Her (Spike Jonze)

johnny_ultimate

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzV6mXIOVl4

Looking forward to this one. Jonze has a 100% feature track record as far as I'm concerned (plus all those great shorts and music videos), but he had some not insignificant helping hands scriptwise for those first three films. Curious to see how he can handle things on his lonesome.

Getting a Lost in Translation vibe off the trailer - not just because of Johanson but all that sunsoaked highrise imagery and general sense of lonliness. Given how Jonze ahem 'inspired' certain aspects of LiT one could possibly unpack a few layers of irony there if you so wished.

It was reported a while back that Johannson was drafted in only recently to replace Samantha Morton as Jonze was looking for a more 'sultry' voice for the computer (mutually agreed). Probably impossible, but the alternative performance would surely make for a neat DVD extra somewhere along the line...

Fago123

You had me at Spike Jonze, I'm there. Also I'm not sure if there are many actors who are more on top of their game than Phoenix, his performance in The Master was outstanding.

grames_bond

Top comment on that video:

"When Harry met Siri"

Love it! :pac:

JP Liz V1

Fago123 wrote: »

You had me at Spike Jonze, I'm there. Also I'm not sure if there are many actors who are more on top of their game than Phoenix, his performance in The Master was outstanding.

Pity his hate of the Oscars could cost him ever winning as this role seems pure bait

bnt

New trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ne6p6MfLBxc

Have to say I'm looking forward to this.

JP Liz V1

It was named best film by National Board of Review and also Spike named best director

e_e

This, 12 Years a Slave and Inside LLewyn Davis are out on the same day here.

Gonna be a hell of a weekend at the cinema! :pac:

Looper007

Wow, what can I say just a simply wonderful experience, a love story that actually makes you smile and breaks your heart without it been mushy or pandering . Spike Jonze best film for me and his first writing a script by himself, wonderful job.


Joaquin Phoenix cements his place as America's prime actor with the extreme opposite of his all out but equally amazing role in The Master with this heartfelt but heart breaking role as Theodore, a writer of love letters but himself a heartbroken over his failed marriage with Childhood sweetheart Rooney Mara. The whole Film is on his shoulder's as he's sometimes the only actor on screen and he pulls it off amazingly.

Amy Adam's as his best friend and ex Girlfriend and Rooney Mara as his ex wife are given memorable roles in small cameos, I think Adam's role in this is far stronger then her overrated role in American Hustle. Special mention should go to Scarlett Johansson as Samantha, the voice of the OS (operating system), she actually gives her second best performance of the year (Don Jon is her first).

Arcade Fire, Owen Pallett and Karen O. are simply magic in their music that accompanies the story about love. A modern yet classical composition that in key scenes could move you to tears. The scene

When Theodore and Samantha sing a song together after a heading out for a weekend together nearly bought me to tears

.

Hoyte Van Hoytema Cinematography is simply amazing, especially the shot's of the city at night and the city itself. Oscar nod should be heading his way.

Some scenes really stand out

The break up scene in the end and the ending itself are wonderful, the sheer heartbreak and awkwardness of the girl who offers herself as stand in for Samantha is tough to watch and Rooney Mara lunch scene and Olivia Wilde dinner date are top notch too

.

I think it's Jonze's best work and already my best film of 2014, knocking 12 year a Slave down from the number 1 spot.

Anachrony

Looper007 wrote: »

I think Adam's role in this is far stronger then her overrated role in American Hustle.

For a while I thought it was Jenna Fischer. Amy Adams was really glammed down for this role.

Actually, everyone was. Almost everyone in the future is dressed a bit like a retro nerdy hipster. I think this choice was meant to express how after a generation of social media dependence the culture as a whole has become much more introverted and awkward in real life.

KilOit

Best movie I've seen in a long time, not pushed on romance but this is something special. I found the movie a little frightening at the end (it's not scary) just that as a humans make more advanced AI it kinda leaves humans looking like apes. Anyways it's not a movie to be missed! It's the most thought provoking movie I've ever seen

maximoose

Out here on valentines day, is that right?

