mrmac-1

(2012-05-01 09:38:13)

Steal this review

Just viewed Another Earth which I chose in all innocence, not knowing athing about it except a bit of information from a description thatintrigued me. I chose wisely. Hopefully you are reading these commentsafter you have viewed the film. While reviewers here are, for the mostpart, on the money, and aren't overly expository, this is a story thatis, above all, honest.Many years ago, I read a NY Times magazine article discussing thetalent of actress Glenda Jackson, in which the comment was made thatshe, like any great actor, is honest in her expression. I've learnedtwo things about acting: The first is that acting is not pretending, iscertainly not lying. Then that each of us is an actor, just perhaps notas professional or expert at it as some. But we act every day, weexpress ourselves, we connect, we experience. It really is much lesscomplex than one might think.I highly recommend reading co-writer/star Brit Marling's biography athttp://www.imdb.com/name/nm1779870/bio. My sense is that she isprimarily responsible for the story, and that director Cahill enhancedthe project by contributing his filmmaking talents. A quote from theactress on IMDb: On why she decided to become a screenwriter inrelation to her being an actress -- "How terrifying to surrender yourlife to being chosen all the time. Having to be chosen and re-chosen.Writing so that I can act became a way of having not more control overmy future but not having to wait for permission. You can chooseyourself." There's the honesty. I'm all I have, but that connects me toeverything.I do not appreciate only two comments from reviewers: Thecinematography is just right. Home movie style (or more professionalwhen appropriate. Film is eclectic, and this is most amazing when itworks, for story is always most important, and to have so many tools atthe fingertips to share a story does provide a challenge. Actually, thetruth is that two of my favorite directors began as cinematographers:Peter Weir and Nicolas Roeg (I find it curious that they're bothAustralian, but then it seems that all of the world's most popularreligions originated in desert-like environments).I too was wondering how the two-earth thing might be handled,especially since I have a long-term interest in physics, havephotographed what anyone might call "ghosts," and have had experiencesthat, if shared, might cause anyone to label me as "nutso," "crazy," orsimply "bananas." Then two thoughts occurred: One is that physics couldbe responsible for helping us human beings to learn more about how tobe more human, and know more about why we even conceived of gods.Second to this, and more important for this film, is that no matter howbig or small the earth-2 is in various shots, it's just like real life--- we use our personal filters to view the world, and now we areexperiencing another's filters, that is, becoming involved in theirstory. The lack of fleshed out physics serves only to highlight thequite honest performances, the heart of the story. In any case, thescience serves to support one of, for me, the truths of life: Life is adialog, and the participants are, of course, you and your experiencesand, of course, all those human beings in your life and, of course, themystery.If you think about it (not too hard) we really don't want an ending tothe story. One of the achievements of this film (and I think this isBrit Marling's contribution) is the great tension created, like in thebest adventure stories that, in the end, are not so much resolved asgiven new life. We are given permission to own it. The rest is up toeach of us.Greg McCormick Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

trafficcityllc

(2012-05-01 02:41:12)

Too many plot-holes

The film begins with lots of potential but the plot ultimately let medown. Spoiler alert: The claim is made that Earth 2 (Another Planet)stopped mirroring our Earth on the day we acknowledged each othersexistence, however, the storyline contradicts this. If we stoppedmirroring each other, then how was the SETI doctor talking to hermirror self when making first contact? If everything stopped beingmirrored, her mirror self would not have been making first contact onEarth 2 at the same exact time. That being said, John's family shouldnot be alive on Earth 2, but let's suppose they are - with Johntraveling to Earth 2, he won't be reuniting with his family - as analternate version of himself exists on Earth 2. John should've stayedwith Rhoda on our Earth and Rhoda should have given her winning ticketto the janitor. That's my food for thought anyway.

Steve Pulaski

(2012-04-29 22:35:13)

