The Elsewhere Express

With this high-concept romantic fable, Yambao (Water Moon) delivers a dreamlike, whimsical, and wildly imaginative trip through time and liminal space that occasionally raises more questions than it answers. Med student Raya Sia has felt adrift ever since the death of her older brother and weighted down by her parents’ expectations. Then she boards the subway one day and inexplicably winds up on the Elsewhere Express, a train running on the edge of consciousness and thought, a refuge for those who have drifted away from their lives. Shortly after boarding, she meets artist Q Chen Philips Jr., likewise cut loose from existence. Tasked with exploring the train to find their designated compartments and encouraged to let go of excess emotional baggage and memories along the way, Raya and Q experience a series of surreal events and encounter colorful crew and passengers. But something dark has also boarded the Elsewhere Express, and Raya and Q are recruited to deal with the problem before it jeopardizes the train’s very existence. As the two grow closer, they discover just how tightly their fates are intertwined. The sinuous, multi-perspective narrative meanders, doubles back, and spins around as it gradually reveals the Elsewhere Express’s secrets, but sometimes these magical elements and storytelling tricks overshadow the leads’ emotional journey. It’s a fascinating if somewhat frustrating experience. (Jan.)