Jane Pollard and Iain Forsyth’s innovative blend of document and daydream, fact and fiction, features the inimitable Nick Cave in a series of revelatory and imaginative vignettes that all take place on his titular twenty-thousandth day. In the world of the Australian musician, songwriter, and occasional film actor, the mundane gives way to the fantastic—and the viewer is transported, alongside a coterie of surprising and engaging passengers, to a variety of locales, each of which offers revealing glimpses into the creative and collaborative processes that comprise Cave’s legendary, enigmatic oeuvre. Sumptuously photographed, with intimate access and an arch sensibility, 20,000 Days on Earth is as inventive, moody, and beguiling as its subject. Mysteries accumulate and momentum grows as the film builds toward a climactic live performance. The masterfully edited coda underscores the sum of Cave’s dynamic parts: The artist is shaman and showman.  TM