So last night we re-convened after a few weeks off to round out what was essentially the first complete round of TSE. The last mate got to force feed some dull Hallmark romantic comedy down our throats, something with dogs & really bland banana republic-esq clothing- & GAW! the terrible Starbucks soundtrack & this dialogue to force fingers to be cut off & anyway the lead woman really wasn't that attractive & I know now that the leading man in the film dates that bloke from Lord of the Rings, but Geez, the more I think about this, MAn! this project has totally failed because it was conceived to inspire a truthful & beautiful spirit for film & all things discussion based & look where it's led us,....I guess this can now officially be the last post in TSE's history, but before I go let me first say,........
PSYCHE!
haha-busted fools!
(so get to it Chula)
OK, OK,
The film Primer was Benton's selection & a semi-risky one but more on that in a bit. Primer was the first film so far (besides my pick) that I'd already seen. That was OK with me because if you've seen this film once, you haven't really seen it. I mean I've seen it twice now & still barely get it, but that's also OK because it has an incredible look & indie feel to it. More importantly, the major themes in the film are easy to follow & invoke interesting ideas & thoughts.
Primer is an extremely low budget (est. $6,000 - $7,000) American (semi) Science-Fiction film about 2 young engineers who accidentally discover time travel. Upon their discovery, they largely devote their time to making easy money, i.e., buying stocks, betting, etc. Soon the temptation to change other aspects of their lives overwhelms them & their friendship starts to crumble.
The film was written & directed by former mathematician & engineer Shane Carruth. Carruth has said he intended the major theme of the film to focus on the breakdown of the relationship between the films 2 central characters. He saw them as scientifically competent but failing in ethical ideals. This would provide the film with it's main moral theme. The film itself challenges even the brightest & sharpest of film fans, Carruth intentionally included the use of short hand jargon used by actual scientists to keep a sense of authenticity.
Ultimately Primer is an incredibly well made, well thought out & very intelligent film. These facts however don't make it the movie for all audiences. If you choose to view this film I'd recommend not necessarily trying to understand the intricate dialogue & confusing time lines. Look at the bigger themes & ideas the director is trying to convey, unless you're a mathematician, scientific engineer, or simply a genius, this may be the only way you'll leave it with your mind still intact. Enjoy, or don't.
1 comment:
This is a cool movie that (who knows) might get some kind of Criterion treatment. They have a fondness for indie stuff that manages to innovate on a lo-budget. Thanks for linking my blog too! Nice site you got here - can I suggest that you provide an easy way to subscribe/follow?
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