Right here,
right now.
I, Katie O., vow that I will never watch emotional movies with people I have emotional connections with.
Because while yes watching movies with people you have feelings for (mother, brother, cousin, significant other, etc) is considered custom in America, it does make for awkward instances when certain adult material pops up on the screen.
Because while yes watching movies with people you have feelings for (mother, brother, cousin, significant other, etc) is considered custom in America, it does make for awkward instances when certain adult material pops up on the screen.
(I made the mistake of watching Black Swan with my mother when it first appeared in theatres. In case you didn't know, there is a lesbian sex scene in this movie.
I have never felt so incredibly embarrassed and confused in my life.)
I have never felt so incredibly embarrassed and confused in my life.)
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| By Warner Bros. Pictures Annapurna Pictures (www.herthemovie.com) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons |
Therefore, I shall now be taking homeless people to the movies, even though they most likely will smell like a mixture rotten bananas and sweaty feet. I shall buy them popcorn. The aroma of freshly buttered, popped kernels will mask the stench of their street journeys and I can fulfill my French obsession with carbohydrates.
Now, the movie I shall be reviewing today: her by Spike Jonze
ACTING
Now I know Joaquin Phoenix has had a bit of a problem with his anger in the past, but watching him onscreen was absolutely delightful. He plays Theodore, a freshly divorced middle-aged man living in futuristic Los Angeles who falls in love with his computer program, Samantha (aka Scarlett Johansson). You can really see the adoration their characters have for one another and it felt realistic to me. I really enjoyed watching them together, along with the other members of the cast.
Total Oscars: 4.5
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| By aphrodite-in-nyc from new york city (P1040640 Uploaded by stemoc) [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons |
SET/MAKEUP
Now I know that the film is supposed to be set in future Los Angeles, but I did notice that a lot of the scenes were shot in China. Not sure which city, but it definitely was giving the into-the-future feel that the director was going for. I did like the use of resources there.
As far as makeup goes, there were a few times that I found it distracting. For instance, there was a picnic scene with Theodore, Samantha, and some friends and Theodore had stains on his shirt. It could just be my prior job training as a film editor kicking in, but it was moments like that throughout the piece that seemed to interfere with my watching of the film.
Total Oscars: 4
STORYLINE
Theodore is a freshly divorced/separated man who is trying to date again in an advanced society where computer programs are a part of everyday interaction. He gets a new program, called OS, whose personality is named Samantha. Theodore and Samantha end up becoming super close and dating, but this isn't easy as the couple finds issues with intimacy, opening up, and being a couple in general. They both experience trying events that make them question their relationship, but the real question of the film is this: will true love ever be possible?
Total Oscars: 5
Oscar Sum: 13.5
