Microcosmos

If seeking to find a source of enticing limitless variability, look no further than the world of insects, where diminutive dynamism thrives indelicately. 

Lithely chronicled in Microcosmos as patiently directed by Claude Nuridsany and Marie Pérennou, within vibrant versatile insect life peculiarly transmits intense reverberations. 

The scenes they capture motivate wonder to efficiently charm warm and pleasant enchantments, as imaginative random uncanny creatures magically enhance sundry fertile environments.

They present ants and moths and snails and bees and butterflies plus dragonflies to name a few, as they go about their embowering business within sprightly forests, ponds, and meadows.

The shots they take of a random meadow or pond or even the integral backwoods, peacefully remind observant viewers of the incredible life residing yonder.

It's not the easiest thing to do to film or photograph chill insect encounters, to find moments which showcase romance or strife or industry can take a long time.

So worth it when it finally comes to evocatively and picturesquely pass, so many mind-blowing moments in Microcosmos it's a feverish feast for the cerebral senses. 

The unobtrusive close-ups delicately offering detailed macroscopic visuals, that focus on the limbs and bodies and colours which nature has crafted with so much precision.

It's often the colours I find most intriguing the illuminative spectrum artistically manifested, intense greens reds oranges and blues collectively conjuring luminescent spontaneity. 

So many of them have wings as well their bodies are so compact and they can fly, I must admit that if they can sense us they likely pity our lack of flight.

Lol, there's no doubt many of them can sense us dragonflies even protect us when mosquitoes swarm, and bees severely criticize if we seek their honey, and flies indubitably make their presence known!

I've mentioned that it's like an art museum the sundry ludic bug shapes and sizes (and nature generally), as I'm sure many others have as well, the striking majesty of creation/evolution.

The world of insects really is much more diverse than that of rodents or reptiles or birds, there are so many shockingly unique characteristics that fluidly regale multivariable lifeforms. 

I liked the lack of narration and the light-hearted chill and comic soundtrack.

I wonder how many naturalists Microcosmos inspired.

As winter sets in, bring on the documentaries (plus Love Nature)! 

Chan is Missing

Please forgive me if this film already has a large following and is widely cherished by many, I had just never heard of it before last week and was pleasantly surprised to see how good it is.

I thought it would make a solid Criterion so I checked to see if it was already in the collection, and even though I didn't find it in my initial search, that doesn't mean it won't make it some day.

Like Donald Sutherland's career, Chan is Missing is chill and flexible, consistently surprising with unexpected scenes, overflowing with creative dialogue regarding enigmatic subjects, Sutherland often added that eccentric touch to a mainstream flick that may have otherwise lacked variability. 

Take the sudden introduction of academic flair as a potential graduate student examines an interaction, between a policeperson of European descent and an aggrieved member of New York's Chinese community.

They're arguing about mundane mechanics and she investigates the dialogue with brilliant cultural awareness, lucidly comprehending both agile traditions with thoughts reminiscent of postmodern detectives. 

It passes quickly in the film it's just a touch of brilliance characteristically blended in, it could have easily been left out but its inclusion functions like an ingenious bay leaf.

I've read the controversy about the bay leaf online, does it actually add anything to the flavour?, while transporting its mythos to the realm of independent film I'd have to say that in this instance it most certainly does.

Chan is Missing is almost like film noir but it lacks some of the more sinister narrative elements, although overlooking compelling works of art such as this film is historically sinister and culturally destructive.

It isn't serious in a strict sense 😝 nor does it get carried away with its eclective lackadaisics, it's more like a remarkably clever production team applied incisive wit to a multilayered vortex (directed by Wayne Wang, written by Wang and Isaac Cronin). 

I'm really surprised by Marc Hayashi I don't recall ever having seen him in anything before, never as the leading man on his own cheeky sitcom, or as a recurring character actor like Earl Boen just showing up everywhere (he's good).

Chan is Missing is a solid Asian-American film that explicitly demonstrates laudable genius, and may have been overlooked because frankly if you're not looking for it, it's rare to ever see anything written and directed independently by Asian-Americans in North America.

I imagine the market's there and it could use more promotion in diversified fields. 

Perhaps it's already found them and unfortunately I'm just not familiar.

Nice that it's lacking swords and mysticism.

*In Canada there was a show called Kim's Convenience that was on for a while so it must have built quite the audience.

**I remember an Asian-American sitcom coming out in the States years ago that was critiqued for overemphasizing stereotypical characteristics.

***I didn't think Chan is Missing was stereotypical. I thought there were just a lot of cool characters being themselves.  

****Love Lucy Liu (Elementary).