Take a picture, it won't last as long

Another Earth is a beauty to look at, but a task to watch and dissect.It compiles a number of shots that feel like a student photographyproject, and convinces the audience members to "suspend disbelief" sothe film can go on its way. I can suspend disbelief for simple thingslike a second Earth appearing in the sky. I can't when it comes tosimple movie-making terms.This is director Mike Cahill's first feature film. He shot, edited,wrote, and was one of the four people who produced it and got it alimited theatrical release. I commend his efforts, but the directresult is fair at best. I will say that the photography is some of thebest I've seen in any independent film. But readers know I can't justpraise a film for having beautiful photography. It must back more underits belt.The story is about Rhoda Williams (played by Brit Marling, who alsowrote and produced the film), a woman bound for MIT and hopefullyintriguing things in life. She is coming home from a party when she'shad a few too many when she hears on the radio that there's a glowingblue dot in the night sky. That dot is rumored to be a second Earth.She looks out her window to catch a glimpse of it, and in the process,crashes her car into another car and kills a mother, a child, andleaves the father in a coma.Four years pass. Rhoda is released from jail, and is now working as aschool janitor. She wants to live life in a secluded manner, but feelsthe need to go to the father's house and apologize for the damage anddistress she causes. She ultimately loses her nerve and says she's ahousekeeper. Her and the man, John Burroughs (Mapother), start tobecome increasingly close, which leads to personal demon conflicts withRhoda.Oh, and that Earth-like planet that was in the sky? It now has a name.It's confirmed to be a second Earth, named Earth 2. We couldn't see itfor so long because it was supposedly hiding behind the sun. Thediscovery of this planet is needless, and if extracted from the plotcould leave a bunch of metaphors, the film feels like throwing at us,in the dust.That's my biggest complaint; this film is unfocused metaphorically. Itfeels like instead of focusing on character development it wants tohold a contest for how many metaphors it can make. Literally almosteverything in this film is done for an ambiguous purpose. Rhoda worksas a janitor when she's released from prison (to clean up the mess, getit?). Earth 2 exists because on its planet there are supposedlydoppelgangers of humans (to show the better side of people, get it?)It's almost like Another Earth is self-obsessed in the sense where itfeels to get noticed it needs to make you think way too hard. It tradespacing for scenery, character development for metaphors, dialog forawkward, abrupt silences, and so on. When it comes to characterdevelopment, there is a very small amount. Silence is golden in AnotherEarth, and far too often. There were quite a few scenes of silence inThe Tree of Life, another nonlinear film I praised earlier this year.In The Tree of Life, what was going on was enough to keep meinterested. The characters, especially Rhoda, use the silence to helpthem stare off into space. Maybe the start of another metaphor? ButAnother Earth does come equipped with perhaps one of the most surrealand stunning scenes this year in film. It involves a woman attemptingto make contact with Earth 2 for the first time. The scene was gold andunsettling, and was executed in a way that has me at a loss for words.Lots of color correction is clear from the post-production hell thisprobably caused. Some scenes involve a strange tint of blue that almostsmothers the picture quality. Though the color enhancement can beintrusive sometimes, when it is applied to the sky and Earth 2 it isexquisite and inventive. Probably some of the sharpest I've seen for anindependent film.Another Earth is a severe independent film, but watching the traileryou probably wouldn't notice. When viewing the trailer, I expected itto break the box office. Not the case, obviously. I never saw or heardof it afterwards. Then I found out its budget and its release wereminuscule. I was astounded. The trailer and the film are conductedalmost in a limitless way. In the art direction field of course. Therest is on autopilot.Starring: Brit Marling and William Mapother. Directed by: Mike Cahill.

moviebizman

(2012-04-29 15:33:28)

Lost interest immediately after the following:

Semi-spoiler alert! (Although tragedy is explained in synopsis) Right from the beginning this movie is pathetically unbelievable.Trying to say this retarded character was accepted to M.I.T. No preM.I.T. student would be acting this way. Also the accident where shehits the old 7 series BMW and the kid flies forward through thewindshield out of his car seat?????? Did the writer/director failphysics? (or ever even take a physics class?) This is where ART andSCIENCE do NOT mix unless you have technical advisers or have doneextensive research. Even if the kid was NOT strapped in to his carseat. (Which he would have been with responsible and respectableparents - but also they were sitting at a stop light. There is nochance that kid would have flown out the window upon impact unless hewas unstrapped and unless the BMW was traveling forward at a reasonablespeed. I've seen better student films. You shouldn't start the filmwith something so unbelievable.

cwatson1901

(2012-04-27 17:57:37)

One of a kind and the best of the year

Very rarely does a film come along that changes your perspective on theworld around you as well as the world inside your head. Even moreuncommon is a science fiction movie that, despite an impossiblepremise, remains grounded in reality and never forgets that at itscore, it is a deeply human story. Mike Cahill's Another Earth, whichopened to glowing reviews at this year's Sundance Film Festival, doesboth of those, and in spite of its minute budget, it's one of the moreimpressive science fiction films of recent years.Another Earth chronicles the discovery of a new planet in our solarsystem, a planet that mirrors ours exactly - down to the people thatinhabit it. On the night of the discovery, MIT-bound Rhoda Williamsdrunkenly crashes into the car of Yale professor John Burroughs,killing his pregnant wife and son and leaving him in a coma. Four yearslater, Rhoda is released from prison and sets out to atone for hercrime; Rhoda's journey coincides with more in-depth studies anddiscoveries about "Earth 2," and this is where the story really begins.Another Earth certainly has science-fiction elements, but Earth 2generally remains in the background, while the human story ofatonement, regret, and second chances takes the forefront. In fact, thebest scene of the film has nothing at all to do with Earth 2: it's ascene of Rhoda and John bonding over a video game. Earth 2 is not muchof a plot point, but more of another character in the film; itrepresents for Rhoda and John the chance at another life, thepossibility of something different, and its ubiquity in every shotsuggests to the audience that those possibilities are always there.This is the kind of science-fiction film I wish there were more of. Thegenre usually calls for explosions, thrilling action sequences, and ahandsome movie star as the lead; Another Earth presents silence,introspection, and a deeply flawed main character who doesn't know howto maneuver within the life she has ruined for herself. People in thecinema complained that Earth 2 was never fully explored, and that theconflict should have focused more on that, but that's a story foranother, in my opinion, inferior film. Another Earth is interesting notfor its exploration of scientific possibilities but for its study ofhow people react to and are changed by the extraordinary.Mike Cahill, the director, and Brit Marling, the lead actress, co-wrotethe screenplay, and I hope this is only the first of many futurecollaborations between the two. Their passion for science shows, asdoes their commitment to creating a profoundly real character study andlimiting the fiction to the background. Marling as an actress is arevelation. She clearly has a deep understanding of Rhoda; the way shecarries herself is precisely in tune with Rhoda's development, she'snot afraid to play the role as awkward, inept, scared, and above all,flawed. William Mapother's John Burroughs isn't as fleshed out as Rhodais, but he excels in a plum role that we haven't seen him take onbefore. He is spiky and angry, and throughout the course of the film hebeautifully and gradually reveals his character's broken core. Thescore by Fall On Your Sword mimics the film in a way, containing hintsof electronica with a moving, emotive theme at the center.Another Earth, simply put, is one of a kind. It puts a fresh spin onthe science-fiction genre, and I hope one day it will be looked back onas revolutionary for the way it gives the human story prominence overthe fictional aspects. It's not only the best movie of 2011 so far, butit's become one of my favorites of all time as well.

