this is the sort of movie that revels in being clever, and the audience enjoys feeling clever when they understand it. I admired the commitment to the allegories (take your pick from three or four), and unexplained implausible events are always up my alley if the theme stays intact.

mentioning those, it’s a really interesting time for this movie to come out. we have become more and more reclusive as a society -- in the future, will we be so preoccupied with electronic leisure that even a swipe right won’t suffice? mandated “coupling” retreats to keep the world spinning? Japan and Korea are seeing that kind of self-destruction happen already.

the ostracized single people dancing in the forest together, but not really together, reminded me of a group of friends who spend a night out with their heads buried in their phones. if you choose to be alone, there's no one else to dig your grave.

the second half is less focused, or maybe just less interesting. the ending, however, was a perfect note to finish on -- appealing to the optimist or cynical.

--------