Film: Never Let Me Go (2010)

This dystopian science fiction alludes from the beginning to its subtly sinister plot lines, lovingly unfurling the tangled mesh of friendship, love and tragedy through narrator Kathy (Carey Mulligan). The superb acting and truthful portrayal of such complex characters, the main trio Kathy, Tommy and Ruth, who are all completely aware of what they are but have not yet understood who they are. This science fiction delves into the recesses of the human mind and questions humanity and emotion as states of mind and whether we have the ability to learn/develop these things or whether we are born with them.

The film is beautifully shot with much attention to lighting which romantisises certain scenes in contrast to the darkness of the plot. Like the book (by Ishiguro) the film is split into 3 parts which are symbolic and synominous with the stages each character will reach. Surprisingly the understated screenplay manages to capture and convey the ambience to the novel whilst moving it more into the realms of a love story but retaining its hypnotically tragic rhythm.

This is a highly emotional drama (with credit to the novel I was tearful as the film began) is Kathy's thoughts as she tries to unravel how she felt and what happened to her and her closest friends as they grew up. **SPOILER** Although on first glance, 2 women, 1 man, this appears to be a simple love traingle set against a ticking clock - each character must soon become a Donor. Look closer and really listen to what each of them say and you realise that the love story is that of the two friends Kathy and Ruth and how they felt that the external love for another was pulling them apart.

The theme of familial love or love for a friend/s is depicted as the strongest most enduring and the audience comes to see that these three mismatched characters formed themselves a family and it is this love which is juxtaposed with the clinical coldness of the faceless society and sciencentific development they are the victims of. It's a weepy one but definately worth it...

Related Links:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1334260/

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/never_let_me_go_2010/

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2011/feb/10/never-let-me-go-review

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Never_Let_Me_Go

Film: Tron: Legacy (2010)

This is an reimaging, and building on, of an incredible world first brought to screen in the 1980's and its realism is, surprisingly, heightened by the use of modern 3D.

With, apart from 'Avatar', unrivaled CGI creates a world of possibilities and is used for incredible light battles and exciting futuristic motorcycle races and recreating a youthful Jeff Bridges face for the character of Clu. He is the antagonist, a creation of Jeff Bridges' other character, this one aged, Kevin Flynn who was lost inside the 'animated internet' game he designed and trapped in his own cyberworld utopia. Over the years under the rule of Clu this world has become cruel and uniform, although it is poignant that these two characters should share a face...

The narrative is from the perspective of Sam (Garrett Hedlund), Kevin's son, whose story beginning overlaps with where Kevin's story ended in the original 'Tron'. Despite the "absent father who was idolised by his child and thereby left them damaged personnally" is a plotline which has been seen hundreds of times, it is my belief that it is not always the story that matters but the way in which is told and this narrative is definately unique!

There is intrigue, suspense and action which, fortunately, doesn't overshadow the complex character interactions. The issues raised in this film, despite relating to a cyberworld, has much revelance to the physical world of today as well as playing with the contemporary concepts of virtual worlds and technological advancement. It contrasts the spontaneaity of life with the automated, formulaic approach of machinery reminding us all how precious being alive is - a sobering lesson for our protagonist Sam.

Following Sam rather than the already defined protagonist, Kevin (Jeff Bridges), allows us, the new audience, to rediscover the wonder and danger of Tron through fresh eyes and this lets us bond with Sam who, in Batman style, is at the beginning a bit of a lost soul who clearly puts on a 'i-dont-care' front. His growth mirrors the arc of the plot through to its dramatc finale.

Another interesting character is Quorra (Olivia Wilde), and finally a female action character who doesn't conform to the, now, boring stereotype. She is crucial to the plot and despite being a little under used adds a feminine and half-way character between the father and son.

The message of the film doesn't feel forced, but like any great Sci-fi asks the audience to redefine the boundaries of what is right and wrong and how much of what we do is the product of how we were made: nature vs. nurture. This thrilling film even has hints of romance and the intangeable bonds of familial love, impressing that as limitless and wonderful as the internet is the real world has just as many wonders to discover and in todays world sometimes that is a hard thing to remember...

Related Links:

http://www.disney.co.uk/tron/index.jsp

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1104001/

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/10011582-TRON_legacy/