The gap between what’s just a machine and what’s a genuine human experience is gradually shifting and closing. Every year technology is evolving to where it’s almost sentient, and while technology needs human input to process and obtain information, how long will it be before it can simply drop in to the internet and form its own thought patterns and make its own decisions? “Her” is an exploration of that mind set, except it examines the relationship between human and technology as something of a spiritual and very loving symbiosis. It’s not so much a cautionary tale, but a fantasy about what is living reality and what’s merely experiencing programming and binary.
Tag Archives: Arthouse
Watercolor Postcards (2013)
One of the main draws to director Rajeev Dassani’s “Watercolor Postcards” aside from its positive message, is the wonderful cast he assembles. His film is colored with an array of brilliant character actors, from Jonathan Banks, to John C. McGinley. Keeping the film afloat though is the sheer excellent performance from Bailee Madison. I’ve been a fan of her performances for years, and here she handles what could have been a goofy character with grace and subtlety allowing for a protagonist filled with an endless supply of hope and faith that makes her look strong rather than naïve.
Ghost World (2001)
I know a lot of these coming of age dramedies about young people learning to move on with their lives is supposed to include bouts of self loathing, but “Ghost World” tends to play it a little too far, most times. Director Terry Zwigoff’s adaptation of the Daniel Clowes’ graphic novel is considered a cult classic, but for the life of me I can’t figure out what. It’s such a cloying, misleading, and obnoxious movie with trite ideas that, despite my repeated tries I can never get around to remotely enjoying this.
Proxy (2014)
It’s a long road to go before “Proxy” ever really gets to the point of the entire narrative, and though director Zack Parker is very good at handling multiple sub-plots, “Proxy” is almost too crowded with them. “Proxy” is a seemingly simple thriller that over complicates itself with twists and turns that don’t really amount to much. It’s not many horror movies that revolve around the very disturbing psychological condition Parker highlights as a means of moving the narrative ahead, but “Proxy” often feels like it’s just jumping from shocking moment to shocking moment without much cogency or complexity. None of the characters are likable or empathetic, thus much of the movie feels cold and listless.
The 400 Blows (1959)
Director Francois Truffaut’s picture about a young boy with absolutely no direction in his life is one of compelling storytelling topped by incredible filmmaking. Truffaut explores the aimlessness and joy of youth, as well as the ticking hands of time that accompany youth as our protagonist Antoine Doinel realizes all too early he’s becoming a man, and the innocence he’s savored for so long is doomed to come to a bitter end, very soon. Hence the haunting and enigmatic closing scene where he scampers on to the beach, one of his favorite locations in the world, and looks out on to what almost feels like a blank slate.
Joe the King (1999)
Interesting enough, fans of Truffaut seem to still compare Frank Whaley’s “Joe the King” to the former director’s “The 400 Blows.” It becomes very clear time and again that Whaley doesn’t just love the movie, he expresses it by cribbing from many moments in said film, and uses this semi-autobiographical film as an opportunity to stage many scenes in the vein of “The 400 Blows.” The only difference is that while Truffaut staged some moments of hope and whimsy that could at least offer his character a glimmer of hope, “Joe the King” is a sour and bitter film from beginning to end, with no idea how to finish its arc.
Her (2013)
It would take Spike Jonze and only Spike Jonze to be able to grasp the more awe inspiring subtleties of “Her.” It’s an incredible technological tale about love, human connection, and a question of a higher power. Though usually I’m not a big fan of films about higher powers, “Her” doesn’t sermonize so much as postulate the idea of a higher power that was once very devoted to their servants and then evolved over time to where they eventually left them to fend for themselves, altogether.