The American Astronaut

I tend to incorporate the quotes/instances of dialogue that really make the film profound and meaningful...but this? absolute banger-of a slap-stick film and the most delirious writing you'll ever come across; in the musical-comedy-science-action-western-drama that is The American Astronaut. Trying to narrow down the film into a specific category or theme is wholeheartedly impossible--Cory McAbee creates something that is more of an experience, something that you marvel in its absurdity--rather than try and analyze or pick-apart. It's easy to fall in love and become entertained with the familiar American-style bars and Southern acoustic songs...but its even more entrancing to marvel at the black-white grading and cinematography of such a spontaneous space-trek of a picture.

The American Astronaut is witty, gritty, hideous, and most clearly an outrageous creation. It blends together so many incompatible genres in such a short amount of time; but it all ends up making some sort of wordless sense to the viewer. It's hilarious to take each scene out of context, trying to explain it to someone passing by and just catching the weirdest scenes -- it's a sensation in absurdist film making. The use of shadows really makes this film an atmospheric and lonesome film; just like space itself...it captures the vastness of space, but also the ability to connect and form relations with a diverse group of people: somewhat displaying the humanizing nature of mankind. While I found the story to feel incomplete in its narration; The American Astronaut is something that will make you think, 'what in the world did I watch? and why did I like it?!'

I tend to incorporate the quotes/instances of dialogue that really make the film profound and meaningful...but this? absolute banger-of a slap-stick film and the most delirious writing you'll ever come across; in the musical-comedy-science-action-western-drama that is The American Astronaut. Trying to narrow down the film into a specific category or theme is wholeheartedly impossible--Cory McAbee creates something that is more of an experience, something that you marvel in its absurdity--rather than try and analyze or pick-apart. It's easy to fall in love and become entertained with the familiar American-style bars and Southern acoustic songs...but its even more entrancing to marvel at the black-white grading and cinematography of such a spontaneous space-trek of a picture.

The American Astronaut is witty, gritty, hideous, and most clearly an outrageous creation. It blends together so many incompatible genres in such a short amount of time; but it all ends up making some sort of wordless sense to the viewer. It's hilarious to take each scene out of context, trying to explain it to someone passing by and just catching the weirdest scenes -- it's a sensation in absurdist film making. The use of shadows really makes this film an atmospheric and lonesome film; just like space itself...it captures the vastness of space, but also the ability to connect and form relations with a diverse group of people: somewhat displaying the humanizing nature of mankind. While I found the story to feel incomplete in its narration; The American Astronaut is something that will make you think, 'what in the world did I watch? and why did I like it?!'

Where has this movie been my entire life? I thought I didn't like musicals, but it turns out I had just never seen one that was made for me. A black and white absurdist space western musical comedy? Yes please! This felt like it was written by Douglas Adams and directed by David Lynch. Also, "Hey Boy!" is absolutely a bop and will be making its way into my regular playlist.

Where has this movie been my entire life? I thought I didn't like musicals, but it turns out I had just never seen one that was made for me. A black and white absurdist space western musical comedy? Yes please! This felt like it was written by Douglas Adams and directed by David Lynch. Also, "Hey Boy!" is absolutely a bop and will be making its way into my regular playlist.