INK dir. Jamin Winans
The initial thought process behind the column A Flick You Might Have Missed was to recommend a movie that went along with a movie reviewed that week, but in just two weeks in evolved into this. Some obscure movies that I wish were a lot less obscure. When I was looking through my movie collection for a good movie to recommend for A Flick You Might Have Missed, one movie repeatedly caught my eye, INK. Choosing this fantasy/science fiction indie gem is me really diving deep into the depths of indie-dom.
The story behind the film is amazing with the filmmakers fighting for distribution and deciding on self-distribution, embracing piracy (in a very gutsy move), and finally achieving unprecedented exposure. Jamin Winans, the director, is one someone who I watch and pray will become a household name. The guy is incredible at what he does in terms of creativity and technical filmmaking. Along with his wife, Kiowa, they went above and beyond, including producing, directing, sound and film, editing and art direction, in order to create a film with beauty and depth while still having all of the fun people expect with a big time fantasy movie. With only two feature films (INK and 11:59) and several short films under his belt, the guy has proven that he is capable of big boy filmmaking. The short SPIN is one of my favorite short films I have seen recently and while 11:59 is solid, INK is amazing.
INK boils down to the basic story of good versus evil. The story of two groups of people, Story Tellers and Incubi, dueling forces that battle over the dreams (or nightmares) of people and exist in a dimension separate of our own. The Storytellers rein supreme giving wonderful dreams to people as they sleep and playing dream police over the Incubi. The Incubi are evil beings, with the faces of television screens, whose goal is to plant nightmares in peoples’ minds. The story takes off when a Drifter, Ink, kidnaps a young girl, Emma. After an unsuccessful battle with several Storytellers, Ink escapes, but he becomes trapped outside of his dimension when his leather-covered drum is damaged in the battle, thus preventing him from traveling through dimensions. Ink is chased by a group of Storytellers (Allel, Gabe, and Sarah) and a Pathfinder, Jacob, who follow them across a gritty and creative urban fantasy landscape to a save the girl Emma.
INK feels like Dark City by way of Neil Gaiman. Dealing with issues such as drug addiction and capitalist greed, INK holds a depth that rewards a viewer with multiple viewings. A great workman’s mentality helps INK achieve beauty with its make-up and in-camera effects. There are very few scenes with special effects and fewer with CGI, but the few scenes that exist elevate the film’s meaning and message instead of induce awes. This film will not win you over with story, which still is nothing to shrug off, but it will win you over with charm and originality in everything else.
The performances are solid from a cast of complete unknowns with a standout performance by Chris Kelly as Emma’s father. This guy impresses big time. Quinn Hunchar, Emma, does a wonderful job as a child actor in her first film. She does not come off as overly rehearsed, a common woe of child actors.
Watching INK is one of my favorite movie watching experiences. A film that feels so large, but stays so small, and is determined to make you think. INK is a movie lover’s movie that delivers on everything including originality, thrills, depth, tears, and technical achievement. It’s also a candy story for science fiction/fantasy fans.
See It!
Available on Amazon, Netflix &
FREE on HULU! (Though I recommend buying it because the Special Features are worth it!)
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