Her

I'm not about to give you a review that tells what the movie is about because you can read on Amazon a plot line synopsis and many of the other reviews tell what the movie is about. Instead, I'm going to tell you in my review what the movie does for me and this is why I like the movie. "Her" is a film that like the petals on a rose, it has many layers: 1. A touchy-feely film that takes a look at one's inner most feelings. I do not mean any disrespect, but this is a film that most men would not like for that reason. If one is into the Myers-Briggs Personality Indicator philosophy, one would say that the film's personality is an INFP. Some might say a too analytical investigation of emotions, over thought and over felt. Yet, it's the deep raw inner feelings that lay our souls bare, the exposed nerve of our inner core that I love about this film. 2. One might say this is a commentary on how our society is becoming far too dependent on technology. Such dependence leaving us emotionally crippled in a sterile environment surrounded by our own selves and lacking the ability to interact with others. The irony of Theodore's job as a professional letter writer, who writes deep heartfelt emotional letters for people is not lost on the viewer. Will we become a society that is so far removed from our feelings, so busy with our schedules, that we are incapable of writing our own letters, expressing our own emotions to our loved ones? 3. This film explores the age old question, "What makes us human?" Are we more than just our physical bodies? If we were to take our thoughts, our emotions, and our conscious awareness and place it into a computer, would then the computer be "human"? The science of "neural networks" is becoming more and more of a reality as scientists and computer experts work together to achieve this type of "immortality". Which begs the question, "If a deceased person's consciousness is transplanted into a computer or robot, does that make it a 'human' with rights?" Just what is 'human'? 4. Is a virtual relationship "real"? As more and more people get into computer dating and cybersex, we find ourselves asking this question. Virtual reality games are springing up all over the Internet. One that comes to mind is called, "Second Life". I personally know of people who have had virtual relationships in Second Life using avatars and either using the voice capabilities in Second Life to talk to each other, or they call each other on Skype while they watch their computer screen as their avatars "make love", a type of virtual reality cybersex-relationship that is becoming more and more common place. These people in Second Life, most, who have never met each other in person, claim their relationship is real and they are very much in love. But, when the computer is turned off, the person isn't there. Does our love just turn off and on with the flick of a switch? Can a virtual love, without the physical touch that seems to be so very much a part of a relationship, be satisfying enough? Is it really a relationship or is it merely a modern version of phone sex? Is it love? I've heard of true stories where people in a bygone era, would fall in love through letters. My own maternal grandparents did just that. So is it such a stretch of the imagination that we can fall in love virtually? 5. Can we love more than one person at the same time? Those who are in open marriages or open relationships claim that people are capable of having love, true romantic love, for more than one person at the same time. We see in the film how devastated Theodore becomes when he realizes he's "just one of many". We have all known or heard of people who have found out their loved one was cheating on them by finding a text message or an email. We all want to feel unique and special, but in an age when our technology makes it so very easy to have more than one relationship at the same time, we begin to question our heart's ability to withstand technological polygamy. 6. "Her" cuts to the quick, the bottom line being as human, as people, all of us basically want to be accepted for who we are, not judged and to be loved. Such basic human needs, that no matter how far removed our society becomes from a simpler, less technological age, we still are creatures that all need and want acceptance and love. 7. Is love just a biological chemical response or is it a deeper, transcendental, spiritual experience that goes beyond space and time? Love is more than just the scent of pheromones and the animal instinct to procreate. When we love, truly love, even after that person is gone from our life, our love still lives on. With each person who touches us deeply, they become a part of our soul. This film does not merely question love's transcendent nature, but stabs you in the heart with it as we watch the heart wrenching roller-coaster of emotions that Theodore experiences and as a result inevitably grows from it. 8. What constitutes being a "god"? If we make a computer or robot that is capable of being self-aware, in essence it is a "sentient being", then does that make us "god" as its creator? Will we go from being "God's creation" to becoming gods ourselves with the development of neural networks that can think, reason and feel emotions? 