Ah the power of filmmaking..."Sunshine"...

[MinionZombie]

Now, as I posted a few months back, I absolutely loved Danny Boyle's "Sunshine" after seeing it in the cinema, after which I came out rather affected by the power of the experience, the visuals, the audio, the music as well as the simple premise of the sun itself (and in turn the deep theological jumping-off points from the sun itself). Anyway, I got the DVD and watched it tonight and obviously the experience isn't as awe inspiring the second time around (especially going from cinema screen to 19 inch flat screen ), but I had chills throughout, the goose bumps were on liberal show and the same passion I had for the film came flooding back. I guess those who didn't like the flick, or were disappointed, missed the point of it, or didn't "get" it - that's how I feel anyway, because I totally feel like I "got" this movie from the off and just surrendered myself to it. I don't wanna get into another thread where I end up yapping back and forth defending my own love of a movie with people who don't share the same vision, that happened when I first posted my love for "Sunshine" on here, but it was more a post - this time - about the power of filmmaking, "Sunshine" being a recently viewed example, this is something that really hit me hard in both the head and the heart, I got completely swept away by it - one of the main scenes for this level of overpowering being the scene atop the sun shield as it turns, the music being a key factor (I've been desperately trying to find it online, but to no avail thus far). In the cinema I couldn't breath, my eyes glazing over and welling up with the power of the scene - basically, I couldn't have been more swept up and captivated. Another thing that really affects me, inspires me anyway, is the TV show "Long Way Round" (which I recently re-watched again), I know, completely different thing to "Sunshine", but it was just on my mind at the end of this post, so I just dropped that after thought in as well...now my shoulder is hurting again (lol, no, my shoulder isn't aching at the power of "Sunshine" , it's just sore). Anyway...yeah...isn't it just great when you can get so sucked into something that you feel the fully intended power of it?

[bassman]

I hear ya, MZ. The most recent film that made me feel that way is "The Fountain". BUT....you mentioned in your post that the feeling is what the creators intended, but with "The Fountain", the message could be so broad and the intended outcome could be so different that it really tugged at my movie brilliance heart strings. Wait a minute, has "Sunshine" has been released in the states? I really want to check it out, but I haven't heard about it in a long time....

[Danny]

i kinda get what you mean. what comes to mind for me is the bit in jurassic park when they see the long neck dinosaur (not gonna say the name since no doubt some smart ass will have to correct me on being wrong) and it stands to grab some leaves and they see the dinosaurs for the first time and the theme plays along to it. I saw that when i was little and was literally breathtaken by it, its one the things that made me want to make movies.

[MinionZombie]

Apparently it came out on the 20th July in America. If you can still find a cinema showing it, go quickly before it's out of them, which it most likely is by now...next stop, DVD on as big a screen as possible. But the power of the film is far stronger on the silver screen, I have to say.

[Cody]

I;ve never heard of htis movie is it ocming out in America?

[MinionZombie]

I;ve never heard of htis movie is it ocming out in America? What did I just say???!!! Pay attention blow job guy, take your eyes off that chick chowing down on ya! It came out in America in July, the 20th. Will most likely be on DVD soon.

[bassman]

So I DVR'd Sunshine this past weekend and while the misses and baby were sleeping decided the check it out. Loved it! I loved it so much that a few minutes after it ended and the lady woke up, I restarted it and watched it again with her. It obviously has it's flaws as any space film does, but man it's downright entertaining. The only VERY minor gripes are that it does have some things that remind me of Event Horizon and that we never get a good, clean viewing of Pinbaker. At first I thought it was blurry because of Cappa's eyes being hurt by the sun in the observation room, but it continued even until the end...? I don't know if I could call this Boyle's all around best film, but it's DEFINITELY his most visually impressive. I was and still am in awe of some of the images that were on screen. I only wish I had seen it in theater. Too bad it was given a pretty sh*ty release in the states. You can still see some of Romero's inspiration coming from Boyle if you look close enough. Definitely going to have to get it on DVD for myself. For everyone else, it's at least worth a rental. Or see it now while it's playing on Cinemax. 7.5/10