julesette

(2012-04-27 12:13:39)

Tragey, love and consequences

I hadn't planned on seeing Another Earth at Sundance, but a familymember gave me a ticket, so I had no idea what to expect.After the first few, tragic minutes of the film, I didn't know if Iwould be able to watch it. How do you recover from the main characterof the film killing a pregnant mother and child? It was so upsetting, Ididn't want to watch anymore, but I imagine that's what thewriters/director had in mind.I've seen reviews refer to this movie as Science Fiction, but I don'tsee it that way at all. There is the component of the second Earth, andwhat it might possibly mean to those of us on Earth I if exact copiesof us were living on Earth II. But that's not what this story is about.It's about tragic heroine Rhoda, as portrayed by co-writer BritMarling. Brit's performance was outstanding. Though you never reallysaw her lose it out about her actions, she had this undercurrent ofsorrow throughout the entire film.She reminded me a little of aprettier Chloe Sevigny. In the first few minutes of the film, thelead-up to the accident, I wanted to yell at the scream I was soinfuriated. The realism of the impact, as well as the child's lifelessbody on the ground, made me wonder how I could ever forgive thischaracter, likable actress not withstanding.And yet, I did. Rhoda punishes herself for her mistake as she tries tosettle back into "normal" life, and it seems acceptable and appropriateat first until you start thinking about all the lost potential,underscored by her running into an old schoolmate.John, the survivor of the accident played by William Mapother (LOST),should be worthy of pity as he first appears, his life destroyed, andyet it was Rhoda I was rooting for as she encountered him. Once in hislife, the script takes a predictable turn as you wait for that finalshoe to drop. But it seems so likely for all to be forgiven, as Rhodasaves John and brings him back to the living.But life just isn't thateasy.As the final twist occurs, Rhoda giving John her dream ticket to EarthII in case his wife and family remained alive in that world, I hopedthat he would somehow miraculously forgive her. Rhoda and John were sosweet together, I didn't want to see them separate, but there wasreally no way for the couple to get past the truth.The film is full of lovely shots, the second Earth effect though simpleis impressive. The story is engrossing, it was the first of only twofilms I saw at Sundance that my mind never wandered from. The writersmanaged to create caring for a young woman who committed such acareless act after I was convinced I couldn't have any, which of courseis helped by Marling's flawless performance. The interaction betweenthe couple grew wonderfully, reaching its peak when John plays themusical saw (performed by Natalia "Saw Lady" Paruz, sounding nothinglike you've ever heard a saw sound before) for Rhoda.Beyond touching.I have only one complaint about the film. Even a member of the audienceasked about it. If John has gone to Earth II to reclaim his wife andfamily, isn't there another John already there? It's a big pretty issueto get past, and I do wish the script had addressed that probability.But overall, it's a fabulous film, although if you're expecting sci-fiyou will be greatly disappointed. It is a psychological film that keptme on the edge of my seat throughout. Brit Marling has been referred toas the "it" girl of Sundance, and I have no doubt that she and directorCahill will go on to many more wonderful things. On a side note, I raninto Ms. Marling at a cafe today, and she was quite lovely and thrilledto speak to me and hear that I enjoyed the film.

adams137

(2012-04-27 09:44:55)

A lifeless series of stills that drift from one scene to the next.

