Movie No. 7 (2014): HER
Her (2013)
Director: Spike Jonze
Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Scarlett Johansson
If we have to look closely we may see that the movie indicts the foreseen technological advancements in artificial intelligence and computer science in an extrapolated future, which may not be too far, where keyboards that, at present, interface between human and computer are already obsolete. It's already a given that certain types of technology in this area alienate men. The movie presents a "what if" situation in this "scienced" fiction, where Theodore, a recent divorcee, who is lonely and insecure, finds solace in his newly-acquired, talking operating system, which (or who) calls itself (or herself) Samantha, until he falls in love with It (or Her).
Director: Spike Jonze
Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Scarlett Johansson
If we have to look closely we may see that the movie indicts the foreseen technological advancements in artificial intelligence and computer science in an extrapolated future, which may not be too far, where keyboards that, at present, interface between human and computer are already obsolete. It's already a given that certain types of technology in this area alienate men. The movie presents a "what if" situation in this "scienced" fiction, where Theodore, a recent divorcee, who is lonely and insecure, finds solace in his newly-acquired, talking operating system, which (or who) calls itself (or herself) Samantha, until he falls in love with It (or Her).
Weird? No, imaginative!
The movie is ambitious, but not in a negative way, despite its intimate take on the story. It's rare that we get awed by the performance of an actor who we don't see physically in the movie. The case is that of Scarlett Johansson's. We only hear her as the voice of Samantha. We can feel Samantha's emotions when she's playful, or when she's subtle, or when she's ecstatic, or when she's ... and so on. These are emotions that she has been trained/customized to "feel." Remember, Samantha is an AI program. Theodore, succumbing to his loneliness, gets trapped in such an artificial affair with his computer's operating system.
This dramatic, but sometimes funny, science fiction is more than just a movie. It actually poses questions. It criticizes the nature of "self," too. For all we know, the "affair" is just a metaphor for men falling in love with his creations or making his creations fall for his narcissistic self. But, as a movie, it triumphs in every aspect of great film making.
Rating: 4.0/4.0
Date seen: January 12, 2014
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