“Magnetosphere” Sees the Beauty in the Weird
As long as humans exist, we will tell stories of growing up. Of the awfully wondrous and angst-ridden teenage years. Independent film offers the opportunity for people of all walks of life to see a version of their experiences played out on the Silver Screen. Something happens to us when we can see ourselves in a story. It allows us to embrace the parts of our identity that we try to push down. It shows us that we are beautiful and that our narratives have a place in our society and, by association, we bring something essential to the world. Writer/director Nicola Rose’s Magnetosphere is one example of a new kind of coming-of-age story being told.
courtesy of Magnetosphere
The worst thing in the world has happened to middle-school-aged Maggie (Shayelin Martin) – her parents (Patrick McKenna & Tania Webb) have moved her and her sister (Zooey Schneider) to a new city. She has to go to a new school and make new friends. At this age, Maggie feels like she’s moved to an entirely new planet. She’s curious, but shy. In addition to the self-consciousness that exists in all teens, Maggie’s also concerned that she’s too different for anyone to want to be friends with her. She can see sounds and hear colors, but hasn’t told her parents. As she becomes more embedded in her new life, a series of firsts start coming her way: first best friend, first love, and first heartbreak.
Maggie’s ability to hear colors and see sounds is called synesthesia. Most people are aware of this condition because quite a few popular musicians are just like Magnetosphere’s Maggie. Recording artists like Billy Joel, Olivia Rodrigo, Maggie Rogers, Frank Ocean, Lorde, Duke Ellington…the list goes on. They all have some form of synesthesia. As a fan of many of these musicians, the idea of synesthesia was always hard to understand from an experiential point of view. What does it mean to see sounds? It’s more than that, though. Maggie sees emotions and people’s essences as colors. She sees herself as a hazy, tangled mess because, like most kids her age, she only sees the parts of herself she’d like to change. Magnetosphere immerses the audience in what synesthesia is like. It’s easy to hear about it and assume it has no adverse effects, that it’s just fun colors, but Magnetosphere is careful to show the entirety of the experience.
courtesy of Magnetosphere
Magnetosphere’s name comes from the nickname Maggie is given by her crush, an actor in her father’s community theater musical production. Her crush, Travis (Steven He), is twice her age and sees her as a sweet kid sister. To Maggie, it’s an enduring love. This is not the kind of movie where Maggie’s crush is reciprocated, nor should it be. Magnetosphere instead uses this relationship as a way for Maggie to realize that life exists in many forms. That a friendship can endure even if romantic feelings aren’t reciprocated. It’s a lesson she uses in another friendship in her life. Magnetosphere captures the sickly sweet, often soul-crushing feeling that comes with developing your first love.
It’s important to note that Magnetosphere is disarmingly comedic. The script sneaks in little jokes when they’re least expected and big laughs that are rightfully deserved. Colin Mochrie, of Whose Line is it Anyway?, is a scene-stealer as Gil, the handyman who can seemingly do anything. His strangeness and his love for his own weirdness are essential to Maggie. She’s desperate to see that people exist who don’t feel the need to present themselves as perfect all the time. He’s caring, but he’s also strange, and that’s what makes him special.
Magnetosphere is filled with endearing weirdos who are learning to embrace the things that take them off the beaten path. When Maggie is diagnosed with synesthesia, she asks the doctor if she’s going to be okay. He responds simply, “You’re already okay.” If we’re leading with curiosity and love, we’re all already okay. Magnetosphere is for the weirdo in all of us who believes in the beauty the world has to offer. You might just have to look for it in a place you didn’t expect.
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