Review - Her

Spike Jonze's latest offering, in it's very simplest form, is a story of love and loss, but if there's one thing Her certainly isn't, it's simple.

The film is set in the not too distant future, Joaquin Phoenix plays Theodore Twombly, a writer for BeautifulHandwrittenLetters.com. Theodore's world, as is everyone's in this age, is entirely technology dominated. Although Theodore spends much of the beginning of the film fanaticising about his ex-wife Catherine (Rooney Mara) he is alone most of the time. Even his friend Amy (Amy Adams) doesn't see him very often, and his other human interaction is limited. It is around this time we meet the most up to date operating systems OS1. OS1 is a Siri-esque operating system that learns, adapts, has intuition and grows emotionally. Theodore's selected OS is Samantha (Scarlett Johansson) and from here on out, Theodore's feelings find him blurring the lines between what's really real and what isn't.

At first Samantha is simply helpful, but as she grows and becomes more aware, so does her relationship with Theodore and once romantic acts begin to be played out, everything feels very unnerving. Even as you see Theodore with other humans, he's never as at ease with them as he is with his OS. There are so many layers to the film, so many things it could be saying, possibly a commentary on people's relationships with technology, or people's relationships with each other. Essays could easily be written about the messages in Her.

Purely on face value though, it is a beautiful film. Soft lighting, gorgeous colours, great camera angles, but it's not a film to really be taken on face value alone. It is certainly thought provoking, a film that will cause differences of opinion and that is by no means a bad thing. I think personally, what was so unsettling, is that out if every A.I film I've seen, Her is certainly the most realistic, and that idea of what society could potentially become is quite scary! 

It is definitely not a film for everyone but it's definitely a great film to go and see, I do highly recommend it. 

Another Golden Globes Blog

I'm sure by now you've read enough Golden Globes blogs to satisfy your awards cravings until the Oscars! I don't usually watch the Golden Globes, but this year I remembered to look up the repeats so I could actually watch it. I struggle to watch the American awards shows simply because of the time difference, then by the time I wake up the day after I can just read the coverage.

I enjoyed it, though. [If I remember] it's certainly one I will watch again! I thought Tina Fey and Amy Poelher did a great job hosting, some of the actors looked slightly bemused by their antics but others were excellent sports (note: Leonardo DiCaprio for the thumbs up).

This year's nominee list was dominated by three films, 12 Years A Slave, American Hustle, and Gravity. I am sorely disappointed to say I have yet to see any, so I can't pass judgement on who was a worthy winner or not! I was very happy to see Leonardo DiCaprio pick up the award for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy, I'm seeing The Wolf of Wall Street next week and I am very excited (and I will do a review after). I imagine 12 Years A Slave may dominate the Oscars, they aren't really ones to enjoy a comedy I don't think.

I was also impressed to see Brooklyn Nine-Nine scoop best TV Comedy and Andy Samberg get Best Actor in a TV Comedy. Brooklyn Nine-Nine airs in the UK on Thursday and I was planning on watching anyway but now I'm really looking forward to it. I think that's why I enjoyed The Golden Globes, they celebrate comedy as well as drama.

I won't delve into the fashion side of the awards too much, everyone will have been picked apart already. I did think Jessica Chastain looked amazing though, and also Lupita Nyong'o looked stunning! 

The state of upcoming movies looks brilliant, I want to see Inside Llweyn Davis, and Her a lot too. 

I'm excited about the BAFTAs now, my personal favourite movie awards. I am a sucker for awards season.