Via Anne Thompson comes the simply titled “Plastic Bag,” starring the voice of director Werner Herzog and an unbranded, beige plastic bag. Written, directed, and edited by up-and-coming feature film-maker Amin Bahrani, this roughly 18 minute short subject is both emotionally powerful and beautiful, a commentary on the human condition and testimony to our ability to anthropomorphize anything. I have no idea how Bahrani staged some of  it, so it also has the appeal of a great magic trick.

Born and raised in North Carolina, Bahrani, who is currently teaching at Columbia’s film school in New York, is a relatively new independent director who has flown under my radar so far. Not any more.

Also, just in case it’s new to you, that oceanic plastic bag vortex is not a science-fictional cinematic invention but entirely real.