What if there was another you on Another Earth?

comments 23
100 movies of 2013

Another Earth

On the night of the discovery of a duplicate planet in the solar system, an ambitious young student and an accomplished composer cross paths in a tragic accident.

We’ve all been there. A moment where you could either hit CTRL-Z. If you said yes instead of no. What if you made a different choice? What if you just can’t come to terms with a decision you made and wish for a different life?

Another Earth has a sci-fi setting for a very intimate film about two people struggling to just keep going with their life after an event that changes both of their lives.

I love the idea of another Earth – a mirror planet that is identical in almost every way. Something I think about more often than I think I should. ‘What if…’ is such a destructive thought. You can’t do anything about the past so thinking of an alternate present because of that decision can really play havoc with yourself. Been there!

In Another Earth it’s the dwelling on the past that actually drives the characters forwards. But, they can’t forget about their pasts and move on. Even when they try they’re forced to see this mirrored Earth which represents the future they could have had. Could. They don’t know it for certain. Yet they choose to believe it.

The film itself is beautiful. In the past year I can pick out The Tree of Life and Skyfall as being two of the most cinematically beautiful films I’ve seen. And now I’m adding Another Earth to that list. I could pick out so many shots I’d want to frame and have up on my wall. Stunning work.

Got completely caught up in this film and its end brought a smile to my face. You need to see this film if you haven’t already.

Another Earth (Viewed: 29/01/13 | Rating: 4/5)

Check out all of the films I’ve seen this year:

7 films so far…

  1. Flight (Viewed: 01/01/13 | Rating: 4/5)
  2. Beasts of the Southern Wild (Viewed: 09/01/13 | Rating: 3/5)
  3. Gangster Squad (Viewed: 15/01/13 | Rating: 4/5)
  4. Les Miserables (Viewed: 23/01/13 | Rating: 5/5)
  5. Django Unchained (Viewed: 25/01/13 | Rating: 5/5)
  6. Tucker and Dale vs. Evil (Viewed: 27/01/13 | Rating: 4/5)
  7. Another Earth (Viewed: 29/01/13 | Rating: 4/5)

23 Comments

  1. Yeah! Cool that you also enjoyed it. I’m a big fan of these movies with a sci fi setting, which really is only a background against which to tell a story. Don’t know if you have seen them yet, but I thought Sound of My Voice and Safety Not Guaranteed were like that as well.

    • Both are on my list, as well as Upside Down. Though that looks like it might be a bit more of an Adjustment Bureau than Another Earth.

  2. I havent seen this one, but I have heard mixed things… your 4/5 nudges me closer to wanting to see it though…

    • It’s worth a watch, I think. Can understand the mixed reviews. Definitely wouldn’t be everyone’s cup of tea.

  3. I saw this a while back and enjoyed it immensely. It is a very beautiful film cinematography wise, and the story being told is very engaging. I may have to get it out and watch it again soon.

    • The good thing is, it’s such a short film that you can just flick it on if you fancy a re-watch. I’m beginning to miss short films these days. As in, just about 90 minutes long!

      • Given my sometimes poor attention span, I also miss films that are around 90mins long too.

  4. Great to see a positive review for this. I have been wanting to check it out ever since seeing Brit Marling in Sound of My Voice. She is quite the talented actress. Highly recommend checking that one out, too, if you get a chance.

  5. Glad you liked this one! I agree the sky visuals in Another Earth look stunning, shows you can still make a beautiful film with a small budget.
    Keeping Earth 2 an enigma maintains an uncertainty, so we are in the dark together with the main character, and we get to dream as she does.
    I thought there was a bit too much guilt issue in the story, but it’s an interesting idea of another you, which was also explored in The Double Life of Veronique.

    • That uncertainty was what made the film for me. Knowing only as much as the characters knew and never more. You felt like you were with them.

      Yeah, agree that there was an overkill on the guilt issue. I found some of it a little hard to buy.

  6. I love the premise of this one too and I like that it’s not so scifi-ish, instead it focuses more on the two broken characters.

    This film is indeed beautiful… it’s almost poetic in its serenity. Did you know that William Mapother is Tom Cruise’s cousin? I’ve seen him in bit parts before but he’s actually quite good in a more prominent role. Brit Marling is quite a revelation as well.

    • I did! He’s been in a few of Tom’s films too – Mission Impossible 3 comes to mind.

      Loved the mystery and the continual, almost, foreboding sense. You just didn’t know.

  7. I love that you watch movies that I know I wanted to see, but never wrote down, and then completely forgot about, until you reviewed them :). I want to see this too. Seems like a film that gets ya thinking! Hey, so are you gonna watch Warm Bodies? I want to see that!

    • Definitely gets you thinking. Perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon where you want something with a bit of something else to it.

      Do want to see Warm Bodies but might wait for it to roll around on rental. Feels like the sort of film I might actually enjoy more in the comfort of my own home.

  8. This is a film I should get to sooner rather than later as I’ve heard so many good things about it.
    The most beautiful cinematic experience I had last year was Life of Pi, there was nothing even remotely close. Hence why the film will probably win Best Cinematography.

  9. I loved that Brit Marling didn’t focus solely on the whole sci fi aspect of the story. It still ended up being one of the best science fiction stories of 2011. I just wish it was a little bit shorter

    • It’s fairly short already, but do agree. There was a fair bit that was a bit drawn out and over indulgent in that. Still, even with that it proved to be a solid film.

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