In the last few years, movies like Sin City and Sky Captain And The World Of Tomorrow have changed the very fabric of how films can be made, and how much control a director can have over every single element that shows up on the screen. That kind of control and vision are the hallmarks of what makes a film stay with us.
There are those moments in every film lover\'s life that stick with them. Think of the first time you saw a Tim Burton movie, or Jean-Pierre Jeunet, or Terry Gilliam-- someone who has that kind of singular vision where every frame is like peering straight into their brain. Surreal, alien experiences that are grounded in the world you know, but skewered and twisted in a way that becomes recognizable over the course of a director\'s career. It is rare to find a director whose work instantly gives you the feeling that you’re seeing something completely new.
It\'s time to welcome a new director into that fold. With a single feature-length film under his belt, Dave McKean-- master illustrator, graphic novelist, photographer, and pianist-- has plugged us directly into his cerebral cortex, and the results are nothing short of mind-blowing. Longtime McKean collaborator and Sandman author Neil Gaiman co-wrote the simple, family-friendly story of a circus girl who wants to join real life, and the dream world she creates to escape.
My words cannot do justice to the charm and originality of this instant classic.
To those that are not already familiar with McKean\'s illustration work, MirrorMask is a revelation. To see his visions move and breathe across a movie or TV screen is a wake-up call to all that can be accomplished with the technology at our everyday disposal. MirrorMask was not a mega-budget production, even though it feels like it in every way. Produced by the Jim Henson Company on a tiny $4 million dollar budget, MirrorMask is a testament to what can be accomplished when one shucks the chains of photo-realistic computer effects, and instead lets their imagination run wild.
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