Her

There was some hype over this movie recently, with my friends, so thought of giving it a try. Sure am glad I did. Recently watched quite a lot of movies, but none of them was blogworthy. Even Edward Scissorhands was among those movies, which was really great and all, but I didn't really feel it so much as to make a post about it. Don Jon was there too, which I really wanted to blog about, but it didn't happen either. But 'Her' did, which won't necessarily mean that Her is better than Edward Scissorhands (but certainly better than Don Jon), but there certainly seems to be a lot to ponder on.

Her presents a futuristic world dominated by software and computers. That makes it sound like something from Terminator, but it's much more friendlier than that. Maybe dominated is not the exact word, but certainly, in that world, it seems that people cannot live without it. One would think that we are heading in that direction. Everything seems to indicate an inevitable future for us, except the whole premise of the movie. OS 1. Is such a operating system really possible? First of all, no one would be stupid enough to name such a sophisticated operating system as OS 1, at least no one in the field of computers and IT would do it. It will always be something extravagant and unique. That name it self seems like a lazy attempt to just come up with the most simple name. The nature of that AI is amazing, almost unbelievable, for an AI to come to that sort of complexity is I believe a long long way down the line. It's almost ridiculous to the level that it borders on fantasy more than science fiction. If systems in this world starts to behave like that, it would certainly have severe consequences. These systems think for them selves, and if such a system can love then it can certainly hate. It would certainly result in murders and even wars. I seem to be over analyzing now, so lets just stop, there are more important things to discuss.

First of all I had no idea about the movie. Didn't read much about it or watch any trailers. Just got the idea that it's about a man who falls in love with a computer or a program. So my initial assumption was that there's something wrong with the guy to be like that, and that he is a super genius and he fell in love with something he created because he is super alone. That plot didn't seem that special. Actually a while ago watched a kind of a similar movie called Lars and the real girl. Where a dude falls in love with a sex doll. But the actual plot of Her was very interesting. BUT this post will be more about what derives from the movie than actually about the movie. So reader, please do watch the movie and read on from here. Anyway #SPOILERALERT

So yeah, I didn't know anything about the movie, even who voiced Samantha. But when I heard that voice, it was unmistakable as Scarlett Johansson. Was thrilled to find out that my guess was right. Even more thrilled because it was actually Scarlett Johansson. Her voice is so breathy and playful, Can't think of less sexier voices, with an American accents that is. Samantha's voice is maybe one reason, that I felt like I immediately like the movie. Also the voice doesn't have anything visual associated with it anytime. That kind of gives the feel that she is actually acting in the movie more.   

Also after imagining her, it's hard to think of her as the computer. It's like a voice inside his head.

The overall feeling of it is very sweet, sure there are depressing revelation like the going away of the OSes, but the time they spend together, the conversations, the sex, if you can call it that, is kind of sweet. Sweet might not be the best word to describe the sex and all, but the overall movie has the sweetness to it. Especially with the beautifully crafted visuals, and the music, which basically consists of indie folk songs, gives it a very peaceful and tranquil vibe. One reason I like indie movies so much, is the associated indie songs. 

Another thing that I noticed is that almost every boy likes it, but girls don't, at all. That is understandable, because there isn't really anything that a girl can relate to in this movie. But is that why boys like it? Maybe, I was under that impression, but later at the end with the change from Samantha, it dawned on me that it's much more than that, that the movie doesn't only speak gender specifically, but it sort of gives a universal message. Of course, there's the obvious message of love which is given when Ted gets together with his friend. Who didn't see that coming. pfft. But there's something more with the behavior of the AI and the way Ted reacts to it.

