God Land

God Land – the debut feature length film from Aspen Michael Taylor makes the astute move of eschewing the more obviously tumultuous events of a natural disaster, choosing instead to focus on the aftermath.

The effects of a devastating storm have left two brothers stranded alone to wander a beautiful wasteland. Obviously linked by an incredible bond, the brothers begin to navigate their surroundings, disorientated and stunned, like lost souls attempting to find their way back to bodies that they were not yet ready to leave.

The scenery provides a painfully sympathetic landscape for the lost, haunted feel of the film; and yet within that Taylor recognizes the importance of finding beauty in the most tragic of places. The brothers – a teenager and his younger sibling explore the almost dreamlike world that they have been unexpectedly dumped in – they walk as if they are still in shock, but still they play, laugh, roam and stomp around. There is great sadness, but we are reminded that within that there is always hope.

There is no clue to where the brothers were before the storm, and there is no clue to where they are going to end up. They exist in a world that escapes binary – things are not defined, nothing is sure, and characters float bewildered by the pure force of their existence, as if the idea of a grey area has been made physical and transformed into the earth upon which they tread. Fear and darkness are tempered by the sheer magnificence of survival, of youth, and of wonder.

Long, lingering cinematography and a heartbreaking score make it impossible for the viewer to be not be drawn in and completely immersed, and help to frame the intense and sometimes overwhelming universe that Taylor has created. Prepare to enter the God Land.

*Aspen Michael Taylor kindly let me see an advance copy of this film, and it's not left my brain ever since. It seriously is a masterpiece, an incredible, incredible film. When the film is more widely available I'll put an update on here, and let people know where to put their eyes.