Infinity's Child Reviews

• Get it!

  
  By A2VEWDBZQ302OQ on 1999-12-31
  'Infinity's Child', the long awaited sequel to 'Planetary Traveler', is a unique exploration of the animated abstract computer art of Bill Ellsworth. While 'Planetary Traveler' is a fascinating survey of computer generated landscapes from a variety of artists, 'Infinity's Child' is a much more intimately focused and realized work. `Infinity's Child' takes us on a mind-blowing visual journey that absolutely shatters the cliches associated with popular consumption computer animation. We fly through improvisational three-dimensional structures enlarged to the size of cities mutating and shimmering like living creatures. This is heady stuff! The movie works on several levels. There is a sci-fi plot line with narration early on that gives the uninitiated a reference point for appreciating what is about to happen, but it is Ellsworth's recognizable style combined with great editing, and a topnotch electronic music soundtrack that is the conceptual gel that holds things together. You don't have to be a computer-head to enjoy the ride. Anyone with an imagination and a willingness to explore new ideas will find this entertaining. 'Infinity's Child' is an intense visual experience that will stand up to repeated viewing. This one gets my highest recommendation. Get it!
  
  

• Good but Definitely Could Have Been Better

  
  By A2OTQ4VHFYSPGR on 2000-12-04
  This CGI movie is not for anyone looking for a movie with meaning. As the artist pointed out in the interview, the images "do not have any meaning" and the things are just imaginary images. Also, the movie starts with a commentary that the fleet is moving out to a location which is believed to be a "gateway to realities beyond",.... "a bridge to a shift in consciousness gateway world"... Well, does this make sense? Don't try to make sense, any sense of this movie. This is what this movie is about---simply an imaginary exploration of worlds in space, fancy images, eye-catching colors and reflections... right up to the end of the approx-40-minute movie. The commentary at the end of the movie is just a commentary... try not to make any sense of it... Certainly do not try to debate about the statement that "everything exists".

  What this movie suffers is perhaps it should have held the idea of travelling more closely than at times producing scenes which doen't quite look like scenes but say, a pattern tesselating at a fixed position on your computer monitor. The effects could be better if the artist make the scene more like a scene---for example moving within or across the tesselation. Unfortunately there are quite a number of scenes that do not seem to be so, only more than tesselating patterns at the center of the computer monitor. Some images look rather 'flat' and nothing of a virtual world in space. These should have been taken out or improved.

  But on the whole, the imagery was great. Great artwork... lots of reflective surfaces and also "fluid" stuff... The music was nice and suits the images and changes in scenes.

  Greatly appreciate the work being done but I wouldn't say that it is good to the point of being described as stunning... but it is a good piece of work.

  The interviews with the 4 persons was a plus. Here they talk about the issues related to the production, etc... and I share the same view as the artist's that the computer is capable of showing an artist's imaginary world and his enthusiasm in CGI.

  As a final assessment whether you might like this movie, download and watch the trailer at www.inifinityschild.com (over 19 MBytes) which contains quite a number of the better scenes in the movie. If you are not a great "fan" of Computer Graphics Imagery, this sort of movie would be rather boring to you.

  I would like to give this DVD 3.75 stars... almost 4 stars.
  
  

• Disappointing

  
  By A2FKNEX2YY6QPO on 2002-04-22
  I love computer graphics and bought this DVD looking for something interesting to put on in the background when I've got people visiting. Unfortunately, although there were a few scenes that were pretty cool the majority of the graphics were boring.
  
  

• Another Classic

  
  By A1YRC5IHLETTS6 on 1999-12-01
  What can I say about this title, except that it's another classic from the people who brought you Planetary Traveler. Infinity's Child Carries on from where PT left off so if you've seen the first then this is a must, but even if you haven't this movie can stand up on it's own merits. If you've ever used the software package Bryce then you'll be watching this production wondering on just how they did some of the effects, which is why they have included some of the actual scene files used in the production on the DVD so you can load them up and see just how they did them, even if you don't have bryce there is a demo included on the disc. If I had to grumble it would be about the length of the movie I would have like it to have been longer but then I guess thats the beauty of it as you can just whack it in your player and mellow out after work (which I have done on countless occasions). Bottom line is whether your into Computer Generated Imagery (CGI) or not Infinity's Child is a welcome change from the usual movies. I have also heard that Rodney L'Ongnion is involved in a new project called Wonderverse so if you like this you can be sure that wonderverse is gonna be something special.
  
  

• the daydreams of a moody supercomputer

  
  By A2QLBR64S4WF6H on 1999-12-15
  This DVD is all computer generated video in the same manner as "Planetary Traveler" but with much higher image complexity and quality. Planetary Trav was said to be the visual flight logs of spacecraft surveying eight worlds, but in "Infinitys Child" a much larger number of survey craft scan several superdimensional realms having mile high liquid metal tidal waves, colored chrome moving mountains and transparent morphing icebergs. The soundtrack is less musical and more "musical sound effects" than "PT" and the voice of the opening narration is not as good. The soundtrack is most impressive for use of low frequency transients, which are best heard and felt through the powered subwoofer of a good home theater system. Many of the sounds were deeper than the THX intro on DVDs of digitally mastered movies. Infinitys Child is a good reason to own a DVD player and a good powered subwoofer!
  
