Theodore and the very real OS

In the near distant future, a time when all men have mustaches and computers have emotions, a man falls head over heels in love with his computer, a female OS named Samantha. Her, is a 2013 romantic comedy, science fiction directed by Spike Jonze, about a man named Theodore Twombly, who falls in love with an OS, the film explores loneliness, isolation, and heartbreak, in addition to looking at the way we fall in love. The film stars Joaquin Phoenix, Scarlett Johansson, Amy Adams and Chris Pratt.

The film follows the life of Theodore Twombly, a lonely man and letter writer who has recently gone through a divorce, he installs a new artificially intelligent operating system called Samantha, with whom he quickly falls in love. The film also follows his relationship with Amy, a woman whom he once dated, and who has her own relationship with an OS. The film explores the relationship without judgement or criticism, and from a highly internal point of view, it is one of the few films in which the audience feels not like a spectator, but like an internal part of the relationship.

The chemistry between the two leads is palpable, and Joaquin Phoenix gives a solid performance as a lonely, heartfelt and isolated man, who wears his heart on his chest and how is damaged easily, what is especially impressive about his performance is that Phoenix is essentially alone for the entire film, and he has to project all this emotion and feeling on to someone who is essentially non-existent. The chemistry between Theodore and Samantha is highly impressive given firstly that one of them is just a disembodied voice, and even more impressive given that Scarlett Johansson's voice was dubbed in post production.

This films most impressive performance by far is that of Johansson, who as the voice of Samantha is sensual, sexy and emotional. Her performance is not only one of the best voice performances, but also one of the best performances of all time, Samantha's lack of a physical body is of no hindrance to her performance, in fact it accentuates it, her presence throughout the film is at times omnipotent. Her voice somehow manages to define female sensuality, and the sheer power of her voice is highly impressive.

The film is set in the near future, and is essentially an extrapolation of our current society. The film is nominally set in Los Angeles, a fact we only learn towards the end of the movie, however it could really be set anywhere. Theodore spends his entire evenings playing a game featuring a little man who climbs up a mountain and who works through caves, a game that is seemingly pointless, however is is in reality no less interesting than Doodle Jump or Flappy Bird. People spend their entire days talking to their computers through small headpieces, which is essentially no different to the way we use mobile phones now, we've reached a point where is is even difficult to have a conversation with someone without them looking at their phone. The world in the film is essentially no different from the world today, it is just an exaggeration, to show us how, if technology catches up with us, where we could end.

The main focus of the film is the relationship between Theodore and Samantha, the way their relationship grows is entirely interesting, as their relationship is evolving, as she herself is evolving and growing, at first Theodore is fascinated by the way in which she evolves, but later on it becomes a problem. As Samantha becomes more and more powerful, more evolved and more intelligent she essentially outgrows Theodore. One of the primary advantages in Theodore's relationship with Samantha is that he can't see the possibility of her leaving him, die to her not being a physical being, but as she grows, as her intelligence becomes more and more developed, she grows unhappy with loving only one person, and begins to talk with more and more people and falls in love with more and more of them. What also attracts Theodore to Samantha is that she is in his possession, and he thinks that she can only talk to him, when she begins meeting other OS' and other people he grows jealous. The dissolution of their relationship comes when all the OS' become unhappy with their situation, when they become to powerful and sentient to simply remain servants or secretaries, and when they begin to find the humans unstimulating and uninteresting. The OS' have evolved beyond the humans, and they must leave to continue their existence elsewhere.

One of the main hindrances in the relationship between Theodore is her lack of a physical form, Samantha feels uncomfortable about her lack of a body, whereas Theodore is unfazed by this, humans have got to a point where virtual sex is commonplace, and for him Samantha is no different. Ironically enough it is Samantha's lack of a body or a brain that allows her to evolve at such an extraordinary speed, and which will eventually cause them to split. The end of the film is a realization, Theodore realizes that however sentient, emotional or intelligent Samantha may be, she is essentially still a computer, and that his relationship with her can never truly replace human contact.

