The Gravity of the Situation was Imense

                Tonight I watched Gravity, a film about Dr. Stone, played by Sandra Bullock, a bright young Doctor who has been briefly trained as an astronaut to come and install an invention of hers on the Hubble Space Telescope. While on a space-walk, some sort of debris storm threatens their position and they eventually lose connection with base and eventually with everyone. The stunning visuals in Gravity were potentially the biggest immediate takeaway, I’m happy to say I got to experience it in all 3-Dimensions at the theatre where it should be reserved for.

On so many leveles I felt as if Gravity suerpassed my expectations for the movie going into it. Although we all know why we shouldn’t judge a book by it’s cover, we all privately pride ourselves on such qualities; I’m embarrassed to say my ego had to sit back on this one. My initial reservations were immediately debunked after the unbelievable cinematographic elements that had to have gone into the filming of it. The long panning shots of Dr. Stone against the infinite backdrop of space was captured so well, I felt as if I was there and as if, for once, space was being accurately represented. Unlike most Sci-Fi movies we’ve seen this semester I found myself very impressed by the level of scientific accuracy used in Gravity. Though similar to Moon in general premise as far as minimal character use, and even more similar to Sunshine with respect to the shaping and evolution of our scientist into strong, emboldened characters, Gravity did not deviate from the realism that was purposely incorporated. The realism was made even clearer by the stunning shots, panning from inside the helmet to outside which really was a very effective tool for POV shots. Through this technique the director also emphasized the magnitude of Dr. Stone’s isolation. The true depth of it could be felt when we would see the space in front of her through her eyes.

Similar to Sunshine in Gravity we find ourselves with an unsuspecting hero in Dr. Stone. The same way Kappa rose to the occasion from his initial uncertainty we find that Bullock does the same as Dr. Stone. Her strength in an absolutely terrifying situation makes clear her resolve in uncertain times, since floating in space would be potentially the most uncertain of times. But again, similar to Sunshine, we see the incorporation of the international aspect of the future of the world. In this way it was meant to be Equipment for Living as Sunshine had been by depicting a perceived realistic situation to demonstrate the noble response. Overall Gravity was un-real. One of the best I’ve seen this year, and I only just watched the Godfather and Casino this year, so it’s with some good company, but definitely a great way to end the semester due to the parallels back to Sunshine and our previous discussions.

                                                                                                                                                                

The Alien Inside of Us

                When discussing Alien in class the idea that movie’s monsters are simply allegorical references to our own fears was hinted at and was consequently stuck in my head. Initially, I didn’t see very far past the shell of a horror movie that ascribed to its genre: scary movies. Upon viewing it a second time, though, certain thematic points became much clearer.  I’d tried to follow along with the generally sexually driven theme that had been hinted at in class, but didn’t feel as if I found much of an overarching purpose behind it; obviously certain parts clearly were sexually driven, but I never felt that I could see a larger unifying drive behind these scenes in that light. For example, the scene where the Alien is first presented to us as a face-sucking entity on the face of the stranded astronaut; the reference to fellatio is far from subtle, but I also saw the value in this scene as portraying the Alien as, simultaneously, sustaining and draining the life force from him.

           In this way the classic notion of Alien probing is put onto the Alien; for the most part the Alien's main mode of destruction is through probing. The comparisons can go even deeper, though, when thinking about what was the vehicle through which the crewmates came to face these issues; and the vehicle is "Mother", a spaceship owned by the Company with ulterior motives to those onboard. By placing the parasitic role on both the Alien and the Company, our inherent fear of being taken advantage of is exploited in the explicit and sexual senses. Similar to the mode in which the Company has used there lives expendably in the name of its own advancement, so too has the Alien acted parasitically by eliminating the crew in the name of its continued advancement. The entire theme of advancement in the name of all else is made clear by the cut throat nature of the mission in which they'd embarked, as made clear when they were initially arguing about what the fair compensation for their work would be; only for them to be told that it was out of their hands and beyond them, in the same way the mission as a whole was out of their hands and beyond them. Their mission wasn't one of status or intrinsic, goodwill value. Rather those onboard were there for the same reason the ship that was taking them was, profiteering.
    

