It was cold today. I am having some health issues that kept me from doing much but working on the computer and watching documentaries online. I sold some T-Shirts today and that alleviated my financial brokeness. I was bored and put in over 10 hours today. I decided a trip to the theatre to see a movie would be good. First Movie of 2014. I looked online at what was out and playing nearby. I love Spike Jonze and discovered he had a new movie out that he wrote and directed. It was called her. I watched a trailer and read a brief description. It sounded something Id be into. I snuck some food and a pop into the theatre. I was treated to a great cerebral love story that seemed to have been perfectly written for me. Below is a long and informal review from my point of view. I am a single guy that is coming up on the 2 year anniversary of separating from a 6 year relationship. I have issues, I admit. I havent really dated or seen anyone in these past 2 years. The thought of a guy in my situation going to sit in a mostly empty theatre(only other people were a young couple) by myself to see a romantic movie, well it sounds crazy. This movie was almost perfect for this situation. Joaquin Phoenix plays a guy who is a year out of separating from his wife. He hasnt really dated. Is still holding on and reluctant to sign the divorce papers. He is a romantic at heart, writing personalized, hand written letters for people in the not too far off future. The movie could be called lite science fiction as it takes place just around the corner in the near future. He dreams of his life with his ex, much like dreams still haunt me of the past. He goes shopping one day and buys a new advanced Operating System for his Computer/Smartphone system. This OS utilizes a new form of adaptive and evolving AI. He chooses a female personality and she names herself Samantha. She is voiced by Scarlett Johansen. He is astounded at the level of intelligence she displays and soon they bond over conversation. As she evolves, she helps him get out and go on dates, they have Sunday adventures together to the beach, and they play advanced holographic video games together. Eventually they get so close that they start dating. Yes, a man and his operating system are dating. Spike Jonze explores so much in the movie. It was very reminiscent of the writing of Charlie Kaufman(Who wrote Being John Malkovich, Adaptation, and Eternal Sunshine). I felt this way before reading that Jonze was inspired by Kaufman. There is comedic moments, some involving Jonze himself voicing a foul mouthed video game character that interacts with Phoenixs character. But it is hardly a romantic comedy. It has many science fiction elements, but not sure if I would call it Sci-Fi. Its not really a action movie, nor a drama, more like a social commentary on love and the human condition. At the same time it appears to be almost like Youve Got Mail in that that movie with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan captured the budding online dating phenomenon of the 90s, whereas her captures the ever connected world of smartphones and intelligent voice operated operating systems. Think a more advanced form of Siri, in which everyone uses to talk with their computing devices. You see groups of people walking around talking more to themselves(Bluetooth earpieces) than each other. In the end I am not sure the characters make any profound changes or advancements, or they do, but it isnt blatantly obvious. It has a slice of life feel with a deeper almost Isaac Asimov style profound question underneath. I liked it and upon looking up reviews, it seems to be pretty well received. Something in it worked perfectly for me. It was well written and the characters are very deep and thought out. Dialogue and thought drive it, not futuristic landscapes or shiny technology. I recommend it.
Posted on: Tue, 28 Jan 2014 06:41:06 +0000
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