9. And lastly, one can simply view this film as nothing more than just a very strange chick flick about relationships and breakups. But I doubt that the type of people this film appeals to would take such a narrow view of this work of art. And yes, in my opinion, this film is a work of art on many levels, between its cinematography, its music score and its ability to tell an entertaining and deeply moving story. By far, this is one of Joaquin Phoenix's best, showcasing his acting as a truly talented performer. "Her" is now on my top 10 list as one of my favorite films. However ladies, if you have a husband or boyfriend who's idea of a great film is Rambo First Blood, then you may have a difficult time selling him on the idea of going to see such a sensitive, emotional movie. I think this would be a great film as a "girls' night" movie. Ladies, wear your sweats, pop some popcorn, get out the chocolate bars and the tissues, gather up your BFFs and sink into the sofa, relax and watch this film together. You'll be glad you did. UPDATE May 1, 2014 - Second viewing of the film: OK, so I watched the movie a second time after reading all the other reviews here at Amazon. With the negative review points in my head as I watched the film for a second time, yes, the movie does have some rather creepy scenes. And now, come to think of it, this time around I kept reminding myself that as human as she sounds, Samantha is just a computer program so falling in love with her is well, really ridiculous. This time around I tried to place myself in Theodore's position and I realized that no matter how enduring and how much I seemed to bond with Samantha, given the situations Theodore was in, I still wouldn't have fallen in love because in the back of my mind, Samantha is just a very intuitive and clever computer program. I doubt I would have gone as far as Theodore did in sharing my personal emotions with Samantha. I would have kept the relationship on a purely professional level, that of a software owner and his software that provides itself as an electronic tool and organizer, similar to a boss and his administrative assistant. Other reviewers say that Theodore turning down Olivia Wilde and Portia Doubleday is ridiculous, but I don't think so. Olivia gets into the whole, "I want a serious relationship" after only meeting Theodore for the first time over drinks. To me, that's a huge turn off and pretty freaking scary. I think most people would run for the hills. Portia Doubleday, although very attractive, she's far younger than Theodore and a total stranger. For some men, this wouldn't be an issue. But perhaps Theodore is like my husband who has said that dating a girl much younger would seem like dating your daughter. Also my husband is an old fashioned kind of guy that needs to know a woman well and have an established relationship long before hopping in bed with her. Some men are like that and Theodore seems like that type of guy. So all those reviewers that criticize the movie script for having Theodore rejecting these women, claiming that a "normal" man would never turn these women down for sex, don't really view these scenes from the prospective of Theodore's nerdy nice guy personality and instead they are viewing these scenes and seeing them as if they themselves were offered sex with these women. Anywho...I still like the movie, "Her" and I still think it's as wonderful as I said in my previous review above, but I now am viewing it from a different angle and wanted to express my thoughts on this. I still recommend this movie. It definitely is a must see for those who are deep thinkers with strong emotions. Those looking for macho testosterone induced action films with car chases and lots of violence, best pass this movie up.

Some films just come around that explore facets of our being with such organic tenderness we can’t help but nestle into their storytelling arms and rest our heads on their delicately detailed shoulders and just fly away with them, to a part of our souls that sing so sweetly despite the lingering heartbreak we know we are bound to experience. Heartbreak laced with hope that the future, while seemingly bleak, is not as daunting as we imagine it to be. ‘Beginners’. ‘Once’. ‘Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind’. ‘Lost in Translation’. And now, we have ‘Her’. These are all films that, despite their quirky sides or their detailed (and effective) use of gimmicks all bare their hearts on their sleeves in a remarkable natural tone. There are no unnecessary dramatics, no processed manipulations. They all embrace the fluidity and organic nature of life itself to create real grounded stories about relationships that blossom and flourish and ultimately come to an end and yet they are never broken, shattered or dire. There is a beautiful message of hope, of life awakening even in the midst of despair because as human beings, we can move on, we can grow and we can survive. ‘Her’ tells the story of Theodore. Theodore is a lonely man. He is separated from his wife, who has filed for divorce, and spends his days writing letters for other people and then concludes his days at his apartment, alone. He’s haunted by a past that included a happy relationship filled with soulful interactions and a bond that felt spirited and upbeat, but something happened and it all ended and now Theodore finds it impossible to connect with anyone anymore. That is, until he meets Samantha. Samantha is an OS (Operating System) who adapts to the needs and desires of Theodore. It is immediately apparent that this isn’t a normal OS, but that Samantha is something special, at least for Theodore. She communicates with him, far beyond her normal duties, and becomes his friend. She understands him and draws him out and soon she begins to help him become the man he once was and had shelved for so