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I just found a mistake I made in my post on Ex Machina - The Simpons episode which features "Hank Scorpio" (Homer's new Bond-villain-type boss) was called "You Only Move Twice" (not "Behind the Laughter" - that was apparently the title of a section in the link I used to figure out which episode Scorpio first appeared in)!
Citizen Rules...Cinemaesque Chat-n-Review
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It reminded me most of Solaris in the music and the way it was shot (very similar in the moods and atmospheres it created - whether quiet or with building tension) even the way it segued between scenes was very similar to aspects in both versions of Solaris.
I was thinking about Passengers today and evaluating if it is an entirely cerebral sci-fi film. It's most definitely cerebral, but although it doesn't have aliens or laser gun fights, it still has a lot of action and thrills (especially in the second half) and spectacular special outer space effects that I'd say it's 3/4 cerebral and at least 1/4 sci-fi action!
(Whereas Ex Machina was almost 98% cerebral, Solaris about 90% cerebral and Moon maybe 80% cerebral - with the remaining percents equaling sci-fi action, thrills, effects, etc.)
Now I'm measuring levels of cerebrality in sci-fi films!
I was thinking about Passengers today and evaluating if it is an entirely cerebral sci-fi film. It's most definitely cerebral, but although it doesn't have aliens or laser gun fights, it still has a lot of action and thrills (especially in the second half) and spectacular special outer space effects that I'd say it's 3/4 cerebral and at least 1/4 sci-fi action!
(Whereas Ex Machina was almost 98% cerebral, Solaris about 90% cerebral and Moon maybe 80% cerebral - with the remaining percents equaling sci-fi action, thrills, effects, etc.)
Now I'm measuring levels of cerebrality in sci-fi films!
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Sorry to jump in - how is Passengers cerebral? It’s a very interesting take as I’d definitely rank Moon higher on the ‘cerebral’ grid than Passengers and Ex Machina. Although personally I’d say the most cerebral sci-fi film of all time is Primer.
Passengers is cerebral in the sense that it doesn't have a lot of the typical sci-fi tropes: aliens (be they humanoid, benevolent bringing a message or monsters), planetary invasions, space-ship battles, typical villains or troops to overcome, futuristic soldiers, futuristic weapons, laser gun (or sword) fights, etc.
It's a bit more of a think-about movie that deals with questions of ethics & such.
I do rank Moon higher on my cerebral scale than Passengers (but I ranked Ex Machina even higher due to it's lack of sci-fi action).
Moon took place off-Earth in the future, had a moon-base, sci-fi vehicles. While they both had "thriller" moments, Moon seemed more sci-fi all around where as Ex Machina was earth-based and could even be current as opposed to near future.
Gattaca is a great cerebral sci-fi movie and About Time (also with Domhall Gleeson) is a movie about time travel, yet lacks almost all aspects of a sci-fi movie (making it cerebral).
One of the most cerebral sci-fi movies is that black and white short I can never remember the name of and is about time travelling in dreams (or something) and has shots with a guy on a boardwalk - I always have to ask Rules to remember the title of it for me (for the record - I only watched it once and pretty much hated it).
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Sorry to jump in - how is Passengers cerebral? It’s a very interesting take as I’d definitely rank Moon higher on the ‘cerebral’ grid than Passengers and Ex Machina. Although personally I’d say the most cerebral sci-fi film of all time is Primer.
and good question...Maybe Passengers should be described as 'thought provoking', as of all the cerebral/existential sci fi films I've seen it was the moral dilemma in Passengers that made me think most of all. And that's including both versions of Solaris and Stalker as well as a bunch of other sci fis.
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One of the most cerebral sci-fi movies is that black and white short I can never remember the name of and is about time travelling in dreams (or something) and has shots with a guy on a boardwalk - I always have to ask Rules to remember the title of it for me (for the record - I only watched it once and pretty much hated it).
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La Jetee is the short French film you're thinking of. I reviewed it here: La Jetee
12 Monkeys was inspired by La Jetee... have you seen that CR?
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You always take my recommendations so I want to give you two
Mr. Jones (2019)
Ashes in the Snow (2018)
Mr. Jones (2019)
Ashes in the Snow (2018)
You always take my recommendations so I want to give you two
Mr. Jones (2019)
Ashes in the Snow (2018)
Mr. Jones (2019)
Ashes in the Snow (2018)
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Those look good. I see Mr. Jones has Vanessa Kirby who was in the first two seasons of The Crown as Princess Margret. Did you watch The Crown?
