I really appreciated this! I finally watched Inside, and at first, I gave up at exactly the same point you did, for the same reasons. I only finished it because I stopped to read this essay and saw that you recommended it anyway.
I think you're really on-point here, especially with the DFW comparison; I didn't think of it at the time, but the same kind of anxious/ironic/performative cycle he writes about is very much at play here.
Great thoughts, and I agree with your conclusion that things should be discussed seriously. I love your line "not all things have to address all things"; also your points about irony being used to evade criticism are particularly valuable.
For better or for worse, I think "Inside" is going to be one of the most important artworks of the pandemic era; it certainly has serious flaws but it provides a sense of perspective that is sometimes lacking. I wrote something about it as well, if you care to read it: https://www.ruins.blog/p/film-review-inside-bo-burnham-2021
I really appreciated this! I finally watched Inside, and at first, I gave up at exactly the same point you did, for the same reasons. I only finished it because I stopped to read this essay and saw that you recommended it anyway.
I think you're really on-point here, especially with the DFW comparison; I didn't think of it at the time, but the same kind of anxious/ironic/performative cycle he writes about is very much at play here.
Great thoughts, and I agree with your conclusion that things should be discussed seriously. I love your line "not all things have to address all things"; also your points about irony being used to evade criticism are particularly valuable.
For better or for worse, I think "Inside" is going to be one of the most important artworks of the pandemic era; it certainly has serious flaws but it provides a sense of perspective that is sometimes lacking. I wrote something about it as well, if you care to read it: https://www.ruins.blog/p/film-review-inside-bo-burnham-2021