Flow - Spectacularly Splendid

 

For rent on Apple TV and Amazon Prime

    In 1993, a popular and unusual computer game called Myst was released. In this mystery game, the player explores a small island to find clues and solve puzzles to determine the story of what happened there before his arrival. The game features little dialogue and even less direct exposition, encouraging the player to engross themselves in the satisfaction of unraveling the mystery with their own fortitude and volition. 

    Today's subject, a Latverian/French animated feature film titled Flow, not only reminds me of that classic computer game but is equally mysterious and engrossing in its own way. With no dialogue, a reliance on proper visual storytelling, and an amazingly human camera (more on that in a moment), Flow is undoubtedly my personal contender for Best Animated Feature of 2024. (Seriously, if this film loses at the Oscars to Disney's Wish, Disney has indeed taken over Hollywood, and all will be lost!) Wait, was that my out loud voice? 

    The story follows a black cat going about its life, surviving in a world seemingly devoid of humans. One day, a mysterious flood forces the little feline away from its home, only to find salvation in a small boat with a handful of other animals, including a regal bird and a helpful dog (among others). Together, they will learn to get along with each other as they make their way toward a collection of tall, slender mountains. Their journey will make them explore the strange world they have and discover the connection they all share. 

    What I find most intriguing about this film is its animation style. The film appears to deliberately utilize a more limited palette of data, resulting in an aesthetic that may not look as polished as a high-end Disney film but is more rough and gritty and, therefore, more relatable and, dare I say, human. 

    Speaking of "human," the most fantastical aspect of the film is the camera. While the visuals are stunning and gorgeous in their own right, the camera truly sells the presentation: it moves and observes the action with genuine human-style movement, going for a naturalistic handheld style that feels human without coming off as too shakey or artificial. It would not surprise me if the filmmakers took notes from PIXAR's best cinematographer, Patrick Lin, who pioneered the technology for such camera movement in animation. 

    The animal characters are especially intriguing. They all have distinct and relatable personalities while retaining their more expected animalistic tendencies. And yet, with everything that happens in the film, they feel more human and relatable than one might have expected. 

    Flow is a beautiful, thoughtful, and enriching experience that deserves to be seen. There may be a few times here and there when it can drag for just a little bit, but never to the point of making you question the motivation or point behind its choices. This story is about people, feelings, friendship, and our small place in the world and how we can all make it worthwhile by being kind and open with each other. I challenge you to watch this film and not have some kind of visceral emotional response in some way. Even animals can understand the importance of empathy. 

    Unquestionably worthy of your time and money. 

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading. 

Saturday Night - An Unmitigated Headache

 

For rent on Apple TV, Amazon, and Microsoft

    Saturday Night Live (or SNL) is one of those staples of American Television that was absolutely hilarious when it began but eventually lost its spark in the 21st century, like many other elements of pop culture. Taking inspiration from Mad Magazine and Monty Python, SNL embraced the absurd and the avant-garde and took many risks in comedy, which could only have been accomplished, let alone attempted, back when taking risks on the unproven was still alive and viable. 

    The new movie, Saturday Night, attempts to capture the insanity of bringing the show to life by depicting the drama and madness that occurred ninety minutes before the first episode aired in 1975. Historical accuracies (or lack thereof) aside, while the film succeeds in depicting what may very well be the pressure of creating and running a show as insane as SNL, not to mention providing some spot-on impressions of classic SNL alumni (Chevy Chase, Dan Akroyd, John Belushi, etc.) the film not only bombards the audience with too much of that craziness but also fails to provide the one essential element required for any story: an emotionally resonating reason to care! 

    Taking place on the night of SNL's first broadcast (October 11, 1975), the film follows the show creator, Lorne Michaels (Gabriel LaBelle), as he juggles through a multitude of massive egos, shareholders, and creative differences all to bring about a spark of spontaneous creativity to national television. Rather than present itself as a traditional story, the film is a montage of moments set to unsettling (and at times overbearing) jazz music strung together with rapid-fire-editing, constant whipping camera movement, and little regard for variation. 

    This means that the film is more preoccupied with creating a feeling than presenting a narrative, which isn't a problem so long as there are moments that allow the audience to breathe and relate to the characters and their goals. Sadly, this film can't be bothered with any of that, at least for the most part! 

    The film relentlessly bashes the audience over the head with its desire to replicate what was likely a stressful time in American Television history, but it does not give the audience any sound or emotionally resonating reason to care. Why does Lorne Michaels want to create the show? Why does he fight for the talent he hires? What makes the whole experience worth all the insanity to begin with? If these answers were in the film, then they were poorly presented! 