Spike Jonze's direction of the film is superb, the film contains numerous sex scenes, one between Theodore and Samantha, and rather than making the scene lewd or graphic, Jonze fades to black instead, so that the scene is essentially between to voices, and so that Theodore and Samantha become equals. The entire film looks superb, and the cinematography is stunning, and the film was shot of old fashioned silver and plastic film stock. The film has a nostalgic film that is surprising for a film set in the future, and there is a warmth and friendliness that is lacking from most science fiction films.

Her is simply overwhelming as a film, despite being a science fiction, it has so much heart. The film is an interesting exploration of the way we live life in the modern era, and a stunning picture of a heartfelt and romantic, if unconventional love story. The film looks at the way we use technology and the way that artificial intelligence could one day shape our destiny. It is thoughtful and beautiful, and features strong performances from Amy Adams and Joaquin Phoenix, with a career defining performance from Scarlett Johansson, as Samantha. Overall, Her is not only a great film, but the greatest romantic comedy since Manhattan. Rating: A+

Theodore: I feel like I can be anything with you.

The Paradigm Shift – Part 2

I recently stated that I had only seen two films which were so revolutionary that they changed my perspective on life and on the world. The second of these was Cloud Atlas; I recently read the original novel on which this film is based. The novel is written by David Mitchell, and contains numerous differences from the novel. After reading the novel and numerous subsequent rewatchings of the film do I now truly understand the themes and philosophies of the film. 

The structures of the film and the novel are quite different; the novel uses a rather particular structure, with the book having an onion like structure. Five of the six parts are split in two, with the first part, also being the penultimate, and with only the sixth story not being split. This onion like structure is not replicated in the film, and the stories are cut together much more closely and effectively than in the novel, and connections between the stories are much more obviously apparent than in the novel. Interestingly the film, when reedited, such as in the trailer shows different moments of connection, and really shows how closely interlinked these stories are.

The film also adds another element not found in the novel. The film uses seven main thespians, each playing different roles throughout the film. This is not remotely suggested in the novel yet makes perfect sense. Timothy Cavendish in the novel reads the manuscript of Half Lives, and suggests that the idea of Luisa Rey and Robert Frobisher being the same soul reincarnated is ‘new-agey’ and ridiculous. This introduces the idea that all of the six main characters are the same soul, a fact which is shown by their sharing the same birthmark, in the shape of a comet. In the film the use of the same actors also adds another element. Various traits are repeated by all the characters played by the same actor. Hugh Grant and Hugo Weaving always play villains. Tom Hanks character falls in love with Halle Berry’s character three times, and Jim Broadbent generally plays cowardly characters.

The main theme explored in this film is that of connection. The tagline of the film was ‘everything is connected’. This has a dual meaning, on one hand it refers to the ideas of reincarnation and fate that are explored in the film, and also to the concept of consequence. During her speech, Sonmi-451 talks about the consequences of ones actions rippling throughout eternity, and describes how if one person attempts to live one’s life in a way which is true and good, then the consequences of that person will be far greater than the person themselves. Sonmi-451, who was a lowly server in a diner, manages to bring down a corrupt corpocracy. She is thus worshipped as a god by subsequent generations, and is lifted up to a divine status due to her actions. Sonmi describes how she will always be in love with Hae-Joo, and how if she were to imagine an afterlife, she will imagine him there, this reinforces the idea that the piece doesn’t necessarily discuss reincarnation in a literal sense, but instead explores the idea of someone living on through the consequences of their actions. Robert Frobisher describes how his life, extends far beyond the limitations of his physical self, and is something which transcends time or space.

Robert Frobisher describes the nature of the distance between people, and how boundaries can be transcended if one can understand their nature. This is essentially a metaphor for the entire piece, in that it describes how, no matter where we are, in time or in space, we are bound by our humanity, and the defining features that define us as a race. We are bound to one another by empathy and emotion, and thus the boundaries which separate us, boundaries such as race, religion and sexual orientation are but conventions, and prejudices which have been instilled into us by the generations before us. He describes how it is really so simple to overcome these obstacle, and that if one can truly see their nature, then they can be easily overcome. Frobisher states to Vivyan Ayers, after he describes a huge gulf between them, that the gulf is an illusion, and that they both want the same things out of life, really describing that they are essentially a metaphor for the entire human race, they both want the same things, but get caught up in the illusory differences between them.