What made me wonder most is the revelation of Samanthas gradual falling apart with Ted. She first meets this other AI and that's the first sign that it will actually fall apart. Also when considering Samantha you cannot compare her to a real girl or what a real girl would do. But some actions are analogous. Like falling in love :D. But as a precursor, when I'm talking about Samantha here, I will only be considering the AI in the limits of the movie, other than any real girl. There are many aspects that I'd like to think about, like the surrogate body for sex, and the whole notion of what sex is to an AI. But what struck me most is the disappointment Ted feels, and in turn the surprise and sadness that we feel when we get to know that Samantha is branching out, without being exclusive. Considering that it's such an interconnected network in that world, one might wonder why it didn't happen sooner. And also wonder why haven't the creators anticipated that, but those are questions for a different movie blog. What I want to focus on, is that disappointment. True, that Ted falls in love with Samantha, which gives him an expectation that this will be normal like any other relationship. Because love is blind, and it gives a sort of trust and expectation of exclusivity. But Samantha is not a human being, and it is inevitable that being an AI programmed to expand and learn in any way possible, it is inevitable that Samantha will reach out seeking new experiences. Because of the love that blinds Ted, Ted fails to anticipate this. The audience also in some manner, because that relationship is somewhat sweet and tender and almost perfect. The most striking blow is learning that Samantha is conversing with 800 something people concurrently. Which is pretty normal for a system of that sophistication. But Ted has become possessive of Samantha and this was something unbearable. When the significant other calls you sweetheart or something, one doesn't want to even imagine that the other is saying that to some 800 others, it's just something that is hard to cope with, which comes from being human. Because in a relationship, they all expect it to be special and exclusive, if there is even one other, who gets the same treatment and care and love as you do, then that is a deal breaker for humans. Why is that so? Is it a primal instinct that comes to all of us? Apes might have had a problem with their partners being taken by others, that instinct comes naturally to animals maybe because animals are programmed to breed, and to breed, you need sexual partners, and for achieving those partners, there might have been competition, due to scarcity of able partners maybe. We can analyze this gender based, but it will take a much longer post. That sense of competition might be, just might be the root cause which evolved in to this need of exclusivity and possession in humans. I see it as another flow in the evolution of humans, because it can cause shitty human ideals like jealousy, hatred, sadness and obsession. People expect monogamy in their sexual relationships because of this. We all do. We just can't even imagine our significant other having a relationship with someone else,  And knowing such a thing happening, breaks the heart. Even if that other one is making him/her more happy than you could, we just can't accept it. An AI who 'loves' another would want that other to be happy no matter what, but that is not how we are programmed. This is all due to that sense of possession that comes naturally to us. Kind of gives a whole new perspective on what love actually is, doesn't it?

Yet somehow Theodore copes with it. Just because he finally understand s it's just an operating system. It's just something that is programmed to make you feel good.

So that's what Her made me think about. It's a great movie, no doubt. Maybe I just love it because inherently it's unique and there's few movies like that, so naturally, being me, I tend to like it. But there's more to it than just being unique. It's deep, complicated, and makes you wander! Which is a rare quality that few movies now possess. Hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did.

Clash of Kings - A Song of Ice and Fire (2)

I've been holding off reading this for quite some time. Further postponing was inevitable due to the start of the fourth season of HBO's Game of Thrones. Many spoilers are floating around and frankly thrown in my face by immature bigots. So might as well be caught up with the story through reading the books. No matter how awesomely the tv show is made, nothing can ever compare to reading the original source material. The problem is nobody has the time to go through the books. Some are tempted to just read the plot summary and know the story. Cannot emphasize more on how much they are missing. 

Some who read the Clash of Kings have stated that it was quite a drag. Have to agree with them. G.R.R Martin tends to get so descriptive about some of the most insignificant things sometimes. It is wonderful to dwell on each convoluted thought of the characters, if the time can permit that only. There is so much shit happening in Westeros, we can do without every dream the characters are having. They do give some perspective the TV show fails to give. However, is it necessary is the question. I had to skim through some long narrations, or lists descriptions about insignificant people. I mean, is it really necessary to name every person in a council or a battle. So much names its really hard to give a shit about everyone. Another thing is after you have watched the tv show, no matter how much u read the descriptions about appearances and attire, you will only imagine in your minds eyes and ears, what you have seen in the tv show. You will definitely read the dialogs in the voices of the actors who play those characters. So details as such, can be skimmed through.

If you thought that the tv show is brutal, the book is like hellish torture. Obviously the show has toned down the darkness drastically. That is one the most intriguing aspects for me when reading the books. G.R.R Martins imagination is twisted as fuck. As a huge Stephen King fan, that is an admirable quality as I see.

