Sunshine

July 20 2007

Sunshine is a new film from Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, 28 Days Later).

Quote:

The Sun is dying, and mankind is dying with it. Our last hope: a spaceship and a crew of eight men and women. They carry a device which will breathe new life into the star. But deep into their voyage, out of radio contact with Earth, their mission is starting to unravel. Soon the crew are fighting not only for their lives, but their sanity.

Cast:
Rose Byrne
Cliff Curtis
Chris Evans
Troy Garity
Cillian Murphy
Hiroyuki Sanada
Mark Strong
Benedict Wong
Michelle Yeoh

Official Film Website

Trailer 1

4 minute extended trailer

1 minute clip

It looks amazing, and I'm excited to see Cillian Murphy in a non-creepy role.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Thanks for the trailer, I hadn't even heard about it. Looks pretty good.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Why did they have to use that freakin' music? Other than that it looks pretty thrilling.

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It has an interesting premise, and it looks pretty good. Seems as if they may have a good film on their hands.

It did kind of remind me of Solaris (just had a feel about it), and I hated that film, so I will be interested to see what they can do with it.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Yeah, Solaris sucked soooooo bad. Although 28 Days Later was pretty intense, it left me dry at the end. I hope this movie doesn't do the same type of thing. I enjoy movies that have a better explanation on how things end... I have to agree.... why did they use that music?

I was speaking idiomatically.

Well, that depends on which Solaris you guys are talking about. The American 2002 version or the Russian 1972 version which is seen as a classic. The americanized version was indeed terrible. Anyways, this Sunshine movie looks amazing, nothing less than I would expect from Boyle. I just find it hard to believe that such said device would exist even in the future. Putting that aside, I will be sure to enjoy this movie when it comes out as much as possible.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Originally Posted by Cellius

Why did they have to use that freakin' music? Other than that it looks pretty thrilling.

Seriously, once it started, I was thinking:

"Geez, their visuals are great enough that they didn't need to rely on the modified Requiem for a Dream theme. That's like putting Duel of the Fates in every Star Wars fan film."

Like I said, this movie looks to have some incredible visuals. The story/drama could be shit, though. We'll just have to see.

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by JazzFlight

"Geez, their visuals are great enough that they didn't need to rely on the modified Requiem for a Dream theme. That's like putting Duel of the Fates in every Star Wars fan film."

I could never take that theme seriously after I saw the Willy Wonka Requiem for a Dream over at YTMND...

How ya doing, buddy?

I added the 4 minute extended trailer to the OP. It looks better and better everytime I watch it. I just wish it didn't have so many spoilers. Watch at your own risk.

Oh also, they've nailed down the US release date to July 20th.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Oooh...Cillian Murphy is in this? I haven't seen him in anything since Red Eye...I usually don't go for this type of sci fi suspense thing, but this sounds interesting...I might check it out.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

The trailer looks sooo sweet. Can't wait to see the movie. But, they've got a HAL 9000 on the ship? Oh man, they're all doomed.

Edit: Wait, Why the movie has already 11.000 votes on IMDB? Where has it been realeased?

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0448134/releaseinfo

It wasn't too bad. Go see it. Oh, and for those of you complaining about the trailer's music, don't worry, the music isn't used in the movie. I think...

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

This reminds me so much of a TV movie I saw a long time ago on Fox called "Lifepod." It was basically a ripoff of Hitchcock's Lifeboat, but I loved it.

There's no murderer hiding among the crew in this one, but it does have some of the same basic tenets.

Frankly I think the last gasp at survival scenario needs a good rest. 9 years later and we're all still trying to wash the taste of Apocalypse out of our mouths.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by Dizzy

The trailer looks sooo sweet. Can't wait to see the movie. But, they've got a HAL 9000 on the ship? Oh man, they're all doomed.

Edit: Wait, Why the movie has already 11.000 votes on IMDB? Where has it been realeased?

It's been out here in Australia about 2 months ago. I think it also came out in Britain earlier on too.

I thought Sunshine was very well directed and was very tense. Danny Boyle's take on sci-fi is like what 28 Days Later is to zombie movies: it runs with the conventions of the genre, but adds a human layer to it. The performances are great as well, and the CG in some scenes are marvelous.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

The movie has been out in Europe since April. Sunshine is one of the most enthralling Sci-Fi movies I've seen in recent years and its visuals are simply stunning. The ending felt a little stretched and out of place, though.

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by chaofan

I thought Sunshine was very well directed and was very tense. Danny Boyle's take on sci-fi is like what 28 Days Later is to zombie movies: it runs with the conventions of the genre, but adds a human layer to it. The performances are great as well, and the CG in some scenes are marvelous.

Sounds awesome.
The extended trailer really got me pumped for the movie. It looks like they added the human condition from Alien (things keep going wrong but we have to hold on) and threw it into a mission to save the solar system.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

I might go check this out. There are too few quality sci-fi films made these days. (At least the fantasy genre is getting more fleshed-out with LotR, Harry Potter, Narnia, etc.) I honestly have not heard about this film before viewing this thread, however - how do they expect the film to do well without advertising?

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Is anyone else having trouble finding a theater that is playing this.

Apparently, I would have to drive to NY just to see this.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Yeah, apparently it's only opening in "Selected Cities" now.

It isn't even showing in Detroit.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

I just now started seeing advertisements on TV for this.
Is it sad that the main reason I want to see it is for Cillian Murphy?
I've really enjoyed the films he's been in, and he's quite attractive to boot.

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The plot may be the dumbest I've ever heard of in movie history, but the movie actually looks pretty good. Might check it out.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by DragoonKain

The plot may be the dumbest I've ever heard of in movie history,

That's what I thought originally, but when you actually see the movie it's quite believable.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

I really enjoyed this movie in the theater. We were lucky enough to get it at our "art house" theater that carries a lot of foreign and indie films, so my dad and I caught it the other day.

