Bo Burnham: Inside

I've seen a number of other shorts, sketches, and songs about the pandemic, and they've all sucked. This does not suck. In fact, not only is it BY FAR the best pandemic-based art piece I've seen, it's one of the best pieces of film I've ever seen. This is Bo's equivalent of Childish Gambino's This is America: an established, if low-profile, artist taking a hugely original and creative step forward, and making art that is both incredibly relevant to today, yet timeless in theme. It was heartbreaking to watch this. It's essentially a video diary of a man struggling to find meaning and purpose. Bo yearns to feel okay and use his unique comedic style to find relief, only to return to the same emptiness he's been trying to escape. I can practically feel the scared inner child within him, searching for love, connection, and safety, and seeing him tragically and helplessly struggle to stay above water. This is a raw look into the psyche of someone who feels hopeless and trapped by quarantine, by mental illness, and by others' expectations. I cried watching this. And yet, the songs, the concepts, and the atmosphere are tremendously polished, engaging, funny, heartbreaking, and poignant. The lighting and composition of his room, and his use of himself as his subject is jaw-droppingly fresh and masterfully captured. So many little self-aware flourishes are added throughout, giving this a measured, yet genuine feel. It's fascinating to see his process of creating brilliant art while saying it's pointless to do so, as he switches from an upbeat song to sitting alone in the dark. His comedy is a paper-thin veneer on depression, and he's not afraid to show that. But even his more "traditional" content is still fresh - he lampoons people across the political spectrum, and gives biting commentary on the nature of celebrity and the public's fascination with and apathy towards tragedy. He's doing this all himself in a tiny apartment, and it's so easy to feel his claustrophobia. This is a transformational piece of art. I'm so curious to see where Bo goes next, I don't think he can go back to what he was doing before this. But I can't wait, and I hope that he is doing better.