(2024 Nellie Wong Magic of Movies Essay Contest)
On Friday, April twenty-sixth, I visited SFMOMA to watch the SFFilm special, Billy + Molly: An Otter Love Story. I must say, I was deeply intrigued by this film. It showed me how beautiful a film could be. There were many things the filmmaker did to impress me. One of them was the way he put the documentary together. Whilst I watched the documentary, it felt more like a story than a documentary because the filmmaker found a true story so unique. It would never have occurred to me to find something so phenomenal, so blissful.
One thing that the filmmaker did to captivate me was the cinematography. From the countless panoramas of the Shetland Isles to the Otters frolicking in the surf to the beautiful underwater kelp forest, he was an expert in this. I cannot wait to see another production by him.
Another way he impressed me was the way he sectioned the story. One moment, I was feeling ready to cry, and then I was laughing. To me, a good film is dependent on how they section it. All the transitions felt smooth and natural.
In conclusion, Billy + Molly: An Otter Love Story captivated how beautiful life can be. From the first scenes to the final curtain, Charlie Hamilton James left me feeling contentment and wonder, and it took a while to clear my head of pounding thoughts. I would not hesitate to give it five out of five stars.