WAKING LIFE

2001

Two animated films opened on Friday; one was strictly for adults ("Waking Life,") and the other was strictly for children ("Monsters.com.") I chose to see the "adult" film today. If you've seen the trailer, then you know that the film was first filmed in live-action, and then, through computer graphics (I assume,) transformed into animation. The decision to do this was the most creative thing about the film. However, the animation is terrible to look at. It's jumpy, watery, and guaranteed to induce headaches or seasickness in the viewer. Picture trying to look at a video through a fishbowl while on a stairmaster! The story is non-existent...something to do with a young man floating through a series of dreams, while people spout sophomoric, philosophic concepts at him. Imagine, if you will, that you've just been visited by ten boring and stupid Freshmen from L.A., who've just taken an "Intro. to Philosophy" course, and who insist on spending two hours telling you what they've learned...as they understood it! I should have seen "Monsters.com!!!"

1 Star

NJB