In the end …

That’s it, this is the end of my blog !

This blog gives very few examples of movies which deal with time travel and science fiction. But I’ve never try to chose these movies because they are exemplary of something but only by chance by wondering “Hey, which movie can I talk about right now?”. And that’s the result.

However, these examples show  that when you try to imagine your future, you just project your daily realities by imagining what they would become later. In that way, science fiction is only an outline of the hopes, fears and whishes of a society in a specific period. So watching this kind of movie make us understanding what are the main stakes of our present days. And  because science fiction allowed a great freedom of tone (you can just imagine something and viewers will accept if it fits with your story) this projection is often very relevant.

Above all these movies just make us dream of  other worlds and realities. Exotic, impressive, sometimes disturbing they are above all great entertainment.

So keep your children’s eyes, just enjoy !

( hum, okay don’t enjoy too much. You quickly become ridiculous otherwise ….)

Burton Attacks !

Last but not least, I want to present to you a film which is very specific.

Mars Attacks is a comic science fiction movie directed by Tim Burton and released in 1996. It tells us the story of five characters -interpreted by Jack Nicholson, Glenn Close, Annette Bening, Pierce Brosnan and Micheal J.Fox- confronted to a massive attack of flying saucers came from Mars.

This is a great movie. Mars Attacks is a parody of  50’s B-movies. Characters are very funny, and stupid too, and the aliens are as dishonest as they’re ugly. This jewell is a mix between black and slapstick humor, and must be seen in that way.

I really enjoyed, and still enjoy, this movie. Mostly because I’m very receptive to this kind of humor but also because this is a smart parody of science fiction. I really enjoy the mix between the stupidity of humanity and the immorality of aliens. There is no moral which teaches us that love/patriotism/warlike values/god help/ … will save us from the alien threaten.

Because it’s music which save earth from aliens (it seems stupid ? Not much than water in The War of World …) but also Tom Jones who plays is own role! I mean, this movie doesn’t try to be serious but just to be fun. And it succeed to.

Just watch it if you like this kind of humor. This is a masterpiece which shows us that science fiction doesn’t have to be too serious to be good. And we often forget that !

Not enough elements ?

Cocorico! Here we will discover that frenchies can also make big tasteless blockbusters

Released in 1997, directed by Luc Besson and starring Will Smith, Gary Oldman, Milla Jovovich, Ian Holm and Chris Tucker the Filth Element is a science fiction movie which brings us in a 31st century where the survival of humanity is threatened by “pure evil”. A taxi Driver, and former special forces major,  called Corben Dallas (W.Smith) will help a young woman (M.Jovovich) and a priest (I.Holm) to find back 4 mystical stones which can save earth and destroy the “pure evil” threaten.

What can we say about this movie. It’s clear this is not a masterpiece. Scenario and characters are cliche and predictable, the universe -even if colorful- is not very original too. As I said before this is the perfect example of a tasteless movie… but sometimes you just want to watch something like that!

I mean, we can consider this kind of movie as “snack movie”. The kind of movie you can enjoy to watch when it’s on TV with friends. In fact you don’t really watch it, you just chat and walking around you apartment. I’ve seen this movie 2 or 3 times and every time is exactly what I’ve done.

It’s sometimes funny, but often boring. Exactly like an elevator music ! But the problem is I’m not sure cinema is supposed to be considered like that…

Of course you’re

After Tom Cruise one this is another blockbuster but with Will Smith this time,

I am a Legend is a Francis Lawrence’s movie released in 2007. This film is adapted from a Richard Matheson’s novel. The movie tells us the story of a scientist Robert Neville, who is one of the last survivor of a virus created by man. This virus changes people into zombies. So, Robert Neville lives alone in Manhattan and still continues to search for a medicine to cure them. But one day he meets another person who tells him there is a survivor colony in Vermont.

This movie is quite particular. It takes it’s  time to create an ambiance. There is few dialogs and the movie is not really lead by special effects and action scenes. This is why I’ve liked the first part of the movie. I really enjoy this apocalyptic ambiance with a single man lost in NYC. I think that might be one of the ingredient to make a good science-fiction movie: take your time and create your own universe.

