Due to the controversy surrounding it, this is a film which received a boost in interest from non-film fans. Maybe I’m the only one who sees this trend, but films that appeal to non-film fans are then commonly dismissed by the aficionados, and “Kids” has become a victim of that. There are certainly a number of wrong reasons to enjoy this film, but there are just as many good reasons to enjoy it as well. “Kids” is off-beat grit at it’s finest, exploring foreign matters to typical art-house patrons. Similar to a modern day version of Bunuel’s “Los Olvidados,” this is an account of a group of young street punks living in the world’s most existential city, below the poverty line, with no interest in anything intellectual, and appear to have no redeeming qualities. There is nothing that the viewer wishes to connect himself to, however, the film forces the audience to see things from their level in order to tolerate the characters. I thought the cinematography was beautiful, and the naturalist style of acting and dialog are better than any film made after Cassavetes’ “Husbands.” Finally, it’s all surrounding one of the most notably dark and comfortless circumstances in the history of independent cinema. As an aspiring filmmaker, this film will always remind me to think outside of the general spectrum of where to look for inspiration, and to consider the aspects of life that people would otherwise associate nothing artistically beautiful with.