Zoom

I feel like I've been stumbling on movies like this a lot lately. Films with an excellent message/concept that suffer from someone just insisting on over the top artistry. In the case of Zoom, we get a movie with some very important commentary on body image, the perceptions we have of ourselves, the way our appearance impacts how others see us and how we see ourselves and our very potential. The problem is, this gets so far up inside of itself that it loses all focus. What could have been a simple and poignant film has to be twisted in a multilayered, contrived mess of a plot that's weirdly part Who Framed Roger Rabbit.

This isn't an awful watch, it's just lacking in focus and restraint. Trim some of the nonessential flourishes and this turns into a pretty poignant movie that I think has a terribly important message to get across. Sadly, we get what we get and that's not a rousing success exactly. It's an interesting watch and I think it's worth checking out for fans of the cast or those who are really caught by the trailer/description but if none of that grabs you I can't say this is a must watch.

Emma works at a sex doll factory and in her spare time is writing/drawing a comic book. Edward is a famous movie director, working on his latest movie. Michelle is a model and is writing a novel. The three are connected: Edward and his world are found in the pages of Emma's comic book, Michelle's story is Edward's movie and Emma's story is Michelle's book.

Had heaps of potential. Very novel idea - the story-within-a-story- within-the-first-story - very Christopher Nolan-esque.

However, even from the beginning the movie doesn't really live up to its potential. Only the Emma story was engaging. Edward's story is mildly interesting but not exactly compelling viewing. Michelle's story was pretty dull.

Moreover, when the three stories are tied together it is in chaotic, random fashion. The last few scenes feel clumsy and contrived, and the connection between the three stories is ultimately not used effectively. This largely leaves you with three separate, independent stories. So the novelty is wasted.

Overall, not a total waste of time, but quite disappointing considering the movie's potential.

Just saw this at TIFF several nights ago. It was a welcome change as the movies I had seen up to that point were excellent, but very heavy. In math there is this concept of a complex number consisting of a real part and an imaginary part. Many things in nature cannot be modelled by a real number alone, but need complex numbers. So the analogy in life is that we have our imaginary life and visions and these in turn influence are real lives which in turn generate more visions etc. They both exist together and not separately. The movie is a mixture of film and animation and it works very well. Emma draws a character who directs a movie who's actor is writing a novel. They all interact and involve each other. Very amusing, nice mixture of Canadian and Brazilian humour.

Good film. Not for everybody but I found it refreshing and quite masterly conducted. It should appeal to all Zeta GENERATION MEMBERS.

To conduct three parallel developments is a plus

and I recommend the film to everyone. Jean-Pierre DE Villers, U of Windsor. Go see it JPdV

A fun concept, reasonably well executed although the black comedy was weak. Solid performances by the cast although Gael Garcia Bernal was a little two dimensional 😅.