Really want to see this

pinksoir

Excellent, excellent movie. The best I have seen for years. It was simply wonderful in every aspect. I was genuinely moved by it. Strangely enough it felt a lot longer than its running time, but in the best possible way. I was fully engaged the whole time and felt an empathy with the characters that I don't think I've ever experienced before. A near perfect movie experience for me and I'm no fan of romance.

Fysh

I can't wait to see this, it looks wonderful.

The January issue of Sight & Sound also mentioned that Jonze did a short film called "I'm here" a few years ago which is a sort of thematic companion piece to Her, and it's on Youtube. Worth a watch:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OY1EXZt4ok

Looper007

Fysh wrote: »

I can't wait to see this, it looks wonderful.

The January issue of Sight & Sound also mentioned that Jonze did a short film called "I'm here" a few years ago which is a sort of thematic companion piece to Her, and it's on Youtube. Worth a watch:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OY1EXZt4ok

Wow you can see some basic ideas from that Short that were put into the story of HER.

I never seen this short so thanks for putting up on the page Fysh, it's every bit as touching as HER, about someone who gives his whole self to the woman he loves. Andrew Garfield gives a touching performance. I wasn't a big Spike Jonze fan until now.

Bullseye1

Is this going to get a general release. No sign of it at the local cinema. Another trip to Dublin is likely.

Da Shins Kelly

Not showing in Galway anyway, which is disappointing.

It's not showing in Ireland as it's not released till the 14th of February.

e_e

A lot of time travellers tend to review movies on boards each Oscar season.

Da Shins Kelly

Deleted User wrote: »

It's not showing in Ireland as it's not released till the 14th of February.

Really? I thought I read somewhere the 10th of January? Ah well.

Bullseye1

e_e wrote: »

A lot of time travellers tend to review movies on boards each Oscar season.

Is there not a lot of expats living abroad and still posting here? They cannot all be watching illegal downloads.

Da Shins Kelly

Da Shins Kelly wrote: »

Really? I thought I read somewhere the 10th of January? Ah well.

That's the US release.

Da Shins Kelly

Deleted User wrote: »

That's the US release.

Has it not been out in the US since December? It appeared on a bunch of lists for the end of 2013.

Da Shins Kelly

Da Shins Kelly wrote: »

Has it not been out in the US since December? It appeared on a bunch of lists for the end of 2013.

It opened in a limited capacity on December 18.

zarquon

Bullseye1 wrote: »

Is there not a lot of expats living abroad and still posting here? They cannot all be watching illegal downloads.

Most are though. The same day the screeners are leaked a load of reviews start popping up on this forum. Her was leaked yesterday and now you reckon it's just expats posting reviews in the thread since yesterday :rolleyes:

Bullseye1

zarquon wrote: »

Most are though. The same day the screeners are leaked a load of reviews start popping up on this forum. Her was leaked yesterday and now you reckon it's just expats posting reviews in the thread since yesterday :rolleyes:

I don't reckon anything. I don't know any of the posters who have posted their reviews. You have their IP addresses and can confirm they reside in Ireland?

zarquon

Bullseye1 wrote: »

I don't reckon anything. I don't know any of the posters who have posted their reviews. You have their IP addresses and can confirm they reside in Ireland?

Don't need to know IPs. They post reviews the exact same day screeners are leaked. It's not a scenario that would confuse Sherlock Holmes .

Her has been on limited release for a couple of weeks in the U.S. but no one posted here until yesterday. Regardless of where they reside, the Her reviewers since yesterday did not watch this in the cinema.

Bullseye1

Hadn't heard about leaked screeners. So in my case I would have needed Sherlock or maybe his brother Mycroft.

Corholio

Watched this tonight, in a cinema screen here in Ireland. Im kidding :pac:

If you were to explain the plot to someone it wouldn't seem all that attractive as an emotional or serious film, but Jonze somehow seems to make it both with aplomb. Phoenix is again absolutely terrific and plays the role of Theodore with such ease that it makes you have to think to remember his other roles, such is the immersion. Jonze has a beautiful way of working around the storyline blockade of

how does a computer 'feel'

and brings it into centre without it ever feeling ridiculous such is Theodore's character.