[SymphonicX]

Sunshine is a visual and aural treat...it's pure candy for the eyes and ears in the deepest and most profound way possible. This movie blew me away when I first saw it. The score is simply amazing, one of my favourites in any movie. It's so powerful, dramatic and intense at times. I liked the whole film, the characters were human, failable and they had heart, brains and depth...the white chick who was in 28 weeks later is a fox too..! Cillian Murphy holds the movie together, he always manages to portray himself as totally human and you don't get that over inflated ego thing with most movie "heroes". Sunshine is a work of art! As for Long Way Round, I used to work for the channel that first put that out on TV...so in a way had a hand in it, but at the time I wasn't in a particularly important role in this channel. Then the BBC stole it from us and put out Long Way Down...bastards. Although it was good to see it cross from obscurity to mainstream television, I just wish they'd stayed with us or at least co-produced it...damn them. Ewan Mcgregor is a very likeable and decent guy, it seems, and the experiences they had were encapsulating, a very important programme for this century...

[MinionZombie]

Glad you two chaps dug the movie, and bassman - ah mate you shoulda seen it in the cinema. I wasn't really expecting much of it, or whatnot, I just knew it was the new Danny Boyle movie and it's about people rebooting the sun, which is an interesting idea in itself. Anyway, it was just amazing in the cinema - like the bit on the sun shield about 1/3 of the way through when John Murphy's music is building up and UP and UP, the editing, the visuals - it all wrapped together and I was absolutely transfixed, breathless. Boyle's rendering of space as well was sheer beauty and wonder, like how he gave us glances at the sun. As for how all shots of the 'Pinbaker' bloke, I think it's more to do with us seeing kind of like how he sees, and also a sort of visual representation of the horrible effects (both physically and mentally) he has suffered from the power of the sun. I really liked that effect, because finally in a movie I felt like the camera was - even if only for brief moments - like a pair of eyes, showing us that smearing of light you get when your eyes water a bit, how they react to bright light etc. It's an entertaining space movie, it's a beautiful movie, with wonderful visuals and music, and the characters are all well crafted I felt. They're efficiently put together, and you do feel like they're actually the right people for the job, but they can and do make mistakes - but most importantly, they're painfully aware of the sheer importance of their job, verbalised by Chris Evans' character - which reminds me, it was nice to see that actor get a bit more meat to play with rather than Fantastic Four silliness, because clearly the bloke has the talent to deliver quality when in possession of the right material. A great movie so it is, and I won't be listening to any complainers, because that's my opinion of the movie, and that's that. It's my thread and I'll demand if I want to.

[Danny]

yknow, i still dont know if ive seen this one or not.

[acealive1]

sunshine made me look at life a whole different way. especially after "jim" from 28 days thinking he was safe and then was vaporized

[bassman]

sunshine made me look at life a whole different way. especially after "jim" from 28 days thinking he was safe and then was vaporized Ummm....without giving anything away, he never thought he was safe from his fate....

[Danny]

sunshine made me look at life a whole different way. especially after "jim" from 28 days thinking he was safe and then was vaporized thank you.

[MinionZombie]

Ummm....without giving anything away, he never thought he was safe from his fate....   Indeed, he was never safe from it, and they all knew full well further into the movie when circumstances changed, that they wouldn't be getting back home.

[AcesandEights]

The only VERY minor gripes are that it does have some things that remind me of Event Horizon and that we never get a good, clean viewing of Pinbaker. I have owned this since it was released US side and I love the film, however I feel what you're saying, Bassman. I didn't dig the abrupt, seemingly random shift of gears or the abbreviated way the Antag was handled. Overall though, I love it. Well handled cast of characters (w/ the possible exception of Pinbaker), great visuals, evocative storytelling and cerebral take on a lot of crap I've seen Hollywood try to pull off and fail miserably at! The 'OMG We Must save earth' Sci Fi Thriller, actually works when Boyle does it. I recommend it to anyone who has at least a little patience and a love of good cinema. 8/10...maybe higher