But the end of the movie really disappointed me. I mean, if I remember, I’ve felt a kind of religious moral when (spoil) Will Smith find the Vermont Colony. And suddenly, I’ve the impression that the movie “falls down” in moral US cliché.

Just watch it, just for the first half of the movie !

Some mayonnaise with your prawns ?

Okay the worldplay is maybe too easy…

Distric 9 is a Neil Blomkamp movie released in 2009.

In 1982 came an alien mothership in South Africa. Into it, the human reco team discovered a million of malnourished insectoid aliens. The governement decided to confined them in a camp in Johannesburg, called District 9, and secured with a massive police presence. So the “prawns” (as human called them) live in poverty and insalubrity.

The story begins in the 21st century when the government decides to relocate these aliens. Wikus van de Merwe (Sharlto Copley) has to lead the operation with illegal way. But he accidentally sprays a mysterious liquid on his face, and begins to mutate into alien. Suddenly, he begins to understand the real condition of living of those aliens ….

The parallel between Distric 9 and the South African past is of course very obvious. So when I went to cinema to watch it (motivate by friends of mine who really want to watch it..) I was a little afraid. I mean, this is a delicate subject and I just hoped the movie will not caricatures this issue with special effects and big guns.

In fact, I really enjoy the beginning of the movie. It looks like a documentary and we travel in the alien shanty town by following our “hero” who try to relocate alien (understand, to segregate them). The beginning is filmed just as a documentary and I thought “hey, it’s not so bad”. But very quickly, when the hero begins to turn into alien, the action takes all the place and the movie becomes so much more dualistic. It’s too bad, because I really think it can be possible to develop something  more interesting. Maybe they were afraid to lose their audience if they are not enough action scenes, who knows.

So, the universe of Distric 9 is quite interesting. The metaphoric idea of the apartheid past was really interesting, but not very developed and this is more another action movie than a “thriller science fiction movie” as they pretend it is.

Watch it if you’ve the occasion, but it’s not a “must have” in the science fiction universe.

Everybody runs

Now, let me present to you another Spielberg’s movie.

Minority Report released in 2002. This is another dystopia (yes, I think I like this kind of movie) which tells us the story of John Anderton (Tom Cruise) who belongs to a special police department specialized in Precrime. We are in 2054 in Washington DC, three Precogs (a diminutive of precognition) can foresee crimes which not happens yet so thanks to these precognitions Precrime can arrest people before they violate the law. But one day, Precogs foresee a crime committed by John Anderton himself. So he thinks someone is trying to trap him, but litlle by litlle all the elements of this crime put in place…

In fact, Minority Report is an adaptation from a P.K Dick short story. This movie was nominated and won several awards (best sound editing, best science fiction film, best direction) and it was also a great commercial success.

We’re in front of a kind of blockbuster, but for me it’s a good one. I really enjoy this movie as good entertainment. The design of the P.K Dick universe is a success (everybody remember the kind of computer controlled by Tom Cruise’s hands for example). But if you want to enjoy this movie you’ve to accept Tom Cruise and his reputation. If you can overcome that, I think you would enjoy this movie.

The universe is also interesting because of the question which the movie developps. It deals with the freewill idea and wonder if we can arrest someone in the name of crimes he will commit in the future. This theme is quite interesting even if the movie doesn’t develop it very much (it’s a blockbuster, don’t lose you public with too chatty scenes just watch Tom Cruise jumping, flying and fighting). In fact, the movie can be seen as a kind of very big (and expensive) trailer of the P.K Dick Novel.

But if you want to watch a great impressive movie with our scientologist friend, don’t hesistate. This a kind of good entertainement.

OMG ! 10 foot giant Smurfs (on a diet) !!

The last movie I want to present is also one of the latest successes in US box office.

Who never heard about Avatar ? Released in 2009, written and directed by James Cameron, Avatar is a science fiction film starring Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana and Sigourney Weaver.

In 2154, humans are looking for a precious metal called unobtanium on the planet Pandora. This planet is a lush moon where there lives a local tribe named Na’vi. But Pandora is threatened by the human thirst of  raw materials and quickly this lush nature will be destroy by human mine. For that  Na’vi begin to rebel.

