Unearthing a smart and unusual little "lost" movie: Jeff Winner's SATELLITE from 2006

It's rare -- among the thousand or more small independent movies that have been made and even released in some form during any given year of our new millennium -- that any one of these will suddenly resurface years later to be offered a kind of "second chance." Now, one of these little oddities, SATELLITE, written and directed by Jeff Winner (shown below), has that been given that chance. TrustMovies is happy about this, as I am sure Mr Winner is, too, for the movie in question is a good one: small, tight, and headed for the sort of conclusion that you could not possibly imagine, no matter how many rom-com you may have already seen.

First released in the summer of 2006, the film is now available on DVD and for sale or rental via digital download streaming. It is definitely worth a look, as it details the coming together of a very odd duo: a young man (Karl Geary) and the young woman (Stephanie Szostak) who seems to be stalking him. And yet, from their very first conversation -- a dialog that is as wonderfully written as it is performed -- it is clear that these two are real and precisely-drawn characters worth listening to and maybe rooting for. Very soon we're doing just that. Despite some weird twists and turns along the way, Mr. Winner and his talented duo keep us hooked and hoping against hope that not only love -- but kindness, caring, and the kind of innate goodness and courage that can trump fear -- will conquer all.

Satellite goes into some very odd places, yet manages to hold us fast along the way. The movie takes one of the oldest saws of modern love stories -- giving up all else for love -- and turns it into something scary and fierce but credible, as well. Mr. Geary, sexy and sensitive, and Ms Szostak, cute as a button and a little frightening, too, make a terrific pair of protagonists. They are pretty much the entire movie, and its success rests as much on their ability to keep us caring and believing, as to Winner's skill at writing and directing (he's maybe a bit more skilled in the former than the latter, but able enough to bring his movie home).

As I noted above, you can't know where the movie is finally headed, but once it arrives, things fall beautifully into place without seeming unduly schematic. Satellite may be a kind of fairy tale, but it is one with dark borders and a void at its center than must be filled. That Winner, Szostak and Geary do this with such intelligence and emotion is commendable.

The movie -- from Indiepix Films and running 100 minutes -- is available now, for sale and/or rental. Just click here and proceed to your choice.