Fading into the Sunset in Sunshine

            In Danny Boyle’s Sunshine, the powerhouse of our universe, the Sun, is dying and a team of astronauts are sent to restart it and keep sustained the potential for life in the universe. The movie presents an interesting situation that contributes to our ability to analyze and learn about the characters by putting each into this unbelievably pressure-filled scenario. Literally, the weight of the world as they know it is on their shoulders; this is made clear when Mace points out just how isolated their situation is that they’d been alone long before communication with Earth was lost. The impeding doom associated with their isolation is underscored by the motif throughout Sunshine in which the ship is constantly seen hurdling towards the Sun whenever a step back is taken and the ship is viewed against the backdrop (an interesting analogy for how hopeless their entire mission feels when taking a step back and observing).

             The ways in which the characters respond to this is our best way of learning about the characters. For example Trey, the mathematician, in the heat of this pressure cracks. As we discussed in class, the duality of opposite concepts is what truly allows for our understanding; without one, the other cannot be fully grasped. In this way the frailty of mind of Trey and the cowardice of Harvey allow us to understand the coming of age of Capa as exemplified through his heroism. Initially when we are introduced to Capa he is a timid character who is reluctant to take responsibility when he was most informed and best suited to decide as to what course their trek would take, this would eventually change.

            Those who accept responsibility within the world of Sunshine seem to be rewarded when they make the ultimate sacrifice. All of the crew onboard the Icarus are martyrs sent to save Earth, but the true hopelessness of the situation is not pushed on the crew until the initial decision by Capa is made. As the movie makes clear, the decision was one of complete chance, a toss-up. From here on out, those who accept their role in the following events are relieved of their role in a tranquil state of apparent bliss; one that is beyond description as Kaneda shows us. Where as those who fight it are not given such a peaceful exit; they aren’t simply embraced into the light as Searle and Capa eventually are. Capa’s progression from the reluctant decision-maker to the final, ultimate decision-maker is an underscore for my take on the purpose of the movie: highlighting the importance of virtue and heroism in the face of hopelessness even when repercussions are far out of sight.

Star Trek: A Look in the Mirror

A reoccurring theme in the films viewed so far has been about governmental bodies abusing their power, as it has been referenced by several of our films, such as Brazil, Metropolis, and now Star Trek: Insurrection, by taking advantage of our archaic fear of those in power running wild. As with most of the others, the implications of this intrusion are unclear, initially it is Picard acting on behalf of the federation who spies and intrudes on the peaceful Bak’u people taking their “hostages” back from them. Where could they have gotten the idea of a government acting on behalf of its own interest and starting a war the people truly aren’t behind? Because they obviously didn’t provoke it, other than through their tree hugging, energy saving practices of course. The shadowy figures behind this are made clear from the beginning due to the dimly light, ominous settings they are found in. This is in stark contrast to the brightly lit (enlightened?) scenes in which Picard and his crew come to consciousness as to the reason for their visit. All the while being monitored by the shadowy figures who themselves are simply dummy figureheads for an even more veiled leadership.

 The actions of the shadowy leadership behind the Son’u reminded me of theories of ultra-governmental powers actually controlling and puppeteering the rest of the world. They are willing to stop at no ends for this invaluable resource they have underneath them; willing to go so far as sabotage Picard’s team and try to eliminate them and the threat of their knowledge spreading. Their knowledge was not that the energy source had been found, because as we know people who return with vital resources are rewarded with large sums of money, but that force on innocents would be used to get it. And as history as told us, those who return with resources tend to be handsomely rewarded, but those who return with resources with the public knowing of the “methods” in which they were obtained are often.. handsomely rewarded as well actually..

And then they...