Scarlett Johansson as Samantha is fantastic despite only hearing her voice. She plays just as significant role in the film as Phoenix, and in some cases even more such is the draw of her delivery of certain dialogue.

Jonze's vision of the future, at least in the film, is quite innovative and nowhere near as distracting as many a forward looking film. From the little things like

the way Theodore 'writes' the letters to the amusing yet sad chatroom scene

it displays a futuristic yet not intimidating view of the future.

Great role too from Amy Adams who is downplayed to the other end of the scale than from 'American Hustle' and serves her better here IMO. More outstanding turns from Jonze and Phoenix, and a duo I immediately would love to watch again.

Anachrony

zarquon wrote: »

Regardless of where they reside, the Her reviewers since yesterday did not watch this in the cinema.

I watched it in the cinema over here a few weeks ago. I posted comments about it yesterday because other people had started talking about it and I happened to notice the thread.

Bullseye1

I was thinking there had to be lots of expats posting as I've seen quite a few post eslewhere on boards mainly from US/Canada, Australia and the UK. The television section has a lot of posters discussing shows that have only aired there. I guess it's one way of keeping in touch with the old country.

Sinfonia

Jonze won the Globe for best screenplay anyways!

maximoose

Ok, I caved lastnight and watched it.

Absolutely loved it. Acting was brilliant - Phoenix is magnificent throughout and Scarlett Johannson was a great choice for Samantha. Also think Amy Adams and Chris Pratt were really good in their supporting roles too. And a shoutout has to go to

the little dude in the cave

:pac:

Can't wait to see it again in the cinema

FloatingVoter

It's Spike Jonze doing Woody Allen but forgetting to put any laughs in. I suppose its just a sideswipe at all the people nowadays unable to sit on a bus / walk down a street without talking to nobody about nothing on their mobiles. It'll be a fun group experience on Valentines Day to listen to all the mobiles going off in the cinema. You can always play with your Important Other / iPhone during the dull bits.

IvaBigWun

A superb film

8/10

Corholio

Interesting thing that I read last night. Samantha Morton was originally the voice of 'Samantha' and was on set with Phoenix for the entire filming of the movie but when Jonze watched it back he felt there was something just not quite right about it, so he dropped Morton's voice and got Scarlet Johansson to voice over all her parts in the film. Great choice too.

Also the voice

of Sexykitten in the chat room is Kirsten Wiig and the Alien Child's voice is actually Jonze himself

Great film though, really enjoyed the tone throughout it.

Birneybau

FloatingVoter wrote: »

It's Spike Jonze doing Woody Allen but forgetting to put any laughs in. I suppose its just a sideswipe at all the people nowadays unable to sit on a bus / walk down a street without talking to nobody about nothing on their mobiles. It'll be a fun group experience on Valentines Day to listen to all the mobiles going off in the cinema. You can always play with your Important Other / iPhone during the dull bits.

Woody Allen how?

Da Shins Kelly

Just finished watching this and I absolutely loved it. A really heartfelt, beautiful film. The love story was thoroughly believable despite the slightly surreal nature of it, and was actually quite moving. It touches on themes of loneliness in a similar way to Lost in Translation, and pulls it off. It combines a futuristic feeling with a sense of familiarity really well, creating such a richly imagined world so that you can totally believe this happening in the not too distant future. It's a great commentary on our relationship and reliance on technology and how real relationships kind of fall by the wayside as a result, but it goes beyond an indictment of technology - it's just an honest romance at the heart of it. It is neither dystopian nor utopian, which is one of its great strengths.

Essentially Theodore falls in love with a concept or an ideal, and it actually becomes a lot more affecting than love stories between real people in places. The voice acting from Johansson has a lot to do with how this is pulled off, and she is superb. She brings an intimacy and complexity to the role with just the simple use of her voice - she's sexy, but also nurturing in a way, and plays up entirely to a fantasy. Joaquin Phoenix's portrayal of Theodore is completely disarming, a real contrast to this intense reputation he seems to have. Here he is tender and soulful, and wears every emotion on his face. It's a beautifully understated performance. Amy Adams turns in a good performance as Theodore's friend too, and I actually enjoyed her a lot more in this film than in American Hustle.

