As a movie enthusiast who has been attending theatrical releases ever since I could walk, I find streaming services like Netflix, as well as all of its competitors, to be simultaneously wonderful and threatening. On the one hand, streaming services have provided audiences with lots of uniquely entertaining content, and has provided a window of opportunity for new generations to see some of the great classics of yesteryear. Speaking personally, I watched the classic BBC series I, Claudius on Netflix DVD. On the other hand, however, these services also pose a possible threat to the cinema experience. More often than not, when I discuss a new movie with a friend, the response I will often hear is "I'll wait until it comes out on Netflix." While I understand this preference, I don't really appreciate it. Seeing a movie in theaters is part of the human experience. There's something magical about sitting in the dark with strangers and sharing an emotional experience on the big screen. Not to mention the sad fact that when great movies don't make enough money at the box office, fewer and fewer genuinely great movies are made, causing the Hollywood system to fall back on lackluster crap that no one really likes, yet somehow continues to make tons of money. *COUGH-Transformers-COUGH*.
But I digress.
My point is that if we are going to lose the cinema theater system (and I really hope that we don't), the least that these streaming services can do for their audiences is to reassure them that they will do a better job at quality control than Hollywood and provide real engaging programs. While most of Netflix's original films haven't really hit the mark, their latest entry, Kodachrome, has come the closest. A heartfelt and passionately told story that showcases what the future of entertainment should look like.
Based on the article from The New York Times by A.G. Sulzberger, Kodachrome is the story of a world famous photographer named Ben (Ed Harris), his angry and distant son named Matt (Jason Sudeikis), and Ben's personal assistant/nurse named Zoe (Elizabeth Olsen). Matt is a down on his luck music producer and really needs a break. One day he is approached by Zoe with the news that his father, Ben, is dying. Ben recently stumbled upon some undeveloped rolls of Kodachrome film, a famous and incredibly beautiful brand of Kodak film. Unfortunately, Kodachrome requires a specific method to produce the pictures, and there is only one photoshop in the country that can do so. Except, because Kodak no longer manufactures Kodachrome, said photoshop will stop developing Kodachrome in one week. Ben's last wish is for him and his son to drive cross country to Kansas to get his photos developed before it's too late, and in doing so, hopefully, redeem himself for past mistakes and reconnect with his son.
This is a classic story of family tragedy and redemption, but what makes this iteration of the story so compelling, aside from great acting from the whole cast, competent directing, and gorgeous cinematography (shot on Kodak Film), is the underlying message of the film. In addition to the primary message of the importance of family and love, there is a passionate plea for the preservation and continued use of analog style technology. Particularly, celluloid film. In the modern world of digital photography and video, there has always been a fear that old film will just vanish, and with it, the loss of quality and real preservation of time and life. I have my own opinion on this matter, but that's a discussion for another time. What I will say is that I appreciated the film for not getting aggressively preachy or pretentious with its message.
As I said before, the acting in this film is excellent. Ed Harris, in particular, one of my favorite actors, delivers what is arguably the best performance of his career. The chemistry between the three main characters is fun to watch. Especially the back and forth between Jason Sudeikis and Elizabeth Olsen, which takes up a big chunk of the script. Thier relationship in the film feels genuine and is, arguably, the real heart of the movie.
If you have a Netflix account, have access to a friends account, and you're looking for something simple and sweet to watch, check out this film. It's got a lot of heart and feels like how a movie should be.
Now, for some of my fellow filmmaker friends out there, you may be happy to know that even though we may never have the chance to shoot photos or movies on Kodachrome ourselves, we do have the ability to do the next best thing. A filmmaker named Frank Glencairn, who loves Kodachrome, has created a unique LUT (Look Up Table) that emulates the color style and look of Kodachrome as closely as possible. You will find a link to the page where you may download the LUT below. Also, if you would like to get a good idea as to why everyone loves Kodachrome, and why National Geographic loved it for so many years, there is also a link to some photo samples. They are indeed otherworldly beautiful.
Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm, thank you for reading.
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