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Tuesday, September 21, 2010

The Fountain

That I would rant about the annoyances of needing people and the annoyances of being alone in the same week is perfectly reasonable to me. The rest of you may form your own opinions.

I have twice watched the movie The Fountain starring Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weiss. I spent the first time with head cocked, brow furrowed and lip curled as I struggled to figure out what was going on.

The second time was no better. I've given up trying to understand what the writers intended. I will now express my thoughts and draw my own conclusions.

The movie tells 3 stories in completely different settings using the same two people and possibly with the same point. I'm not sure what that point is but it seems to involve love, and death, and rebirth or "life from death."

Anyway, we bounce around from a Mayan jungle temple to a cancer research laboratory to a giant bubble in space with a bald Hugh Jackman and a tree with human skin as its only occupants.

Let's pause at the bubble a moment, shall we?

This is where the big SPFX are expended. Jackman, dressed like a monk or Hari Krishna (is that the right designation?), is trapped inside this bubble with a tree, a pool and some grassy mounds. He has nothing to do but write on himself (something we didn't allow our foster care charges to do at day school) and meditate while floating in the air. Judging by his arms, he's been doing this for some time.

The part I find fascinating is the idea of traveling through eternity in a little bubble, taking with you only yourself. It reminds me a bit of P.A. Baines' book Alpha Redemption, but more on that later this week. I'm almost done reading it!

I find myself occasionally wandering through my house, considering whether it would accurately represent the bubble of my consciousness should it be ripped from its moorings and shot toward a dying star.

Yes, I do think these sorts of things. It's why the nieces call me "weird."

Do I have everything I would need to keep me occupied on such a long journey? Would I get to keep the critters? Would I want to? What if my bubble doesn't have adequate sanitation facilities? That's something the movie doesn't cover. I'd want that answer before I spend an eternity with litter boxes and dog droppings.

I think the movie was trying to say nothing ever dies, and if we want to move forward, we have to let go of the past. You know, typical reincarnation, New Age nonsense about self-actualization and eternal self-sufficiency on the soul's quest to rejoin the Universe.

It does make me realize as much as I like being alone, all eternity is a bit long to be friends with only myself. I can't imagine it just being Me and Me forever. I get tired of me, more often as I get older.
Oddly enough, it's been in my later years I've learned how to make and be friends. I blame college and all those communication classes.

This is why I will eventually embrace the concept of "networking," no matter how much I fuss at the moment.


3 comments:

  1. Good post Robynn, thanks for sharing. I have also been known to think of my room as a spaceship :)

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  2. I remember when The Fountain came out. The trailers were fascinating so I rented it.
    Twice.
    I don't know. I get the whole immortality theme...but I also get a little irritated when there's nothing solid to wrap the story up in. Maybe I'm just too dull.

    Dream-like, nuanced, imagery up the wazoo.
    The movie "Solaris" was siimilar. It jumped around time like The Fountain and centered on a man, his wife, death and life. And the space thing...interesting. But at least I had the planet Solaris to hang my hat on by the end.
    Can't say the same about The Fountain.
    But then again, living forever is rather a weighty subject. I give the movie an "A" for effort. :)

    All in all, I think I'll go with your thoughts, Robynn. They make a lot of sense.
    And they're very funny too! :)

    Thanks for posting!
    Julia

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  3. Grace, I would never have guessed! ;) And I hope to have that review I suspect you're eagerly awaiting written by Saturday. I'm reading as fast as the story and my life will let me. You'll likely be the first to read it since you're usually heading to bed as I'm waking up.
    Julia, I originally watched the movie for Hugh Jackman. I kept watching because of the skin tree. That intrigued me.
    I haven't seen Solaris. If Elder Brother's Home Videos acquires a copy, I'll watch it. With limited expectations. hehe!

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