To facilitate relations with the Na’vi  scientists develop the Avatar project : Na’vi-human hybrid bodies are created. These bodies are operated thanks to a human mental link. Jack Sully (Sam Worthington), a paraplegic former marine, is called to pilot the Avatar project.

Okay so what can we say about Avatar hum ? Main issues has already been enlightened with the amazing buzz which occured when the movie released. But  we talked a lot about the technical aspect than the movie itself …

Maybe because this movie is so classic (and not in a good way). The scenario is so predictable and the universe very classical. In fact we were all amazed by the 3D (which is really impressive, that’s true). This a beautiful movie from a technical point of view, but that’s all.

The moral of this movie is full of good intentions but useless. I mean, yes it’s true we have to save nature ? What else ? Over movies which have the same kind of message (I think to Wall E) have something else to propose (a good universe, interesting characters, …). When I watched Avatar, I felt just like in a Disneyland’s attraction: you say “ooooh, wooouuaaaah” but don’t try to find something else other than this technical performance.

Ok ok, I’m nasty. Action scenes are great, the universe design is well done (but not very original). I mean, just watch avatar as a pure entertainment. The movie is predictable from the beginning to the end, the universe and characters are without any surprises.

(apparently, some people are nastier than me …)

Finally, Avatar is a very basic movie with extraordinary visual effects … does it make a good movie ?

G A F F C

This movie is not really about future, but science fiction… and it’s a science fiction masterpiece !

Close Encounters of the Third Kind (CE3K for familiar) is a 1977 American science fiction movie. Written and directed by Steven Spielberg, this movie belongs to the legend of american cinema.

Clause Lacombe (François Truffaut) is a French scientist who tries to interpret many strange events all around the world. These events seems to prove that some extraterrestrials try to communicate with humanity. At the same time Roy Neary, a simple american citizen, witnesses an UFO apparition while, few miles away, a child is kidnapped by  another UFO. As the american government tries to calm down the population, some citizens have a deep feeling which make them gathered in a strange place where an encounter should happened …

From a artistic point of view, Close encounter of the Third Kind is the movie where Steven Spielberg expresses his visual style for the first time. He will keep it for many years after (did he really change since then ?). Finally this movie is also his first personal movie.

First Encounter of the Third Kind also explores many topics which we will often find again in the other Spielberg’s movies:

– The allegory of faith what we can find in these chosen people following a kind of “mystic feeling” which make them think they will meet a superior life form came from outer space. The mountain, the place where they meet these aliens, makes us think to the Sinai Mountain where Moise has received the Ten Commandments from God.

– We also find in this movie a great importance given to the childhood. In the movie Barry Guiler (the child who was kidnapped by aliens) seems to be more receptive to the alien’s call than other people. He’s the symbol of the innocence and purity and fully gives himself to the aliens by following them in their spaceship (another religious metaphor?). The other main character, Roy Neary who is one of the UFO’s witness, can also be considered as a kind of child because he is really immature. “Thanks” to this immaturity, which can be considered as a kind of innocence, he will leave his family to follow his feeling and meet aliens.

We can find many other examples, but what’s important is that Close Encounter of the Third Kind is one of the classical science fiction movies. Above all it’s one of the Spielberg’s first movies and so we can consider it as a patchwork of his style and favorite topics.

PS: oh! before I forget: G A F F C (Sol La Fa Fa Do) it’s the five musical notes used to communicate with aliens in the movie. Remember ?

From man to monkeys

Let’s go back to time travel issue. After the comedy with Back to the future, welcome to the Terry Gilliam’s universe.

Released in 1995 and directed by Terry Gilliam, Twelve Monkeys is a science fiction movie which is an adaptation of an old French experimental short movie released in 1962: La Jetée directed by Chris Marker. With a prestigious cast (Bruce Willis, Brad Pitt, Christopher Plummer) Twelve Monkeys deals with time travel.

We are in a post apocalyptic future. Life on the earth’s surface is impossible because of a deadly virus so humanity lives underground. Our hero, James Cole, is a criminal who’s in jail. To earn a pardon, he decides to allow scientists to use him for a dangerous experimental mission: send back him to the past to prevent a terrorist organization, known as the Army of The Twelve Monkeys, to spread this virus. He also has to get an original version of this virus so scientist would be able to create medicine to combat it.