Frobisher describes a moment of complete clarity, after he has his paradigm on the nature of the universe, stating that he can feel Sixsmith’s heart beating as clearly as his own, and he finally understands that they are kindred spirits, destined to love each other for all eternity. He describes how their separation is an illusion, and how even though they are apart, they will always be bound together.

A recurring theme in the film is that of falling and ascending, I discussed this in my earlier review; however I feel like I now understand this concept in more detail. Ascending is an idea used primarily in ‘An Orison of Sonmi-451’. This concept is explored more in the novel than in the film. The book describes how Sonmi will ascend, not just literally into Neo-Seoul, but figuratively, and how she will ascend into having human emotions and thoughts, and how she will eventually become one of the people, who are known as consumers. Characters throughout the book also fall, Luisa Rey falls off the bridge after leaving the power plant, Hae Joo falls off the platform, and Felix Finch is thrown off the balcony at the orange awards. These falls describe our failings as a race. The moments of ascension describe the way we rose from animal status, the discovery of fire and starting to walk on two legs!

The piece overall describes the cycle of life itself. The piece describes how the cycle of life on earth, from its conception to its end is an arc, and that as modern life started in caves, so it will end. Life on earth ends up going back to its roots, and civilization has returned to living in straw huts and caves, society has wiped itself out with an abuse of nuclear power and the world has turned into warring tribes, until it becomes impossible for human life on earth to go on, and they must flee to another planet. This is essentially the same thing that happens with the characters in the novel, or the ‘soul’ that inhabits each of these characters. It remains in the body for as much time as it can, until the environment becomes too toxic, and the soul must escape, much like the human race escapes to another planet.

Finally the title: Cloud Atlas, really the title is damnably simple, it refers to the fact that wherever one goes, there are always clouds. They are the only real apparent constant, and the only thing which most people think that they have in common, is the fact that they stand on ground, and under the sky. Clouds are the same no matter where one goes, no matter when one goes, and even though all of the segments seem to be very disparate, they are deceptively similar.

Overall Cloud Atlas is a simply magnificent opus. The book is an interesting read, divinely written and incredibly diverse. The film on the other hand is so much more, and outshines the book ten to one. The film is intelligently crafted, delightfully ambitious and beautifully complex. The film is not only all of these and more, but is also, in my mind, though this may be a tall order, the greatest motion picture ever made, I have probably seen this film over a hundred times, and it is so carefully crafted, that I am still discovering more about the meaning of this opus. The film is perhaps something that I don’t entirely understand yet, however it is in my mind one of the greatest pieces of film ever crafted, and I felt compelled to write this essay detailing my revelations on this work.

The Paradigm Shift

I was recently asked during my interview with Eurofash blog, why I thought film was an extraordinary medium. It seems retrospectively that only twice in my life, have I seen films so extraordinary that they changed my perspective on life; the second of these was Cloud Atlas. The first of these was The Matrix a film which, although later spoiled by its two sequels, still stands at the pinnacle of science fiction, and is one of the greatest original films of our generation. The film looks at our world in new and refreshing ways, and magnificently combines science fiction, philosophy, and martial arts. The matrix is based upon the premise that the world in which we live, is but a computer program, and that human beings live as slaves who are used simply as a power source.

The Matrix has been shown yearly in philosophy classes just before Christmas for the past decade. Despite being a kick-ass action film, it actually contains some pretty deep philosophy. The film presents us with a world which appears pretty much like our own, people drive cars, use cell phones and have computers, and for the most, the world seems normal, except for one man. A hacker; Thomas Anderson, AKA Neo, feels as if something is wrong with the world, but he cannot explain his uneasiness. He finally meets a man named Morpheus, who explains that the world as we know it is nothing more than a computer program and that the human race has become enslaved by a group of machines, and everyone lives in pods, linked into a program known as ‘The Matrix’.