I have listed this as a spoiler just in case, although I provide nodetails regarding the outcome of the film. I merely hint at things.I went into Another Earth with hopes of finding something unique. Afterall, the trailer, log line, and tasteful stills all pointed to the ideathat Mike Cahill's pet project was something different than what I wasused to.I was mistaken. Badly so.Disappointment cannot even begin to convey my feelings towards thisfilm. The most heartbreaking aspect of Another Earth is that it failsto deliver an emotional payoff despite consistently setting upemotional-anchored scenarios. Rhoda (Brit Marling) hits and kills thechild and wife of John Burroughs (William Mapother). She sees thebodies and CUT! we jump to four years later to find her back with thefamily (whom, I might add, seem bizarrely awkward around theirdaughter. She was in jail, not Siberia, for the last four years. Did noone ever think to put visitor hours to good use?). We don't see thereal emotional impact of her mistake because she comes home a livingzombie: empty, quiet, deadpan, and flat out boring.Which leads me to another problem: depressed people don't haveLego-brick personalities. And if they do, they don't star as leadcharacters in films (unless we're talking Twilight). Cahill seems tobelieve the only way to convey guilt is to make Rhoda an unkempt ragdoll with an expressionless face. To him, having her stare off intospace for thirty seconds shows just how "emotionally deep" her problemsrun. For us in the audience, it means it's time to check our watches.The silence in the film (and there's a LOT of it) doesn't tell usanything about Rhoda. Instead, it acts as a precursor to a lot ofoverly artsy shots that make you think about how much color correctionthey did in post. In fact, this entire film could run as a series ofphotographic stills— after all, it seems to care more about how prettyEarth 2 looks into the sky than the emotional struggles of the girlstanding beneath it.Dialogue is contrived, painfully so. If you've watched even oneHollywood film, you can probably guess each and every line before it'ssaid. Things fall in a predictable fashion and characters flip floppersonalities depending on what the plot calls for. There are numerouspoints over which characters throw massive fits, only to dismiss thesame problem a scene later.And then, of course, there's the blatant unrealism of it all. No, I'mnot talking about Earth 2. I can suspend my disbelief for that. WhatI'm talking about is the set up between Rhoda and John. Despite whatJohn's been through, he's not an idiot; it shouldn't take him an hourand ten minutes to figure out Rhoda's not who she says she is.Another Earth expects you to ignore basic logic in order to swalloweven the most simple of moments. It interprets "suspension ofdisbelief" as meaning "you can't judge this film because it's artsy."This film lacks the depth it so desperately attempts to flaunt. Itcomes off cheesy, pretentious, shallow, and self-obsessed. Characterspinball through events and come out as empty as they started. The onesthat do change do so without any real good reason. There's no pleasureto be had in watching this film unless you absolutely love staring atempty, motiveless images (and characters) for long periods of time. Butif that's the case, I recommend watching a Discovery Channel doc. Atleast you'll be learning something.To conclude, Another Earth is a complete waste for anyone looking toenjoy themselves. It delivers nothing in exchange for your time andmoney and expects you to come out praising it for its "uniquedelivery." Do your eyes, wallet, and gas tank a favor and avoid.

commentsafe

(2012-04-27 00:41:59)

Key Common Sense Premise Ignored

To jesus-100-984521 from United States, psychiatrist andpsychotherapist: If I showed you a movie which had a protagonistundertaking a strenuous mission with 4 broken limbs, yet could fight,dance and outrun his captors, would you not have difficulty swallowing(and enjoying) the movie, no matter how brilliant the acting? Or,perhaps, let's have the hero running and jumping about on the surfaceof Mars, escaping enemies, without any adverse effects (like death)from the planet's lack of air or atmosphere. Can you ignore thatbecause his acting is good? Don't be idiotic. When the *most basic*common-sense parameters have been violated, any movie suffers, anddiscerning audiences suffer along with it.This movie ignores an absolutely crucial question-- where is Earth 2'smoon? Without an equivalent moon, and indeed, an equivalent spatialgeography in exactly the same part of the galaxy with exactly the samegravitational pull from an identical conglomeration of planets andstars, Earth 2 *cannot* be a mirror of Earth 1 whether in evolution orcultural development. The moon (to name just one body) is aninextricable part of our history. On Earth 1, the moon figures in everyaspect of our lives, languages, literature, romance, poetry, religion,calendars, popular culture, rituals, seasonal cycles, weather, tides,science, school texts (!) etc. Everything! It influences and governsall living things in their seasonal life cycles. The great scientificinsights of astronomers from Copernicus and Newton, to Hubble andHawking, would not have been possible without their studies of themoon. Would their mirror equivalents be there on Earth 2 if Earth 2 hasno moon? The moon features in the very fibre of our sciences, cultureand stories; in other words, our entire history. For the lack of amoon, the film's whole premise falls down. In addition, the film alsoignores more obvious problems, such as: 1) why aren't the inhabitantsof Earth 2 dead from lack of sun-heat as it travels through space?; 2)Why didn't the gravitational pull of the approaching Earth 2 affectEarth 1's weather and tides? Tsunamis would have been the least of it;and 3) Earth 1 would have been pulled from its orbit, resulting in moreplanet-wide catastrophe. At every level, even while its leads deliverexcellent performances, 'Another Earth' gnaws at the audience withthese blinding scientific dismissals.

elmajo69

(2012-04-23 12:29:51)

Totally boring

What in the world was it so important to bring out that he is acomposer? He could have been everything else to get the story out..Itsnot necessary for this story at all! I think this was a very boringstory, slow, improbable...The people seems to not bother that ananother planet is in eyesight from earth. I guess it was more actionwhen Armstrong took his first step on the moon than in this movie. Theyall seem to be unconcerned. How could he get her ticket when she wasthe winner? They choose her for her story, and suddenly he is going toearth 2. And the old man she worked with and visited on the hospital,what was the meaning of having him in the movie? I don't like moviesthat we have to create our own story by guessing. The write: Asurprisingly end...Yeh, why does she meet herself in the end? Do wehave to read the book to understand this story? Awful movie!

