Kill It and Leave This Town

Kill It and Leave This Town is a 2020 animated film from Poland that has made a significant mark in the genre with its uniquely obscure aesthetic and deeply affecting storyline. The movie offers a fascinating exploration of the human psyche, with the use of animation to showcase a complex portrayal of human emotional experience painted in unconventional layers of fear, unease, and nostalgia.

This film is directed by Mariusz Wilczynski, a renowned Polish artist who has made a powerful statement with the message of this movie. What makes Kill It and Leave This Town stand out is that it was painstakingly created over 15 years, solely by Wilczynski himself. This stylistically bold and courageously expressive film is a testament to Wilczynski's tenacity and his artistic acumen.

The movie opens up to the evocative narration by an impressive ensemble cast, including Krystyna Janda, Andrzej Chyra, and Maja Ostaszewska. Each delivers a performance that enriches the human elements of the film, against the backdrop of a black and white world that is both haunting and intriguing.

In its essence, Kill It and Leave This Town is a deeply moving evocation of the past filtered through the prism of fading memories, regret and the sorrow that accompanies loss. The story dives into the mind of an individual yearning for escape from contemporary realities of the world and seek refuge in a different realm, drawn from a mix of memories and deeply ingrained emotions.

The movie leverages animated sequences to give shape to this journey of the past. Wilczynski's choice of traditional draw hand sketched animation, moving away from prevailing computer animation, adds to the melancholy of the film. His choice of monochromatic grey and black tones intensify the film's mood and depict a dreamlike and subjuctive memory-scape.

The film unveils the bleakness and drudgery of everyday life, often representing human figures as formless, badly shaken bodies surviving the scars of time. Kill It and Leave This Town surges with emotional authenticity that is both heartbreaking and thought-provoking. The movie encompasses a wide range of complex topics, each painted with raw, poetic profundity, paving the way for an introspective exploration of fundamental human emotions.

Throughout the narrative, Wilczynski pulls no punches, delivering a gut-wrenching view of the fears and uncertain futures caused by factors beyond our control. This depiction of vulnerability makes for an impassioned viewing experience, pushing you to question the inherent transience of life and the powerlessness of humans against the unrelenting march of time.

The film's combination of surreal imagery and potent symbolism effectively amplifies the narrative's existential undertones. Unsettling images and astute reflections on human mortality form the central theme, presenting a bleak reality check interspersed with glimmers of humor and hope.

The film's hauntingly beautiful score is another noteworthy aspect. Comprising of an eclectic mix of solemn orchestration, the soundscape matches the film's visual tone, adding depth to the narrative, thereby engrossing the audience deeper into the journey.

To summarize, Kill It and Leave This Town is a darkly poetic exploration of memory and mortality, reconciling with the past, and the inherent human desire to escape the existential fears. Wilczynski offers a torrent of individual subconscious engulfed in doom, fear, hatred, love, dreams and memories, presenting an honest reflection of our pains and aspirations.

While the film might not cater to everyone’s taste owing to its eccentric animation and obscure narrative, it unquestionably stands out as an avant-garde work in the realm of animation. It's a movie for those who appreciate the power of cinema as an art form, rather than just a source of entertainment. Kill It and Leave This Town exemplifies how animation can serve as a profound medium for human expression, evoking a spectrum of feelings.

With its powerful narration and innovative animation, Kill It and Leave This Town has surely carved a niche for itself in the world of cinema, delivering an experience which stays with you, prompting introspection and contemplation about life itself.