Life in a Day 2020

Collecting videos from all over the globe, this YouTube movie is a balanced time capsule of human life in 2020. Keeping the view point with common people instead of directly depicting global events (or going full Koyaanisqatsi) it stays real, life affirming, and entertaining. While simultaneously avoiding being grandiose or cheesy.

A good watch for all of us locked in our rooms, houses, and apartments. Reminding us of the larger world out there.

I remember an old show called "Ben Casey" that began with the lead in, "Birth, Life, Death, Infinity." This is the task of this documentary which has had mixed reviews. The original was done in 2010 and this was a follow up. It must have been a monumental task. While there are some pretty gripping scenes, the editing was all over the place. Transitions were unclear and sometimes it was hard to see where things were going. Maybe a little voice over using poetry or some literary pieces would have helped. I suppose since so many cultures were engaged, that might be unfair. I stayed with it, but I never had the aha moment. Certainly worth a look.

Perhaps an interesting approach on what a "life in a day" may look like around our vast planet (I do have my doubts), but animals are slaughtered without the slightest warning for the viewer. An absolute disgrace. This lack of empathy and of awareness almost made me faint, when a veal is shot twice in the head, remains alive, then has a knife plunged into the neck, with blood flooding everywhere. Artists may show the world the way they intend to and the freedom of art has almost no limit, but failing to warn viewers about highly disturbing images can be interpreted as an acute lack of empathy, especially now that the mechanisms of triggers are widely understood and studied. Perhaps this documentary is not aimed at more sensitive viewers. Loathed it.

Movie night with Gertie.

"Life in a Day" seemed groundbreaking ten years ago, but now we live in a TikTok era less so. So there's nothing groundbreaking here even thopiugh it's Covid and Black Lives Matter time, but it is entertaining and heartwarming.

The second installment of 'Life in a Day' movie, first filmed in 2010, makes a 10 years leap and catches the world once again in its lenses, this time in the special conditions of the covid pandemic.

It's interesting to see how people thought this could unfold, how others are now after 10 years since the last movie and that the major concerns and joys of people around the world haven't changed.