FatMan-QaTFM

(2012-04-22 21:52:31)

Compelling story, beautiful cinematography, but suffered under poor acting.

Every year I get really excited about the handful of indie films thatpop up in the festivals and threaten to break the normally terribleindie mold. Another Earth showed up on my radar during a Pom WonderfulGreatest Movie Thing screening at my local pseudo-art cinema. My wifetold me to keep calm and not to set myself up for disappointment, but Idon't listen. I am my own man, and I wanted a space drama.I'm going to synopsize for a second and although it's sort ofspoilerish, the trailer covers every bit of it. Brit Marlin plays RhodaWilliams, a smart young teen who goes to the big house for a few yearsafter sending a man's entire family to that big Another Earth in thesky. She comes back after her release to apologize to John Burroughs(William Mapother), but can't bring herself to tell the truth andultimately starts a torrid little affair with the once brilliantcomposer. During all of this, she writes a moving essay that wins her atrip to the other Earth, which was discovered the night of heraccidental slaughter party. Truth is told, lives are changed, sad indiemusic plays.On paper (or your favorite digital text viewer), this script isfantastic. There's a nice element of sci-fi suspense overarching a veryuncomfortable drama. There isn't a moment of their relationship youstop thinking "Jeez, she is really adding insult to injury in an epicway", and you anxiously wait for the honest moment that has to happen.Nobody can live life with that big of a lie hanging over them, andnobody is going to react well to that kind of information. Tension!Drama! Uncomfortable! Yessssss! But…none of that ever happens. Sure,she tells the truth and he's upset, but neither are anywhere close towhat everybody in the audience feels. *I* was getting anxious for thetruth, *I* was getting angry for Burroughs, but neither Williams norMapother broke enough from their permanently blank looks to convey anyof those emotions in a satisfying way.I hate to blame the partial failure of the movie on the acting, but Idon't what else caused it. The story was compelling, interesting, andwell-crafted; every shot was a work of art from the lovely twilightwides, to the CGI earth in the sky. I should mention that theincredibly talented Fanton brothers of Bentlight Digital helped withAE's special effects. They also worked on a great short my wife and Idid sound for called Source. No faults there, as far as I'm concerned.Brit Marlin starts the movie with a smile, leaves prison with a blanklook on her face, and never looks back. And as much as I loved Mapotherin LOST (eeee!), he really didn't get angry, sad, or happy in anybelievable way. It really boils down to believable acting in a story sodriven by human emotion.While Another Earth raised some interesting questions about paralleluniverses, the larger dramatic story dragged along lifelessly under theweight of sub-par acting.

Jacuk

(2012-04-22 01:37:22)

Horrible slow movie filled with bad acting and plot wholes the size of earth

In the famous words of Brando."You don't understand! I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. Icould've been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I amThis sums up this movie to a tee.The story is about a young girl just getting started on her life whomakes a terrible decision which costs her own future.This in itself is a poorly done plot, since most people in the US knowthat if your under 18 the legal system doesn't treat you as an adultand even though the accident had a fatal consequences, the outcomewould have good chance of not ending as we seen in this movie, a under18 would also have gotten her records sealed even if she is 21 when shecomes out of jail.But it's something that you can overlook if it wasn't because the movieitself keeps this premise up and continue down a slow road and adds tothe plot holes.Another fatal failure is the whole concept about another earth thatmimics Earth 1 if you know anything about the multiverse you know thateven though yes there is copies they won't be the exact same I couldeasily continue with other key elements but that would be spoiling themovie for those who despite this warning still goes and rents it.Because combined with the plot the acting is absolutely horrible, theyoung girl played by Brit Marling is unbelievable pale and artificialand not very trustworthy in the role and almost every sentence she hasseem to be read direct from a script. William Mapother who plays Johnis also stale and when we think of him as the same guy we have seen inlost its almost unbearable to see him in this B-rated movie that wouldbe best left alone as a script on the bottom of some directors desk So don't waste your time watching this because it's a hour and halfbetter spent on something else perhaps go give your family a nice nightout or watch paint dry.

tovareeshmakc

(2012-04-21 04:49:25)

Great script, great acting, weird shooting

I just saw this film as part of an IFP preview screening. The story isabout one girl's guilt over destroying a family via a car accident andhow she reconciles this guilt by reaching out to another world - veryemotional. Anyone who sees this film will be looking at their watchwondering whether Brit Marling (actress & co-writer) is famous yet.In the Q & A, a Russian-accented man asked about the physicalpossibilities of the story and it's holes. The audience collectivelyrolled their eyes. If you have a Phd in physics, this film may irritateyou. Otherwise, it's fine.Unfortunately it was a bad choice, I think, for director Mike Cahill toalso be the cinematographer. Lots of bad zooms, weird shots, andamateur lighting which were irritating. Still, that can be overlookedand this is a great film.

archiecm

(2012-04-21 05:24:38)

Tell me: Did they or didn't they?

