Sometimes the search leads us away from the treasure we seek. Alchemy is the story of a man in search of redemption after a tumultuous upbringing and the death of his father. In a collage of memories amplified by the lyrics and melodies of the song "All These Things That I've Done" by The Killers, this short film brings to light the true story of his journey. Alchemy delivers a sublime story of pain transformed into beauty, of the darkest despair turned into the light of fierce determination. Deeply moving and downright gorgeous, this is visual poetry at its best. Various actors play the protagonist at different ages in this deftly constructed collage, illuminating the trajectory of emotional suffering and growth. The use of a single song helps create a sense of continuity without flattening the story. The overall effect is of immense emotion distilled into a diamond shining with multi-hued radiance yet still hard- edged. There is both emptiness and hope from the very beginning, as white balloons scatter across a night sky. Later we feel both reverence and sorrow for the handsome gay youth who stretches his hand toward us as if seeking our help, while in the background his many lovers come and go. Each scene, like a single line of poetry, is stunning on its own. Yet the full effect of the completed work cannot be adequately summarized. This is a film you'll want to watch more than once.
Kimblave replied
293 weeks ago