Under the Skin (2013)
Starring Scarlett Johansson
Directed by Jonathan Glazer
Heavy science fiction. Three words that automatically turn me on. Like the men in this movie, I was lured in by something out of the ordinary, something that felt right, had me forgetting who I was, or what I should be doing. You're trapped, unable to escape, knowing full well that what is happening isn't right, and yet you cannot stop watching. Haunting. Cryptic. Far more feelings that simply escape words. The film is, you see it, never really knowing what it actually was.
The gist of the film is reasonably simple. Based on the book of the same name, an alien takes the shape of a human female and preys upon the men of Scotland. Like a lot of older science fiction books and films, the simplicity of the film is part of what makes it so interesting. You largely know nothing about what is going on, and simply have to take the events at face value. As the alien moves from victim to victim, you see differing parts of Scotland, different parts of humanity, and certainly differing parts of the human experience. Through the eyes of this extraterrestrial, our own world becomes significantly more alien - our habits, our feelings, our drive for friendship, companionship, love, sex. But it is the absence of emotion, and simply observation that makes much of the film so haunting. As much as it is a commentary on what it is to be human, there are arguments to be made on what it is to be a human female, and I think on the flip side, a lot of gender issues, and even rape culture. But with a film so cryptic, I'm largely of the assumption that what I may or may not see would be completely different of that of another. Perhaps that may even be one of the strongest suits of the film on the whole.
What has stuck with me is how much the music defines the film. The score by Mica Levi (Micachu) is downright scary, and does so much to define the tone of the film that, with anything else, I don't think it would have worked as well. It is dark, pulsating, ominous... Creepy. Listening to it now as I write this can perfectly reflect the film I saw some 15 hours ago, and that's a tough act to follow. Matched with the incredible shots that Glazer puts together, pulling the camera farther and farther away, and just letting it sit to capture things going on around it, it only adds to the uneasy feeling of the film. Some exist solely to make you feel uncomfortable, and while not inherently scary, put you on the edge of your seat. More than once, it had me saying
"WTF" in the theater, and patrons near me did the same.
Overall, it is the kind of film that gives you those good-bad feelings. Its been quite a while since I've come out of a movie had been simply without words for a reaction. If it is playing near you, I'd highly recommend seeing it simply for the experience. I don't know if it is the kind of film to warrant multiple viewings, but certainly, it is the kind of film best enjoyed in a theater. In a year where the blockbusters are shaping up to be less-than-stellar (Cap 2 excluded), the indie films like this look to be the filler we need.
8/10
Side Review: Alamo Drafthouse
For years I have been hearing about the premium theater chain, the Alamo Drafthouse, down in Texas. For those unfamiliar with them, the Alamo's major distinction is being a theater for adults, more specifically, for those who largely consider themselves film buffs. Films are specifically curated to meet the standards of those looking for
more, in addition to cutting out a lot of the crap that we don't want to deal with. There is a zero talking policy in the theater. There is a zero cell phone use policy in the theater. If you arrive after the movie starts, you can't go in. There's even a no-kid policy (well, 18+ with a parent/guardian). Simply put, its film nirvana. But even better, you get to order dinner and eat while you watch your film.
When I found out that they had opened a location about 45 minutes south of me, I jumped at the chance to check it out. Going for the premium experience with something like
Under the Skin created a very special night, and I think, was the best way to introduce me not only to the Alamo way of doing things, but really, to open a whole new world of moviegoing. As much as I was worried about spending $40+ to go see a movie, it turns out that really, it is only like that if you want it to be that way. In actuality, ticket prices were
cheaper than the local chain of megaplexes, and I was happy to offset that buying drinks while waiting for the movie to start. The theater was spotless, despite having been open for 6+ months. The aesthetic is great - a '70s sci-fi vibe that I haven't felt in a theater for 20+ years. Hell, even the bathrooms are done up like the ones in
The Shining. Although there was a
Barbarella motif going on in the theater (I'm under the impression that it changes from time-to-time?), man, it was super-cool.
Now that I totally understand what my friends were on about, absolutely, I'm full-in with Alamo. Happy to make the drive. Happy to pay extra. Makes me wish that more theaters would do something like this.