But the mission doesn’t happen as planned and James Cole is send in 1990, instead of 1996, and he is quickly arrested because considered as mad …

Twelve Monkeys is just a masterpiece of the American cinema. It plays with the viewer thanks to a complex and tortured visual universe. Sometimes, we just don’t know if Jame Cole is really a time traveler or just a mad man.

But Twelve Monkeys is also a tragic story dealing with the idea of fate which is, to my mind, the central topic of this movie. We find this idea in the tragic love story between James Cole and Kathryn Railly but mainly in James’ mission.

Finally, this mission consists in fighting against fate in  changing what happened and building a better future world. So for James Cole each travel through time is a kind of rebirth which gives him a new chance to convince people about the virus’ threat. But exactly like the Cassandra Myth, no one really trusts him and the end of the movie shows how much he is only a witness mishandled by fate: he never really had the power to prevent the disaster, just as his childhood nightmares suggest.

Twelve Monkey is a very good movie. Just watch it, and watch it twice, because Terry Gilliam gives us a very rich movie ,from a visual but also script writing point of view, which deals with topics and allowed so many different interpretations.

A synthetic humanity

Here I want to digress to talk about something which is not really a movie, but a series.  Yes I know this blog is supposed to deal with cinema, but trust me this serie is so good it deserves to be mentioned.

Okay, the name of this serie is so cliché so you maybe begin to imagine a kind of piece of junk with aliens wearing pyjamas and some stuff like that.  But don’t panic, this serie is so much better !

Battlestar Galactica (BSG) is an American-Canadian science fiction serie adapted from an old (and kitsch) series of the 80’s. But this version, released in 2004, is so much better. Since it releases, the show has received a worldwide critical acclaim and it has been honored with numerous awards and award nominations.

In a distant part of the universe lives a human civilization who migrated a long time ago from their former homeworld of Kobol to the “twelve colonies”.  These colonies used to be at war against a cybernetic race, created by man, called Cylon. At the beginning of the serie the two races are at peace. But thanks to a human named Gaius Baltar, Cylons made a suprise attack which destroyed all humanity. The outdated Battlestar Galactica  is the only who survived with a very few civilian spaceships. These survivors will try to escape from Cylon and find again the mythical thirteenth colony: the lost planet called earth.

But Cylons keep tracking them while the remaining members of humanity try  to find a new way to live together . Because something has changed since the last war: some Cylons seems, feels and thinks like humans. Some of there a programmed to think they are human and nobody knows who they are and what they really want.

(it was the short introduction which you can see in each first season’s episode)

BSG is a good example of the topics you can find in science-fi fiction. The serie explores elements which compose our society and questioned it:

– with policy issues by questioning the idea of democracy and how it should be applied, the relation between military and civilians in a war period, …

– BSG also deals with more societal question: how can a new society be created and maintained when humanity is hunted by enemies, should we create a new “utopian” society or be more conservative and keep the old values ?

– We find also religious and mythological questions. Humans are polytheists and believe in many gods (who are the same as in ancient Greece) contrary to the Cylons who believes in a one “true” god source of love and who guides them. But beyond these differences the main question is how to interpret the religious text ? Humans try to find the earth again thanks to the Pythia and Cylons are often mystic and think they  are applying a kind of divine plan.

Episode after episode, we travel through these topics. But the main question of BSG is what is really humanity ? Because some Cylons feel like human and love humanity and there are no longer differences from a biological point of view between cylons and human. Moreover, cylons considered themselves as “sons of humanity” and we quickly understand that they don’t want to destroy it.

Battlestar Galactica explores all these political, societal, religious, ethical and philosophical questions with a great freedom of tone which science fiction allowed. A very good fiction which shows that TV can create ambitious and intelligent series. Just watch it !

(The season 1 trailer. Sorry for the very bad quality)

SS… for Space Squad ?

After the Equilibrium’s deception, I want to present to you how a science-fiction action movie can also be subversive.

