[REVIEW] Sunshine

[pinback]

I would like to shortcut this review to say that in actuality, it is the greatest movie ever made, due to the fact that one of the pivotal characters is named "Capt. Pinbacker". Case closed. FIVE STARS.

But were this an actual review, it would go something like:

Every review you will read of this movie says "the first two thirds are wonderful and beautiful, and then it takes a horrible misstep and fumbled into stupidity and incomprehensibility." This will likely be your, the reader's, opinion. There are two alternate arguments which you might make, which would be:

B. The first two thirds are wonderful and beautiful, and then it takes an intriguing turn into mystery and symbolicism.

C. The first two thirds are wonderful and beautiful, and then it gets stupid and incomprehensible, but by that point I didn't care cuz it was still way cool.

I would probably put myself in the "C" category, though there's surely plenty to discuss about what actually, you know, "happens" in the last act. It's hard to make a case for anything that sounds coherent, but whatever.

The running theme, though, is that regardless of what you think of the ending, the first two thirds ARE wonderful and beautiful. What else they are is essentially a remake of every science fiction movie ever made. Let's see, without giving any real spoilers away:


- 2001: Spaceship run by a computer which talks, and whose voice gets low when you unplug it.

- Event Horizon: Spooky ship travels long way to discover ghastly secrets.

- Alien: Ship with a bunch of goofballs on it, and cool-looking interiors.

- Dark Star: There is no WAY that this movie is not a direct homage to Dark Star. The movie is about a ship whose job it is to drop a bomb on a star (the Sun, in this case) to stabilize it. Which is exactly the premise of Dark Star, AND as previously mentioned, one of the characters is named "PINBACKER". Alright?

- 2010: Ship finds the abandoned remains of a previous excursion, hilarity ensues.

- Every other science fiction movie ever made: Like I said.

When I reviewed Event Horizon, I made mention of the fact that regardless how much the movie sucked (which it did, very much) I was going to like it because I dig movies about big weird spaceships venturing out into the unknown. Nothing about that has changed in the ten years that have passed hence. When I saw the trailer for Sunshine, I said, "it looks like it's trying to be a GOOD version of Event Horizon."

So that's basically my review. It's a good (very good) version of Event Horizon. Actually, it's a good version of all of the movies mentioned above, which it <s>copies</s> gives artistic nods to.

So, that's fine. If the last part pisses you off, then just forget about it. It's still a fine, fine movie, and the best of its type we've seen in a long, LONG while.

THREE AND A HALF STARS

I am curious, though, if we'll ever see a movie set in outer space on spaceships which doesn't make a single mention (or set piece) out of an airlock.

(...that wasn't set in a galaxy far far away.)

[Vitriola]

I loved Event Horizon. I am obsessed with people's glimpses into what they thing Hell must be like, dismemberment a plus! Which is why I liked Lost Horizon, and Necronomicon. Same deal, glimpses into hell. So, is this movie a glimpse into hell, or just a creepy flick that does creep well?

Doesn't matter, anyway, I'll watch it anyway based on this review. (I have not heard of it before).

[hygraed]

If Danny Boyle made a movie about the mating habits of earthworms I would still go see it because it's Danny Boyle.

[pinback]

I loved Event Horizon. I am obsessed with people's glimpses into what they thing Hell must be like, dismemberment a plus! Which is why I liked Lost Horizon, and Necronomicon. Same deal, glimpses into hell. So, is this movie a glimpse into hell, or just a creepy flick that does creep well?

Doesn't matter, anyway, I'll watch it anyway based on this review. (I have not heard of it before).

It is much less horror-based than Event Horizon, and cannot with good intention be called a "glimpse into Hell", though you can probably interpret some of it thusly. But you could probably interpret it as "kittens and puppies are bad" if you wanted. It leaves a lot open to interpretation, in other words, is what I'm saying there.

But yeah, doesn't matter anyway.

[pinback]

Also, SUNSHINE UPDATE:

Danny Boyle has stated clearly in interviews that "Pinbacker" was definitely a nod to Dark Star, and the character after which I named my online persona, lo those many (24, by my count) years ago.

So, like I said. Sunshine is the BEST MOVIE EVER.

TWENTY-THREE (***********************) STARS

[pinbacker]

Oh yeah, Solaris, too. It also copies Solaris.

[Ice Cream Jonsey]

I would have LOVED to have made a text game that did what Solaris did.

You know, I had a decision to make when it came to a friendlier version of "pinback." I went with "Pinner." I think "Captain Pinner" is better than "Captain Pinbacker." Pinbacker sounds made up. Am I right?

Am I right?