I had already read that the second Earth wasn't really an importantpart of the story. And since it was an implausible/nay, impossibleoccurrence I focused on the journey Rhoda took to deal with her guilt.That led to a love story. What a nice story that was--John slowlycoming out of the alcoholic coma to notice his cleaning girl has brainsand charm. And she comes out of her depression as she becomes hisfriend. But this immediately becomes problematic as John is now fallingfor her and she happens to be living a lie: she killed his wife and kidand a fetus. If she doesn't tell him she's going to bring him even MOREpain! Around that time he plays the saw for her (great scene) and thenlater they kiss. I watched to see if sex was involved and I don't thinkthere was. If there was sex she clearly wronged him. He'd never haveagreed to unknowingly fornicate with the killer of his family. If shereally liked him, (which I think she did) she wouldn't have let him doit. To make love with him would have been a huge lie.Then I find that half my movie group thought they DID make love. Ifthat's true I lose about half my admiration for her. And since there'sdoubt, it becomes a flaw in the movie. Why don't directors make itclear when people make love and when they don't? I liked the ending . .. . the one where their non-consummated friendship is furthered by hergiving him her ticket. She's saying she wants him to be happy and she'sopen to finding happiness on this earth.

Aatish Gopichand

(2012-04-20 11:20:18)

Simply innovative, evoking strong emotions every second.

I found "Another Earth" simply superb, it encapsulates so many rawemotions effortlessly. The movie starts off very dark and gloomy,foreshadowing a strong and in-your-face type of movie. However do not be put off by the beginning, as the story progresses itdevelops into a movie that starts to make you think about theprotagonist and manages to an extent change your perspective of thesetting and characters within the first twenty minutes. Throughdifferent human interactions and the stories that are shared bringshope and a sense of magic when faced with adversity and sadness. Thereis a sense of mysteriousness connected with the other earth, that ismagically entwined within the plot it seems unnoticeable yet you canstill feel it. The movie ends with a sense of puzzlement and joy,almost giving the viewer a shock yet after the movie you realize howeverything works out in the end. The abruptness associated with thisfilm in certain scenes only makes the movie dramatic and enjoyable.Closing this marvelous movie with a sense of sanctification andaffection for everyone in the story. "Another Earth" certainly plays with your emotions, it is an emotionalroller coaster. Incorporating fine details making this movieunpredictable in certain aspects and WORTHWHILE to watch. The beginning for me was quite shocking and abrupt, which I think wouldbe quite dramatic for any opening scenes. It shows the open reality oflife and how the consequences you make affect your entire life. I donot recommend watching this as a FAMILY movie. It is a movie thatshould be watched by yourself so you truly understand how thecharacters develop throughout the story. I was worried that this wouldbe another one of those lame movies with no sense of story andanticipation but instead the story effortlessly the draws you inwanting to know what will happen next. The movie shows moments whereyou can empathize for some of the characters and how these momentsreally draw on RAW emotion that is portrayed. I kept wanting to knowwhat would happen next and the decisions the characters make whichtruly define the movie. Some bits may leave you wondering and ponderingthe situation but the movie promises to give all answers, believe me. The first few seconds of the movie can seem very gloomy BUT you mustkeep watching on to understand that this gloominess and abruptness wascrucial for the movie as towards the end everything becomes much moreclear. The movie is quite complex yet with its simple perfection allowsthe viewer to understand what is happening within the movie. It took afew seconds for me to realize how impacting this movie really was.During the credits I got it, don't worry it may take several minutes tounderstand but you WILL understand what the movie is trying to convey Just like a roller coaster, the movie leaves you wanting MORE!

FilmRap

(2012-04-18 21:24:53)

Grabs you from the beginning and leads you into a unique premise

This film grabs you from the beginning and then leads you into a uniquepremise. Screenwriter and director Mike Cahill in his first featurefilm is clearly quite talented and achieved a very good-looking film ona shoestring budget. He and co writer Brit Marling, who also starred inthe movie have a great imagination and a very subtle touch. They alsopulled in excellent photography and great music background to sustainthe mood of the film. Veteran actor William Mapother joins them and heand Marling appear to occupy the screen just about all the time.Flashes of television news reports, talking heads and other clipsestablish the appearance of " Another Earth" or "Earth Two " as it iscalled. We also see our twin planet in the sky throughout the film andare introduced to the idea that that such a situation would appear tohave everything including people exactly the same as on our own Earth.The implication to Marling's character is quite profound as bothcharacters are enduring unbearable suffering. In our post filmdiscussion with Cahill and Marling it seems that they feel that thehuman condition leads people to have great desire to understandthemselves and the possibility of meeting oneself, commiserating andperhaps even altering one's fate and suffering is a universal fantasy.Perhaps because we believe that self reflection and therapy is the wayto go when there is such a need or perhaps we just couldn't give up ourreality base, the movie didn't work as well with us as it did with theSundance crowd who chose it as an award winner and with Fox Searchlightwho picked it up for big time distribution. It will be making therounds later this month, on this Earth.FilmRap.net

christopherjarvis

(2012-04-18 11:23:04)