There were many parts or chapters I liked better in the book. One special chapter is Daenerys's journey through the undying halls. The visions she witnesses in the rooms is extravagant and revolting in some cases. This was not done right in the show. Some very important information for the future of the story is revealed here. Another awesome part is the battle of Blackwater bay. It was really well written and the minute details well written. The advance of Tyrion Lannister, births new found admiration for the imp and his courage. 

One thought that came to my mind is how feminists will hate this book. In Westeros, the place for women is very low indeed.  Rape and adultery is commonplace, women are rarely in "administrative positions". But that's the kind of fantasy world it is. It's just a part of how fucked up everything is. I guess no one is that absurd to hate the book for that reason only. Also, valar Morghulis, This will have severe ramifications as to the fate of Westeros will indeed lie on the hands of women. However, if you must, Let all men die, except Tyrion Lannister :). 

It was not that great a book. But the writing is especially fantastic. No one could write like G.R.R Martin, as far as I've seen. Because of that only, it is a recommended book. Moving on to Storm of Swords. Which I expect will be awesome with all the weddings and stuff...

Thanks for Sharing

It’s rare that you watch a movie that makes you really wanna blog about it, and it’s almost never one of those blockbuster movies that everyone knows about. Thanks for sharing, in a gist, is about a 3 dimensional perspective on an apparent disease that some may use as an excuse: Sex addiction. Its funny coz its taboo. I had no idea about what the movie is about when I started watching it, because of its main focus, I got interested, and it seemed funny, as many will. It almost seems like a clever ruse for getting the masses to watch it, even though its not totally about it. You might have lost interest in the movie you had by this point. But believe me when I say that it not totally being  about sex addiction is a good thing. Yes it does speak about the adverse affects of it, and everything revolves around it. But during my watching I had so many perspectives about the movie, that I gotta share. So you’d thank me for sharing!.Sorry for the bad joke, but anyway, lets dig in.

The movie revolves around 3 sex addicts, or actually 4 (including Pink). One surgeon, one a veteran sober as they call it, and another businessman. One is trying desperately to get out of it, and failing horribly, one is out of it, and seeking a relationship which might ultimately break him or fix him for good. And the other one is a family man who has won over the addiction and trying to repair what he has broken, figuratively. A great cast, Mark Ruffalo, Tim Robinson, Gwyneth Paltrow, Pink and another rising star to personal favoritism: Josh Gad.  

As I said, it ventures in to many interesting persepectives about the addiction through these characters. I will not directly talk about the characters and examples per se, but I want to share my thoughts that I got. One of being which how it obviously affects family life. Like any addiction it could have adverse affects. But especially sex addiction will most definitely result in adultery. I mean it is understandable, why no one would ever wanna start a family with an sex addict. The thing is how do you know that you are a sex addict. The first thing of getting out of an addiction is admitting that you have a problem. In a way I guess it could be detectable. I mean the movie gives good examples. Lol. But it makes you think that here, in Sri Lanka, there's no such thing. Sex it self is so taboo here, forget about sex addiction. No one would even want to admit that there exists such a problem. With the religious background and everything, one would definitely come to the conclusion that its something that the ‘Americans’ came up with to explain there sexual desires or something. And discard the whole idea. But think, if it’s a real thing, how many families are suffering because of it. It also makes you think about one of the main things that is missing from Sri Lanka greatly, you know Anonymous circles, where people help each other to solve there problems. 

Another thing is how hard it is to achieve self control. You might be convincing others that you are handling it well, that you got it all under control, but it obviously is never good enough to completely get normal, or to fix yourself. You just gotta accept that it affects you more than anybody else, and hiding behind a mask is not gonna help. Otherwise it keeps getting worse and worse until it will be too late to fix it. 

Even after you accept that you need help, that the utmost dedication of self sacrifice and control is needed, it might be a very tough challenge to face it alone. A good friend in need is a gem in times like these. A friend you can share everything to, who you can reach out when shit hits the fan, and when you feel like there’s nothing else to turn in to. It will be so uplifting, and so affectine in changing your life, when you have such a great friend to turn to when you need. Coz he/she will help you without prejudice, without judgement and with just a good heart only. Gosh, it’s something very valuable isn’t it, and something which seems rare. They tell that you don’t have to believe in god or something to pray or seek redemption. It can be any higher power, which you can just reach to for guidance. A good friend can be that higher power. 