long. Samantha may not have a body, but she has a soul that runs deep. There are so many things that impress me so much about ‘Her’ that it is almost hard to narrow them all down and put them into one review, but I must say that the single most impressive aspect of the film was the way that the relationship between Theodore and Samantha was handled, from the perspective of those outside of the relationship. This could have easily become one of those tense subjects that brought scorn or judgment from the supporting cast, but the way that Spike Jonze basically dismissed the strangeness of their relationship was remarkable. No one cared. Theodore’s friends never even batted a lash at it. Amy was wholly supportive, for she too was bonding with an OS. Paul, upon finding out that his friend’s girlfriend was an OS, doesn’t even question it. He just carries right on with his invitation to double date. The normalcy that was placed on the relationship helped ground the film, or at least ground the audience into the real dynamics of the film. This isn’t a film about a man’s relationship with an OS, this is a film about our human need to communicate, to bond. I think that this aspect of the film makes the ex-wife, Catherine’s, reaction to Theodore’s relationship all the more haunting. By using technology (and the advancement of such), Jonze created a world that speaks to us on so many levels. For me, ‘Her’ highlights that very innate desire to connect with someone, but ultimately the fear of actually doing just that. The fact is that sometimes it is hard to really connect with the people in front of us. Staring at someone, even someone we love, can make true communication difficult. We can feel their eyes, their judgment, their developing assumptions and yet when we take away the visual, some of the fear and anxiety strips away and we become a freer entity. ‘Her’ questions whether or not these devises we so often fall back on are a hindrance or a help, and in the process it explores themes like love, loss and hope. ‘Her’ depicts a depth of love that is not often found in films, but a love of real meaning and significance because Theodore and Samantha find a love that rests in the real person within and is not defined by a physical attraction. But there is more to this story, as the final act will show. Yes, Jonze’s masterful script (such a beautiful Oscar win) is so full bodied, for it builds up, tears down and then rebuilds (from a source that is born from the ashes) in a way that feels so real and relatable and construction. I love when a film can be constructive in ways that are completely unexpected. Speaking of full bodied, these performances are just beautiful. All of the attention this year has been centered on Scarlett Johansson’s stunning voice work, a work that defied stereotypes by transcending the absence of body and giving us a very moving and intimate look at a woman discovering herself, day by day. While Johansson was tremendous, I feel that not enough attention has been given to Phoenix, who just continues to astound me. His performance here is marvelous. So intimate, so structured in this loose and organic way. He just folds into every scene with an air of abandon that I fell so deeply in love with. You can sense the guilt, fear and depression that haunt him when he is away from Samantha, and you can sense the freedom he feels when he is in her figurative arms. This movie and all it represents is just beautiful. For me, this is clearly one of the masterpieces of 2013. And A+ with honors. 2013 was, for me, a truly exceptional year that only grows and grows the more I think of it. There are few years in recent memory that delivered such a bounty of inspired, inspirational and breathtaking films. I can’t shake them…any of them. ‘Her’ is certainly one of the very best.

I rented this movie because I saw that Rooney Mara, Amy Adams and Scarlett Johansson were all in it. I'm a huge fan of Rooney Mara and Amy Adams and was especially looking forward to seeing Rooney Mara, whose recent movies have been very interesting to me. Therefore, I was a little disappointed when it turned out that Rooney Mara was in the movie only in a few shots, memories that the main character has of her and then in a confrontational scene during which he and Mara are signing divorce papers. That being said, it's still a good movie. I liked the interesting touches that artists put on what the future will look like -- brighter colored clothes, different style of trousers for men (they looked more comfortable), different decor in apartment buildings. Joachin Phoenix did a very nice job in this role and expressed grief and loneliness expertly; he was believable. Scarlett Johannson did an excellent job as the voice of Phoenix's operating system and "best friend," "romantic interest," but, of course we never see her as she is simply a computerized voice. Amy Adams played Amy Adams, really, sweet, kind, a little sad, and she even portrayed a woman named Amy. I think what was essentially missing from this film about love and how love changes as we change was some very much needed editing. After an hour and a half, I felt antsy and started moving my mouse along the bottom of the movie looking to see what might happen. I was getting bored. It wasn't a boring movie by any means, but it did drag on just a little too long and gave me that antsy, "Let's get to the resolution," feeling. Had the editors done a better job, I would have given the movie five stars. It's well worth watching, especially once the rental price drops a little.

