Deep Astronomy and the Romantic Sciences

After falling from a chair and hitting the back of his head, Cory McAbee "sees the light," physically and metaphorically. He begins traveling the country giving entertaining lectures on numerous subjects metaphysical involving the "romantic sciences." His backstory, and the story of other "pioneers" of alternate thought, are told through a tavern interaction between a robot and a bar patron, and if you think that's a little odd, then strap in and get ready for 80 minutes of genre-bending performance art filled with dark comedy, catchy tunes, creative and interesting pseudo-science, bizarre corporations, and wacky graphics.

And you know what? It all works. Of course it's not for everyone, and some people will turn this off after ten minutes to race here and give it a narrow-minded "1" ...but if you like "weird" and you stay on this ride until the end, you'll end up like I did... amused and smiling, wondering about both abstract science/thought and whatever it was that you just watched. In many ways this biopic/fiction fusion is brilliant, but that'll be lost on those who need explosions or linear thought or romance, etc... I'm down with whatever this was and will look for more creative "weirdness" from McAbee.

Of Cory McAbee's films, I think this is his greatest. Intelligent, witty, and often hilarious, it uses a clever framing device to explore a plethora of wildly inventive and thought-provoking concepts. This movie will affect the way you think.

Intellectual yet humanistic, thought-provoking yet accessible, this is a perfect film for those who like to use their heart and brain in conjunction. It's a film that touches on vast existential questions, while never losing sight of everyday human realities. A film that leaves you feeling intellectually and emotionally enriched in equal measure. When you arrive home after seeing it, you will want to simultaneously research scientific and philosophical concepts, and go out and meet new people. I cannot wait for an opportunity to see it again, and to share it with others.

I kick myself for not being able to be a part of this movie. I should have taken off work. I came to the premier to support my friend Richard on this project and left completely blown away.

Cory brings a wonderful balance of existential insight, humor, and musical talent. The story that surrounds his presentation is beautifully crafted and pulls you in immediately. Newcomer Rudy shines in his first film role and Richard's editing finesse showed in spades. Veteran Craig Anton was hilarious as well. I really can't wait to watch this again to catch everything I missed. I wish that I had not had a wedding obligation the next day, or I would have been able to see Cory do his thing in person. Highly recommend you see him live when he comes to town.

Full disclosure - I did some VO for this film, but it was basically recorded in a vacuum (metaphorically, that is), and I had no idea of the movie's plot, story, narrative, construction, etc. A group of us went to the San Francisco showing last night, and, once it began, we all became caught up in the film's unique storyline, the many, many ideas put forth, the hilarity and absurdity of the characters, the amazing music and animation - there is nothing else out there in film to compare this movie to. Director-Writer-Actor-Composer-Animator-Wild Idea Dude Cory McAbee continues his cinematic adventures, taking a new road from that of his amazing "The American Astronaut" and "Stingray Sam" films. If you're open to non-traditional film construction, and enjoy using your brain, I highly recommend seeking out "Deep Astronomy and the Romantic Sciences", and get your thinking' cap on.

It's hard to articulate just how spectacular this film was. It stitches together live recorded performances, extremely clever advertisements, beautiful animations, and a phenomenal soundtrack that all work together to tell a story that's bigger than Rudy and Grace.

Cory sells something special to the audience that's incommunicable. The philosophical concepts that Cory presents are mind altering...While a large portion of the film is high level comedy, it's grounded by truly touching moments and sentiments that offer the viewer new perspectives on life, reality, and death. It's hilarious, heartfelt, and genius.