Man in Camo

We all know our friends for who and what they are, but never really get the whole story. We share things about ourselves but sometimes forget little details. It's not that we mean to, it just happens. To see a film with someone who is so enveloped in their medium, it was hard to miss out on anything happening in Ethan's life. This film is honest, poignant, and highly entertaining. The style is unique, and whether you know the director personally, or simply being entertained by this film, you reflect on the stories in your own life. You don't have to make it to the top to have some one else write out inaccuracies in your autobiography, you can be just as extraordinary and share some truths with a dash of cinema magic. Can anyone pull it off the same way he did? Probably not, but cheers to Mr. Minsker for paving the way and making his mark in film.

I thought the movie was incredibly interesting and kept your attention the entire time. The visuals were creative and fun. The animation coupled with the moving graphics made my eyes not leave the screen. I think the movie came off too strong in the beginning and was hard to adjust to the style, pace, and sounds. Once I adjusted tho, I found myself at the edge of my seat waiting for the next words and visuals since they spoke to me. The movie inspired me to get back into documenting my life and trying to bring creativity into my every day life. While this movie isn't for everyone, the story it portrays and highlights is something everyone can watch and appreciate, use as a form of inspiration.

This film as a whole is an incredible visual spectacle, with its usage of its various multi-media creations to form this clear picture of who Ethan Minsker is. While I think slightly self-indulgent at times, it makes sense given the nature of the project, and it paints this very proud and confident picture of the type of artist that Ethan is. It completely justifies its run time and always stays so fast and interesting, never leaving a moment without some animation or music to fill the gap. There's such a scope to Ethan's work that by the end there's no way you won't be a fan of at least some idea of visual presented here.

I think experimental is the best word to describe Man in Camo (Ethan Minsker, 2018). The movie employs so many different mediums of art from film (obviously), to photography, stop motion, painting, sculpting etc. And yet it all fits together as one cohesive piece of art. Art is undeniably the movie's center. Ethan Minsker is a habitual artist; that's to say that he's always thinking about what he's going to make next. This movie brings you from his tumultuous upbringing to his life current day (2018) balancing a family, art, and relationships and how his art and life has changed along the way.

I had the pleasure of seeing this film at The Gorst Underground Festival. I found this documentary, (which is Ethan Minsker's telling of his own story; his life, his art, his creative process, and background) original, inspiring, and thought provoking. This story/documentary, is not told in any kind of traditional way. It is not linear. There is a lot of material involved here, and the work has depth. The artist has done some intriguing self-examination, especially into the way his own mind works and creates. An inspiring and encouraging story for any artist and/or creative person.