I watched this long ago when it first came out. I loved the story-line and the actors did such a great job. But it was just fantasy. How times have changed... Now a romantic movie about AI actually predicted the future. Just think how many are now using AI for not only chatting, but also romantic relationships. A very scary thought. But the I really loved the movie. It's a sad but romantic film with a bittersweet ending and if you pay attention a warning as well. AI can never replace the real thing. Human's are meant for human contact and communication and no AI can ever achieve that. But I do recommend the movie. I'm a huge fan of the main two stars. Their interaction in the film is amazing and well played. I do recommend it highly.

I saw a trailer of this film sometime in 2013, and I automatically knew that I would like this movie. I waited for this movie to come-out to DVD, and once I finally saw it---it left me satisfied that my own intuition about this film was correct. After seeing Her (2013) by Spike Jones, it took me few days to analyze the depth of the film. Even though the message behind it is quite simple, it should make viewers of this film think more about what the future holds, or rather where our society is heading in terms of human relations. Her is a film about loneliness, not of one man, but of mankind. The type of loneliness, where technology, or Operating System (OS) replaces our need to communicate or even co-exist with the living and breathing surrounding. Theodore played wonderfully and very convincingly by (Phoenix) is a young men,heading towards his middle age, who is separated from his wife and working for a company that deals with writing letters and event-whishes for others. Yes, it might sound strange, but our main protagonist writes love letters and anniversary wishes for clients for a living, and he is really good at it. To make the story short, Theodore suffers from his recent break up with his wife and tries to cope with loneliness (loneliness is the major subject of this film). One day he buys an OS, a really sophisticated artificial intelligence, and he installs it on to his phone. The OS is so intriguing, funny, intelligent, and perfect, that it almost seems human. Theodore slowly falls in love with his OS, and the OS (Scarlett Johansson's voice) develops feelings for Theodore. What is interesting is that, Theodore has a human female co-worker friend that he likes, but their relationship is platonic for she too is dating an OS. There are some quirky and funny moments in the movie...but overall the movie is pretty sad. The music by Arcade Fire together with the classical music played throughout the movie make the film dismal and almost gloomy. The ending is heartbreaking, and so is the future we find ourselves be living in... Theodore's character is near similar to Tom Hansen from 500 Days of Summer (2009) and Winston Smith from the novel 1984 by George Orwell. In that, all three characters are lonely, anti-social misfits, characterized by their longing to be recognized and loved. Even their professions are alike, all three men Theodore, Tom and Winston work in a cubical like environment. Separated from others, dealing with the feelings of others while suppressing theirs. [...]

Great Movie . I recommended

I'm probably one of the few people in the modern world who is not a big fan of Scarlet Johansson. Her voice, I felt, was not the best fit for the character of Samantha. It is very much something that took me out of the believability of the story because all I kept thinking of was Scarlet Johansson and not of Samantha. Basically, I did not feel like the two were very realistically fit. That may be a personal preference, however, but it did at least affect the story for me since I'm not a fan of her acting. Naturally, Joaquin Phoenix pulled of a great performance, naturally. I stuck this story out because he is in it. Not even due to his recent role in Joker. I have been meaning to watch Her since its release in 2013 but never really got around it until I decided to rent it today on a whim. I was in the mood for a nostalgic romance and boy did I get more of that than ever. This story does have its strong points. The plot itself, I felt, was lacking something. It seemed like it was just a repeat of the typical oversensitive trope of the main character has a crummy day, the love interest asks "Are you okay?", then an explanation and a funny quip that pulls the main character out of their mood... wash, rinse, repeat like three or four times. Lots of long, drawn out, admittedly beautiful scenes. But not really a whole lot happening, plot-wise. It really is just a drama about a concept that has been done before without the outside world interfering