Life, the Universe and the Internet

The human intellect has been interested in things to come, and a big subgenre of science fiction are stories set in future. Films too, ever since their inception, have been toying with the idea of how humanity could have evolved many years from now. The audiences’ fascination doesn’t just stop on their own changes as well but how the mind has crafted new technologies, philosophies, and even problems.

It is interesting to note, however, that the future has changed in cinema over the years. What began as a filmmaker’s simple and often whimsical prediction has evolved into the more serious, and sometimes dystopian, theme. In addition to this, the future has lost its sheen and cleanliness, being replaced by the uneven lines and faded look that prove to a draw at the box office.

Georges Méliès’ A Trip to the Moon is considered the first science-fiction-themed film in an industry that was just even finding its foothold. The film explored the possibility of space flight and the dream of stepping to the closest heavenly body to earth. The approach is understandably simple by our current standards and at times even comical. And by the time the astronauts landed on the moon, fantasy and mythology took over.

Successive attempts in depicting the future seem to have been influenced by the improvements of science at that time, or how society views science and its possible contributions. Films such as Fritz Lang’s Metropolis portrayed a highly advanced city with tall buildings, flying airships, and robots made from smooth lines and shiny metal.

Similar films such as the Flash Gordon serials, Conquest of Space, and Logan’s Run show people wearing clean and fashionable garments, riding shiny cars or spaceships, and living in majestic quarters were everything functions properly. Even enemies wear costumes that are easy on the eye, and they shoot laser beams from elegant weapons. The best example of the clean future (and science fiction, in general) is Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. Kubrick crafted a world where everybody was prosperous and space travel was possible even for the middle class. White was main color of spaceships and suites. Everything appeared to be in order with the exception of HAL computer.

George Lucas’s Star Wars started the idea of adding more realism to futuristic film. The trilogy of Lucas showed a city filled with ugly aliens, ships whose rivets and internal parts were revealed, and clothes that seemed to have been worn out. There were even devices and robots that didn’t work perfectly, along with the occasional rust and oil that were allowed to show on camera. This created a future that mirrors society in the last quarter of the century: technology is visible everywhere, but not everything works as advertised. Coupled with the age-old story of good versus evil, the film has been considered one of the best and most successful science-fiction films of all time.

Moviegoers felt the film was more believable due the nuances the director added to his world. Audiences have started to realize that due to the actions that we are currently doing, the future may not be a very good place to live in. Other films started to follow suit such as Ridley Scott’s Aliens and George Miller’s Mad Max. Aliens featured horrific elements found in earlier science-fiction films but combined with a derelict spaceship with a crew more apt for a fishing vessel. Mad Max showed Australia in the near future with weak law enforcement and where gangs ruled the streets.

Several films after Star Wars started to explore deeper themes and depicted future as sometimes more distraught than our own. Blade Runner, another Ridley Scott film, questions the idea of what constitutes being human told in a backdrop of an overcrowded city, inviting everyone to leave earth for colonies. Recent films such as Alfonso Cuaron’s Children of Men show the world at the brink of a social collapse due to infertility.

The future as shown in film will continue to be closer to reality than we expect. In fact, the new film by Christian Volckman, Renaissance, involves corporations and conspiracies. And because of this, audience’s idea of escape through cinema will change as well.

Oddly enough in Children of Men, the last bastion of humanity is England.

Milafel Hope Awe is a writer, SEO specialist, and a movie enthusiast. You can read more of her thoughts and what-nots at Thoughts and Scribbles.

Went to see Blades of Glory last night, the new Will Ferrell film set in the world of figure skating. If you don’t know anything about the film it is basically the story of two world class male figure skaters Chazz Michael Michaels (Will Ferrell) and Jimmy MacElroy (Jon Heder) who get banned for life from Figure Skating for fighting on the winners podium. They both hit rock bottom until they find out that they can re-enter champioships as a figure skating couple, but this puts them in direct competition with evil brother and sister team Stranz Van Waldenberg (Will Arnett) and Fairchild Van Waldenberg (Amy Poehler)

I have to confess I didn’t have high hopes for this film, I was kind of expecting Dodgeball on ice. Not that there was anything wrong with Dodgeball but it wasn’t the best comedy ever. So many of these films either fall flat after the first 40 minutes or outstay they’re welcome with bloated running times.

Blades of Glory however was hilarious from beginning to end. Ridiculously over the top outfits (just wait until you see the tron costumes), campness is abound as you would expect, along with homosexual undertones and even incest. Ferrell and Heder, play really well off each other, totally different characters but ultimately both the same at heart. Ferrell once again plays an overly macho, not very bright and in this case addicted to sex (including a very funny sex addicts meeting scene) character. Heder plays the innocent blue eyed boy, with a privileged and also cruelly skating focussed upbringing.

It’s not often I visit the cinema and hear lots of open laughing out loud from the audience. But this was one of those times, so I guess that is as good a recommendation as anything.

Last night I watched Little Miss Sunshine on DVD and I thought I’d just make a little post to recommend it. It’s a really great comedy but I suspect not for all, if you like comedies like “Sideways” or “I Heart Huckabees” then this should be right up your street.

It’s about a fairly messed up dysfunctional family who go off on a road trip to take the daughter to a child beauty contest. The characters of the family are the real gel that hold the film together and make it funny. You have the father who is a failed self help guru, the uncle who has just tried and failed to commit suicide, the son who reads Nietzsche and has spent nine months in a vow of silence. Then there is the grandfather who is a foul mouthed drug addict. The mother and daughter are fairly normal, grounded people and this contrasts well with the rest of the family.

I won’t say too much more for fear of spoiling the film for you, I will say though that the last 15 minutes or so were the funniest thing I’d seen in a long time and I was nearly crying with laughter. A really great film, give it a try, in fact find the best price for it here:

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