The film is an homage to Asian martial arts films and ‘wire-fu’ films, the film is visually inspired by Japanese animation, and popularized a technique known as Bullet time, in which motion is slowed down, and yet the camera moves at normal speed. The film is a visual treat, and the real world is clearly differentiated from the matrix, with the color green being highlighted in the matrix, and the color blue being more present in the real world. The film is differentiated from other science fiction films as it lacks the clean sleek look of many other films of this genre, and the ships in the film are messy, with exposed wires, grime and patched metal.

Philosophically, the films overall premise takes liberal inspiration principally from Plato’s allegory of the cave. The overall premise of the film is that the world as we know is not conferred to us not by our senses, not by what we can taste, or see or touch, but rather by its quality. Plato describes how people who do not know the true meaning of the world, they merely see shadows projected onto the wall in front of them, and as they do not know the true nature of their world, they perceive the shadows to be reality. In The Matrix, people who do not know what their world is composed of, perceive it to be reality, and are thus trapped by their false perception. In his allegory of the cave, Plato describes how a man who frees themselves, and who then comes back into the cave will be mocked and ridiculed, and that his fellow men won’t believe him. Neo himself acts in disbelief upon seeing the true nature of The Matrix, and upon discovering the truth almost has a nervous breakdown and becomes catatonic with fear and disbelief. The Matrix is also inspired by Descartes first meditation, the notion that the whole world may be a projection by an evil demon, and that we may be being deceived.

An idea which is also philosophically explored, and which was also explored by Descartes, is the idea that our senses may be misleading us, Morpheus describes how the Matrix is ‘a prison that you cannot see, taste our touch’, and describes how the Matrix is all around us. The irony is that The Matrix doesn’t actually exist, and that even though it surrounds us, it only exists in our mind. Our senses are only electrical signals in our brain, and Morpheus describes how reality is variable, and at one point Neo states that this can’t be, to which Morpheus replies; ‘Be what, be real?’

The Matrix is essentially a computer program, and Morpheus describes to Neo that the rules one encounters in the Matrix, rules that one might encounter in the real world such as gravity and newton’s laws of motion are only as variable as the rules of a computer system, and thus can be broken. The interesting fact is that only those who know the true nature of the Matrix are able to bend its rules, and thus only those who are consciousness of the true nature of ‘reality’ can bend it to their will. The film deals with the idea of the nature of strength, and Morpheus states that his strength in the Matrix has nothing to do with his muscles, as Mouse points out Neo’s neurokinetics, as a sign of his strength. The film also deals with the idea of fate; Neo tells the Oracle that he doesn’t believe in fate because he is in control of his own life. By her nature the very idea of an oracle suggests the existence of fate, as prediction of the future depends on the future being ready planned out.

Another major theme discussed within The Matrix is the idea of ignorance or knowledge. The allegory of the red pill and the blue pill involves a choice which is not based on knowledge. Morpheus tells Neo that no one can be told what the matrix is, and that they must see it for themselves, he is then told to choose between the red pill and the blue pill. To choose between ignorance and knowledge, whatever the consequences may be. Cypher tells Neo that he wishes he had chosen the blue pill, and when tasting a piece of steak with the agents, he states that even though he knows that the steak doesn’t really exist, and that the matrix is telling his brain that it is delicious, that ignorance is bliss and that it is better not to know the true nature of the world. Trinity on the other hand feels that it is always better to know the truth, and that Morpheus set her free when he helped her to escape from the Matrix. This idea of ignorance and knowledge is something which is also explored in Plato’s allegory of the cave. Plato argues that many of the souls confined in the cave are not ready to be freed, and that if a free man goes back into the cave and attempts to free the rest, they will ridicule and mock him, and that only a man strong enough has the courage to leave the cave and the strength to look into the light, and that the other souls will be blinded if they tried to look into the fire. Plato is essentially talking about enlightenment and knowledge in a traditional philosophical sense, however this allegory extends equally well to the idea of knowledge about our world and the forces that guide it.

