Ink....Something's gotta stop the flow

There were a number of great movies in 2009(like every year) that were never really in the spotlight yet they deserved it completely. Movies like "Le concert" and "Mr.Nobody" went relatively under the radar, while the media were wasting our time with dumped-down tech marvels like "Avatar" and shit like "the Hurt Locker". One such movie is an independent fantasy film by Jamin Winans called "Ink". 

Ink introduces you to a dreamlike spectral world that exist in parallel to ours. There the past,future and present have different meaning and connections to each other and to the real world. That plane is inhabited by people's spirits that find themselves there after death. Two are the main factions in that world. The Storytellers which are benevolent and care for the mortals by giving them soothing dreams when they are asleep and the Inccubi that are of pride and manipulate mankind through nightmares. Each night they both venture to the sleeping mortal world and interfere with dreams. In between there are the Drifters. Spirits that are wondering the spectral plane not choosing any of the 2 sides tormented by their emotions and broken psyches. One of them is Ink. He is offered to join the Inccubi to heal his broken pride in exchange for a sacrifice. A little girl which he kidnaps (her spirit that is) to bring before the Inccubi Assembly. Then a race begins as the storytellers struggle to save the girl and stop Ink from fulling his agreement. 

The movie is a brilliant example of independent filmmaking. Low budget but talented creator which compensates for  lack of means. The movie is visually stunning using color and filtering to convey its world to the viewers.It has memorable characters like Ink and Jacob, and truly emotional storytelling. The acting is not top notch but it is adequate and believable enough to immerse you in the movie. The best aspect though, that really elevates the movie, is the soundtrack. Written by Winans himself, if I am not mistaken, is slow, atmospheric and fitting to the movie's tone. And although some that reviewed this movie bash it for its is lack of plot, the story is actually fine. Of course if someone at the end of the movie asks the question of  "why the girl was kidnapped", like some of them do, then it just means that he completely missed what happened into the movie. He should just watch it again instead of bashing it for not having a plot simply because he did not pay attention. 

All in all this is a movie worth seeing. It was never widely distributed since the distributors have a inner resistance to anything with even a hint of freshness and difference. So it is easy to miss. One interesting aspect of the movie is that eventually it did become quite famous even without a distribution network. The moment the DVD/BR came about, the torrent sites took it and it was downloaded 400.000 times in just one week. It ,thus , became so widely known that the DVD/BR sales exploded just by the advertisement that piracy, the same that is supposed to hurt the industry, provided. That is some food for thought isn't it.....Check this movie. Even if you do not like it eventually it is worth watching just for its bold execution.         

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