A weird, pleasant time-capsule of a reel

If you're looking for a plot, you're in the wrong place. But if you have ten minutes and want to see how they filmed a tuna boat in Italy before the world got so loud, this is actually kind of a treat.

It’s definitely not for people who need constant momentum or a clear narrative arc. If you hate old-school educational reels or just want something that feels like a modern movie, you’ll probably be bored out of your mind.

The tuna fishing segment is surprisingly tactile. You can almost smell the salt and the fish guts. It’s not polished, it’s just work.

Then there’s the bubble blower from Buffalo. I’m not kidding. He just stands there blowing these massive, wobbling bubbles while someone narrates like it's the most important scientific discovery of the decade. It’s one of those moments that makes you stop and wonder what on earth was going on in people's heads back then. 🫧

The Crater Lake shots are the real heavy lifter here. They’re honestly beautiful. There’s a stillness to them that reminds me a bit of the quiet isolation in Rip Van Winkle, even if they have absolutely nothing in common otherwise.

It’s the kind of thing you’d stumble upon while digging through an attic of old media. It doesn’t try to be profound, and that’s why it works.

• The transition between Italy and Buffalo is jarring enough to give you whiplash.
• The narrator sounds like he’s reading the morning news with a megaphone.
• I would pay good money to know what the bubble guy did for his day job.

It’s not a masterpiece, and it doesn't try to be. It’s just a weird, fleeting glimpse of a world that doesn't exist anymore. Sometimes that’s enough.