Walter O'Brien: James Wood	Father Harlan: Nick Nolte
Wells O'Brien: Mark Polish	Irwin: Duel Farnes
Flower Hercules: Daryl Hannah	Cod: Ben Forster
Happy: Anthony Edwards	Cup of Tea: Robin Sachs
Director: Mark and Michael Parish

Beautifully filmed in tones of black and white, "Northfork" compares to your typical movie as poetry compares to your typical novel. This is a simple, quiet, symbolic, desolate yet meaningful film. It is an art film and it is not for everyone. In fact, it is not for me-and I feel superficial and unsophisticated admitting that. I like movies where I feel something, where I connect with a character, where dialogue triggers thoughts, memories or feelings, where my emotions may plummet or soar. Well, that doesn't happen for me here. "Northfork" is a beautiful film and artists may certainly appreciate it and perhaps see it several times, but for me it is too stylized, too dark and too surreal. In fact, it so stylized it is difficult to summarize the story.

Here goes. It's 1955, on a bleak and vast Montana landscape. A frail young boy (well acted by Duel Farnes in his debut film) is being returned to an orphanage, now vacant, by his adoptive parents because he is sick. He lays on his cot in a dark, empty space, comforted occasionally by Father Harlan (Nick Nolte), a kind, mystical, rather worn-out old man.

In his long bouts of isolation, the young boy, Irwin, dreams about four characters: Cup of Tea (Robin Sachs), Happy (Anthony Edwards), Cod (Ben Forster), and Flower Hercules (Daryl Hannah). Oddly enough, they seem to be based on items from his nightstand (a vase, a comic book and a toy airplane). These are religious folk, searching for the Unknown Angel, which Irwin is determined to convince them he is. He desperately wants them to take him away, at least 1,000 miles. He shows them his scars where his wings were severed and the marks on his forehead where his halo was removed. They reluctantly begin to believe him.

Meanwhile, the bleak Montana town where Irwin lives is going to be flooded by the government, so all the residents must be evacuated. Six very serious, black-clad men are hired to convince the residents to leave. Their bonus pay for exceeding their numbers of evacuees is one and one-half acres of lakefront property in the new town. They seem to be the specters of Death itself as they spread the word of Doom.

The relentless theme of the movie is Death-a dying town, a dying young boy, and any remaining occupants of the town (who will be drowned by the flood). The black and white style of the film (though shot in color, with colorless landscapes, clothing and people) reinforces the somber, dark heaviness of this film.

brothers' film, "Twin Falls," I was charmed and delighted by their second film "Jackpot," about two wanna-be kind of guys determined to make it big on the Karaoke circuit. Michael and Mark Polish, identical twins from California, and barely over thirty years old, are hugely talented and creative. Though not my cup of tea, "Northfork" is masterfully filmed, visually stunning in its bleakness and extremely creative.