The Joy of Discovery

My boss (who also doubles as a friend of mine, most days) lent me his DVD of Mirrormask last week after I'd mentioned that I hadn't seen it yet. Being the big Neil Gaiman fan that I am, it might seem odd that he'd own the movie and I wouldn't, but I'll admit that some of the reviews had turned me off, or least dampened my enthusiasm. One of my (many) pet peeves about films revolves around some directors' inability to tell a story because they're too busy being stylistic or trying to translate psychodelic imagery from their heads. The late 60s and early 70s seemed particularly bad for this, to the point where sometimes I can't watch one of those movies because I know there's going to be scene after scene of funky camera angles and kaleidoscopic panaramas that yank me right out of the experience.

And somehow, that was the impression I'd gotten of Mirrormask, without actually having seen it. With it being a small, indy film, and directed by comic artist Dave McKean who can be a bit out there at times, I was willing to believe it was heavy on chaos and short on story. In other words, not my cup of tea. (And of course, tea isn't my cup of tea, but that's a topic for another day.)

But with a strong recommendation from the VP, I girded myself for the experience, and as it just so happened Tammy was over for a visit this weekend, all three of us therefore settled in to watch what I hoped wouldn't be too bad a little flick.

And then I fell in love with it! It was absolutely charming, and full of unforgettable images that made complete sense within the story. And it had a story! Not a piecemeal bit of something that, maybe if you got high enough might possibly seem relevant, but an honest to God wonderful tale of interesting characters, never before seen vistas, and an explanation that tied it all together! Despite an obviously small budget, the visuals were breathtaking, and all of the actors were up to the challenge of tons of blue screen work. The orbiting giants scene was unlike anything I'd ever seen before (but in a good way), and the monkeybirds (all named Bob except one, who's named Malcolm) with their habit of smacking each other's bills off, proved once more just how imaginative Neil Gaiman really is. How could I ever have doubted him? This is the man who produced about 6 years of some of the best comic work ever in the Sandman series, after all. How'd I come to forget that he's just about the only comic writer I ever mention in the same breath as Alan Moore? Just stupid, that's me.

Anyway, I'm thrilled to have discovered (with some help) a new gem of a film that I plan to buy my own copy of sometime soon. It's definitely something I could imagine watching every couple years, like The Lord of the Rings trilogy. And those little beauties are worth their weight in gold.