Turned him literally into Gold

                All too often the slogan of doing this for the greater good is used as justification, it’s an archaic concept that is finding greater meaning as our needs have grown. Similar to our last film, Brazil, the use of propaganda by those in power is used, but unlike in Brazil where the end result was inaction, in the action packed Trek World it was used as a tool for rallying the consciously blind soldiers. In general the dystopic end depicted in Star Trek Insurrection followed similar elemental guidelines as previous movies, such as Metropolis, through our fear of being manipulated by the powerful that potentially we are in fact the guinea pigs of something larger. In Star Trek it was the Enterprise for the perverted Federation to attain the energy source to power life, and in Metropolis it was to keep in place their labor energy source that drove life. Yet, sadly, the least relatable part of Star Trek’s journey was the end result; which is interestingly in contrast to the 1920’s resolution to this dilemma in Metropolis, which ended in the laboring class returning inexplicably satisfied.  But all too often we don’t hear stories of those in the Enterprises position taking the moral road and winning, and they are left to our imaginations as stories.  

The People Have Ceded Control in Brazil

                In Tyler Gilliam’s Brazil, he portrays the future satirically in a classically Orwellian light. The movie follows Sam Lowry after he is assigned to rectify a governmental error that led to the detainment of a Mr. Buttle instead of a Mr. Tuttle. This leads him on an adventure in which he tries to save the woman of his dreams, Jill, from being locked away as a terrorist for attempting to further investigate the disappearance of Buttle. In the opening scenes of the movie the discontinuity of Brazil from the real world is readily apparent when a terrorist attack occurs right in front of Sam, yet hardly a shred of notice is given to it or the wreckage it caused. Rather, the world of Brazil depicts a satirical portrayal of what could happen if the masses yield too much power to the government and those who are meant to protect us.

                In the post wreckage scene, a public service announcement is being issued from the Ministry of Intelligence about the string of terrorist attacks plaguing them for the past several years. The official stance of the government as far as the attacks was simply a baseless affirmation to the people that the terrorists are simply sore losers who “can’t stand to see the other guy win.” By completely devaluing the magnitude of the attacks the government, although implementing massive measures to “protect”, simply puts out meaningless slogans that are audibly heard by the people.

                A scenario like that of Brazil could only come about as a result of a people who have been completely subdued into passivity and no longer question the decisions being made around them. The passivity of the people is clear when the detainment of Mr. Buttle results in no questioning to the initial officers or Sam from the wife or family, rather it takes the angelic passer-by Jill to question the legitimacy of the arrest. Any questioning of the motives or decision-making of the government is met with immediate suspicion, which ultimately led to Jill’s bounty. In this way the Ministry of Intelligence is like the ducts, always connected with the citizens and subduing them to inaction (because the lack of action is not true inaction; replacing the duct with a different colored duct exemplifies this idea) , yet never allowing them any access in return.  The ducts served as a motif throughout the film to remind us of the constant government intrusion taking place in Brazil, subtly visible in the background of the homes and all other walks of life. 

In this way, it serves as a warning to not be led to passivity and inaction regardless of if it is in the name of security. Although it is in issue that only came about after the movie, Brazil reminded me of the ongoing battle in modern times as to the role government should play in the corporate world, especially in those such as utilities. The fear of some today about the ever growing reach of government, literally, into our homes, whether through internet safety or the current NSA fiasco, is echoed through the analogy of the ducts. How much access we allow and how much access we are allowed in return should not be taken for granted, as made evident in Brazil.

The Final Threat to Humanity... Technology

Wall-E is a story about a dystopic future in which Earth has become lifeless due to unsustainable levels of trash. Unaware of the situation on Earth, the cruise ship the Axiom leads the last sliver of humanity on a numbing space cruise with no foreseeable return date. The background to the dystopic setting is never explained and is meant to be an axiomatic element of the story; interestingly, it is the Axiom which drives the story and allows Wall-E to embark on his adventure. From the axiom that is presented to us, the ideas the film is meant to provoke can be analyzed.