The film is quirky and charming and romantic, with some great performances, and I found it fully engaging throughout. It might not be for everyone (I can think of few friends who definitely would find it too slow), but if you're up for something that is quite introverted, it's great. Felt quite emotional in parts too.

Along with 12 Years a Slave, I think it was one of my favourite films that I've seen in ages.

builttospill

Watched it last night and it crushed me as I like many others would identify with the premise because of my own situation in life. I then immediately took to Facebook to sing its praises. As you can imagine there would be a lot of "friends" on Facebook who wouldn't want to hear someone wax lyrical about a film so I kept it shortish and not so sweetish. Here's what I said:


Spike Jonze's "Her". Well Holy God. Genius and quite frankly soul destroying. How do I even describe...just wow. The greatest contemporary cinematic critique and satire I have experienced of modern and future life that punches so close to the bone, encompassing everything that is ****ed up and onerous about relationships, technology and the evolution of men and women. I'm not even going to bother saying anything else cos I'll just sound trite. I imagine I already do. Just watch it.

FloatingVoter

Birneybau wrote: »

Woody Allen how?

The focus on relationships or lack of them. Its hardly comparable with anything Scorcese or Tarantino would come up with.

mark13

I'm surprised by the raves on here...I didn't warm to it at all, it started off promisingly, but took a nose dive after the

sex scene

and never recovered.

NapoleonInRags

mark13 wrote: »

I'm surprised by the raves on here...I didn't warm to it at all, it started off promisingly, but took a nose dive after the

sex scene

and never recovered.

Agree completely - I found it dull and boring. I actually can't believe the amount of praise it has received here and elsewhere.

nervous_twitch

Thought it was beautiful. One of the best films I've seen in a good while.

expectationlost

i liked the film but to discuss it...

the constant sexy-giggling voice was grating at the start,

although it did lessen as the film went on, the story kinda fizzled out, ultimately it was about him getting over his failed marriage and him getting together with yerone, but Her sudden ascension was puzzling

Shiraz 4.99

Well this started out fantastically well, the realization of the future was both scary & yet familiar.
Phoenix nailed the role & applied just the right amount of tender when required.
Loved how society accepted the relationship & thought nothing of the surreal nature of it all.

Unfortunately for me the premise just fizzled out before the emotional ending.
They over egged the pudding in the "I love you", "I love you more" stakes, it's as if they ran out of ideas in how to ramp up the relationship.
The main female characters, Adams & Mara, felt a bit underused for me, Johansson did get it spot on however.
Overall, 7/10 . . . . could have been a genuine 9/10 if it had not lost it's early impetus or could have found somewhere else to go.

Now my spoilery questions, maybe someone can help:

So Samantha had 641 lads on the go out of 8,000+ clients, I could see the infidelity thing coming but thought it would be in the millions.
So Brian Cox shows up for one scene as a reconstructed theoretical psychologist, goes offline for a chat with Samantha then we never hear from him again, odd.
Not long after the whole OS One project is pulled but we are not shown or offered any explanation. Anybody have a theory ?

Birneybau

Shiraz 4.99 wrote: »

Well this started out fantastically well, the realization of the future was both scary & yet familiar.
Phoenix nailed the role & applied just the right amount of tender when required.
Loved how society accepted the relationship & thought nothing of the surreal nature of it all.

Unfortunately for me the premise just fizzled out before the emotional ending.
They over egged the pudding in the "I love you", "I love you more" stakes, it's as if they ran out of ideas in how to ramp up the relationship.
The main female characters, Adams & Mara, felt a bit underused for me, Johansson did get it spot on however.
Overall, 7/10 . . . . could have been a genuine 9/10 if it had not lost it's early impetus or could have found somewhere else to go.

Now my spoilery questions, maybe someone can help:

So Samantha had 641 lads on the go out of 8,000+ clients, I could see the infidelity thing coming but thought it would be in the millions.
So Brian Cox shows up for one scene as a reconstructed theoretical psychologist, goes offline for a chat with Samantha then we never hear from him again, odd.
Not long after the whole OS One project is pulled but we are not shown or offered any explanation. Anybody have a theory ?

