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MovieMeditation presents...
HIS FILM DIARY 2015
total movie count ........... current day count
233 .......................... 255
__________________________
July 30th
—— 2012 ——
L I F E
OF
P I
—— adventure ——
REWATCH
IN 3D
You think tiger is your friend?
He is an animal, not a playmate
This will be the first time I dive into this life journey of a pacific pioneer, ever since I saw it at the theaters, all the way back in 2012... Upon release, this film was favored by many critics and hailed by the mainstream audience as the ultimate experience of visual exceptionalism and eccentric escapism. I definitely see the appeal in watching something almost unreal unfold on the open waters, while we sit safely in our seats watching magic become reality. The question is though, whether or not this movie truly is superior enough to be sailing past other films at award shows, winning in several categories as well…
If you want my personal point of view, I see this film sailing down the same (main) stream as ‘Avatar’ did, back in 2009. ‘Life of Pi’ is an immerse movie made to be experienced, not merely watched, all the while the scale of budget and cinematic science is operated at the uppermost level. This may not make it cinematic craftsmanship at its finest, but it launches a visual concept and constructs a wonderful world around it – a place that encourages you to jump on board this visual spectacle and join the journey of picturesque proportions. Because, this film is definitely beautiful to look at, though I'm still not sure how I feel when computer-generated visuals beat out hand-made and hand-measured cinematography at award shows – but who cares about medaling movies anyways? Even though I might not mesh with the mass of cinema evolution, I do think it is amazing what you can achieve with movies today, especially when going all the way with it. Because I do think the film is absolutely stunning, and it is the visuals, which make the movie lift off the screen, while the main character and authentic artificial animals award the movie with all the weight.
That said, I will say the weight that this movie has isn’t much more than what can fit into a lifeboat, quite literally, but when you look at what the movie has to work with it succeeds rather well actually. Suraj Sharma does a fine job as the main character out there in the open, but he isn’t as extraordinary as some people seem to think. But when his acting perhaps isn't up to par or pales next to the beauty of the film, I just remind myself of a few things… this guy is a debutant actor in his first role… acting in a major big budget blockbuster… made by an Oscar-winning director… acting opposite absolutely nothing… next to a blue screen… behind a swimming pool… inside a set. Honestly, that is all you need to know to be pretty convinced. And after all, the beauty of the film is blinding and a joy to behold. But the thing is, when you have just one actor on screen for most of the runtime, it isn’t always easy to keep everything interesting. It does have a hard time paddling itself along, but thankfully the visuals make you forget the cloudier parts – both the backdrops and the animals front and center. The wide landscape makes us lean back and enjoy the scenario, while the animals makes us invested and interested in what is going on. How these animals came to life is a prime example of computer magic making our emotions compute. When you look at it, the movie essentially succeeds in the same way that the character does. It is some kind of weird real-time revelation of cinema; this movie struggles at times but ultimately keeps everything afloat.
Overall, 'Life of Pi' is like a combined poem of nature and human nature; a morally majestic masterpiece in many ways, though not through and through in my eyes. I definitely see the beauty of it, but I guess it is an exercise in capturing the moment and showing off every technical flair possible. It feels almost like Noah's very, very small ark, but it is just so full of life when you watch it. In my opinion the 3D is essential, mainly because of the experience you want to have with it, and the fact that it adds that extra sense of being inside the boat… out on the sea… around all the emptiness. This film never really took my breath away, despite of all the stimulating scenery present, but the storm hitting the ship and sinking it is by far my favorite sequence. That scene is surprisingly intense and extremely well made, especially with the last shot of Pi flowing weightless beneath the waters. It has almost become an iconic shot and it is a prime example of a beautiful art from artificial machinery – and so is the movie itself, whether you like it or not.
__________________________
HIS FILM DIARY 2015
total movie count ........... current day count
233 .......................... 255
__________________________
July 30th
—— 2012 ——
L I F E
OF
P I
—— adventure ——
REWATCH
IN 3D
You think tiger is your friend?
He is an animal, not a playmate
This will be the first time I dive into this life journey of a pacific pioneer, ever since I saw it at the theaters, all the way back in 2012... Upon release, this film was favored by many critics and hailed by the mainstream audience as the ultimate experience of visual exceptionalism and eccentric escapism. I definitely see the appeal in watching something almost unreal unfold on the open waters, while we sit safely in our seats watching magic become reality. The question is though, whether or not this movie truly is superior enough to be sailing past other films at award shows, winning in several categories as well…
If you want my personal point of view, I see this film sailing down the same (main) stream as ‘Avatar’ did, back in 2009. ‘Life of Pi’ is an immerse movie made to be experienced, not merely watched, all the while the scale of budget and cinematic science is operated at the uppermost level. This may not make it cinematic craftsmanship at its finest, but it launches a visual concept and constructs a wonderful world around it – a place that encourages you to jump on board this visual spectacle and join the journey of picturesque proportions. Because, this film is definitely beautiful to look at, though I'm still not sure how I feel when computer-generated visuals beat out hand-made and hand-measured cinematography at award shows – but who cares about medaling movies anyways? Even though I might not mesh with the mass of cinema evolution, I do think it is amazing what you can achieve with movies today, especially when going all the way with it. Because I do think the film is absolutely stunning, and it is the visuals, which make the movie lift off the screen, while the main character and authentic artificial animals award the movie with all the weight.
That said, I will say the weight that this movie has isn’t much more than what can fit into a lifeboat, quite literally, but when you look at what the movie has to work with it succeeds rather well actually. Suraj Sharma does a fine job as the main character out there in the open, but he isn’t as extraordinary as some people seem to think. But when his acting perhaps isn't up to par or pales next to the beauty of the film, I just remind myself of a few things… this guy is a debutant actor in his first role… acting in a major big budget blockbuster… made by an Oscar-winning director… acting opposite absolutely nothing… next to a blue screen… behind a swimming pool… inside a set. Honestly, that is all you need to know to be pretty convinced. And after all, the beauty of the film is blinding and a joy to behold. But the thing is, when you have just one actor on screen for most of the runtime, it isn’t always easy to keep everything interesting. It does have a hard time paddling itself along, but thankfully the visuals make you forget the cloudier parts – both the backdrops and the animals front and center. The wide landscape makes us lean back and enjoy the scenario, while the animals makes us invested and interested in what is going on. How these animals came to life is a prime example of computer magic making our emotions compute. When you look at it, the movie essentially succeeds in the same way that the character does. It is some kind of weird real-time revelation of cinema; this movie struggles at times but ultimately keeps everything afloat.
Overall, 'Life of Pi' is like a combined poem of nature and human nature; a morally majestic masterpiece in many ways, though not through and through in my eyes. I definitely see the beauty of it, but I guess it is an exercise in capturing the moment and showing off every technical flair possible. It feels almost like Noah's very, very small ark, but it is just so full of life when you watch it. In my opinion the 3D is essential, mainly because of the experience you want to have with it, and the fact that it adds that extra sense of being inside the boat… out on the sea… around all the emptiness. This film never really took my breath away, despite of all the stimulating scenery present, but the storm hitting the ship and sinking it is by far my favorite sequence. That scene is surprisingly intense and extremely well made, especially with the last shot of Pi flowing weightless beneath the waters. It has almost become an iconic shot and it is a prime example of a beautiful art from artificial machinery – and so is the movie itself, whether you like it or not.
__________________________