  
• Infinity's Child: staple source for visuals artists
  By A15ZSNIFBVL8VP on 2001-07-27
  First off, if you're not into eye candy, CGI, or visuals artistry you will probably not appreciate this video. There is no plot, soundtrack sucks, and overall there is no meaning to this video.

  However, from a visuals artist's perspective, this is a great video: solid high quailty eye candy from start to finish, lots of movement, consistent all the way through. Similar to Planetary Traveler w/ less cheesy brycescapes and heavier on on textural/morphing CGI. Imagery is much more intricate than regular fractal eye-candy. Great for background ambiance at a house party or for starter/background source imagery for visuals artists.

  In short, this is like the psychedellic stuff they play on the video screens at raves.
  
  

• 60+ Chapter stops of useless video
  By A2ALK4Y37GIMD8 on 2003-01-07
  Let's get something straight, animation is a lot more than moving images on screen! How could Jan Nickman been allowed to produce such a vapid foray in computer animation, let alone win awards for it. First some details: it's about 40 minutes long, includes a Dolby 5.1 Audio soundtrack, it's Full Screen (4:3 aspect ratio), not much af a menu to speak of and very few Extras.

  Where is the character development? Where is the plot development, beyond the poorly written and equally poorly annuciated voice over track in the begining? Where are the award winning aminations and score worthy of a Grammy nominated composer such as Paul Haslinger? Where is the magic from animation wizard Rodney L'Ognion? Oh wait, they don't exist. At least not in this film.

  As for being a "trip film", it's a trip best missed. All told, this film is yet another example of some half baked idea sold to those who need to be fully baked to watch it.
  
  

• Infinity's Child is rubbish
  By on 2003-01-08
  I am a 3D artist working in film and training others. I bought infinty's child oops.This product is absoloute rubbish.The people behind this production have a very limited range of skills.ie no understanding of lighting,3D Modeling or just about anything to do with producing a cg film.I would also like to slag off the software they have used bryce 4,Its all a big joke to think idiots with crap software and nothing to offer can actually make money in the cg industry.Please stop the madness and whatever you do,dont buy this title.
  
  
• WOAH!
  By on 2000-03-16
  Imagine this......a Yes album comes alive on your screen. If that sounds hot to you, get this DVD. It'll blow your head off!
  
  
• recreational...... users will eat this one up
  By A1Z82XNTD381ZR on 2001-02-18
  Folks, every once in a while I review something other than a book.

  This video is an excellent idea. Normally I would never buy anything like this. But when I saw what it was, and especially the line on the box reading: "This extraordinary odyssey is told not with words but in picture and the language of the gods-music," I knew that I needed it. So I spent.... on it!!

  I know I will watch this again and again. I have only once so far, and once you sit in front of this esoteric cosmic art for just a few seconds, you will be entranced into a vision losing all concepts of time. You will unite with the undulations. WHoaaaaaaahh. It really is good folks.

  The closing line is magnificent. ~~As our consciousness shifts, we come to know this. In the infinite universe there is no possibility of event... Only the certain reality of all events. Everything exists. It is our destiny to explore the infinite.
  
  

• Not as much of a story as Planetary Traveler
  By A3DGB4HN3QCGAL on 2001-08-24
  I was sort of disappointed with this one. In Planetary Traveler you got the visual flight logs of a star faring race called the Phleig and their search for a world from which they could leap to the next level of existence. In this movie a ship has found it so the others come to explore and in my view the story starts to slip there. You get a short view of mother ships and small exploratory craft leaving them to head for the new world. They very quickly cross over into another realm, it's just a picture show from there on out. Technically Infinity's Child is a great improvement over Planetary Traveler, everything is much more three dimensionally rendered, the colors are great and the fluid effect in some scenes is amazing- too bad it's just a picture show.
  
  
• a new standard for the "trip" genre
  By on 1999-12-02
  this is a fantastic movie to daze off into another side of reality. very to similar to the ending of 2001.
  
  
• A 40 minute screensaver
  By A2CZGGNK4XAYCG on 2000-01-27
  I was rather disappointed in this video. Reminded me of the animated fractals screensaver on my computer. But would I sit there and view it for forty minutes? I don't think so. Planetary Traveller is much better than this one.
  
  
• A Vivid Representation of the Bhuddist Path of Enlightenment
  By A1RF47B1QVB2F5 on 2000-10-15
  I would be interested to know whether or not H.H. the Dalai Lama has had an opportunity to view this piece...

  The movie seemed to me to be an exploration of Bhuddist Path of Enlightenment, as traveled through Dream Yoga to attain Clear Light.

  Terrific movie, with or without interpretation.
  
  

• It went from Work to the home.
  By A1LVFUO6QLWA92 on 2001-07-31
  I worked at Natural Wonders, a store that specializes in unique gifts, music, and video. Infinity's Child came into the store and I played in over the audio/video system in the store. After watching 10 minutes of the video I bought it and took it home. To sit down and watch this as a feature film is hardly what should be done. If you are entertaing friends or relaxing around the home or exercising; pop the video in and turn the sound up. It makes for great background music and video. I exercise to it and just enjoy the flowing techno / new age score and the dazzling colors.
  
  

• Planetary Traveler
• Luminous Dimensions
• Exotic Robotics: Pleasure 141X
• The Gate to the Mind's Eye
• Odyssey Series: Into the Mind's Eye