Solaris?

[Crothian]

I think that's it. New movie coming out starring George Clooney that when I heard about it months ago seemed sci fi. However, after seeing a preview on the Idiot Box it looks like a love story thriller that takes place in space. Any one seen a sneak preview or read anything more definant? Or just want to post an opinion on how it looks to you?

 

[Pielorinho]

About five or seven years ago, I watched the 1972 version of this movie. It's a Russian SF flick.

Have you ever watched a movie and known that it was a brilliant, thoughtful, aesthetically groundbreaking movie, and you've wanted to gnaw your leg off to escape?

That's what this movie was like for me. Very good, but Good God in Heaven, could it have possibly been slower? It clocked in at 165 minutes, but movies like this convince you that objective time is an illusion.

Of course, the original movie was made in the Soviet Union. The Hollywood remake with George Clooney is sure to be a slam-bang shoot 'em up romp through the future!

Daniel

PS Actually, I see now that it's directed by Steven Soderbergh, a pretty groovy director. Intriguing....

 

[Mr Fidgit]

The Good: Solaris is based on Stanislaw Lem's 1961 novel about a widowed scientist who is sent to a space station orbiting a planet named Solaris to investigate a series of deaths

the first adaptation of this novel to film was indeed in 1972, by a Russian director named Andrei Tarkovsky, who is generally regarded as a master of filmmaking


The Bad: Steven Soderbergh (a great director, IMO) has decided on using a 'nonlinear' form of storytelling; the scenes are all shown out-of-order


The Ugly: preview audiences haven't understood the film, and it's not being screened for critics

 

[John Crichton]

Soderbergh + Sci-Fi = I'm seeing it. Plus, Clooney has been in some good flicks lately. I loved the last Clooney/Soderbergh movie, Out of Sight. Didn't hurt that it had Jennifer Lopez in it (her best film, IMO).

The trailer that I saw looked interesting. I understand it's a psychological thriller type thing, and that sounds interesting. I shall be seeing this film, hopefully liking it and thusly adding it to my ever-growing list of "Really Good Movies of 2002."

 

[WizarDru]

Bad: Steven Soderbergh (a great director, IMO) has decided on using a 'nonlinear' form of storytelling; the scenes are all shown out-of-order

The Ugly: preview audiences haven't understood the film, and it's not being screened for critics

I don't consider that to be bad, necessarily (the order issue, that is). 'The Limey' was done this way, by Soderbergh, and it's one of my favorite films ever.

Not screening for critics, though....that's worrisome.

 

[Gary N. Mengle]

Soderbergh + Sci-Fi = I'm seeing it. Plus, Clooney has been in some good flicks lately. I loved the last Clooney/Soderbergh movie, Out of Sight. Didn't hurt that it had Jennifer Lopez in it (her best film, IMO).

The trailer that I saw looked interesting. I understand it's a psychological thriller type thing, and that sounds interesting. I shall be seeing this film, hopefully liking it and thusly adding it to my ever-growing list of "Really Good Movies of 2002."

The last Clooney/Soderburgh movie was actually Ocean's Eleven. Also a pretty good flick IMO.

Other examples of "non linear" films include Pulp Fiction and Memento, so I hesitate to criticize a film on that basis alone.

 

[Mr Fidgit]

Not screening for critics, though....that's worrisome.

that's what i meant. i don't dislike nonlinear storytelling, Pulp Fiction and Memento, as Gary mentioned, are two of my favorite films (i like The Limey too...). because it did so poorly with test audiences (and it's not being screened for critics), it probably won't get much support from the studio

(i just put in 'The Bad' to explain why the test audiences may not have enjoyed or understood it)

 

[Mallus]

I'm seeing Solaris... I couldn't make it through Tarkovsky's verison, but I loved the book back in college.

Its most certainly not a love story. And I feel certain that Soderbergh didn't film it as a love story, that's just the way the studio's pitching it.

Solaris is a critique of Platonic philosophy written as a sci-fi detective story with occasional surreal epiosdes. Its a short novel with great depth.

 

[Ziona]

I read the book as well, and I have to say I enjoyed it...pretty creepy stuff!! I just hope that the "love story" does not overflow and ruin the acutal story...guess we'll see in about 2 weeks!

 

[John Crichton]

The last Clooney/Soderburgh movie was actually Ocean's Eleven. Also a pretty good flick IMO.

Ah! Right you are. I forgot about that one. Ocean's Eleven was fun.