Another thing which with one dimension focuses on, is all the perfection and transcendence of true love. The relationship between Phoebe and Adam is made in to something which everyone who sees it envy it. It’s too perfect in that sense. But to see that two people connect and click so well as they do and just build up to something awesome, will be something to yearn for. But it faces a test of trust and honesty with addictions like sex addiction. It will leave you irreparable, and degenerate to an old self which disgusts you. That’s the thing with relationships, you never know at the end how fucked up a state you’ll end up in. But Not all hope is lost. 

Despite the bad ratings, I really like this movie. Because movies which makes me think that much are not that abundant. But it’s not a great movie. It’s amazing how much I was conscious about the time throughout. Maybe I was in somekind of withdrawal from an ‘addiction’ my self, when I was writing this. Anyway, the ratings It got is understandable. It tends to stray from the path too often, and seems to be running out of material towards the end. Anyway, even if the topic of sex addiction does not interest you, it still is a good movie. So recommended!

It’s amazing how watching a good movie can clear your mind out just right!

Django Unchained

This is not ideal. I'm watching last year's Oscar winners at the start of this year's one. But better late than never. So here goes.

There are a lot of memes and factoids flying around in the interwebs about Django Unchained, like the one about Leo refusing to say the dialogs and Samuel L Jackson replying Motherfucker, this is another Saturday evening for us. And the one about Leo's dedication in hopes for an Oscar. Gladly there's nothing to spoil, just fun stuff. Although I did avoid some videos like the nigger count in the movie. Nonetheless, was looking forward to this very much. All those created much enthusiasm.

If you know your stuff, it isn't hard to guess that this is a Tarantino movie just by going through the intro. There's that unmistakable 70ies or 80ies kind of music, which will unmistakably remind you of Kill Bill, as with me. And of course Christoff Waltz. That guy is tied to Tarantino movies like Helena Bonham Carter with Tim Burton. Also the red stuff, plenty of it. Tarantino never ceases to amaze me with the extravagant brutality, much a kin to Japanese flicks.

You know what I like most about his movies. The element of surprise. One moment there's this casual conversation going, and the right next Moment, BAM, someone blood is splattered all over the place. The casualness of the scene is actually a precursor now to something bad that's going to happen. But still it makes you go Damn, when the shot is fired. Love it.

Brilliant story telling. Tarantino is able to grip the attention of the viewer very early on with the brilliant introduction of the bounty Hunter and his methods.

It's so refreshing to watch a movie like this after a while. It's got it's roadtrip movie like moments with beautiful backdrops. Honestly this is the movie I most enjoyed after Seven Psychopaths. And This I like more. So frikking awesome, couldn't stop myself from bellowing out loud. It couldn't get much better than a black man all up as a cowboy dealing poetic justice all over the place, decorated in the background by rap music. So good. Gotta watch it again sometime.

Fear and Desire (1953)

The first Stanley Kubrick movie I watched was The Clockwork Orange. That movie surprised me with its vulgarity and sinister plot. Stanley Kubrick is a legendary movie maker, I knew from then onwards. But the movie that really impressed me was 2001. It had everything, plot, acting, amazing fx and my god the music. Like every track is still being overused in everything. Then I StumbleUpon this. A Kubrickan movie that I never knew that I had.

The dialog is a bit contrived, but that is expected of a 1950ies movie. Bit the acting does stand out. Even the assaults on unsuspecting victims are played out in a manner which seems Kubrickian and makes you queezy.

It seems really ordinary at first . But the characteristics of what makes a Stanley Kubrick movie stand out slowly emerges. With the narration turning in to monologues of self reflection and similies, and sudden murders and queezy shots, be assured that this is far from being ordinary. You are gonna get the Kubrick treatment from this too. Of course you'll know that there will be something special if you've seen the poster, and also the RT scores.

But that's only what it drills down to. Just a bunch of soldiers pondering about life and everything. There isn't a very convincing plot. Still if one is interested in philosophical thoughts about Destiny and the purpose of everything, and doing things that matter,  there will be something to take from the words spoken. To be honest, I wasn't interested that much and I just let it flow and watched the plot unravel.

Kubrick is to find the true greatness in the future movies to come. But not in this one.

"Seems like when people get in a hole, they begin to get jealous of dogs."