When an architect (Jon Stone) drops a sugar cube into his coffee, he notices the Ripples that it causes. He contemplates the meaning of those ripples and the effects that it has on other things around him. Ripples is a stream-of-consciousness look at the human mind, how it works, and the crazy things that we sometimes think about.
I often find myself, while attempting to complete a tedious task, thinking about what feels like a billion different things. It’s sometimes difficult to concentrate when a series of things unrelated to my task are running through my head. This is something that nearly everyone deals with at one point or another, but I think that it’s also something that others look at and question. They are curious why someone can’t just focus on the task at hand, and even if they’ve experienced something similar, there is often judgment passed. Jim Henson appears to attempt to make his viewers understand that this is just a simple reality that everyone must deal with. He attempts to make this seem normal. Ripples sees an architect, a person who many might consider to be a strong thinker, a person of high accomplishment, struggling to focus as a result of these ripples happening in his coffee mug.
Henson’s way of telling this story may appear simple, but I think the decision to have Ripples’ protagonist be an architect, rather than a waiter or a cashier (both important jobs without out a doubt, but not typically considered the same as an architect), speaks to how well-developed Ripples is.
There are a series of images folded on top of one another throughout the course of Ripples, and as they appear layered over one another, it sometimes becomes difficult to see the things occurring on screen, and I think that’s the intention. Henson wants his viewers to understand that sometimes the human mind can be difficult to understand, and he captures that sentiment perfectly. As I slowly got lost in the visuals I found myself coming to understand and appreciate what it is that Henson wants me to learn.
I work with teachers every single day. It’s clear that some teachers sit above the rest: those who genuinely care about their students, those who are willing to go the extra mile and spend their time outside of the classroom perfecting their craft, and those who are simply capable of effectively relaying information to the students inside and outside of their classroom. Henson is a great teacher. It’s clear in projects like Ripples that he cares about his audience, that he genuinely wants them to take something relevant away from his films. And, just as importantly, he’s able to relay his intended information with apparent ease. Knowing that he cares makes his films even more accessible, and Ripples is a great example of all that Henson is capable of in the field of education and filmmaking.
Once again Henson creates a top-tier project that reaches viewers from all walks of life. He’s capable of bringing to life sentiments that are often difficult to express to others, and Ripples is inviting–expressing these things clearly to everyone watching. Another wonderful representation of what Henson was capable of, and another journey through the human mind.
Written & Directed by Jim Henson.
Starring Jon Stone.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10
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