Starship Troopers is a military science fiction movie directed by Paul Verhoeven and released in 1997. We are in a distant future where humanity is at war against Arachnid bugs which come from the Klendathu  distant planet. The movie tells the story of three young people: John.D Rico (Casper Van Dien), his girlfriend Carmen Ibanez (Denise Richards) and their best friend Carl Jenkins (Neil Patrick Harris) who have decided to enlist in the army to become citizens.

But Starship Troopers is more than a simple military propaganda movie, even if some people think it is. It’s true that Starship Troopers is an adaptation from the Robert A. Heinlein’s book which is full of patriotic references like the civic virtuous or necessity of war and death penalty…

Even if at the first sight we can find this military apology in the movie, the P.Verhoeven’s vision is in fact radically different. By using military propaganda, teen sitcoms, war movies and science fiction he wants to make clear how mass propaganda works. How people can defend a kind of fascist ideology just because of fear and patriotism

Just an example: in the movie we can understand that in reality bugs are just innocent creatures attacked by warlike violent and sadistic humans. But the viewers has no choice and he will identify himself to the humans, because he does not have the ability to understand the bugs (which are a  kind of metaphor of the foreigner). With a simple movie who seems to be very easy to understand, P.Verhoeven shows us how propaganda works.

And what’s for Starship Troopers is an acid critic of the American society and values: love, friendship and morality are represented in a very idiotic way  as the government wants young people to go to war in the name of patriotic values. These people are mislead by the propaganda and a constant flow of information.

By using absurdity , P.Verhoeven makes a strong condemnation of the American authoritarian regime which cheats people by using mass media and war apology. Moreover, in the end of the movie, the Neil Patrick Harris’ major uniform curiously looks like the German Nazi uniform of the World War 2 … only a coincidence ?

Never find the Equilibrium

You know, when we talk about future and time travel in cinema, all movies can’t be good. Let’s take the example of Equilibrium !

Equilibrium is a science-fiction action movie released in 2002, written and directed by Kurt Wimmer.

In a future where emotions are forbidden, because they are considered as a source of conflict, people have to take an emotion-suppressing drug, called Prozium. Our hero, John Preston (Christian Bale) belongs to a kind of” emotion-police”. But one day, he forgets to take his drug and begins to have feelings. From this moment, his vision of the society is disrupted.

Okay, I think you understand what’s the biggest problem of this movie thanks to the trailer.

The Equilibrium universe is quite interesting and we quickly think about A.Huxley (Brave New World) and G.Orwell (1984): the drug which stops emotions, the system which controls mind-people etc … Good references would you think! But Equilibrium is before all, an action movie. And in this movie, the mix between action and dystopia is not really successful. When I watched it, I just felt frustrated because the background has a very good potential. But the movie never tries to do something more interesting than a succession of action scenes. Moreover,  the end of the movie stunned me, I mean John Preston just killed the evil Big Brother (I mean, the guy who supposed to be a kind of big brother) ! Are they kidding ? I mean, the system is supposed to be unbreakable, unbeatable, it controls everyone… and John Preston just enter in the “big-boss’s desk” and kills him. Bam, end of the system !

Maybe I’m too nasty with this movie. Maybe we just supposed to see a simple action movie and don’t try to find something else. I really enjoy action movies too but, for me, the problem is that Equilibrium pretends to be what it’s not. It tries to be a dystopia but never respects the specificities of this kind of universe. For me, movie’s references are just too loud for the ambition of this movie and finally it juste can’t fulfill its promises. Remains a deceptive action movie without any surprises but with some good action scenes. Better than nothing …

Save the planet, adopt a robot !

Hey, we’re too serious don’t you think ?

After time travel and eugenistic theory, I want to talk about ecology…  with a robot !

And why not after all ? It’s probably what Pixar thought when it released this computer animated science fiction film (ouf) in 2008. Directed by Andrew Staton, the story follows a little robot called Wall-E. We are in the future, and humanity has decided to leave our over-polluted planet. But before that, they left behind some robots to clean it. 700 years later, only one of them is still working: Wall-E. But our little robot lives alone and begins to worry. It develops its own personality by collecting objects and adopting some bugs as pet.

But one day, another robot comes to earth. Called Eve, it’s very beautiful (I mean, as a robot can be …) and smart. But it also looking for something. But what ?

