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*** Official SUNSHINE Discussion Thread - Page 3

post #61 of 68
11/27/08 at 6:53pm

Re: *** Official SUNSHINE Discussion Thread

Quote:
Originally Posted by Edwin-S
I assumed that Pinbacker had to have had some sort of revelation that progressed to some God belief and then into lunacy. Either way, I still feel that Pinbacker's ravings were intended to suggest to the audience that people who acquire some God belief are really just raving lunatics with a penchant to murder.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris Atkins
The film makes Pinbacker a madman, and with a few throwaway references to God, we are expected to go along with the fact that it was religious zeal that drove him to madness.
Both of you assume a great deal. It's just as plausible an interpretation that Pinbacker was driven to madness by other forces which he then mistook for some sort of higher power, a not-uncommon phenomenon in psychiatry.

The entire film shows you the enormous stress under which these astronauts function: the weight of responsibility, the constant danger, the ease with which a simple mistake or mishap can destroy the entire mission and, with it, humanity. That's more than enough to cause madness.

Sometimes a film interpretation tells us more about the viewer than about the film. Maybe this is one of those occasions (I include myself in that observation).

Quote:
Originally Posted by Edwin-S
I haven't seen too many films by the people in question. I just found that this film reminded me of a typical Hollywood Sci-Fi Horror flick.
Boyle and Garland routinely explore genre films; so of course this is full of familiar elements, just as 28 Days Later had many familiar elements from the zombie genre. But they try to do something new and interesting with each genre they explore. My respect for Sunshine has grown with successive viewings, because I think they managed to create a sci-fi film with more deeply drawn characters than just about any other example I can remember. As always, YMMV.
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post #62 of 68
11/27/08 at 6:59pm

Re: *** Official SUNSHINE Discussion Thread

Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael Reuben
Both of you assume a great deal. It's just as plausible an interpretation that Pinbacker was driven to madness by other forces which he then mistook for some sort of higher power, a not-uncommon phenomenon in psychiatry.

I think the intent of the Pinbacker character was quite clear, especially given the context of the movie. Raving, lunatic religious zealot tries to stop crew from reconstituting the sun...that says it all.

Don't get me wrong: I loved the film (a lot, actually). But the one-dimensional motivation for Pinbacker clearly only works for a certain segment of the audience, and creates a wedge for another segment of the audience.
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post #63 of 68
11/27/08 at 8:01pm

Re: *** Official SUNSHINE Discussion Thread

Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris Atkins
I think the intent of the Pinbacker character was quite clear, especially given the context of the movie. Raving, lunatic religious zealot tries to stop crew from reconstituting the sun...that says it all.
I don't see how that's any clearer from the film than: Astronaut charged with overwhelming responsibility to save humanity fails in the task, cracks under strain of the failure, convinces himself it was "God's will" he should fail and that no one else should succeed.

I think it depends on the assumptions you bring to the film.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris Atkins
the one-dimensional motivation for Pinbacker clearly only works for a certain segment of the audience
Which segment would that be?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris Atkins
and creates a wedge for another segment of the audience
Same question.
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post #64 of 68
11/27/08 at 9:09pm

Re: *** Official SUNSHINE Discussion Thread

Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael Reuben
I don't see how that's any clearer from the film than: Astronaut charged with overwhelming responsibility to save humanity fails in the task, cracks under strain of the failure, convinces himself it was "God's will" he should fail and that no one else should succeed.
That's how I read it. I enjoyed the film quite a bit, though I think the transition into the final act is not as well executed as it could have been. This will eventually make it into my collection and get some repeat viewings.
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post #65 of 68
11/28/08 at 6:23am

Re: *** Official SUNSHINE Discussion Thread

It's interesting that no one concerned about the film's supposedly anti-religious bias wants to talk about Searle, who, by sacrificing himself for his fellow astronauts -- and, by extension, for the rest of humanity -- engages in the most overtly christian (even Christ-like) behavior in the film.
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post #66 of 68
11/28/08 at 6:38am

Re: *** Official SUNSHINE Discussion Thread

I think you said it best here (I don't wish to generate contentious arguments, so I'll leave it at that).
Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael Reuben

I think it depends on the assumptions you bring to the film.
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post #67 of 68
11/28/08 at 8:28pm

Re: *** Official SUNSHINE Discussion Thread

After listening to some of the score (fricking FINALLY), and reading this, got anxious to rewatch it. So I did.

Holds up very well. I agree with Michael about Pinbacker. He's simply the flipside of Searle.

It's very well-constructed. I think it's a visual feast. Not in the "CG all over the screen", but in the directorial choices and the conceptual material. I don't love all of it, but I certainly love most of it. And this has one of the best scores of 2007.
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post #68 of 68
12/1/08 at 4:55am

Re: *** Official SUNSHINE Discussion Thread

Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael Reuben
It's interesting that no one concerned about the film's supposedly anti-religious bias wants to talk about Searle, who, by sacrificing himself for his fellow astronauts -- and, by extension, for the rest of humanity -- engages in the most overtly christian (even Christ-like) behavior in the film.

I only saw the film once. For my part the confused last 1/3 plus the devolution into a tired slasher flick just made me focus on what I thought was bad and ignore what might have been good. I also have to admit that I missed the connection that you have pointed out here.
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