Anima

Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson (There Will Be Blood, Boogie Nights, Punch-Drunk Love, The Master) and with music written and performed by Thom Yorke of Radiohead, Anima is hard to describe. Calling it simply a music video is an understatement. It is more than a visual promotion for a song, with the visual aspects have as much, if not more, of a meaning than the music. Besides it's 15 minutes long!

The finished product is interesting and reasonably entertaining. Not brilliant or compelling, but not a bad way to spend 15 minutes.

Although its exploration of the dystopian societies is nothing new, ANIMA is a fairly entertaining, and occasionally disturbing, hypnotic treat for the senses.

(8/10)

This is the work of artists who wish to express something elemental in human nature.

I can't say for sure I know what they had in mind exactly, or what another person might experience from their viewing; what I can say is that it is masterly work and for me it's about connection.

The last time I saw something this affecting was Michael Dudok De Wit's The Red Turtle; Anima is every bit as life affirming (even though it may evoke tears).

There's little point in elaborating on plot points and such because that's not what work like this is about; it's something to be experienced at a near subconscious level.

I will very likely watch this for a long time to come: many times over.

Mr Yorke, Mr Anderson; Thank You.

I love both Thom Yorke's work as well as Paul Thomas Anderson's work so is it really any surprise I would love this? The previous music video work the two have done together were all pretty great, and it feels as if it all built up to this. Not in terms of this being the ultimate climax of their work together or something, but more that this 15 minute short musical film was incredibly well done and feels like Yorke and Anderson mixed both their fields of work together perfectly for each other. Great!

Lovely visuals by PTA and artsy sound by Thom.. Enjoyable audio-visual journey that reminded me of the old days when people cared about videos that work with the music.