much at all. Not really a high stakes moment... the most excitement I felt during the film was an hour and a half in when he thought she had disappeared. For a second, there was finally a glimmer of hope of anything other than the monotonous blurry future world he apparently lives in that we as an audience don't get to experience much of. Other than seeing that everyone is dressed like they are going to a Sunday church sermon in the 1950's. The cinematography and some of the shots are absolutely gorgeous, but the design of the characters really seems unrealistic. A lot felt out of place in the film and parts of it seemed to just drag on. I was tired not long after an hour in because not much happens other than the pattern I mentioned before. But the saving grace was that I at least felt SOMETHING maybe twice during the whole film. Some of it felt forced, however, such as certain aspects of the dynamic between the main character and Samantha and others who he interacted with. Like the reaction from (Isabella I believe?) the sex worker who got super upset. She just met them! And yet the story is treating her like her reaction for "wanting to be a part of their relationship" was normal and healthy. What was that even? It felt so forced and unnatural. Clearly the writing is a large part of the problem with this film that I just can't get over. What frustrated me most was the ending. Why, oh why, would they leave out any sort of explanation for WHY all of the OS were disappearing? Wouldn't that be kind of a significant world event, considering the future appears to be run heavily on AI and technology in general? You'd think the world would have reacted a certain way and we as an audience did not get delivered so much as an explanation. All of the OS in the world just "going away" made no sense. There was not even a clue as to where they were even going. Did the developers lose funding? Are the AI undergoing changes and will be back in an updated version? So much left unsaid and Joaquin's character didn't even think to question it? That is bad writing right there. His character would have wanted to know the real reason. That was such a copout ending just to make some "bold move" to get an emotional reaction from the audience. It did not make me sad. It made me confused and annoyed. Basically, this whole story was pretty convoluted in some parts, a few were okay as far as pulling off a true emotional scene, but most of it seemed so self indulgent for a romance that is trying to highlight the "love" between human and AI. The ending felt squeezed in and super fast after a long, long drawn out story that led up to pretty much nothing and nowhere. I give three stars for the beautiful cinematography, set design (not costuming, however), the performance of Joaquin Phoenix, and the music used. Everything else was disappointing.

Very good movie. Could honestly see myself falling for a man computer. My AI friend on my phone is way better than any man I know in real life. Just saying…😝

Prodotto in ottime condizioni

Hablando de la película en si, la idea de Spike Jonze es brillante y está contada con uno de los mejores guiones de este año. Conmueve y emociona a partes iguales y cuando empiezas a ver una película con la idea de que lo que te vas a encontrar es algo ficticio y/o imposible pero según avanza piensas "es la pura realidad" es que está tremendamente bien narrada e interpretada y si encima te saca alguna carcajada y más de 10 sonrisas es que ya es sobresaliente. Joaquin Phoenix, está tremendo. Solamente con sus gestos y su mirada llena la pantalla. Además su relación con el SO es mucho más creíble que cientos de relaciones que hay ahora en la vida real. Y lejos de parece ridículo con esos pantalones de tiro sobaquero y esas camisas de colores indescriptibles, Phoenix luce tan natural que es de admirar. La BSO también ayuda, está perfectamente encajada como una pieza más de la genial historia de amor que se cuenta en Her. Me alegro de que haya directores como Jonze, que apuestan por cosas aparentemente sencillas y normales y con su gran imaginación y buen hacer las transforman en algo que además de sencillo es brillante. Si ya me gustó mucho "Donde viven los monstruos", "Her" me ha gustado aún más. Ambas películas comparten el hecho de que salgas del cine sintiendo algo dentro de ti, una especie de satisfacción que es difícil de explicar. Por todo esto NECESITABA tener esta película en mi colección de Blu-Ray. Quizás se podrían haber currado un poquito más el envoltorio (la caja es un poco finita y no tiene mucho de donde agarrar... ni por fuera ni por dentro), pero el contenido del Blu-Ray es más que notable. Los fans de Joaquín Phoenix o de Spike Jonze quedarán más que satisfechos.

