Review: LIFE IN A DAY

LIFE IN A DAY reminded me of the unique docu-art films of Godfrey Reggio. I have no problem calling this the KOYAANISQATSI for the twitter and YouTube generation. Produced by the brothers Scott, Ridley and Tony, Kevin McDonald orchestrated the final film from 5000 hours of user-submitted videos via YouTube, all of which were shot on the day of July 24, 2010.

The film ends with credits fitting of the film’s theme, giving directorial credit not only to Kevin McDonald, but also to each of the many contributors that made this LIFE IN A DAY possible. The film is a journey through a single day; a mosaic of many lives, each in a single isolated moment brought together for a unified purpose. LIFE IN A DAY highlights our differences, regardless of how foreign and unfamiliar, can bring us closer together.

One of the underlying themes on LIFE IN A DAY touches on something I’ve found fascinating for a long time, that being how even what outwardly may seem mundane, daily monotony can have hidden beauty just under the surface. Get close enough to truly see and appreciate what something is and you’ll see the inherently simple and magical essence of everything.

While there are countless shots and segments of great beauty, scenes of wonder and curiosity, there are also a number of thought-provoking, even emotional scenes that force us to consider the world around us in all it’s three-dimensional reality. Adults, young and old, as well as children and teenagers from across the globe, wealthy and poor, make up the fabric of this cinematic experiment.

A few of my favorite moments in the film in clued the little girl in her helmet, an eager and talented climber, represents the uninhibited imagination and drive to explore that we all possess prior to adulthood. A teenage boy shaves for the first time with his father’s guidance, an interesting metaphor for the transition from childhood to adulthood. Uncertainty that inevitably leads to pain is ultimately survived and followed by a sense of satisfaction. Growing up may not always be easy, but it’s never as bad as it seems.

Finally, a moment touched upon twice in the film, introduces us to a Korean man bicycling around the world. Over nine years traveled to date and having touched more countries than most can name, this man continues his quest with a personal dream of seeing a united Korea once again. His journey is one of hope and persistence, adding to the scope of LIFE IN A DAY, which unveils some of it’s darker content in the latter third of the film.

LIFE IN A DAY combines a variety of video styles, stringing together a multitude of relatively random moments with a mesmerizing score from Harry Gregson-Williams and Matthew Herbert. The music adds greatly to the emotional impact of the film. This project, meant to be an audio-visual time capsule for future generations, does a tremendous job of capturing not just the positive aspects of life as it was on July 24, 2010, but also the humility and uncertainty, even the uncomfortably unsavory undercurrents of life, allowing those who follow us to realize that life is never perfect, but it’s always ours to live.