[pinbacker]

Yes, pinner is far better than "pinbacker" for a friendly nickname.

[co]

Oh yeah, Solaris, too. It also copies Solaris.

Then it probably sucks ass like Solaris.

[Captain Miller]

O.K., I beg to differ with the prevailing opinion here. I think that Event Horizon was a FANTASTIC film. I agree w/ Vic on the whole mystique surrounding the "glimpse of hell" thing, but there are other factors that make this film superior to Sunshine (which I saw last night and loved by BTW).

1. Casting. While I enjoyed the "beautiful people" on board the Icarus II, they were by no means a realistic/believable bunch of "scientists and astronauts". The crew on board the Event Horizon were far more gritty and realistic.

2. Metaphysics. There was a quasi-metaphysical theme to Sunshine that was underdeveloped. Event Horizon goes all the way with it, exploring the conceptual overlap of space/time and other dimensions.

3. Originality. Sunshine is an obvious almalgamation of several sci-fi/horror films (a beautiful one at that)...2001, Alien, Event Horizon...however Event Horizon broke new ground in the genre...10 years ago almost to the day!

Anyway, my 3 cents on the matter.[/b]

[pinbacker]

O.K.

Well, these are some BOLD statements you're making, Mr. Miller!

Event Horizon was a FANTASTIC film.

As much as I refuse to dislike it, and as comfortable as I am going against the current to say that it is a good movie, it is impossible for me to say it is "fantastic" with anything resembling a straight face. It's flaws are just too glaring to get past. When the movie devolves into cheap scare tactics and incomprehensible plot "developments", it just treads a little too close to "cheesy B horror movie" land. And the ending, well, the ending is so tacked on and ridiculous that you can tell the filmmakers were hoping they could pass it off as "profound" or "shattering", when in fact it just makes you go, "uhh, what? Fuck that shit."

Good movie? Yes. I think normally I'd say a movie has just enough shortcomings to make it a bad film. Event Horizon is one that has just enough positive elements to make it a good film. It's worthy of being a cult classic, with one of the requirements for being a cult classic being that everyone who recongizes it as such agrees en masse to overlook its shortcomings.

So that's what we'll do.

1. Casting. While I enjoyed the "beautiful people" on board the Icarus II, they were by no means a realistic/believable bunch of "scientists and astronauts". The crew on board the Event Horizon were far more gritty and realistic.

The crew of the Sunshine were more "realistic" in that they acted more like real humans. The crew of the Lewis & Clark, while more colorful and interesting, resembled cartoon characters more than three-dimensional people. "Here's the gruff but brave captain, here's the wacky black rescue guy, here's the broody, mysterious scientist," etc...

2. Metaphysics. There was a quasi-metaphysical theme to Sunshine that was underdeveloped. Event Horizon goes all the way with it, exploring the conceptual overlap of space/time and other dimensions.

Both movies were underdeveloped. Sunshine felt like there really was more to develop, whereas Event Horizon was sort of "stuck", because while it was underdeveloped, if it had tried to develop itself any further, it would probably have gone so far into the realm of the ridiculous that it would become a comedy.

3. Originality. Sunshine is an obvious almalgamation of several sci-fi/horror films (a beautiful one at that)...2001, Alien, Event Horizon...however Event Horizon broke new ground in the genre...10 years ago almost to the day!

While Sunshine is definitely an amalgamation, and an intended one, of all the movies which came before, it is suspect to say that Event Horizon broke new ground in the genre. It is not unfair to say Event Horizon was a "horror version of Solaris".

But, one way or another, pretty much all these movies are Solaris in one form or another.

[Ice Cream Jonsey]

O.K.

Well, these are some BOLD statements you're making, Mr. Miller!

The difference between Jolt Country and the Starcraft 2 bulletin boards... is that when Pinback makes this joke on the SC2 forum, they delete the fucking thread.

[pinback]

CONGRATS JC

[Ice Cream Jonsey]

Oh yeah, I got banned from the Starcraft 2 forum for 30 days because I created a thread telling the moderators how fucking terrible they were when they deleted a thread of Pinback's for no reason.

Congrats, Blizz.

Blizzard then asked me to fill out a customer satisfaction form. Which I did, and repeated my take that their mods suck ball ass. So maybe I'll get banned again for filling out their own form?

[pinback]

BANNED FROM CUSTOMER SURVEYS.

I still don't know why they deleted my thread. It was a bunch of people taking the Dos Equis' "Most Interesting Man in the World" and doing Starcraft takes on it, like:

"I don't always play Protoss, but when I do, I prefer Colossus."

And stupid nerdy shit like that. Weren't hurting anyone.