Purgatory Comics: An Indie Treasure Trove

In our everyday quest to unearth cinematic genius, we are faced with the seemingly insurmountable task of wading through thousands of dubious titles, hundreds of ambiguous descriptions, and a handful of potential contenders. For the brave, this process involves diving into the murky, uncharted territory of indie flicks. We know the risks associated, the countless hours lost to mediocrity, the frustration, the angst. Most of the time we feel slighted, realizing too late that our high hopes for that “dark comedy” is nothing more than an amalgamation of shoddy camera angles, cheap lighting and bad jokes.

We remain undaunted, though, in our search for greatness. And occasionally we are rewarded with gold.

Enter Purgatory Comics.

            The film premiered in 2009 at the Lancaster Area Film Festival and comes in at a cool 90 minutes. A 2010 Long Island International Film Expo winner, the film’s awards included both “Best Long Island Feature Film” and “Best Actress in a Feature (Angela Benedict).” But enough about it’s credibility. Is it worth spending 90 minutes of your life watching? Simple answer: YES.

           

Apart from excellent comedic delivery and the on-air chemistry from the cast, the cinematography is striking. The film was shot on a $23,000 budget but you would never know it. The shots are clean and crisp and the transitions feel natural in a way only an experienced director could achieve. I was able to focus on the story, without the distraction of poor “indie flick” quality and the usual trepidation of cheap film-making.

           

Summary:

 The film begins just as the main character, Cola, quits her job and breaks up with her boyfriend. In her desperation, she finds herself running to a comic book store, a safe-place recalled from her childhood. Inside she meets Evan, the struggling shopkeeper, and Mel, the unemployed assistant.

Cola’s brief retreat into Purgatory Comics allows her to build another life -- an in-between place where she can forget about her responsibilities, her clothes, showering regularly, and the stresses of everyday existence. Evan and Mel help her along her quest for self-discovery, while she helps the guys save the crumbling comic book shop and enlighten them to their own hidden potential.

            

           Toward the end of the film, Cola receives a blunt, profanity-ridden warning from ex-comic book writer Peter Whales, telling her to “grow some balls” and man-up to your responsibilities before it’s too late. This sharp kick-in-the-ass monologue was enough to make me analyze my own life and wonder if I’m living it to the fullest.

The film is packed with laugh-out-loud quips, great one-liners, zombie gals and general nerdom, but underneath all that lies a great message: “Bravery will always be the driving point of your life. You know you've run out of it when suddenly nothing changes anymore.”

Find it. Watch it. Love it.