Within the Axiom, the last of human life has lived in complete isolation from the world around them, which because they are now in space is nothing, and have become completely numb to communication that isn’t the screen directly in front of them. Although the scenario is nonsensical in many ways, such as where is the food source for the ship or how have new generations of humans been brought up in such a manner, it forces us to examine our ever growing relationships with the screens in front of us. The quintessential human drive that has led to the growth of civilization is lost upon those on the Axiom. Those on board are pacified to the point that technology is no longer dependent on humanity for existence, but rather humanity has become dependent upon technology for their continued existence. Although those onboard are given every avenue to escape their solitary lifestyle, whether through the infinite banks of knowledge accessible through their screens or the gyms available to them to exercise [potentially their options..], but instead remain stooped in passivity to continue life in the same mechanical fashion.

Only those who come into contact with life are able to escape the repetition they are caught in. Within the movie, though, the humans on board can’t truly be considered life since they are stuck in the same autonomic cycle as the Axiom, rather the only life is that on Earth, Wall-E and the cockroach. From them the seeds of humanity are once again planted within what’s left of society as a result of the new-found plant. Upon first contact with life, the characters gain the highly contagious free will that makes us human. It forced the cleaning bot to deviate from its set path, caused John and Mary to abandon their screens and communicate face to face, and of course it allowed the Captain to break his autonomic routine and begin to question the world; which is an essential human characteristic. By doing this, Wall E juxtaposes the ever increasing amount we communicate with technology with the corresponding decrease in interpersonal communication. The screen was the mode of pacificity for the people onboard the Axiom and once removed the blinders on them seemed to disappear. By making the technology the vehicle through which interpersonal communication is resumed, though, Wall-E doesn’t attempt to demonize technology as the cause of the problem. Rather, human over-dependence on technology is highlighted as the cause and cooperation between the two the resolution. 

A Modern Metropolis

            In Fritz Lang’s futuristic film Metropolis the relationships that shape society are examined. Metropolis is set in a future society where the population is divided into two groups, the workers and the thinkers. Both groups, though, are oblivious of the existence of the other and go about their daily lives as such; the thinkers live a life of luxury, while the workers live a life of indentured servitude. Joh Frederson, the architect of metropolis, is aware of the existence of the workers, and works tirelessly to ensure that others, especially his son Freder, do not know.

            Both societies exist dependent upon the other; therefore Joh attempts to maintain a social equilibrium between the thinkers and workers in order to maintain the status quo. An interesting parallel I drew while watching Metropolis was that to the story of the Buddha that I recently learned about in World Religions. In the same manner that the Buddha was sheltered by his father in order to shield him from the other side of the utopic bubble he resided, so to does Joh attempt to shield Freder from the existence of the workers. Once aware, both become inspired and moved, and in this way Freder is the heart that connects the brain to the hands. The idea of ascension for the Buddha or Freder descending to the depths both describe the coming of a conduit for the unintelligent masses attempting to enlighten them to their current situation.

            In the end, though, the masses never become enlightened and eventually return to toil in the depths. Their initial desire to move up and leave their roles as workers is eventually subdued. Although not his initial purpose, Freder, unintentionally, restores the social equilibrium his father had set up by becoming the mediator between the brain (thinkers) and hands (workers) and restoring peace to the interdependent parts. Similar to the architects of today’s society, Joh attempted to skew the intentions of the faith leader of the workers, Maria. In the end, Joh’s attempt to abuse the faith of the masses leads to the workers affirmation of their role in society, as evidenced by the final handshake between Joh and the worker.

            With this in mind, the message of Metropolis has become clearer with the passage of time due to the added relevance it has today. Metropolis doesn’t end with the working class rising and gaining equality, rather they return to the depths and their initial role with a false sense of accomplishment. Similarly, in modern society fluidity between classes has become less and less achievable, while the masses continue to put faith in those sent to deceive them as many would say is the case in American politics today. And this is all done with instruction from the architects of society to maintain the present society; just as Joh attempted to maintain the social order within Metropolis.