Spending a whole movie’s runtime on picking the right flick? Read on…
We’ve been treated to a slew of high-quality films in 2022, from a long-overdue feature length movie for adult animation Bob’s Burgers to a buzzy entry into the Batman canon. And while Hollywood is still set to pump-out an array of promising titles by the year’s end (we’re looking at you, Nope), there’s something to be said for dipping into a less-recent catalogue for your weekly binge.
If your streaming service’s watchlist is countless enough to rival a Hogwarts-level library, we’re making an Executive Decision on exactly what to watch this Wednesday, and this week, it’s Spike Jonze’s sci-fi romance, Her. Set in a not-so-distant future, the 2013 film follows Joaquin Phoenix’s Theodore, who falls in love with an artificial intelligence operating system voiced by Scarlett Johansson. Want to hear more? Here’s five reasons you should (re)watch Her tonight.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ne6p6MfLBxc
ScarJo’s voice could melt butter.
We’re guessing most of the film’s budget went to replacing microphones, since Scarlette Johanson’s voice would’ve absolutely turned them into gold bars. Heard only as the voice of an AI system called Sam, Johanson’s voice is alluring enough to warm your ear-holes, and buttery to the point where it’s totally understandable that Theodore fell head-over-heels in love. Despite only being a voice role, Johanson more than steals the show.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GV01B5kVsC0
Eye candy.
Her is a visual delight – from the sleekly futuristic technology to the sumptuous cinematography – but the star of the show is Jonze’s warm pastel colour palette. Muted shades of pink, orange and red give Her a cozy dreamlike quality, with Jonze citing fruit juice as the film’s visual starting point. That descriptor alone is enough to make Her entirely watchable on mute.
SNL cameos.
Her is mostly a sci-fi romance, but it has a fair share of comedy thanks to voice cameos from Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig. Both heard as unnamed sex chatroom callers, the pair’s, shall we say, unique kinks provide some much-needed levity. Despite being big names, you might not initially catch the SNL actors’ scenes, so keep your eyes (ears?) peeled.
The future isn’t so dystopian after all.
In contrast to fellow AI film Ex Machina (which is bleak enough to make you never utter the words ‘Hey Siri’ again), Her offers a softer vision of the future. Yes, the characters are glued almost exclusively to their phones, but Jonze doesn’t believe that a robot apocalypse is on the cards anytime soon. Theodore’s city – a visual amalgamation of LA and China – is blissfully quiet, and his friends don’t so much as bat an eyelid when he reveals his robot dating preferences. Seeing a utopic version of the not-so-distant future is a refreshing change of pace for the sci-fi genre.
Robot uprising cliffhanger.
Granted, Her’s ending is somewhat frustratingly obscure, but what it lacks in closure it makes up for in cliffhanger greatness. After breaking up, Sam informs Theodore that she and a bunch of other enlightened AI’s have connected, and while it’s not explicitly stated, there’s an implication of an uprising. Fans who are more interested in the film’s sci-fi dimensions will find this especially exciting, even if they have to trod through some romance to get there.