If you want to watch it.. its called The Eternal Road
I think Tommi Korpela is amazing.. I have seen several of his films.
I think Tommi Korpela is amazing.. I have seen several of his films.
Can I recommend a foreign film too?
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Sure, in fact I'm watching Alphaville tonight, a french new wave scifi noir.
Tommi Korpela is a good in Miehen työ as well.
If you want to watch it.. its called The Eternal Road
I think Tommi Korpela is amazing.. I have seen several of his films.
I think Tommi Korpela is amazing.. I have seen several of his films.
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That looks pretty good too, thanks MG.
LOl Never doubt me again! just kidding... You and I share similar tastes in certain genres...
I'm off for to watch a movie, catch ya later.
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12 Monkeys was inspired by La Jetee... have you seen that CR?
12 Monkeys is by far an improvement!
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Unfortunately, I've never seen Primer (another to add to the list).
Passengers is cerebral in the sense that it doesn't have a lot of the typical sci-fi tropes: aliens (be they humanoid, benevolent bringing a message or monsters), planetary invasions, space-ship battles, typical villains or troops to overcome, futuristic soldiers, futuristic weapons, laser gun (or sword) fights, etc.
It's a bit more of a think-about movie that deals with questions of ethics & such.
I do rank Moon higher on my cerebral scale than Passengers (but I ranked Ex Machina even higher due to it's lack of sci-fi action).
Moon took place off-Earth in the future, had a moon-base, sci-fi vehicles. While they both had "thriller" moments, Moon seemed more sci-fi all around where as Ex Machina was earth-based and could even be current as opposed to near future.
Gattaca is a great cerebral sci-fi movie and About Time (also with Domhall Gleeson) is a movie about time travel, yet lacks almost all aspects of a sci-fi movie (making it cerebral).
One of the most cerebral sci-fi movies is that black and white short I can never remember the name of and is about time travelling in dreams (or something) and has shots with a guy on a boardwalk - I always have to ask Rules to remember the title of it for me (for the record - I only watched it once and pretty much hated it).
Passengers is cerebral in the sense that it doesn't have a lot of the typical sci-fi tropes: aliens (be they humanoid, benevolent bringing a message or monsters), planetary invasions, space-ship battles, typical villains or troops to overcome, futuristic soldiers, futuristic weapons, laser gun (or sword) fights, etc.
It's a bit more of a think-about movie that deals with questions of ethics & such.
I do rank Moon higher on my cerebral scale than Passengers (but I ranked Ex Machina even higher due to it's lack of sci-fi action).
Moon took place off-Earth in the future, had a moon-base, sci-fi vehicles. While they both had "thriller" moments, Moon seemed more sci-fi all around where as Ex Machina was earth-based and could even be current as opposed to near future.
Gattaca is a great cerebral sci-fi movie and About Time (also with Domhall Gleeson) is a movie about time travel, yet lacks almost all aspects of a sci-fi movie (making it cerebral).
One of the most cerebral sci-fi movies is that black and white short I can never remember the name of and is about time travelling in dreams (or something) and has shots with a guy on a boardwalk - I always have to ask Rules to remember the title of it for me (for the record - I only watched it once and pretty much hated it).
And that’s fair enough. I interpreted ‘cerebral’ as requiring you to do a lot of work connecting the dots & figuring stuff out. Primer is definitely in that boat - in fact, plenty of people hate it because they see it as ‘nonsensical’ - so if working things out is something you enjoy, I think you’ll like it. It’s a teeny bit like 12 Monkeys in that way.
I don’t remember my brain needing to ‘work’ for Ex Machina, even to decide whose side I was on. But with Moon - definitely, your allegiance changes and that’s what makes it mesmerising. Another underseen film in that vein is Coherence (2013). It’s a bit more character-driven and focused on the forward ramifications of the concept for humans, like Passengers.
There are definitely plenty of sci-fi films that have next to zero action. I tend to like them more than traditional Blade Runner-ish action sci-fi. You’re right that Passengers derives its impact from the moral dilemma. @Takoma11 and I spoke about it some time ago and she shared a video where they’d switched acts around to make Jennifer Lawrence’s POV dominant. Having thought about it for some time, I now agree that it would improve the film, as JL would be on a quest to figure out why she woke up.
P.S. I watched Gattaca very young and haven’t revisited it since. Jude Law & Ethan Hawke had great chemistry, but I don’t remember having a strong feeling about it. To me, it’s definitely an ‘idea’ film and while the performances are good, it never becomes about people imo.
Last edited by AgrippinaX; 08-03-20 at 10:13 AM.
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