It's intense. I was a little dubious going into it just how much they could add onto an apocalypse premise, but it turned out to be much more of a pure sci-fi film than I thought it would be. It's marked by, if not real science, then an attempt to seem real. Nothing is laid out nice and neat for these astronauts. They can't engage the warp drive and make everything better. And, being human, sometimes they make mistakes.

I think what really sold me on the film was the use of sound and visuals. It was a real experience, and if you get the chance, the theater is definitely the place to see it. If I had to complain about anything, I think it would be the latter half of the film.

Spoiler:

there is a little bit too much of the slasher film creeping in there, and I don't think the first captain is necessary to the plot. It really had enough going on as it was. Plus ghost ships are spookier than surgical tool-wielding madmen any day.

It wasn't until later that I realized how much had been borrowed from Event Horizon, but the aim of both films is a little different. Still, very enjoyable and visceral film. I recommend it to sci-fi buffs or anyone looking for a Lifeboat-esque thrill ride.

FELIPE NO

I saw this on Monday and enjoyed it as well. I was so shocked to see some big name stars in the movie (eg. Hiroyuki Sanada, Michelle Yeoh), heh, and was even more surprised that it was only screening in 2 theatres in my city. Didn't even realize it was an independant film (or film festival type of movie) till I saw the previews.

Originally Posted by Skexis

Spoiler:

there is a little bit too much of the slasher film creeping in there, and I don't think the first captain is necessary to the plot. It really had enough going on as it was. Plus ghost ships are spookier than surgical tool-wielding madmen any day.

Haha, yea once it got to that it started to bug me a little.

Spoiler:

I was half-expecting some like The Core, then the first captain really turned the movie into a bit of slasher. Actually once they stepped into Icarus I and started to flash the photos of the previous crew, that's when I started getting creeped out a bit and was kinda expecting some horror stuff to start (which I was not expecting at all).

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

So.
The DVD just released in America and I was finally able to see this film.

This amazing film.

It sucked me in and didn't let go until the very end. I'd post detailed impressions but I feel that this user at IMDB has the film nailed down:

IMDB user's impressions of Sunshine:

Sunshine cost £20 million. Jerry Bruckheimer and his Hollywood cohorts must be shaking their head in disbelief. Danny Boyle and Alex Garland, British born and bred, have outdone America's effects laden finest, and at a mere fraction of the price. Armageddon ($140 million) and Pirates of The Caribbean 2 ($225 million) have nothing, nothing on the majestic visuals that Sunshine offers. From the jaw dropping opening sequence to the fantastically realised final moments, Boyle's latest is a mighty treat for the eyes.

But of course, effects do not make a film. You need only consider the two aforementioned Bruckheimer blowouts for proof. But happily, behind the blinding visuals, Sunshine has a violently beating heart. One that offers absolutely no let up, that gains speed and then gains a little more, before finally threatening cardiac arrest. You can't help but live and breath every moment of the crew's breathless existence.

The year is 2057 and a select group of astronauts are given that most trifling of tasks. The sun is dying. Drop a bomb in it. Save all of mankind. And to top it all, on a ship rather ominously named 'Icarus II'. Add inevitable inter crewmember tension and you have a rather heated situation. The sweaty crew are played wonderfully by a decidedly un-starry, but talented cast. Cilian Murphy, taking the lead role as the ship's resident physicist Cappa, the only member who has the wherewithal to actually drop the bomb, is coolly enigmatic as ever, the blue orbs of his eyes forming a nice counterpoint to the never far rather redder orb of the sun. You can't help but feel he isn't particularly challenged as an actor, but nevertheless he provides a suitably ambivalent, androgynous and faintly unsettling core to the proceedings.

Perhaps more impressive is Chris Evans. Recently seen in a similarly hot headed role in the undercooked comic book adaptation 'Fantastic Four', he consistently snatches scenes from Murphy as engineer Mace, about as volatile and fiery as Cappa is composed and cool. Without Evan's energetic performance, the film would sink into an anti-libidinal quag. Mace's emotive instability injects pace when it's needed and brings some welcome variety to the otherwise glum faces. Evans is surely on the brink of big things. A small quibble would be that there are perhaps a few too many characters; meaning that a fair share of the cast never really gets a chance for development, which is irritating, as one gets the feeling that there's a lot of wasted potential.

Another chink in Sunshine's spacesuit, is in many places, Alex Garland's screenplay. Whilst he has a remarkable talent for creating intense psychological tension, of which there is plenty in Sunshine, his philosophizing is much less satisfactory. This is not to say he doesn't play with some fascinating ideas. With the crew circling so close to the Sun, to the giver of life, Garland begins ask the biggest of questions. Is there something, something inestimably greater than ourselves, something that could create such a magnificent star, or are we, like the sun, simply dust? It's a great idea, but for the larger part of the film, it seems oddly shoehorned into what is at base a sci-fi pot-boiler. In fact these ideas are better expressed in Boyle's imagery. Time and time again we see members of the crew staring aghast at the immensity of the burning ball of gas and dust in front of them. The relationship between giver and taker is better explored here than in any line of Garland's.

Sunshine is Danny Boyle's best film, hands down. Yeah sure, I might be a little more biased towards science fiction than, say, heroin-addled youths, but wow is Sunshine one hell of a movie.

Skexis, you're right about the sounds and visuals. I was lucky enough to watch the film on an HDTV with a premium surround sound system and it floored me. But I kept thinking that I've heard the music somewhere before...eh oh well. It was awesome either way.

Jam it back in, in the dark.