David Fincher’s extraordinary anthology series revolutionises the short story genre. Episodes are packed full of entertainment, philosophy and beautiful artwork. Upon discovery, this series dominated every free second I had, being perfect to pick up on the go. Although every episode is great, these are the five that stood out to me.
Beyond the Aquila Drift
Taken right from Christopher Nolan’s pocket- this episode loops through a space crew waking up deeply lost, galaxies from their objective. Here, they reunite with a familiar face; and explore the ethical question surrounding using virtual realities to improve on someone’s true degenerative existence. The story is envisioned in the most popular art scheme of the show; a sharp crisp modern video game look, which boosts the sci-fi ambience riveting throughout the episode.
The Secret War
The Red Army, demon zombies, and sheer violence- this episode is every Call of Duty Zombies fans dream. It follows a tightly knit Russian battalion as they discover a dark secret deep within Siberia’s Forest. They must act bravely and decisively, to stop inflicting a deadly curse upon all sides in the war. Again, this episode uses the sharp crisp video game look, however this time to create a much darker image, using noir shades to illustrate the themes present. Watching this for the first time, there is no denying it is a very entertaining run and gun fable, but upon subsequent rewatches the full tones of the true nature of the war, and the secrets on all sides provide great relevant thinking.
Good Hunting
Good Hunting was my personal favourite episode- because it touches on three interesting themes. Firstly, the episode provides a great thesis about British imperialism in Asia and the truly damaging effect on the domestic people. Although expressed in a fictional, novella sense, it shows how the imperial countries created a huge sphere of elitism, often relentlessly abusing natives in more ways than one. Moreover, it indulges in the dual state that many Asian countries exist in- that is pursuing radical economic evolution while attempting to maintain remnants of their traditional fantastical beginnings. As the Huli jing describes in the episode, the more machines, the less magic in the world. Finally, I believe the episode unintentionally touches upon the ethical theory of using robotics and AI to upgrade/repair ourselves to a cyber state. Currently a common theme in media, the question about saving more lives and increasing quality of life- whilst playing God, will subsist societally for many years to come.
Snow in the Desert
A classic story of a mutant hunted for their unique abilities; this tale verifies the love in the series title. Snow, a lonely wanderer, is hunted for his regenerative skills, as bounty hunters attempt to possess his elixir of life. He forges what is firstly a mutually beneficial relationship with a female scientist which then blossoms into a love affair, as they together battle it out against his hunters. Although a fairly linear narrative, the continuous action leaves little to be desired.
Ice
The beautiful animation of this gripping saga sets it apart from the others. Dark shades of blue, black and grey create a great neo-noir backdrop, and the needles of sharp red shine through. The breath-taking appearance of the frostwhale remains one of the most memorable moments of the whole show. Moreover, again the theme of AI upgrades to humans resonates deeply within this episode, combining to create a stunning novel.
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