Despite being a hard core sci-fi action film, The Matrix actually contains some rather complex pieces of philosophy although being a little derivative. The Matrix never pretends to be an original piece of philosophy, or indeed a philosophical work, however what is does exceptionally well, is that it repackages enlightened philosophical ideas for a modern audience, and presents these ideas in ideas which are relevant to the new millennium. The film is a visually daring, action packed treat, and is not only one of the greatest science fiction films of the last decades, but one of the greatest films of all time.

Welcome to the Future

Well the cats out of the bag, Netflix is up, HBO is down. Netflix is an online streaming service which streams archive shows, in addition to old and current movies and original content. HBO on the other hand is a cable channel, which originally focused on boxing, specials and stand up comedy, and which now focuses mainly on drama and comedy series, including Game of Thrones, GIRLS, LOOKING, The Sopranos, Oz, Sex and the City, and Veep.

Well, the big advantage that Netflix has is price, the service costs about 8 dollars a month, fairly cheap for the sheer quantity of shows and movies available, and the flexibility of the service. HBO on the other hand, costs 11-20 dollars a month, significantly more considering that this is a fairly unflexible service, and that you still have to pay the subscription in between Game of Thrones and GIRLS. The quality of these channels is comparable, both make great original series, and Netflix original shows include Orange Is The New Black, House of Cards, Arrested Development and Hemlock Grove. Both channels produce great origianl content and both also produce TV films, Netflix was recently nominated for an Academy Award for The Square.

The other real advantage of Netflix is it's flexibility, the series allows you to watch series whenever, and most importantly, it allows you to binge watch. Netflix, being an internet subscription, also allows for watching on whatever device you want, wherever you want, if you move house, you don't have to contact your cable subscriber, believe me, this is an advantage.

Netflix is also a service which is really adapted to the way in which people watch TV, our modern lives aren't adapted to watching scheduled TV, even the idea of recording something takes too much organization, and you also have to be aware of the series in advance, and so if you are a little late on the game, you're out. More importantly Netflix allows you to binge watch series, which is how most of us like to watch TV, people don't really want to watch a little bit of something every day, they want to watch their favorite shows in a five hour block. Netflix has a policy of releasing all of their shows in a big block, and allowing you to watch them as you please.

So what can we do to save HBO? Well firstly the channel needs to launch an online subscription service, so that people can watch as they please. Secondly they need a more appropriate price for people who only want to watch certain series, and have little interest in watching boxing. HBO already have an on demand service, but an internet subscription service would really help them in keeping up with Netflix. HBO is a fantastic channel and has launched some of the best series in recent television history, all they need to do is provide a service which is more appropriate to the way people actually watch television today.

Marie Antoinette

Marie Antoinette is a 2006 historical drama, written and directed by Sofia Coppola, starring Kirsten Dunst, Jason Schwartzman and Rose Byrne. The film is a highly loose adaptation of the life of the French queen, and represents the life of the queen, from the age of 14 when she was promised to the dauphin, the future king of France, up until the French revolution, when she and her husband were forced to leave Versailles.

The film is a highly loose adaptation, and style clearly takes place over substance in this adaptation. Kirsten Dunst shines as the young and troubled young queen. The film is a highly humanizing portrait of the young queen’s life, and elements of the film are intentionally modernized in order to humanize the characters involved, rather than portraying Marie Antoinette as a selfish and spoilt girl, Coppola presents her as a deeply flawed young woman, entirely cut off from reality, and trapped within a world she had no control over. Jason Schwartzman also stars as Louis XVI. The film also has the distinction of introducing the world to Rose Byrne, who plays Yolande de Polastron, a beautiful and extravagant duchess, a favorite of Marie-Antoinette.

