Quantum Cowboys

As an artist myself, a painter specifically, I thoroughly enjoyed this movie as a moving, literally and figuratively speaking, flowering of rich, unique, and varied animated imagery. I will include "Cosmic Cowboys" in my own personal curatorial list of works I find particularly insightful, entertaining, and strangely relevant in a world hellbent on violence and destruction. Regarding relevance or the question of why this movie is of our present time, the movie offers Hope, at least, a hint that we are not totally powerless and without agency, that we have the ability to peer beyond an authoritarian materialism, and that our mere observation, our particular focus, can indeed affect future events.

David Kwiecinski, Hatch,NM. 2023.

Visually, it's a great movie. Several types of animation, rotoscope, claymation, anime style, among others, overlay and blended. It really stimulates the right side of your brain.

Set mostly in the 1870's Arizona, it has that anarchic, life or death consequences setting.

The voice acting, sound effects, musical score were all top end as well. Some of the dialogue was very appealing, but some was pointless, or could have been better.

I didn't like the plot, or many of the characters. I think the story was supposed to be the least important part.

My left brain was not engaged, as they are trying to link multiverse theory, quantum observation and artistic representation, and that left me confused. There were many plot holes, and poor analysis of true quantum theory.

So right side of my brain = 9, left brain = 3, split the difference and rating it 6 seems appropriate.

I saw this at the Hell's Half Mile film festival in Bay City, Michigan and was absolutely mesmerized by it. It's one of those movies you need to see several times to fully understand it (i really doubt that I did) but it's such a wonderful visual experience that it aches to be seen on a big screen. It feels loose and improvised, though I doubt that it was, and the cast is just so damn cool. I mean, Neko Case and John Doe?! Come on!!! Stylistically, it's all over the place, which could hurt but really serves the film and the entire experience. I can't remember the last time I saw a movie where every moment was a surprise and every image a work of art.

Quantum Cowboys is a brilliant, mind and genre bending act of cinematic wizardry! Keeping the audience gleefully teetering on a time warping, paradoxical roller coaster ride through the old west. Beautifully acted and masterfully directed, and oh so clever in its scripting and storytelling.

Musical genius, Howe Gelb not only created the musical score and perfectly crafted songs, but appears as the legendary Blacky Ranchette. This character and his music are expertly woven throughout the film. My favorite thread within this film is the understated First Nations wisdom and commentary, that respectfully builds upon the ever growing cultural awareness and honoring of the Original people of North America. This film is a truly original romp through western quantum trickster medicine.

I was lucky enough to catch a screening of this film last night, and it is wonderous.

The film uses a mix of animation along with live action to create a surreal world that is always shifting and changing. This does take some getting used to, but by the end of the movie it works seamlessly. The story as well is incredibly confusing, but once you adapt the mentality of "I'm just gonna run with it," it manages to provoke deeper discussion that I love to see from films.

The animation in particular is something that I have never seen, and I doubt I will see again. The way it combines so many styles into one more or less coherent story is marvelous and incredibly impressive.

Now, is it a perfect movie? No, certainly not. Like all movies it has its flaws, but you can tell this is someone's (Geoff Marslett's, in this case) untethered vison of a film. Because of this it becomes something that is truly incredible to watch. I can't wait to watch this again.