While the intent of this film is noble enough, and there's certainly no lack of theories and discourse here, I can't go so far as to call it a good movie. I have trouble, at times, putting the image of a writer at his word processor, and barely concealing his philosophical monologue by using three non-characters.
The characters have some backstory; they mention their lives and loves, but are as real and emotive as your average documentary narrators. This is their real function, and while you're with them, you are in a science and philosophy classroom.
Mindwalk reminds me more of a filmstrip than a movie. Plot, characters, story... these mean nothing to Mindwalk. It is a film based on characters waxing scientific and philosophical, using a remarkably dense and simple everyman as a foil. Using this device, they tackle several worthwhile issues, thought processes, and mindsets.
Information and opinions are abundant here, but they don't make a good movie. The delivery is a little condescending, an a little pretentious: its one-sided spearing as the philosophical scientist and the thoughtful poet out maneuver the politician (thus, proving that they are right!) and would have been more honest if they would have packaged the information evenly, instead of spoon-feeding it in the form of fiction.
This film made me want to read. I'd rather read William Blake than have two lines at a time quoted at me (and if I want to have William Blake quoted ad nauseum in a film, I'll just rent Dead Man again). I'd rather read A Brief History of Time-- which is very accessible and easy to read, even for a middlebrow like me-- than have the cliff notes recited to me from the screen.
I suppose I had no idea what to expect, but I was hoping for some sort of a movie. As it stands, Mindwalk will only reach an audience too unmotivated to take in any sort of knowledge beyond the shelves of Blockbuster.
The characters have some backstory; they mention their lives and loves, but are as real and emotive as your average documentary narrators. This is their real function, and while you're with them, you are in a science and philosophy classroom.
Mindwalk reminds me more of a filmstrip than a movie. Plot, characters, story... these mean nothing to Mindwalk. It is a film based on characters waxing scientific and philosophical, using a remarkably dense and simple everyman as a foil. Using this device, they tackle several worthwhile issues, thought processes, and mindsets.
Information and opinions are abundant here, but they don't make a good movie. The delivery is a little condescending, an a little pretentious: its one-sided spearing as the philosophical scientist and the thoughtful poet out maneuver the politician (thus, proving that they are right!) and would have been more honest if they would have packaged the information evenly, instead of spoon-feeding it in the form of fiction.
This film made me want to read. I'd rather read William Blake than have two lines at a time quoted at me (and if I want to have William Blake quoted ad nauseum in a film, I'll just rent Dead Man again). I'd rather read A Brief History of Time-- which is very accessible and easy to read, even for a middlebrow like me-- than have the cliff notes recited to me from the screen.
I suppose I had no idea what to expect, but I was hoping for some sort of a movie. As it stands, Mindwalk will only reach an audience too unmotivated to take in any sort of knowledge beyond the shelves of Blockbuster.