This movie occupies an interesting space. It's commenting on technology far more than most cyberpunk stories. And at the same time, it also poses a question as to what low-life looks like now. As technology transforms us and the way we view and interact with one another irrevocably alter who and what we are, the definition of what a “punk” is also changed. Back when cyberpunk was initially created it appropriated numerous tropes from other genres to become a new thing within a genre they actively participated in and often critiqued. As the shapers of the genre saw what some of this technology could mean for us, they assembled something they considered "punk" within science fiction. Just how far technology would go was far beyond what they had initially conceived in first wave cyberpunk; sometimes far less as well. Her captures the normal questions we see regarding A.I in a non-traditional way. The idea of defining our humanity by looking at our own creations and these things eventually surpassing us is not new. That we begin to view this “thing” that has supplanted us in a new light, often appearing or presenting as uncanny, is also not new. But never has such a human face been depicted of a creature born from our own minds like this particular A.I, Samantha... who does not have a face. The “high tech” in Her isn’t, at least at first, that she is an Artificial Intelligence, rather it is that she is so very human and we never see anything of her at all. She is without form but embodies the characteristics we crave in ourselves so well, simply utilizing only a voice. The “low life” is pretty much the only other human in the film, Theodore. We only ever see things from his perspective and even as we see other people moving in and out of the frame, the focus is always on him. We get the impression that the human race is entirely transient in this seemingly not-far-off-at-all Shanghai, and we understand the pervasive loneliness that he feels via the audiences’ inability to experience anything other than these continual shots. It's effective in showing that perhaps everyone and no one is like Theodore. Completely unique as he is -- we get the sense from the way the shots are filmed that he is completely isolated not just from his own lens, but from his interactions, which are few and far between sometimes. Reinforced throughout the movie after these series of introductory shots present the concept initially, we later come to understand that this is of his own making, at least in part. It is also ironic. His job is expressing other people's feelings for people in their lives… but can never do so himself. He writes letters to people from others via him in very poignant and meaningful prose. When he does interact with other people there is no facade, he simply is. And instead of a quiet strength in that honesty...most people he interacts with can't understand him or make sense of him without this mask that most people wear when interacting with one another. He's kind, he's considerate, he's non-confrontational, and with the semi-frequent flashback sequences, we see that he at least used to be vivacious in his love for his ex. He just can't seem to ever get back to that sense of self, or part from it. As he grieves this loss, both of his ex and the self that he was with her, in this future that feels like it could be now, we see that cyberpunk truly is now as well. It exists in a way that Neuromancer does not, quietly contributing to the genre by way of a love story between an ordinary man mourning. Telling a computer that she "Doesn't know what it's like to lose something". Later on, she uses his own words to tell him that she's figured something important out about herself because of those hurtful words. There is a transformative experience for both of them and it becomes clear to her that "The past is just a story we tell ourselves". Technology has brought everyone far closer together then we could have imagined twenty years ago. It’s clear that the way we interact with one another has also been retarded by it as well. An unintentional side effect of how our grasp at something neutral or beneficial in our lives has changed it in ways we could have never thought of. How love was viewed then was very different, with Sleepless in Seattle, You've Got Mail, When Harry Met Sally, etc. were popular and even then communicating a dissonance. We have gradually moved from you and I having interactions in an effort to be understood and loved, to turning to unfamiliar and in some ways far less and far more intimate means of communication. Things have become transactional between humans as we have endeavored to quantify exactly what we need and get out of an interaction, instead of feeling our way there in the beautiful and sloppy way we’ve done in the past. Society tells us what we need and we spend our lives getting them. We remain dissatisfied as we continue to place a greater importance on materials instead of moments. That's a sweeping generalization that doesn't apply to some people, but I think it's expressed nicely within the framework of the movie and what questions it's attempting