'Obselidia', created by first time director/writer Diane Bell, apparently went over very well at the Sundance Festival. It's one of those quirky indies which will probably appeal to mostly young people who can identify with the offbeat protagonist played by Michael Piccirilli. Piccirilli, an Australian, is almost 40 years old but his character, George Sanders, feels like he's much younger. George is writing an encyclopedia of obsolete items; he works as a librarian and types his manuscript on an old fashioned typewriter. He films video on an old video camera and enjoys watching slides on an old fashioned slide projector (the slides are interspersed throughout the film and can be seen during the opening and closing credits). Perhaps the most enjoyable aspect of the film is trying to identify all the items George has collected in his apartment.
Obselidia's plot is rather thin. George meets Sophie, a projectionist at movie theater which only plays silent films. Sophie is also a quirky, free spirit and agrees to drive out to Death Valley to meet George's hero, Lewis, a novelist who believes that the human race will probably become extinct in about 100 years due to some kind of looming environmental disaster. When Sophie finds out George is unable to drive, she orders him to get behind the wheel and orders him to drive despite the fact that he has no license. The odd couple finally meet up with Lewis but Sophie finds him to be pretentious. George and Sophie sleep outside in a pup tent but the relationship between them is strictly platonic (except maybe for one chaste kiss).
After saying goodbye to Lewis, George and Sophie drive for two hours and discover a curator of a ghost town off a dirt road. When Sophie realizes she forgot her camera, they drive back to Lewis but find him dead. George stays with the body (out of "respect") while Sophie goes for help (but we never see the police arrive or the body taken away). Finally, back home in California, George musters the courage to knock on Sophie's door, only to find that she has boyfriend.
The experience in the desert is supposed to have a great impact on George but he doesn't show it. At the end of the film, he's back at the library and says nothing to a woman who had invited him to a party prior to his sojourn in the desert. Not only does 'Obselidia' lack a central antagonist, but George's repudiation of his "love is obsolete" comment at the beginning of the film, is not borne out by any concrete actions in the real world. George is just as cut off from interpersonal relationships as when we first meet him.
A character who's obsessed with obsolescence might seem like a clever idea for a movie. The objects of his 'desire' certainly provide grist for the curious cinematographer. But ultimately, George's journey is unsatisfying precisely because the story has little conflict between its characters and offers no significant growth for its offbeat protagonist.
Obselidia's plot is rather thin. George meets Sophie, a projectionist at movie theater which only plays silent films. Sophie is also a quirky, free spirit and agrees to drive out to Death Valley to meet George's hero, Lewis, a novelist who believes that the human race will probably become extinct in about 100 years due to some kind of looming environmental disaster. When Sophie finds out George is unable to drive, she orders him to get behind the wheel and orders him to drive despite the fact that he has no license. The odd couple finally meet up with Lewis but Sophie finds him to be pretentious. George and Sophie sleep outside in a pup tent but the relationship between them is strictly platonic (except maybe for one chaste kiss).
After saying goodbye to Lewis, George and Sophie drive for two hours and discover a curator of a ghost town off a dirt road. When Sophie realizes she forgot her camera, they drive back to Lewis but find him dead. George stays with the body (out of "respect") while Sophie goes for help (but we never see the police arrive or the body taken away). Finally, back home in California, George musters the courage to knock on Sophie's door, only to find that she has boyfriend.
The experience in the desert is supposed to have a great impact on George but he doesn't show it. At the end of the film, he's back at the library and says nothing to a woman who had invited him to a party prior to his sojourn in the desert. Not only does 'Obselidia' lack a central antagonist, but George's repudiation of his "love is obsolete" comment at the beginning of the film, is not borne out by any concrete actions in the real world. George is just as cut off from interpersonal relationships as when we first meet him.
A character who's obsessed with obsolescence might seem like a clever idea for a movie. The objects of his 'desire' certainly provide grist for the curious cinematographer. But ultimately, George's journey is unsatisfying precisely because the story has little conflict between its characters and offers no significant growth for its offbeat protagonist.