Fraught with over obvious symbolism, Hartley's early feature is nonetheless a joy to watch. Hal here shows us his uncanny ability to cast his characters perfectly came early in his career.Adrienne Shelley is a near perfect foil to herself, equal parts annoying teen burgeoning in her sexuality (though using sex for several years); obsessed with doom and inspired by idealism gone wrong she is deceptively – and simultaneously – complex and simple. Her Audrey inspires so many levels of symbolism it is almost embarrassingly rich (e.g., her modeling career beginning with photos of her foot – culminating her doing nude (but unseen) work; Manhattan move; Europe trip; her stealing, then sleeping with the mechanics wrench, etc.)As Josh, Robert Burke gives an absolutely masterful performance. A reformed prisoner/penitent he returns to his home town to face down past demons, accept his lot and begin a new life. Dressed in black, and repeatedly mistaken for a priest, he corrects everyone ("I'm a mechanic"), yet the symbolism is rich: he abstains from alcohol, he practices celibacy (is, in fact a virgin), and seemingly has taken on vows of poverty, and humility as well. The humility seems hardest to swallow seeming, at times, almost false, a pretense. Yet, as we learn more of Josh we see genuineness in his modesty, that his humility is indeed earnest and believable. What seems ironic is the character is fairly forthright in his simplicity, yet so richly drawn it becomes the viewer who wants to make him out as more than what he actually is. A fascinatingly written character, perfectly played.The scene between Josh and Jane (a wonderful, young Edie Falco . . . "You need a woman not a girl") is hilarious . . . real. But Hartley can't leave it as such and his trick, having the actors repeat the dialogue over-and-over becomes frustratingly "arty" and annoying . . . until again it becomes hilarious. What a terrific sense of bizarre reality this lends the film (like kids in a perpetual "am not"/"are too" argument).Hartley's weaves all of a small neighborhood's idiosyncrasies into a tapestry of seeming stereotypes but which delves far beneath the surface, the catalyst being that everyone believes they know what the "unbelievable truth" of the title is, yet no two people can agree (including our hero) on what exactly that truth is. A wonderful little movie with some big ideas.

黑暗压抑的旷野，死亡气息肆意弥漫。在某个屠宰场一般的所在，冰冷的钩子上挂满了人类的大腿和胳膊，有的肢体上被打上了“犯”的烙印。一个女人出卖身体，只为从屠户手中换取给他丈夫救命的大腿肉，但是狡猾的屠户只给了她一只刚被蜈蚣蛀过的手臂。女人背篓中的娃娃呱呱而泣，她担心孩子成为对方的猎物，不敢做更多的逗留，怀抱手臂匆匆向家里赶去。女人气喘吁吁的进了门，他的男人则如同死尸一般僵卧在一根青惨的蜡烛旁边，苟延残喘。帮忙的六嫂拿过手臂，在案板上无情地剁碎，蒸出一锅美味。这是一个人与人相食的黑暗年代，人命毫不值钱，死后的那几斤肉却成为供人果腹的挂念……

来自美国《世界新闻》报社的记者斯蒂芬·马丁（雷蒙德·波尔 Raymond Burr 饰）乘飞机前往开罗，在东京转机期间却遭遇令他永生难忘的事情。日本方面一艘打捞船突然与陆地失去联系，前往救援的船只也不幸遇难。从幸存者的口中世人得知，这些遇难船遭到了恐怖的怪物哥斯拉的袭击。著名古生物学家山根京平博士对遭遇袭击的大户岛进行勘查，证实哥斯拉实为两百万年前侏罗纪时代存活下来的恐龙，由于受到原子弹的辐射和氢弹试验的影响而发生突变，并重现人间。人类面临空前的灾难，斯蒂芬成为了这场灾难的见证者……本片根据香山滋的科幻小说改编，该版本为美国重新剪辑并在国内公映的版本。

在清华园里，有四个人正站在自己人生的路口。他们之中，有刚历经高考、一波三折地考入心仪学府的第一代“00”后大学生，有即将离开象牙塔、面临艰难抉择的博士毕业生，有旅美归来入职清华、满怀“观天”理想却挑战重重的青年教师，有耄耋之年、荣休后依然坚持站立三尺讲台的老院士。影片以三年的悠悠光景，诉说了四个清华人一生的理想，以及在他们身后属于这所大学的永恒青春。