The beautiful part about being involved in (shameless plug) That’s Not Current: I have gotten to meet so many amazing writers that happen to be incredible, knowledgeable people with whom I’ve become friends. Rebecca Booth (of the United Nations of Horror podcast) is one of the most well-versed scholars I’ve ever met; I want to be her when I grow up. Kieran Fisher is hysterical and pretty much an encyclopedia of film. Glenn Miller is the bomb, and really, how can you not be with a name like that? Andrew Hope is my brother from another mother, and I am terribly grateful to have him in my corner. And then there’s Nick Boyd, who is just fantastic. Nick and I typically tweet each other about Trader Joe’s and… well, food. Because food. And food. Sometimes, we even throw in some Adventure Time. Nick broke from tradition recently and sent me a short film. The result? I managed to completely fall in love with the film. It’s charming and poignant without being too saccharine. Ladies and gents, here’s In Between.

Click here for In Between.

The animation on this short reminded me of The Triplets of Belleville, which is charming to the max without being overly twee; this one had this same quality, where I found it adorable without being heavy-handed with its sweetness. Where it really stuck out for me was the music: Laurent Courbier created a score that was playful, frustrated and moving all at once. It knew when to lift my mood and when to make me feel hopeless. When you find a film that features music that’s as much a storyteller as the director or actors, you’ve found something special.

And then there’s the theme itself. This is a metaphor for anxiety, which is relatable mildly to me but not as severe to the point where I’d need therapy and medication. Having lived with someone that had anxiety, though… it’s close, and I can vouch for the treatment of the subject matter. It does indeed follow you everywhere; there’s no escaping it. It’s the way that our main character accepts it and learns to live with it that makes this story extraordinary. It manages to avoid the cute route, too: there’s no female crocodile waiting for her blue one, and I’m thankful for that aspect because it means that there’s no easy solution to her condition. It’s something she has to have consciousness of and integrate into her life. Realism mixed in with the whimsy. It’s a beautiful statement on the delicate balance anxiety sufferers face.

Happy Saturday.

By the way, go ahead and follow the aforementioned awesome folks on Twitter.
Rebecca Booth @rebeccalbooth
Kieran Fisher @HairEverywhere_
Glenn Miller @FakeGlennMiller
Andrew Hope @sputnik67
Nick Boyd @ThatNickBoyd