No -- I'm not talkin' about a tatoo. I'm talking of the 2009 movie, "Ink." Hubby rented it from Netflix without a clue what it was about, and popped it into the DVD player for me last night. So I sat down with the Blobbies and a cuppa green tea, and with no idea what the movie was about, either. Never even heard of it! From the moment it came on, I was transfixed.
Now my favorite movie list is quite short because I'm not wowed by special effects, stars, flash or controversy. I need a well-crafted film that's character-driven, has substance and a good story, with a fresh, unique idea. Lately, the movie industry (except Pixar) has seemed to run completely out of new ideas and, instead, has become obsessed with remakes, sequels, adaptations and profit-margins. But then we have Ink. This independent movie reminds me why movies are made -- that they can be a labor of love and made simply for the art. And that new ideas are still out there.
This movie isn't something you watch, it's something you experience. It speaks to you, and it stays with you. It's poetic, sublime and transcendental. It has heart and it has meaning. It also has a strange feel of being homemade and immediate, but it's clear this film knows precisely what it's doing. And it's visually stunning. I have never dreamed of a movie after watching it, but last night, I dreamed of this one (oh, the irony!).
It's almost impossible to categorize, but it's sorta like "Big Fish" meets Terry Gilliam meets "Up" meets "Sixth Sense" meets "Avalon" (the Polish film) meets "Pan's Labyrinth" and with its own brilliant spin. I wouldn't recommend it for kids, though. There is language (but it has context to the "hardness" of the character) and some really creepy bad guys. There's also some fighting and a bit of violence. But none of it is gratuitous -- it has purpose. One could say its about redemption, but it really works on so many metaphorical levels, a film student easily could make a thesis out of it! It will keep you thinking, and rethinking. Here's a rather long review about it along those lines here. It even has a Facebook page here. I've certainly never seen a film like this before -- so kudos, Hubby, for your good instincts!
"The more you create, the more you become the truly unique human being you are called to be." ~ Cristina Acosta