Every now and then a movie comes along that we have every intention of reviewing, but somehow never manage to push said review out of our minds for the public to consume. More often than not this is due to a simple lack of getting things done, but once in awhile it’s because the film in question struck us in such a way that not a single person on staff feels up to tackling it in a review. Such is the case with Shane Carruth’s Upstream Color.

Hitting Netflix instant today (June 7), Upstream Color is an entrancing bit of experimental filmmaking that must be seen to be appreciated. The abstract narrative about a man and woman entangled in the life cycle of an ageless organism allows viewers to choose their own journey through the film’s gorgeous sequences, and in the end pulls everything together for one final emotional push before letting the credits roll and the tears fall.

Personally, I walked out of Upstream Color feeling as if I had just witnessed something that had forever changed the way I view storytelling and filmmaking. Carruth has found a way to convey a tale without directly forcing it upon the reader, and more importantly he’s done it in a way where many, including Terrance Malick, have failed so profoundly. He finds the story in nature and allows it to tell itself in a way that is free yet unquestionably focused, and in doing so opens a door for future storytellers that right now lies largely unexplored.

If you want a truly moving movie experience, stay home this weekend and watch Upstream Color on Netflix instant. If you can manage to do so in a setting free of distractions (especially phones/messaging devices), you will open yourself up to a beautiful world of independent filmmaking on the edge. I cannot promise it will change you, but I guarantee it’s an experience you will not soon forget.

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James Shotwell

James Shotwell is the founder of Under The Gun Review. He loves writing about music and movies almost as much as he loves his two fat cats. He's also the co-founder of Antique Records and the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. You should probably follow him on Twitter.

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