R.e. your spoiler, the film had an hour cut from it, was handed to Steven Soderbegh by Spike Jonze to edit it. A whole storyline with Chris Cooper was completely excised.

IvaBigWun

Birneybau wrote: »

R.e. your spoiler, the film had an hour cut from it, was handed to Steven Soderbegh by Spike Jonze to edit it. A whole storyline with Chris Cooper was completely excised.

Thats an interesting tidbit. Surely a Directors Cut will be in the offing before year's end

FloatingVoter

IvaBigWun wrote: »

Thats an interesting tidbit. Surely a Directors Cut will be in the offing before year's end

TBH - that was enough for me. I had to watch it in two segments as it is now. I know its Spike's first original movie-length script and thats why it got the scissors from Soderbergh - it could have been done in a hour. Giving it 120 minutes was generous as it stands.

fluke

For a while near the end

I thought Theo and Amy were gonna calmly walk off the rooftop edge as if to 'leave' as well.

Shiraz 4.99

FloatingVoter wrote: »

TBH - that was enough for me. I had to watch it in two segments as it is now. I know its Spike's first original movie-length script and thats why it got the scissors from Soderbergh - it could have been done in a hour. Giving it 120 minutes was generous as it stands.

Was plenty for me too, I watched it over 2 nights aswell as I fell asleep with about half an hour to go.
I've read on other forums where people were really blown away by the emotional ending but there was no pay off for me as I'd given up caring.
Pity as the first hour or so was magical.

_Whimsical_

Shiraz 4.99 wrote: »

Now my spoilery questions, maybe someone can help:

So Samantha had 641 lads on the go out of 8,000+ clients, I could see the infidelity thing coming but thought it would be in the millions.
So Brian Cox shows up for one scene as a reconstructed theoretical psychologist, goes offline for a chat with Samantha then we never hear from him again, odd.
Not long after the whole OS One project is pulled but we are not shown or offered any explanation. Anybody have a theory ?

Sorry about the grey below but I couldn't reply without spoiling it.

I thought this was just to introduce the fact that there were other men out there that Samantha was talking to. Smarter ,more interesting men that she'd have more in common with. He was a computer generated entity too that she could be non verbal with. It illustrated how Theo couldn't ever really be part of her world, that maybe he was not and could not be "enough" for her. In that I thought Brian Cox had more than served his purpose and anymore of him would've been boring.
I thought it was a bit mad that it never occurred to him that she was talking to other people in a similar way

I watched it over two days too and while I thought it was reasonable , that was as much as I could say about it. It prompted a few interesting questions about relationships and was thought provoking in that sense though.

Da Shins Kelly

_Whimsical_ wrote: »

Sorry about the grey below but I couldn't reply without spoiling it.

I thought this was just to introduce the fact that there were other men out there that Samantha was talking to. Smarter ,more interesting men that she'd have more in common with. He was a computer generated entity too that she could be non verbal with. It illustrated how Theo couldn't ever really be part of her world, that maybe he was not and could not be "enough" for her. In that I thought Brian Cox had more than served his purpose and anymore of him would've been boring.
I thought it was a bit mad that it never occurred to him that she was talking to other people in a similar way

I guess the intimate nature of it all meant things got a bit blurry. Bearing in mind too that Theo was very lonely going into the relationship, and I guess Samantha fills a void in his life, so he becomes very attached to her. She also serves as an ideal and an escape from a relationship with a real woman - she makes him feel good about himself, she doesn't bother him or nag him about anything, she's a nurturing presence, and he can project his own image of what she might look like onto her. Not to mention the fact that she does actually tell him that she loves him. It becomes very personal, suddenly. It's a complete fantasy, but I guess if you're in a vulnerable place it could become more than just a fantasy, but a big part of your life. One of my favourite aspects of the movie was how it blended the futuristic with the familiar - it's not something I could imagine happening in the here and now, but I could totally envision a future in which people's relationships with technology reaches a new, heightened level.