For some, movie watching isn’t just a mind numbing anti-activity solution to a lazy Saturday. Some individuals actually enjoy films that instigate intellectual stimulation. Primer, Shane Carruth’s first-ever attempt at filmmaking does just that. Carruth, a Dallas, Texas native, decided just a few years ago that his job as an engineer was downright boring, so he thought he’d pick up writing instead. Then he proceeded to decide that storytelling with words wasn’t his forte, and that he might be better off telling stories with pictures. It was this thought that launched his desire to make films, Primer being his first.

Primer tells a story of two engineers who live in the suburbs and carry on normal lives with 8-5 jobs at engineering firms. The two men, Joe and Aaron, together with some of their engineering buddies, spend a great deal of their time outside of work building contraptions and performing experiments in a garage. The film is about what happens when Joe and Aaron stumble across something unusual while assembling their latest project. Their findings are remarkable, and unlike anything they thought possible. The film’s premise elaborates on the inner-workings of this invention, and the resulting consequences of such a creation that could forever change their lives.

The plot may be exceedingly difficult to wrap your mind around, but it is definitely thought-provoking and intriguing, and the creative genius quite impressive.

Carruth worked with a budget of only $7,000, but you’d never guess that it cost so little to make. Movies such as The Blair Witch Project were thought of as “low-budget”, and that film cost around $30,000. But, don’t you fret, this film is nothing like most other low-cost film projects; it is beautifully edited, well-lit, and not handheld-looking---in fact, you could say it “looks like a million bucks.”

What is honestly so impressive about this film, besides its mind-bending good plot and its excellent cinematography, is that Shane Carruth’s filmmaking skills were self-taught. Just a few years ago, the man had no knowledge of film. He taught himself how to screen write, direct, produce, film, edit, act (he is one of the stars of the movie), and he even composed the music for the score. Although, he will admit that he is not nearly as musically talented as his brother Caleb Carruth (whose name may be more familiar), who was formerly in the band Shane and Caleb with singer songwriter Shane Barnard. Despite his lack of background, Shane Carruth’s composition accompanied the film perfectly.

Carruth’s first attempt at filmmaking was presumably better than many directors’ lifetime accomplishments. The man knows how to write, and he’s got the eye and the ear to go with that talent. He’s also very down-to-earth, lacking that holier-than-thou attitude that some directors have. He frequently visits the film’s website, www.primermovie.com , to communicate with interested viewers on the message boards to discuss the perplexing plot of the film. If you want a film that will keep you thinking for days, this is the one to watch. I give it 5 stars, an A+, and all that jazz.