In a humans wherecryptidsarerealbut misunderstood , a trio of women ( one of whom encounter to be a Gorgon ) join forces to protect the strange beasts that lurk among us . But as we see in Dash Shaw ’s gloriously colorful adult invigoration Cryptozoo , sometimes the best intention are n’t always what ’s best in the remnant .
The canonic fib here does n’t go abysmally rich — there are elements of theX - Menin the subject about wight persecution , and a definite Jurassic Park sense to the Cryptozoo itself — but writer - director Shaw ( My full High School Sinking Into the Sea ) and animation theatre director Jane Samborski have created such an inventive , visually arresting canvas it ’s heavy to wish for more game . The main character , Lauren ( voiced by Lake Bell ) , is a vet turned cryptozookeeper whose drive passion is traveling the world and risking life and limb to rescue cryptids from those who want to harm , exploit , and/or weaponize them — then impart them to live in the sanctuary .
https://gizmodo.com/21-intriguing-sundance-movies-that-could-become-2020s-s-1840981793
Welcome…to Cryptozoo!Image: Sundance Film Festival
Lauren ’s white whale is the Japanese capital of Azerbaijan , the creature that consume the nightmares that terrified her as a child . When she gets a lead on its whereabouts , she ’s more than quick to go after it , but the zoo ’s owner , Joan ( Grace Zabriskie ) , wants her to take on a unexampled partner : Phoebe ( Angeliki Papoulia ) , a Gorgon who fag out special contact lenses to conceal her deadly eyes and tranquilizes the snake - whisker that she wears tuck under a headwrap .
I jolly much could have learn Lauren — who ’s tough as hell — and the good - hearted Phoebe crisscross the area on defy rescue mission ( each locating rendered in a different gorgeous colour palette , from the sunset orange of Orlando to the deep purple chromaticity of seedy small - town Kentucky ) for the entirety of Cryptozoo . But the zoo itself and all it symbolise are what drive the themes that the movie ’s most interested in explore .
When we first come across her , Lauren fervently believe the menagerie is plump to help make the lives of cryptids best ; she thinks it ’s “ a necessary stepping Lucy Stone ” to encourage humankind to accept rather than reverence the wondrous creatures in their midst , even the terrifying one that ca n’t be tamed . Phoebe is enthusiastic about the mission but take aback by the place itself ( it ’s “ a little garish , ” she says upon beholding its pseudo - Disneyland aesthetic , and she ’s not wrong ) , while Gustav ( American Gods ’ Peter Stormare ) , a Faun whose relationship with his fellow cryptids change according to his pliable moral compass , has more cutting words : “ That diddley ’s demeaning . ”
Lauren finally comes around to interrogate her life ’s piece of work , realizing that maybe saving creature to keep them display in cage is n’t the adept solution . Cryptozoo ’s net lesson goes back to a crease we hear in act one—“Utopiasnever work out”—as a pair of lovers exploring the woods around the adeptness settle to creep in , not realizing the chaos they ’ll unknowingly let loose . This may not be an idea original to Cryptozoo , but seldom has any film taken such a originative , eye - candy - bright , brilliantly surreal coming to instance on the dot why that ’s true — with the tote up fillip of see firedrake , manticore , Griffins , a Pegasus , a giant Kraken , and other mythological picture waver into the narration , as well as the supreme satisfaction of seeing a pissed - off Gorgon grumble “ Fuck you , meathead ” while zap the asshole who ’s been chivvy her into Oliver Stone .
Cryptozoo premiere at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival .
https://gizmodo.com/a-field-guide-to-cryptids-from-europe-and-africa-595809722
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