|
Solaris (1972)
I've been meaning to watch this one for a while now, and I'm glad I finally got around to it. It's telling of how too many sci-fi films today rely on bombastic plots and special effects. This a film of psychological discovery and conflict, and it is brilliantly pulled off. It's a tradition of film that seems to have gotten lost in the 70s and 80s, perhaps with the advent of Star Wars and subsequent space operas. It's a pity, as I'd like to see more of this in current films. It makes me want to see Moon now.
I give it a 4.5 out of 5 (or 9/10).
It would have received full marks except some of the special effects weren't as seamlessly executed as I've come to expect with current films. I was more lenient than I would be with actual current films that fail to pull effects off without breaking my suspension of disbelief and engagement with the film. That said, Solaris stands the test of time and casts a shadow over many films being made today.
The value in this film is in its cinematography, sense of timing, and the soundtrack. It's absolutely beautiful.
__________________
Knowing that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain, what's the most important thing?
—Bhikkhuni Pema Chödrön
Humankind cannot bear very much reality.
—From "Burnt Norton," Four Quartets (1936), T. S. Eliot
|