(Waaaal-Eeee (just imagine I sound like it))

Honestly, how can’t you fall in love with it ? This character is so funny, cute, sensitive! This movie is so good thanks to it and we forget the movie’s other shortcomings. The second character, Eve, is nice too even if it sounds like a macintosh computer when it starts (really!).

Wall-E is the prototype of the cute movie, with a cute message (don’t pollute and love people even if they are old and ugly (that’s the morale isn’t it ?)) and cute characters. What else can I say? Just watch it and you will really enjoy robots and sort your waste.

But beware because after that, you’ll REALLY want to adopt a robot ! I’ve been looking for a Wall-E robot for 2 years. I mean if one of them can clean the planet, it will probably be able to clean my house ( I guess …)

Welcome to Gattaca

Welcome in an eugenistic world: Gattaca.

Released in 1997, written and directed by Andrew Niccol, Gattaca takes place in a “not so distant future” where each person is determined by his DNA: social class, work and personal life (marriage, reproduction etc). This is a world obsessed with genetic perfection, where no child is created in a natural way. The title remainds us what is the only framework of this society because the word “Gattaca” (each letter is a nitrogenous base: Adenine, Cytosine, Guanine and Thymine) remains a sequence which is recurrent in our DNA.

This movie tells us the story of Vincent Freeman (Ethan Hawke) who was born without any technology assistance. Because of that, he is considered as imperfect and suffers genetic discrimination which prevent him from achieveing his dream: to become an astronaut.

Because of these discrimination, Vincent decides to assume the identity of his ill brother (who’s genetically perfect) by using his valid DNA thanks to his hair, skin, blood and urine. Quickly, he becomes a pilot in the prestigious Gattaca Academy. But one day, one of the directors is found murdered and evidence of Vincent’s “non-valid” DNA is found near to the corpse…

This movie carries a very strong political message. It is the end of the 90’s, at a time where science became able to decode the genetic code and create life thanks the in vitro fertilization. Suddenly, one of the biggest human’s nightmare can be applied: a society driven by eugenism.

In the movie, the “non-perfect” are supposed to be less intelligent or less healthy than the perfect. In the end of the 90’s, some scientists can explain that some gene can explains many aspects of our personalities and diseases. So, what’s the next step ? Determine which gene might be given to our children or not … ?

Thanks to this “biopunk” futuristic vision, Gattaca tries to make us aware. It explores what can become our society if we choose this way. It shows us how much eugenistic and personal freedom can’t coexist because the first one is the exact opposite of the second.

Because of that, Gattaca is one of my favorite movies. It gives us a dramatic vision of our future which enlightens  us as to what the consequences of our present societal decisions can be. It tells us that humanity should never be reduced to it’s genetic code. It reminds us that human being are so more than only four nitrogenous bases.

Over 88mph

Back to basics …

 

 

The first movie I want to present to you is, without doubt, one of the most popular movies which deals with time travel: Back to the Future !

 

Directed by Robert Zemeckis and released in 1985, Back to the Future is an American science fiction comedy. It tells us the story of Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) who was sent back from 1985 to 1955 thanks to the Delorean time machine which belongs to Dr Emmet Brown (Christopher Lloyd), alias Doc’, a talented crazy scientist who invented it. In 1955, Marty causes history damage and has to repair its by causing his parents to fall in love and find a way to go back to 1985.

Teaser:

(so 80’s, isn’t it ?)

Beyond the comedy, this vision of the future is meaningful. Back to the Future teaches us that the future is what we make it. For example, the Marty’s Father is a loser in the beginning of the movie, bullied by his supervisor Bill Tannen, and the Marty’s Mother has some drinking problems. Thanks to his travel in 1955, Marty succeeds in making his father more self confident and changing their future life.

In this way Back to the Future can be seen as an apology of personal freedom, especially in the 1980’s US context.

Back to the Future soundtrack

Welcome !

Hey everybody !

Welcome on my brand new blog. Here, we’ll travel through time and space to discover what are the representations of the future in cinema. As you can guess these movies will mostly come from American popular cinema, the kind we’ve all watched when we were young and innocent (or not).

Through these examples, we’ll try to understand what the meaning are of these futuristic visions. So, fasten your seat belt and let’s travel through time. And don’t forget, beware of the 88miles per hour !