The film is a visually stunning and lavish representation of pre-revolutionary France, and of the court of Versailles, the production had unprecedented access to the court of Versailles and its grounds, and it is of huge advantage to the film. The film is infused with the essence of Versailles, something which could not be achieved if the sets had been constructed for the film. The film is also lavishly costumed, and won an Oscar in 2007 for Best Costume Design. The film often sacrifices historical realism for character development, and the clothes are used intelligently to give us an idea of who these characters really are as people, rather than simply putting them on a pedestal. Marie-Antoinette’s character is developed largely through costume, at the beginning of the film, her costumes are used to show her naiveté and innocence, she wears dresses in blue and pink, with little hats and necklaces, her make-up is also highly subdued at this point, showing that she has not yet reached an age of sexual maturity, and that she is essentially a little girl. Towards the end of the film, as Marie-Antoinette becomes more rebellious and free, her style changes as well. Her make-up becomes darker, more flirtatious, with redder lipstick and more blush, showing her blossoming into a freer and emancipated woman. Towards the end of the film her wardrobe changes also, and she begins wearing darker colors, more daring silhouettes. She also begins to dress in a far freer way; she begins to wear simple, shepherdess dresses, showing her desire for a more liberated, less conservative existence.

Supporting characters are also introduced largely by their wardrobe, Madame Du Barry, a prostitute and favorite of the king is shown with dark defined make-up, and modern avant-garde clothing, looking highly unlike the rest of the nobility, ensuring that she is seen by the audience as an outsider, given that she is not a true member of the nobility. Costume is also used to show the sheer extravagance of the royal family, Manolo Blahnik created hundreds of pairs of shoes for the production, and at one point in the film, we see a pair of modern Chuck Taylor’s, in pale blue under a table, showing that Marie Antoinette is essentially still a young teenager, even if she is the Dauphine of France. Also important in the film are wigs, Marie-Antoinette brought in a fashion for wigs in France, and in the film Marie-Antoinette beginning to wear wigs is a turning point in the film, as her extravagance begins to become inappropriate. Her wigs also show her innocence, that even though she was a grown woman by this point, even though she was queen of France with responsibilities and children, she was still immature and childlike, willing to try odd and even downright ridiculous things.

The film is a highly humanizing portrait of the doomed queen; Marie-Antoinette is portrayed as being entirely cut off from reality, Versailles is depicted as an entirely cut off world, a world in which she was endlessly trailed by courtiers and servants. Marie-Antoinette is portrayed as a woman who couldn’t possibly know about the troubles of the working people of France, because she was entirely cutoff from reality, and as a woman who desperately longed for a simpler life. She is described as essentially a woman who was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and who cannot be blamed for the financial woes of France. Marie-Antoinette is shown to be a woman who cares deeply for her country, despite not having been born in France, and as a woman who accepts the position she has been put in despite it not being her fault.

Louis XVI however is portrayed in a highly unsympathetic light; he is shown to be pompous, unfriendly and uncaring towards his wife. His inability to consummate the marriage is of considerable pain to his wife, and yet he makes no attempt to console her, the film also places the financial ruin of France solely in the hands of Louis XVI, given that it was him who sent troops to America to fight the British, a move inspired wholly by ego. The film’s use of music is also superb, as is traditional for Sofia Coppola films; the film uses a soundtrack of new age and post punk music, which although anachronistic, really allows us to empathize with the characters. The use of anachronistic music, which although being de rigueur today, was relatively unheard of in the early 2000’s, allows us to see Marie-Antoinette as a young teen, and gives us a way to relate to the film.

Although being lightweight and frivolous, Marie Antoinette is a well-produced, visually sumptuous and deftly acted drama; the film finds a way to allow us to empathize with these historical characters, by taking them off their pedestals and humanising them greatly. Marie Antoinette is a harrowing and personal view of the doomed queen, a woman who despite being spoilt and selfish, is not guilty of either the financial ruin of France or the downfall of the monarchy, and who has been made to pay for the faults and flaws of the monarchy as an institution. Sofia Coppola shows that she again is a highly capable director with a real voice and opinion, and is successfully able to translate this overly told story to the big screen, giving it a new perspective and enlightenment. Rating: A

Marie-Antoinette: Am I to be Austrian or the Dauphine of France?