Waterpark

Finding this by accident was such a great gift. This short feels right out of the Qatsi trilogy with its observational perspective on what feels like an most out of place, yet natural environment, a mega-water park inside of an already mega-sized shopping mall. It's actually baffling how potent the feelings of nostalgia and longing are communicated in such a short time span. The space is beautiful to look at, even with the coupling of brutalist architecture surrounding the serene bodies of water. Some of the shots in this short look stunning, in both their symmetry and saturation. The artificial, dyed, crystalline pools. The chlorine scent in the air. The sun filtering through the skylights, pressing shadows onto the million-gallon faux wave pool. Facades of palm trees painted on murals, coupled by plastic trees on the concrete walkways. Every time I've shown this to someone, I've always pointed out the bungee jumping sequence as the short's key highlight. If I were to come back to this space now, I would be too focused on the people. The foot fungus left on the ground (as nobody in this short are wearing flip flops or water shoes, yuck), or the expensive food sold at the snack bar. This man bungee jumping, however, looks to be in his late 50s. He is completely loving life as he swings through the air like a superhero. He is feeling like a kid again. Coupled with the score by Alex Zhang Hungtai, it leaves me choked up every time I watch this short.