REVIEW: Blush

29 September 2021

When an astronaut crash lands on a small planet, it turns out to be the best thing that could’ve happened to him.

Picture Credit: Apple TV+

The Synopsis

An astronaut crash lands on a tiny, desolate planet, and immediately worries for the fauna within his space craft. His plants don’t appear to be able to survive on the dry, gravel-like landscape; until she arrives.

After taking a very short walk around his new world, someone else crashes onto the planet. Upon seeing that this being is a stunning, rosy-pink beauty, he begins to find hope once more.

As time goes on, the pair find that they more than enjoy each other’s company, and turn the planet into a home they adore.

However, as beautiful as their own personal world is, not everything lasts forever.

So, what did I think?

Upon receiving access to Blush, a short produced by Apple TV+ and written and directed by Joe Mateo, I was looking forward to seeing what would unfold; I never expected such a brief story to make the impact that it did.

Blush tells the tale of Joe Mateo’s (the director) life with his family. Knowing this made the video stand out in such a unique way, as it strongly shows that sometimes, no matter what we do, nothing lasts forever; but memories can.

As soon as Blush started, I was taken aback by how gorgeous it looked. The animation was clean, crisp, and the colour scheme was clearly thought about intently, as the once dark browns and greys became bright pinks, greens and blues as the astronaut and his new partner changed the whole world.

Once the being and the astronaut got to know one another, after going on adorable dates and learning to live with each other peacefully, the planet changed into a thriving, mesmerising place; a metaphor for how, with the right person/people, life can be something incredible.

Blush definitely understands love, despite many of us not knowing quite how to describe it. In this short, love is depicted as a wonderful, perfect journey; while all relationships have their ups and downs, it seemed that Blush knows this, and chose to focus only on the positives, which I adored.

The music was also something to admire; it was calming, uplifting, slightly melancholic, and everything in between. Blush had the perfect music to accompany the adventure the duo embark on, as they continued to fall further and further in love.

What really grabbed my attention, despite being already enthralled by the short, was the ending. I watched events unfold and, as the astronaut gasped for breath, I was shown what it is to live without the one person that has helped you grow and mature for so long.

Life can be too short, but it can also be filled with amazing memories, people, events and even blunders, and Blush knows this all too well. Despite the tears flowing down my face, I couldn’t help but smile and remember everything good in my life; just as I imagine others will once they watch this wonderful journey of life.

Blush was an outstanding 14-minute-long short that really puts into perspective how brief life can be; it encourages you to love those closest to you, and lift them up just as they have done for you. This short film was an emotional rollercoaster, and I adored every minute.

Blush will arrive on Apple TV+ in just two days’ time (on Friday, October 1st, 2021).

Written by Melissa, who you can follow on Twitter @melissajournal