This is why I go out of my way to devote almost an entire month to animated movies sometimes. They are not all cute Disney flicks of gorgeous Studio Ghibli presentations. Sometimes you see something, and this was one I hadn’t heard of before someone recommended it to me, that makes use of the medium in a way that feels off-kilter, yet also makes complete sense.
Kill It And Leave This Town is a film about memories. It is also about dealing with loss, and how those memories can help in that regard, even when remembering events that at the time seemed far removed from anything you might view with fondness. I am also going to say that it seems to have more layered throughout it that could be examined and dissected for many hours, so please forgive me for what is ultimately a slightly superficial review after a first viewing of this.
Directed by Mariusz Wilczyński, who developed the material into a feature with the help of Agnieszka Ścibior, this is the story of Janek (voiced by Maja Ostaszewska) and the various worries and views of his parents (voiced by Krystyna Janda and Andrzej Chyra). Their views are shaped by their experiences, and by the world around them, and we see how Janek is moved and shaped by them in a variety of ways.
With an animation style that often leans toward the abstract and the ugly, watching Kill It And Leave This Town is akin to reconnecting with a beloved family member who has been through the worst of times in their recent past. It is jagged and unnerving, but you soon start to recognize the heart of the person standing in front of you, and you can see the truth of their character just visible in the smallest cracks in their carefully-constructed defenses. This is a difficult watch at times, especially when things move in between memories that are swirling and melting together, but it is definitely worth your time and patience.
Thought-provoking, challenging, and surprisingly moving and sweet when you start to understand the experiences that have motivated the main characters, this is a film that makes great use of form to match the emotional core of the whole thing. You may find yourself kept at a distance by the style and structure, initially, but you’ll soon find yourself getting much closer, and eventually being immersed in the unfolding events onscreen.
If you want a better critique of this movie then I encourage you to check out others who will have undoubtedly been more insightful and intelligent than myself. All I can keep saying is that I really liked this. I am glad it was recommended to me, I am glad that I had patience with it, and I am glad that therapeutic (because, well, it IS) art like this has a place alongside the more easygoing features we can also enjoy.
8/10
If you have enjoyed this, or any other, review on the blog then do
consider the following ways to show your appreciation. A
subscription/follow costs nothing.
It also costs nothing to like/subscribe to the YouTube channel attached to the podcast I am part of - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErkxBO0xds5qd_rhjFgDmA
Or you may have a couple of quid to throw at me, in Ko-fi form - https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews
Or Amazon is nice at this time of year - https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/Y1ZUCB13HLJD?ref_=wl_share
No comments:
Post a Comment