEL. It's not all about plot all the time...the feel can be something great in a movie, as it is in this one.Got it on netflix on a whim and it made me happy! It's fast and fun.

I'm really unsure exactly what to make of this project, and while I understand that this is obviously the lowest of low-budget projects (and does deserve respect as such), let's face the simple facts – the actors are not, well, actors. And the script is absolutely atrocious. Is it a drama? Is it a comedy? Who can tell...The basic plot revolves around our three young heroes – Marshall, Jenny, and 'All-Star Pete' (and, yes, in dialog he is always referred to as 'All-Star Pete') – all three of which are the Manchvegas Outlaw Society (MOS). The three 20-somethings pull a red wagon around town delivering newspapers and selling hotdogs, pulling pranks on each other, and saving the day as necessary. It's, quite simply, bizarre.The technical aspects of the project deserve little comment. From the synthesizer-based score, to the poor editing and camera-work (focus is always nice), there's not much here. And I'll not even comment on MOS's "pop music."As I understand the challenges small projects face I'm always willing to forgive flaws when obvious talent is present. After all, money can easily fix technical problems in small projects (i.e. bad lighting, sound, etc.), however if the mega-hits teach us anything it is that money cannot fix poor scripts or poor acting. However, with Manchvegas, there is no talent present – the script is ridiculous and the acting poor – so throwing money at the project would not fix its glaring flaws. Unfortunately, this is just a poor low-budget project.Pass on this one. 1/10.