“On the nights when various pains coincide, that’s when I believe in God and I pray to him. The days when I suffer only one kind of pain, I’m an atheist.”

Wow. The last time I connected to a film on this many levels, it was Synecdoche, New York. A story of grief and reminiscence, blocks in creativity that become dire, addiction in one sense or another, chronic pains and illnesses. It all wraps up into one sorry amalgamation of…

I’d seen Vertigo for the first time just hours before this, and thought it apt to rewatch a film that takes great influence from it. Initially, I was intending to observe and remark on grand comparisons between the two, but almost immediately I was just sucked into the story with no room left for other thoughts. 

The main focus for me, was the beautifully intricate and subtle yet unbridled intimacy. I touched a bit on this in my first review of Decision…

Bubble Bath is like a jazzy, psychedelic, and so very 70s, animated version of one of Jacques Demy’s musicals but gone totally absurdist and really quite funny. The mix of art styles, quick quips, casual and subtle eroticism, zooming perspectives, and some of the tone of the film, all remind me quite a bit of Masaaki Yuasa’s Mind Game. The character design is so incredibly unique, it’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. It’s kind of reminiscent of art-deco style…

“Well, it’s a beautiful day for a boat ride with some buddies.”

Fuck…gut-punch after gut-punch. A clearly misunderstood and lonely kid who lashes out as a bully, is singled out by a group of kids for an act of retribution. At first glance, this kid is a giant asshole, reacting violently both physically and verbally. Then as we learn more, we have room to emphasize. We learn that he’s been held back a couple years, and later that he’s got…