Cryptozoo

I tried liking it, but maybe my mindset wasn't great to give the movie a chance. Its weird to watch, social kind of animation. The tone was immediately set in the first 10 minutes. I think this is one of those that, you either like it or you don't, type of thing. For me, nope, not my kind of movie, but a solid 6 nevertheless.

Though I didn't really love the linear, rather flat, style of animation throughout this film, I did quite enjoy the underlying tales of mythological beasts that constitute the "Cryptids". They are things like unicorns and yeti. Animals about which science is in abject denial but that put all forms of art into ecstacy. Naturally, these beasts are constantly being sought after so "Lauren" and "Joan" come up with the idea of finding them somewhere safe to live, where scientists can peaceably study and maybe even learn from them. The one that's missing is the elusive "Baku". This creature can eat people's dreams and so is also a target of those who, as ever with mankind, wish to exploit it's powers for military purposes. Can they find one then keep it safe from their well-resourced and malevolent pursuers? It's only as they encounter more and more of these usually quite benign beings that they consider whether or not these frequently beautiful and playful creatures should remain as they have been for centuries. Hidden from the eyes of man. Albeit set in a fantasy world, this does offer us a little food for thought about the relative merits of scientific advance for the sake of it, without any great consideration for the specimens or their "humanity" and there's plenty of imagination employed by auteur Dash Shaw to mix together stories of culture, religion and adventure into an enjoyable hybrid of animated creations that fantasise creatively.

Cryptozoo is an interesting look at the relationship between idealism, the utopian vision, and the alluring power of controlling dreams by government forces.

The animation can go from being really good to mediocre. I have no word in for animation but I do give the artist one hell of a prop for hand drawing every scene. I really think the backdrops are incredible looking especially towards the end. As for the voice acting, it's very good. Love the acting and story. It's very unique and creative. My biggest complaint is the pacing and I can't tell if it's the animation or the editing. It goes slow, fast, slow, fast....you get it.

If you loved Dash's work from before, you'll most certainly find this film to be an improvement over the last.

Cryptozoo is a zoo where cryptids are being secretly held. Lauren Grey is one of the cryptozoologists. It's 60's San Francisco. A young couple stumbles upon the zoo. The guy Mathew is killed by an unicorn. Amber is forced to kill the unicorn.

This adult animation is unlike anything in the mainstream. It very much reminds me of the outsider art of the 70's. It is a bit chaotic to the point of overwhelming the audience. This is not animation for the kids. It is the best aspect of this film. I would suggest a more cleaner and clearer story. It may be the effect of the visuals which is discombobulating my brain.

Charmingly bizarre and utterly unique. This film is not for everyone. But what I appreciate about this film is that is pushes the boundaries on cinema, it preservers the voice of the filmmaker rather than peddle to market expectations.

It's also a commendable animation feat considering the small crew and budget. Hopefully it will help pave the way for more independent artists to express themselves in the future.