    The only aspect of this film I can praise is the talented actors' spot-on impersonations of early SNL cast members. They all deserved a better script with significantly more character depth beyond reminding the audience who Billy Crystal is. Although to be fair, the gentleman portraying John Belushi (Matt Wood) succeeded in making me laugh a few times, but, again, it was just a good imitation of John Belushi. 

    Also, the film loses several bonus points for needlessly mocking George Carlin! 

    Saturday Night is a film that is too loud, too crowded, and too far up its own derriere for its own good! It has the makings of an interesting film honoring the early days of SNL with plenty of homages to comedy classics; instead, it falls flat on its face with too much time spent trying to replicate how the characters feel rather than providing the audience with a sound reason to sympathize with any of them. This is one show that did not need to go on!

    Change the channel.

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading! 

Also...

LIVE FROM NEW YORK, IT'S SATURDAY NIGHT!!! 

I always wanted to say that. 😂

Retro Review - Inception (2010)

 

"But only in their dreams can men be truly free, 

'twas always thus, and always thus will be!"

-Dead Poets Society

Streaming on Netflix

Please buy this movie if you haven't already. 

    Sir Christopher Nolan is a fascinating and appreciated (albeit at times divisive) creative talent whose work will inspire many future storytellers and creatives, myself included. Most will likely recall him for his work on what is commonly referred to as The Dark Knight Trilogy, i.e., his take on the legendary comic book hero Batman, and rightfully so, as they are some of the best staples in that character-rich history. However, there will always be one film of his that remains his greatest triumph. Were it not for the success he enjoyed with the caped crusader, this idea dwelling in his brain might have never seen the light of day. It is a story of perception, creativity, and, above all, the motivation for inspiration. 

    Of course, I refer to the science fiction masterpiece from 2010, Inception: a mind-blowing experience that seamlessly fuses high-end concepts with conventionally enjoyable action fanfare, blending enthusiasm and tact in ways not often seen before. Blending nuggets of inspiration from multiple sources and concepts into a coherent narrative about stoicism, emotion vs. reason, reality vs. dreams, and how they all lead to true happiness. 

    In this story, technology is used to enter and manipulate a person's subconscious mind through dreams, using unique chemical compounds and mental fortitude. This technology is primarily used by private espionage groups specializing in extraction, which uses dream technology to infiltrate a subject's mind and obtain secrets sought after by other parties. The best extractor and the film's protagonist is Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio), who has been working in the shadows with his team in the hopes of eventually returning home to his beloved children. 

    Cobb's reputation catches the attention of a wealthy businessman named Saito (Ken Watanabe). Saito claims to have the power to help Cobb safely return home to his children, provided he can pull off what most believe impossible. Instead of extracting an idea from a person's mind (Extraction), Saito wants to plant an idea into someone's mind (Inception). According to Cobb, Inception is possible but is extremely risky and requires going as deep inside the subconscious as possible, which can be more dangerous than expected. 

    Uncertain of success, Cobb takes on the task, assembles a team, and prepares to pull off the most fantastic job of his life to reunite with his family. 

    Of the many allegorical descriptors for Inception (a heist film with psychological themes, an homage to classic James Bond films, a psychological thriller, etc.), one of the most underutilized is that it is also a movie about making movies and their impact on the heart and mind (conscience and subconscious). The players in the story can be easily linked to the roles of a filmmaking crew: director, writer, producer, special effects artist, etc. They all work together to create an idea meant to inspire at least one person to do something better with their life, however small or large that betterment may be. 

    Some critics initially reacted to this film, saying it might be "too smart" for mainstream audiences and that the layers of concepts and in-universe technology would be too confusing and unfollowable. While I have my opinions about this notion (which I won't share here for the sake of staying on track), although the film is complicated, I do not believe it is the same as confusing or "too smart" for anyone. Inception is one of many films that successfully takes high-end concepts and presents them in an easily digestible and enjoyable way. In that respect, it is on par with the likes of Robocop (a story about the dangers of privatization delivered in a fun action framework) and District 9 (a story of racial partite delivered with fantastic science fiction flair). Inception asks that you pay close attention to the rules and ideas presented, all of which will ultimately pay off and deliver a satisfying experience. 

    Despite what some critics and audiences may choose to believe, high-end concepts and social commentary have been fused into popular entertainment ever since the written word was created. They are there for the clever to implement and the curious to absorb, and they will hopefully remain that way as creativity continues to flourish. 

    Inception is a must-watch for any cinema enthusiast! It's clever, fun, and a testament to the value of creativity and critical thinking. It will take you for a ride and make you positively question things like any good work of cinema should do! 

    If you haven't already, track this down and watch as soon as possible. 

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading. 

HAPPY NEW YEAR 💜