Do me a favor and watch the trailer, be sure not to blink. Crazy huh? You ain't seen nothing yet! The DVD finally came out on August 11th after premiering at the Sundance Film Festival at the end of January. Panda Bear, Avey Tare, Deakon and the Geologist teamed up with director Danny Perez to create an acid-laced experimental movie of epic proportions. What started as a concert-tour documentary turned into something a little more abstract to say the least. Perez had recently directed a couple of their music videos like Summertime Clothes, so it was only natural for them to make this kind of movie instead.
This is the epitome of avante-garde film making, that being said it isn't supposed to appeal to everyone. Most, if not all viewers will feel uncomfortable and disoriented while trying to watch the whole thing. It has elements of horror that it could easily inspire nightmares, but rest assured it's like nothing you've ever seen before. The entire film is fifty-two minutes, but there were only a few instances where I didn't feel absolutely mesmerized by the effect of the psychedelic visuals and music.
Any true Animal Collective fan will appreciate the soundtrack, but there aren't any songs that resemble "My Girls." These guys have been making music for over a decade, but they didn't find mainstream success until last year. Merriweather Post Pavilion was the most critically acclaimed album of 2009, but only one song had any sustained success. "My Girls" may be one of their most infectious songs, but it is not the only song worth listening to. M.P.P. may be a fantastic album, but it is not their only one. The Oddsac soundtrack is more reminiscent of previous albums like Strawberry Jam (2007) and Feels (2005). These songs were specifically written and composed to be listened to with visuals though. While they aren't bad on their own, the full effect cannot be achieved without the visuals. They go hand in hand, and should be experienced together.
I cannot and will not recommend this movie to everyone, but it was everything I expected and more. You have to be able to appreciate abstract artistic expression for what it is, and avoid trying to make sense of it. Repeat viewings have shown me how cohesive it actually is, but I still couldn't tell you what it's really about. I enjoyed it because I enjoy the music of Animal Collective, it's as simple as that. I appreciate independent music and filmmaking, and this is the best of both worlds. Something like this will never be popular, but Perez and AC never intended for it to be. No one's opinion of it really mattered to them in the filming and editing process, and that's the way it should be.
**** out of *****
(The song is called "Mr. Fingers")
