"Tinseltown" opens with an upbeat Christmas toe-tapping melody as the brutal costume killer brutalizes victim number four. It sets an appropriately ironic tone for this black comedy/mystery about two penniless screenwriters trying to sell a script in Hollywood.

Max (Arye Gross) is the slimy idea man that talks writer Tiger (Tom Wood) into petty theft, breaking and entry, and potentially accessory to murder one all in the name of getting their script produced. Tiger and Max are forced to live in a self storage unit where they meet Cliff, the costume killer (or is he?). The two sell homeless producer Arnie (Joe Pantoliano) on the fresh idea of a film based on the costume killer. The twisted edge is that Tiger and Max can watch the murders and interview the killer for a sick sense of realism. Arnie bites -- they negotiate.

Arnie, "Hey, you're dealing with the big leaguers now!" Max, "Big leagues? Arnie, you live in a park!"

Technically, the little film suffered from a few pops and glitches in sound and picture. And although Arye Gross acted his heart out, Tom Wood was as stiff as a tree. Desperately lacking a character to sympathize with, I pathetically opted for the killer. The picture also failed to hold a grip on my interest, though it culminated with a fun mystery-revealing conclusion.