9 Full Moons

A modern-day bohemian romance, set in the grungy beer-soaked East Los Angeles indie music scene, 9 Full Moons centers on Jim Morrison lookalike Lev (Bret Roberts), a strong-silent-type freelance music producer looking for his breakout gig. Lev has his hands full with his slothful, loose cannon of a live-in girlfriend, Frankie (Amy Seimetz), who parties like there's no tomorrow and collects lots of useless junk. Lev's future looks bright for a split second, however, when he lands a producing slot with once-relevant outlaw country legend Charley King Nash (Donal Logue), who is on the comeback trail and looking for a new commercial sound. When Lev's not dealing with his other half's unnecessary dramatics, he's trying to navigate the precarious rollercoaster ride of the music biz. But just when his indie version of the main chance begins to unravel, he learns that Frankie is pregnant, forcing him to redirect his gaze beyond his own narcissistic present needs towards a more realistic adult future. What it lacks in originality, director Tomer Almagor's film makes up for in capturing the rhythms of real life. Recommended. (M. Sandlin)