The Films You Watched Thread VI: The Undiscovered Movie

[Atticus]

I watched Sunshine at the weekend. I remembered very little about it as it wasn’t what I was expecting at the cinema. What it is though is pretty amazing. Like shoulder to shoulder with the sci-fi greats amazing. The set-up is brilliant and as soon as that distress signal is picked up the hooks are in. Great moments like SPOILER

->Open Spoiler<-

the voice of Icarus counting more people on board than Capa thinks there is, wow. And Mark Strong’s Pinbacker … surely a nod to Dark Star.

Loved this one. Might have to watch it again soon with one of the commentary tracks. Both are supposed to be very good: one with Danny Boyle and one with Brian Cox (who was also the film’s consultant).

[Dogg Thang]

I still haven't seen Sunshine and I keep meaning to watch it. I do remember some friends being disappointed with it, which is probably why I didn't see it but I always liked the look of the trailers.

[QualityChimp]

I watched Sunshine at the weekend. I remembered very little about it as it wasn’t what I was expecting at the cinema. What it is though is pretty amazing. Like shoulder to shoulder with the sci-fi greats amazing. The set-up is brilliant and as soon as that distress signal is picked up the hooks are in. Great moments like the voice of Icarus counting more people on board than Capa thinks there is, wow. And Mark Strong’s Pinbacker … surely a nod to Dark Star. Loved this one. Might have to watch it again soon with one of the commentary tracks. Both are supposed to be very good: one with Danny Boyle and one with Brian Cox (who was also the film’s consultant).

I love 28 Days Later, so was surprised I missed out on Sunshine.
In the end, I think I got it after asking this very forum what films are a good benchmark Blu-Ray, when I finally got a BR player (PS3?!).

In return, not only did I get a beautifully crisp film, but one that's really stayed with me and I've seen a lot of sci-fi.

To deal with the problems first, I can understand how the ending might be frustrating as it shifts from sci-fi to slasher, which is tonally incongruous to what has preceded it. However, for me, the addition of hypothetical physics of what might happen when you get closer to the sun, elevates it.

However, the first two thirds are amazing. Not since Silent Running has a film about space captured that feeling of isolation. Cillian Murphy's gentle narration adding to the atmosphere of inevitability.

Something else that stands out for me is how heroic the crew are. (SPOILERS!)

->Open Spoiler<-

The majority of them die in a way that is trying to save the rest of the crew. Kaneda manually deploying the shields, Mace suggesting Capa use the only space suit, Searle staying on Icarus I to activate the airlock, Corazon trying to save the torched garden, Mace reactivating the computer's coolant and Capa's final sacrifice to successfully reignite the sun.

It's well worth listening to the commentary tracks, especially Boyle's as they're always so informative.
I mentioned in my recent viewing of the Solaris reinterpretation that Boyle mentioned the "Big 3" influences always in the room (Solaris, Alien, 2001) and trying to acknowledge them without copying them.

Boyle made the cast live together for 16 months before filming and got them to do scuba diving and zero G training, plus visited a submarine to capture that feeling of claustrophobia. He got an international cast to reflect all of Earth working together.

I bought another copy after I forgot who I loaned my copy to because the disc is not only gorgeous, but full of worthy extras!

Nice podcast if you don't have time to mine the wealth of extras:

https://www.filmstories.co.uk/podcast/podcast-sunshine2007-and-final-destination-2-2003/

It's a real shame the film wasn't a financial success because Boyle has now turned his back on sci-fi and I think he could bring so much more to the genre.

I love the opening too. They actually reversed the Fox Searchlight animation so that it ends on the rising sun, which grows in size until it's revealed that it's actually the Icarus II and a disc of gold is all that stands between the ship and the devastating power of the sun.

[Atticus]

Top post Chimp. Funnily enough I thought about Silent Running too. I'll have a listen to that Podcast later.

@Dogg Thang I picked up the blu for £2 at CEX. It's a great disc ... sound is epic too.

[QualityChimp]

DT, if you don't focus on the ending, like I assume your friends did, this is such a poignant sci-fi epic that has plenty to think about, as well as lashings of high drama to move things along.

