Topic: Brickfilm of the Week: Reality (What a Concept!) (June 26, 2015)
This week’s Brickfilm of the Week is Reality (What a Concept!) by Mark Butler.
Reality (What a Concept!) is a drama brickfilm by Mark Butler about a man who has destroyed reality. It was made in 2004 for the A Peculiar Event contest and ultimately won third place. Mark Butler was a member of Brickfilms.com, and only made three films: Reality (What a Concept!), Extreme Preparation, and Extreme Delivery.
Watch Reality (What a Concept!) on the Brickfilm Archive
SPOILERY DISCUSSION BELOW!
Normally, even though I mark this part of the post with a huge spoiler warning, I don’t discuss many spoilers. Not this time. Reality (What a Concept!) is a clever existential brickfilm about a man who destroys reality and talks to a giant unknown face. There are some cool ideas and visuals explored in this film, including the giant talking head itself, and the shrinking reality bubble as the main character Mark runs away. But Reality (What a Concept!) doesn’t end when Mark disappears. Instead, an abrupt plot twist appears, revealing that it was just scientists trying to get into Mark’s bank account. This twist puts everything else in the film in a different light, and leads me to ask: was it a good twist? Personally, I’m not the biggest fan. I feel it undermines the rest of the story when it’s revealed to be a ruse, like the lackluster reveal in the film The Village. I like Reality (What a Concept!) a lot, but I generally disregard the twist ending, because the film stands up wonderfully without it.
What are your thoughts on Reality (What a Concept!)? What did you like about it? What did you think of the twist ending? Did you have a favorite moment?
