h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

We saw a film today that we really enjoyed. In fact, it moved us to tears. I wouldn't mention it - it's not a freebie - except that I looked it up, and apparently, the critics weren't impressed. Which shows bad taste on their part, and a lack of understanding of what a science fiction film really is.

Oh, and the film grossed about a thousand dollars in the U.S., and about the same in the U.K.

This film's a gem, though. It's 2011'a 'Perfect Sense', written by Kim Aakeson and starring Ewan MacGregor and Eva Green.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1439572/

I can always tell a good film - it's one that has at least FOUR grant sponsors, like the Irish, Scottish, Danish, and Norwegian film boards. Now, the film's set in Glasgow, so our first reaction was to yell, 'Where are the subtitles?' But we settled down, as it was clear enough. Our next reaction was, 'This is set in GLASGOW. And he's a CHEF? Did we just hear somebody order haggis?' We got over it.

The movie's amazing. I won't say anything about the plot, other than the setup. The hero's a chef, the heroine's an epidemiologist, and all is going well until everybody in the world loses their sense of smell. It gets stranger after that.

This film does what science fiction is supposed to do: moves you on many levels, and makes your think hard about basic ideas. No, sicence fiction is not about space sihps, space food, and space guns fired by space babes. It's about ideas. And this film has a honey of an idea.

For something this low-budget, it's startlingly riveting to watch. Terrific pacing, too. If you can find it - it's on Netflix in the U.S. right now - please give it your attention. At just under 90 minutes, it's the perfect length,

If you do see it, let me know what you think.

Frankly, I thought it was stupid.

She's an epidemiologis, yet rather than trying to solve this thing, she spends her time exploring its impact on her sex life.

Also, they seem to think shaving foam has nutritional value...

I thought the shaving foam was am pdd tpicj/

I'm sorry, you appear to have turned into a cat. Either that, or you forgot how to type mid-sentence.

I didn't think it was stupid. I understood the attempts to compensate for losses by intensifying other experiences.

But it made me very sad. I prefer my entertainment cheer me up.

Yes, I regularly turn into a cat. Particularly at night.

I was just agreeing about the shaving cream.

I liked the film. But at least I'm beginning to understand why others didn't.

And if Willem sees this - buddy, I think you'd like it. And I'm pretty sure CC would.

It doesn't surprise me that the professional critics gave it such different reviews. Even if Kim Fupz Aakeson started to write for children for years before he moved on to write for grownups he is not for everybody

Feel free to call me a pedant, but according to W*k* "The film opened at 59 cinemas on its domestic release grossing £21,675 for the weekend 7–9 October 2011"
That's about 37,000$

I think Dmitri may have meant 'netted'.

I probably misread that, Pierce. Thanks for sorting us out.

And I'm glad somebody from Denmakr chimed in.

It might help to add, at this point, that as far as I've been able to figure out, I am entirely asexual. (Wow, this would appear to be my "coming out" on hootoo ).

But if I'm one of the few people in the world with the knowledge, experience, and equipment to make a stab at saving mankind, my first thought would be "mandatory overtime!" not "let's go rub my genitals on the genitals of a guy who makes a pretty decent sandwich".

And that's what really annoyed me about it. To me, the interesting part of the story is elsewhere, and only glimpsed. The guys in the hazmat suits trying to stop everyone from panicking. The ones practicing for when they go blind. The ones still determinedly working at a solution. The ones making sure everyone is fed stuff that is healthy, that there are resources to go around for everyone, that anarchy doesn't take over.

Not the ones that go "oh well, apocalypse = sexytimes".

And it's such short-sighted thinking, too - would you really want to risk getting pregnant in a world where soon, there will be no healthcare, no schools, no agriculture, no rule of law?

I got rather cross with it because it started off with a really interesting premise and then went somewhere boring.

Ah. I see.

While I found the sexuality in the story fairly uninteresting, too, what I liked about it was the idea of the connection between the senses, communication, and the way humans manage their world. I found myself on the outside, looking in, and wondering how many workarounds they would find. Since I like thought experiments of this kind, I enjoyed it.

I like the Sunday movie recommendation. It adds strange textures to the weekend.

And if the movie is as delightfully bizarre as this conversation, it's a must.

Thanks all!

Well, yes - that would have been interesting if it were actually what they showed, instead of a completely self-absorbed couple.

This couple are now taking on cult status of course. I can't live without them. Even though they could live without me. (because they have each other).

The hootoo arts cinema would be packed every night, with you guys advertising the movies. . Spend your evening with the completely self-absorbed couple. We have popcorn. .

This movie has been in the back of my mind all day today. I have to watch it again.

It's not about fixing the problem or finding a cure. It's about how human beings cope. Nobody's perfect.

Except it's about how a very specific, very selfish couple copes rather than the ones actually out helping people. They're the ones I'd prefer to see a film about.

If we all behaved sensibly and logically the movie industry would go bankrupt



PS: Glad to be of service, Dmitri

That's true - if we behaved logically and sensibly we wouldn't go to see most of them.

I include writers, film makers and other artists when I say "we all". If everybody only behaved and thought "inside the box" there would be no imagination to create crazy stories like the one at hand - or stuff like H2G2, Disc World and the like. Am I wrong

You're not wrong, Pierce.