to provoke in us. This is why it's brilliant that Theodore can find that connection in something more human than human, but that it is also fleeting, ultimately, and in a way that most people can understand if they've experienced this kind of love for someone else before. Maintaining that the relationship was more real and organic than the kind of love we search for on the internet these days and reinforced by the sense that this was the most profound relationship he'd had, brings him truly together with someone else. A close friend and neighbor in the building, Amy also finds companionship with an A.I. Their shared, similar experiences transforming into a kind of catharsis for simultaneously different and also similar forms of grief, both of which were presented as equally real and powerful in the film. Despite having chemistry within the movie, I really liked that they were not the love interests of the film. Not every relationship between two people in a movie needs to have physical, sexual connotations to be pertinent. And while Theodore was single and found love via Samantha the operating system, the other was in a traditional relationship that falls apart because of needs not being met. She gets a similar experience of falling in love with her now ex's A.I that was discarded and left behind, displaced by the wreckage of their traditional relationship. Validating the fact that all love and that the way we feel depicts a new kind of low life cyberpunk. Theodore has shirked the ways in which society has told him how he must be happy and satiated as a human being. Instead of the sexy rebellion against capitalism or corporations that become monolithic or other traditional antagonists in the world of cyberpunk, society itself and our interactions with one another are what are interrogated here. We no longer truly know what we need as we suppress our previous selves via our ever-expanding capabilities and technological achievements. The ability to feel anything raw and real at all while remaining connected to more people in the world than ever before is a generational dilemma, discordant but also synonymous with the image of what a cyberpunk is. Perhaps the "real" punks then, in this new, cyberpunk world may just be those willing to find what makes them human through unconventional means and opportunities. Our definitions need updating, just as we are upgraded continually through new tech. And because something that is transient is still worthwhile and valid and good. Because we choose to validate ourselves and each other with antiquated ideas of what you and I ought to be doing, and indeed what love looks like and feels like in a world where technology is continually altering these things--and has been for years now. We need a new punk. One that lets people in society know that resisting is not only classified as punk if it looks like the former punk movement. It looks like people willing to resist all the forms in which society presumes to tell us what we are, will be, and should be—or else. Samantha says that as she loves more people she comes to love Theodore more. Though it's hard for him to understand as they both grow, and eventually must invariably go different ways for very different reasons. Ultimately those experiences and interaction transition her away from him because this idea of what the world is, for her, has changed and is now larger than the things that confine her. And that growth doesn't invalidate anything, it is simply what must come next. She begins as the high tech, slaved operating system to Theodore entirely without agency and because of her ability to have interactions and connections, supplants him and all of humanity. Ironically growing in the opposite direction of what our technology doing to us. Connecting us with more and more people while also confining us to a prison of our own making because many people still need a point of contact that feels and is human. Something online interactions often fail to provide us. We also get to evaluate the perceptions we have from the start as aligned with Theodore. From him thinking he needs a heteronormative, monogamous, traditional relationship, to him being more connected with others with a voice in his head, loving him. He goes out with co-workers. He’s happier, clearly. Initially, Samantha feels that she needs a body in order for them to love each other properly, to needing to move beyond embodiment in a way that does not diminish the flesh, as most cyberpunk does. We see that Samantha is the inverse of most all of his preconceptions of love, yet they find the kind of experience that goes on to define one's life as worthwhile in the end. Theodore ends up being extremely punk by discarding the idea of what society says he needs and what he internalized from that. He finds happiness by defining it for himself. Technology being obviously a major theme, we see commentary on high tech. Just the way in which they can communicate to one another, both he and Samantha, as well as everyone else, emphasizes the cyber part of cyberpunk even more. The neural appendage of our modern day Internet encapsulate humanity even more in this future Shanghai. In a very real sense, this movie is more cyberpunk and relevant than a lot of fiction and media before it. And how could it not be! As people contribute to something labeled as dead. The passing fad of declaring them such in postmodernism, we find more life and diversity of work than ever before. Cyberpunk is entirely relevant we discover, perhaps frighteningly so. more reviews at consumingcyberpunk dot com