Interesting about the sound, Cox mentions they tried the shots of the ship with no sound in the vacuum of space, but it felt cheap without it. Likewise, they wanted no stars, but found it hard to convey the ship's movement without the starfields flying by, so there are some concessions to movie-making that aren't scientifically accurate, which Cox totally accepts.

[randombs]

I really didn’t like Sunshine when I saw it at the cinema but I want to give it another shot.

I seem to remember being annoyed by how bright it would get.

Because there were shots of the Sun.

In a film called Sunshine.

Speaking of the sun, I randomly put on The Living Daylights last night so I could listen to the A-Ha theme song and ended up watching the whole film.

I've only seen the James Bonds since Goldeneye so this was a treat. We'll be watching a bunch of them now they're on Amazon Prime.

[QualityChimp]

Excellent Alan Partridge DJ linking there, Randombs!

I want to watch the Bonds again after reading Neon's thread and in preparation for seeing the new one.
Amazon bought MGM, but they're not streaming here?

Fair play, there are some pretty bright scenes in Sunshine. I can't argue with that!
There's a specific section where one crew member is increasingly intoxicated by the power of the sun and keeps pushing how long he can be exposed to it in the observation lounge. Those bits are the brightest, but serve to show just how powerful it is.

Last night I watched The Final Girls (2015 via Netflix), which has the premise of a group of teens getting trapped in a classic 80s slasher movie. Lots of fun and nods to the Friday 13th series, with the teens trying to survive the night using their knowledge of the film and horror tropes. Not particularly scary, but a fair few laughs along the way and some fun playing about with movie conventions.

[Atticus]

The Many Saints of Newark - I think I may have been too hyped for this. I'm a MASSIVE Sopranos fan. Fave tv show hands down. And I've been looking forward to this for a long time. But like most prequels it's simply not needed. It's kind of nice to see some of your favourite characters again in their younger years ... but others less so. Some felt right (Junior) and some didn't (Paulie and Sil). Some were played straight and others were caricature. Then there's the story, what little there is. There is so much time ticking boxes with characters it never gets the chance to go anywhere deep. It might grow on me once my expectations have grounded themselves but really, it was pretty average.

127 Hours - More Danny Boyle then, and this time I persuaded my eldest son to sit and watch, knowing it would appeal to his sporty side and also it's just an incredible story. Incredibly well told too ... conveying all those emotions and feelings so well. It still blows my mind that someone so weakened by his situation was able to be so strong, both physically and mentally. Truly amazing.

[beecee]

Into the Wild (2007) fell into this after picking up the Eddie Vedder soundtrack to the film, so curiosity got the better of me, based on a true story it follows Alex Supertramp on his 2 year adventure after college. I really enjoyed the film, great soundtrack and good story telling of you can take it for what it is and not the just actions of a spoilt rich kid.

Gemini Man hated this, lasted maybe 20mins and had to switch off, it maybe down to the 60fps/ "soap opera effect" but i just couldn't continue, maybe give it another go on a 24fps version when i can.

[QualityChimp]

Watched Avengement (via Netflix) again last night.

Bloody love it. Brutal.
Scott Adkins plays a low-rung criminal sent to jail when he won't rat out his brother.
When he's there, he's attacked daily and transforms himself into a complete psychopath to survive.

[wakka]

Avengement is a hilarious name for a film.

OK, here's a game. Here are 6 films starring Scott Adkin. Except 3 are ones I've just made-up.

Can you identify the 3 real film titles?

Blast Radius
Undisputed
Eliminators
Close Range
Crosshair
Killshot

[QualityChimp]

Bit of an Adkins fan, so I know which 3 are his as I've seen 2 of them!

[wakka]

I thought you might say that

I’m just bored is all

[QualityChimp]

Ha! NP.
Close Range has a brilliant "one-take" sequence at the start that's well worth checking out.

The whole of "Avengement" is worth watching, although my toes curl at the curbing scene.

[wakka]

I'll definitely check some of his stuff out, as I haven't seen any at all and have seen you mention him numerous times.