The Worst Film Ever Made (in this universe or any other)

I had the misfortune of seeing this film at the Museum of the Movingimage in Brooklyn. It was screening as part of the world sciencefestival, which I'm still not quite able to wrap my head around becausethe film's scientific insights are pathetic, superficial musings abouttrite pseudo-intellectual topics. That aside, the infantilestorytelling and film form is unbelievably offensive and condescending,and would be hilarious to mock if not for the sobering fact that thisgarbage actually won a prize at Sundance. For anyone who has seenKieslowski's masterpiece The Double Life of Veronique,this film will beespecially offensive as the story seems to draw heavy inspiration fromit, albeit in the dumbest way possible. The acting is beyond awful andthe camera-work, while sometimes compelling, is overwrought. With the'success' of this film and of others like it, (it is very reminiscentof the callow and superficial thematics of Black Swan), I am fearfulfor the future of our cinema.

szulc-adam

(2012-04-14 10:28:39)

another mediocre drama

Another Earth is a combination of irritating predictability ofstorytelling and imaginative genre hybridisation which makes bigpromises but fails to fully deliver. The director, Mike Cahill, uses acar crash as a central plot device and right after start falls into amajor clichГѓВ© which was so tirelessly exploited in the past by directorslike Alfonso Gonzales Innaritu who based 2 of his films on a verysimilar idea. The young girl, who causes a car accident and kills themain character's family, seeks redemption and forgiveness and slowlyfalls in love with the man. But who can blame her? Both characters havetheir demons but are so likable we all feel that they deserve toachieve what they set out for. The man should get his family back andthe girl should be finally forgiven - which all fulfils in the end.What saves the drama from being a complete overkill is thescience-fiction plot line that runs parallel to dramatic struggle ofthe couple of protagonists. At the moment of the accident scientistsmake a discovery of another Earth that appears in the distance. The discovery echoes hope that the other world might still have thelives of the loved ones that the main character lost in the beginningof the film. The scene when a governor communicates with the exact samecopy of herself living on the other planet is one of the mostintriguing of the entire film. It elevates a somewhat lame story to awhole new level of possible outcomes, asking questions about themeaning of life and escaping ones destiny. Sadly, the directorarticulates these philosophical matters very softly and fills his storywith unnecessary love tale and ends with a cliff-hanger which makes usgo 'What the hell?' rather than 'Wow!'Still, as Another Earth is Cahill's first feature film, he should begiven a bit of credit for making a wholesome, solid plot. Hopefully inhis feature he will take risks more courageously as there is a lot ofpotential in the way he ties indie film with the school ofexistentialism.

sean_swanepoel

(2012-04-13 20:20:57)

An absolute MUST SEE !!

Read no reviews. They will spoil the experience. Some will hate it &those like me, who it connects with will oversell it. 13 years sincethe release of The Matrix & I have waited that long to see this film.From the opening bar of the music on a black screen you are drawn inimmediately. You leap from your chair and free-fall into Another Earth.I was surprised that people call this a sci-fi movie. It is so farremoved from sci-fi, rather it poses the question: What is our purpose?Understated, Another Earth is so well thought out, so well created,realised & acted, but very powerful & proves again that when theAmericans really want to, they are able to hit the mark on a level noother can. This film works on a million levels. The music complimentsthe visual in a way that you'd be justified in saying, the filmcompliments the music. I was blown away. If you see this on yourtelevision the first time, you will regret not seeing it in the cinema.Forget everything you think you know about cinema and about music, forthat matter & go see this film now. Immerse yourself & be mesmerised,which is after all cinema's endeavour. Expect nothing & experience themost emotional laden movie that stirs the intellect to the point whereyour emotions take a back seat. It deals with grief & existence.Everything about this film suggests you should cry. I could not. Itengages the brain & the heart simultaneously. The net result is anintellectual emotion you rarely experience. How many movies can claimthat? I salute the creators. WE, as humans, ARE CAPABLE OF greatdestruction, but we are equally capable OF PROFOUND INSIGHT. Abeautiful film that restores your faith in us, as a race. What Tree ofLife tried to illustrate in 139mins, Another Earth achieves in theopening sequence. One quote from the film captures its essence. "Withinour lifetimes, we've marvelled as biologists have managed to look atever smaller and smaller things. And astronomers have looked furtherand further into the dark night sky, back in time and out in space. Butmaybe the most mysterious of all is neither the small nor the large:it's us..."

alexart-1

(2012-04-07 20:06:38)

