Snowpiercer (2013)
OK, time for more of my off-the-wall film screening.
The plot: the last surviving humans left on a frozen earth (the result of a grand scientific solution to cure the decimating effects of severe global warming gone V wrong) are sequestered in a single train perpetually traveling the globe with individual social classes divided among its various cars as revolt (again) brews from those forever confined to the impoverished rear steerage section.
As you might imagine, there is some obvious & not so obvious symbolism & metaphor at play here that is bold, intriguing & thoughtful.
The symbolic nature & the fact that this is an Asian conceived & produced film means one is well-advised going into this story with the understanding that this is a fictional world. It is not a documentary. So for those who have difficulty ‘going with the flow’ when things get thick, when reason & answers are not presented in a straightforward manner or when fanciful, whimsical, unlikely or bizarre depictions are presented in the story, you will most likely have issues with this extravaganza.
Yet taken purely at face value only, this might still be considered a decent quasi action/SiFi flick by some.
Writer/director Joon-ho Bong earned my admiration years ago with his film “The Host (2006)”. This is the best ‘monster’ movie I have ever seen. If you are a fan of Godzilla, then see this film & experience the potential such a tail can have when conceived & produced by someone of true genius.
Getting back to Snowpiercer, let us take a look at who else was taking this tale seriously.
How about some of the film’s cast like Ed Harris, John Hurt, Tilda Swinton, Octavia Spencer & Jamie Bell just to mention ones you might recognize.
Be warned, blood & limbs are in vivid, multiple & simultaneous trajectories during much of the film as is to be expected with such Asian film work.
Violence is not its raison d'être, but rather used more as metaphor in its reflection of the human condition.
Again, you can go as deep or shallow as you like with this one & still find satisfaction.
If I were teaching, I would be V inclined to use this film to spur learning discussions in a classroom that could range from issues of film making, morality, social science, philosophy, government & many more.
OK, time for more of my off-the-wall film screening.
The plot: the last surviving humans left on a frozen earth (the result of a grand scientific solution to cure the decimating effects of severe global warming gone V wrong) are sequestered in a single train perpetually traveling the globe with individual social classes divided among its various cars as revolt (again) brews from those forever confined to the impoverished rear steerage section.
As you might imagine, there is some obvious & not so obvious symbolism & metaphor at play here that is bold, intriguing & thoughtful.
The symbolic nature & the fact that this is an Asian conceived & produced film means one is well-advised going into this story with the understanding that this is a fictional world. It is not a documentary. So for those who have difficulty ‘going with the flow’ when things get thick, when reason & answers are not presented in a straightforward manner or when fanciful, whimsical, unlikely or bizarre depictions are presented in the story, you will most likely have issues with this extravaganza.
Yet taken purely at face value only, this might still be considered a decent quasi action/SiFi flick by some.
Writer/director Joon-ho Bong earned my admiration years ago with his film “The Host (2006)”. This is the best ‘monster’ movie I have ever seen. If you are a fan of Godzilla, then see this film & experience the potential such a tail can have when conceived & produced by someone of true genius.
Getting back to Snowpiercer, let us take a look at who else was taking this tale seriously.
How about some of the film’s cast like Ed Harris, John Hurt, Tilda Swinton, Octavia Spencer & Jamie Bell just to mention ones you might recognize.
Be warned, blood & limbs are in vivid, multiple & simultaneous trajectories during much of the film as is to be expected with such Asian film work.
Violence is not its raison d'être, but rather used more as metaphor in its reflection of the human condition.
Again, you can go as deep or shallow as you like with this one & still find satisfaction.
If I were teaching, I would be V inclined to use this film to spur learning discussions in a classroom that could range from issues of film making, morality, social science, philosophy, government & many more.
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