When I saw this PBS documentary about origami offered Instant Watch on Netflix, I thought what the hell, I'll watch it. I like Japanese food.I thought origami was a noodle and I could've sworn I ate some origami sushi when I was in the military. I thought it gave me gas, but that's wrong, it's the art of folding paper, so that damn PBS got me wrapped up in another weird subject. I don't know how, but PBS gets me watching the oddest stuff. When I finally realized it was paper folding I wondered what sort of wackos would waste their time on such silliness? Well, actually, wackos like me I guess because all my printer paper is ruined now. It's all folded up; won't fit in the slot anymore. Damn PBS.Origami is addicting and the sculptures these artists create are amazing. Elephants - drooping sad faces - finely detailed insects - it's all done with folds. No cutting or glue allowed in origami. Did you know that? Spindly insect legs done with just folds.I'm just a beginner, a "grasshopper" as they say in the Orient, and I don't like to brag, but I've crafted a few origami artworks of my own. It seems I'm a natural, it just flows out of me. I have one piece I've named "Isosceles Triangle" produced during my early "geometric" period. I have another called "Pointy Airplane" that will actually fly. You just have to put a paper-clip on it's nose, so it's really a mixed medium piece. Steel on paper. The one I'm most proud of though, my magnum opus as some would say, is called "Crumpled-Up Ball: A Study in Abstract". That one is many, many folds. Innumerable folds that I created during an inspired alcohol fueled frenzy. I display this masterwork in a glass case in my foyer and it leaves visitors speechless. They just stare at it, transfixed. Clearly it moves them, but I tell them it's not for sale. I can see the disappointment in their eyes, but I won't pervert my art for the thousands of dollars they'd probably offer me. I'M AN ARTIST, NOT A PROSTITUTE! So I recommend this episode of Independent Lens. The subject of paper folding is endlessly fascinating, just stock up on plenty of paper. You may not be as gifted as me, few are, but it might be a good hobby for you - keep you from wasting your time reading those countless inane movie reviews.

Vanessa Gould has done the world a tremendous service by producing a documentary that is breathtaking. Between the folds not only demonstrates the wizardry of great masters of origami, it connects science and art in a way that connects heart with soul. The practical uses of origami, driven by the elegance of the underlying mathematics, are astounding. The contributions of the late Yoshizawa-san on origami have been phenomenal, but those of Dr. Robert Lang, Michael LaFosse, Vincent Floderer and all the others in the film are no less so. The genius in each of these artists is visible in their passion, their creativity, their dedication and their pride. Origami is truly therapeutic. As Dr. Demaine says, it is fun. Thanks to Vanessa and her gorgeous project, we can all enjoy the grandeur of this art form.

Most people don't realize just how much origami has been a part of our lives, and will be for the unforeseeable future in exciting new ways. This film, at last, gives us a peek into a world of artists, scientists, mathematicians, educators and, of course, those that have the desire to simply fold paper. New horizons in medicine use origami to save lives. Teaching methods improve a child's ability to learn math. Complex mathematics are described with modular and curved folding. Industrial designers have made products for our daily lives. Molecular biologists are folding DNA! Vanessa Gould's lens shows us how this ancient art has developed as she interviews many of today's leading figures. This is the first (and only) film ever made on the subject.

There are two creative wonders working here -- the incredible range of artists, scientists and people with vision from all over who have made origami a passion, an art, and a way into understanding their place in the world. The other creative wonder is the film itself, which takes us on a journey from a square of paper to the inside of the minds of creative artists. The film is, in some ways, a work of origami too, for it's folded into different sections, and the whole is even greater than the sum of its parts. If you can catch it at a film festival, don't miss it. And I'm sure this film, by a talented first-time filmmaker, will end up in other venues, win awards, and hopefully someday be available on DVD.