Two Can Be as Bad as One; It's the Loneliest Number Since One

Just what is it about indie science fiction that is so fascinating?Maybe it's the idea that great effects are done on a small budget. Ormaybe it's the simple fact that it's indie filmmaking. Regardless ofpretense or the filmmaker's confinements, indie movies of the "lesser"genres (action, horror, sci-fi, etc.) almost always impress, AnotherEarth being no exception to this general rule.Another Earth marks a marvelous turn that most sci-fi movie writers aretoo scared to take, and that is into the realm of a character drama.Mike Cahill's thought-provoking debut as director (and writer andcinematographer and editor) is a risky venture, but it almost alwaysworks. Unfortunately, Cahill has concocted a premise that is toointeresting for his small, pensive movie, but the beautiful BritMarling makes it possible to ignore most of the film's most glaringissues as she sweeps the audience away with her acting.It's best to go into Another Earth without any outside knowledge, butif you've come to this page, you probably know too much already. Hereis your chance to leave before I begin with story details...Still with me? Good. Another Earth is centered around Rhoda Williams(Brit Marling), an MIT student who becomes frenzied after she finds outthat scientists have discovered a planet nicknamed Earth 2. Earth 2 isthe same in composition as our earth, however the problem is that Earth2 has suddenly moved from behind the sun and into view in our nightsky. Rhoda drunkenly leaves a party and drives away, only toaccidentally hit another family's car while she is stargazing. Themother and child are killed; the father (William Mapother), on theother hand, is left in a coma. Four years later, Rhoda is released fromjail and the father awakens from his coma. It's up to Rhoda to find thecourage to apologize and right what she has done wrong.Visually, Another Earth is an impressive film. There's a constantreminder that the film is independent--Cahill is forced to rely ongrainy hand-held shots for some of the film's most beautifulmoments--and yet it's very well-done for a film that supposedly cost$150,000 to make. Cahill returns to his roots in filming sharks andjellyfish for National Geographic by giving the human form a feeling ofmystique. There are quite a few shots of Rhoda walking in slow-motion,Earth 2 looming in the background. But it's all worth it: the viewer isconstantly introduced to the world's cruelty and ugliness, but Cahillhas somehow made it serene and strangely inviting.Whether or not Another Earth could have possibly held together withoutgreat actors is something that should be called into question. BritMarling gives the performance that every actress wants to give. Sheadds a seemingly impossible amount of depth to the character of Rhoda.We feel her pain constantly, and it's all thanks to Marling. Marling isworthy of a Best Actress nomination for her work in Another Earth.Although William Mapother is not to be ignored either. Maybe you'veseen him on "Lost" when he played Ethan, however here, he doesn't playa baddie. He's honest and human in his slice-of-life performance.Another Earth isn't perfect, in fact, it's far from it. The interestingideas of two earths, a whole new you, and fear of doppelgangers isunderused, if not absent entirely. The ending is, without a doubt,science fiction at its best, however it's really the only scene in themovie that is pure sci-fi. The ending could be a "twist," but I'm notgoing to call it that because the ending is just as subtle as the restof the movie. Nevertheless, it packs a punch. Cahill should feature thesame premise in his next film, but this time, he should entertain allthe special effects that everyone wanted to see in this one.At the Sundance Film Festival this year, Another Earth won the AlfredP. Sloan Prize, an award given to the film that best portrays a sci-fistory. There may not have been many movies at Sundance that could havequalified, but there's no question that Another Earth deserved.Cahill's first movie is quiet, well-made, and has the makings of anindie classic. Brit Marling and William Mapother's chemistry perfectlyfits Cahill's excellent script, causing the audience to ponder "Whatif...?" for the entire movie. It's mystifying science fiction, the kindwithout explosions and the kind without little green men. And Cahillproves that this, this lo-fi, destructive, and emotionally tensemeditation, may be the best kind of science fiction.

chaz-28

(2012-04-07 12:49:56)

Deep Introspection Joins with Otherwordly Exploration

Another Earth contains both an outward looking expansionist grandvision and an inward focused deep introspection. First, the externaland gargantuan stimulus is that another planet appears in the sky. Atfirst, it's just a speck like any other planet or distant star. Then itkeeps coming closer is soon apparently our same planet dubbed Earth II.The internal and emotionally scarred center of the film, however, isRhoda (Brit Marling) who is just released from prison four years laterafter being convicted of vehicular manslaughter. As a 17 year old girlwho just got accepted to MIT, she drove drunk, hit a car with a familyin it, and killed the pregnant wife and five year old boy. The husband,William Mapother, went into a short coma.To avoid human contact and most forms of communication, Rhoda opts forjanitorial work upon release. Her family wants her to resume her lifewhere she left off but her psyche will not allow that. So begins adeeply philosophical exploration on regret, guilt, forms offorgiveness, and compassion all while a new, mirror-imaged planet iscoming closer and closer. Did Rhoda commit the same mistake on EarthII? Is that family torn apart or still together on that new planet?These and a host of other theories and possibilities are tossed aroundfor the audience concerning not only a mirror planet, but about pastevents and moving forward.In real life, Brit Marling graduated from Georgetown with and economicsdegree and instead of pursuing a banking career with Goldman Sachs (anoffer she turned down) took off for Hollywood. She was only offeredsmaller roles in cheap horror flicks. So instead of demeaning herselfin garbage like that, she sat down with the eventual director, MikeCahill, and wrote her own script. Brilliant move. It was a much harderroad to travel to write her own script and then get it picked up by FoxSearchlight who bought the distribution rights at Sundance, but shepulled it off. It really is a breath of fresh air to see a film likethis, learn its back story, and become immersed in it as opposed towhatever the most recent superhero movie is.