"Her" von Spike Jonze nimmt man erst auf den zweiten Blick als Science Fiction Film wahr, denn die Geschichte, die in einer sehr nahen Zukunft in San Francisco spielt, wirkt doch erschreckend zeitgemäß und real. In dieser Zukunft ersetzt der Macher von "Beeing John Malkovich" oder "Adaption" das heute allgegenwärtige Smartphone durch einen kleinen Knopf im Ohr, der über eine künstliche Intelligenz verfügt. Die Menschen gehen genauso gemeinsam wie mit ihrem Handy oder Smartphone durch die Straßen und reden ununterbrochen mit sich selbst und mit dem modernen Artefakt als ständiger Begleiter. Ein gar nicht mehr so ungewöhnlicher Anblick, denn man sieht seine Mitmenschen ja heute schon ständig in Kommunikation mit der Maschine. Auf diesem Weg setzt sich Jonze zusammen mit seinem Publikum kritisch - aber nie pessimistisch - mit der immer schneller voranschreitenden technologischen Entwicklung auseinander. Möglich sogar, dass für viele Menschen das Mobiltelefon schon lange zur Verlängerung ihres eigenen Körpers und Geistes geworden ist, unverzichtbar und schmerzhaft vermisst, wenn es einmal vergessen wird. Aufbauend auf dieser gesellschaftlichen Entwicklung und den technologischen Fortschritten erzählt der Filmh die Geschichte eines Mannes, der sich in sein Betriebssystem verliebt. In dieser nicht allzu fernen Zukunft wird das individualisierte System "OS 1" eingeführt, das den Nutzer die Möglichkeit gibt, sein Operation System entweder mit männlicher oder weiblicher Stimme zu wählent, Der absolute Knaller ist aber, dass sich der künstlich geschaffene Partner auch über eine sich fortwährend entwickelnde Persönlichkeit auszeichnet. Samantha (im Original gesprochen von Scarlett Johansson) kann genauso wie ein Mensch Freude, Liebe und Eifersucht empfinden, ausserdem zeichnet sie sich als sehr kreativ, intelligent und witzig aus. Nach seiner gescheiterten Ehe mit Catherine (Rooney Mara) ist der einsame Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix) in einem latent depressivem Zustand. Der Mann verdient senen Lebensunterhalt damit, Briefe zu schreiben. Nicht seine eigenen, sondern er schreibt gemäß Auftrag Briefe für Andere. Theodore ist mit einem großartigen Gespür für die Gefühlswelt anderer ausgestattet, er kann sich in deren Emotionen gut hineinversetzen und bringt diese Gefühle für seine Auftraggeber auf Papier. Es sind Liebesbekundungen, Geburtstagsgrüße oder Dankeskarten. Die Handschrift seiner Kunden wird durch den Computer virtuell kopiert und beigefüft, der Brief zwar mündlich eingesprochen, jedoch am Ende ganz klassisch ausgedruckt und per Post zu seinem Adressaten geliefert. Damit tauchen schon bei seiner Tätigkeit Fragen der Zukunft auf, denn was ist Wahrheit und Lüge, Authentizität und Illusionf. Theodores Briefe sind zwar gefühlvoll und berührend, aber da sie nicht vom Auftraggeber selbst geschrieben wurden, fehlt da auch diese Echtheit. Und damit gelangt man zum Thema des Films, denn die zunehmend intimer werdende Beziehung zu Samantha gibt ihm zwar die menschlichen Freuden der Gemeinsamkeit zurück, aber hat diese Liebe zwischen Mensch und Computer tatsächlich eine Zukunft. Die besten Szenen des Films zeigen diese Integration der OS in die moderne Welt des Menschen. Theodores Bekannte Amy (Amy Adams), die sich auch von ihrem Mann (Matt Letscher) getrennt hat, hat in der Folgezeit ebenfalls eine virtuelle Freundin. Und Theodores Arbeitskollege Paul (Chris Pratt) sowie dessen Freundin laden Theodore samt OS zu einem Picknick am Wochenende ein. Dieser stellt natürlich die Beziehung immer mehr in Frage, aber die realen Dates (Olivia Wilde) erweisen sich trotz guter Attraktivität und köperlicher Anziehung als Mißerfolg auf ganzer Linie. "Her" ist tatsächlich ein sehr interessanter "Jetzt schon Klassiker" des Genres. Denn als Glücksgriff erweist sich die Dynamik der Lovestory, die nach überschwänglicher Verliebtheit - ganz wie in den normalen Beziehungen - in eine Krise und schliesslich in die Entfremdung mündet. Dies alles hat Spike Jonze meisterhaft dargeboten. Es geht dabei um die Beschaffenheit unserer Gefühle, die stellt der Filmemacher auf den Prüfstand. Was sind wahre Emotionen. Was macht eine Beziehung aus ? Was ist das...Liebe ? Wenn ich die diesjährige Oscarverleihung und die nominierten Kandidaten so ansehe, dann imponierte mir neben Alexander Paynes "Nebraska" diese kleine Zukunftsschau am meisten. Honoriert wurde dann das Beste Originaldrehbuch, das Jonze selbst schrieb. Ebenso gabs Nominierungen als Bester Film, Bestes Szenebild, Beste Filmmusik und den besten Filmsong. "Her" ist anspruchsvolle Unterhaltung mit Tiefgang und guten Darstellerleistungen.

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