The ＂meta-cosmic movie＂ that science fiction fans must watch really makes me look silly!
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More abstract than Inception, harder than Interstellar.
In this world, nothing can beat the fans.
If there is, the big probability is that you haven’t seen enough movies.
For example, the recently popular"Metauniverse".
Although the meaning of this high concept has not yet been clarified, game companies, social networking sites and technology companies with strong funds for endorsement have swarmed to occupy this highland.
This is even more curious: what does the metauniverse mean?
In fact, as long as you have seen it.Red Pepper, The Matrix, Inception, Full Memory and Ready Player One.andFree GuyThis batch of science fiction classics, then you can realize:
Meta-universe is nothing more than a future technology that changes the world as well as the living state and perception mode of human beings.
But these movies also warn us that when we are deeply immersed in this "virtual world", the essence behind the meta-universe, which is concealed by the skyrocketing funds and phenomenal discussions, becomes elusive …
The most classic discussion on this issue is an unpopular masterpiece eight years ago-Conference on futurology.
Conference on Futurism (2013)
In the future, people are worthless.
As a mixed work of real people and animation, the film form of Futurism Conference is refreshing.
directorAri FolmanThe previous work "Waltz with Bashir" only returns to reality at the end, while this futurology conference perfectly combines form and content.
The film begins with the life of a legendary actress who has passed away.
Heroines in Forrest Gump and House of CardsRobin Wright, starring in his real name. She acted as"Miramont" film companyThe veteran diva has brought considerable income to the company.
However, in the eyes of the company’s top management, robin wright was too headstrong, often went on strike, and quit the show business because of her son’s illness, so she decided to sign the last contract with her.
This contract requires her to preserve her body, expression and appearance through digital scanning technology and become a real one."digital actor"And robin wright himself is no longer important.
Such a "digital actor" can simulate the state of different ages through computer technology, that is, this technology creates a virtual image outside the real world.
"The world is changing too fast. Without time, everything we cherish in this field will disappear. In the actor field, brokers, public relations managers, recreational vehicles, drugs, cocaine, depression, breakup, lovers, sex scandals, breach of contract, boring scripts to read, the pain of being out of breath, getting rid of public relations and praying for public forgiveness, all these may disappear."
The futurology conference seems to herald the ultimate fate of the film industry.：
When people’s online viewing habits gradually invaded the traditional cinema, before virtual production and virtual shooting were popularized in the industry, it completely changed the most intuitive jobs of movies.
The value of actors is completely destroyed.
Robin wright, on the other hand, had to accept the contract because of the dilemma of his son’s impending deafness, after some entanglement and consideration between his dignity and the present situation.
In the interpretation of the real part, in the face of the film company’s initial chaos and final abandonment, the protagonist living in the studio seems to be still reluctant to part with the old world.
But if only freedom of choice is deprived, the story will not be much wonderful.
The futurology congress transcends the times because of its prediction of human destiny.
Inner scroll version of Interstellar
Twenty years later, with the hero driving that Porsche classic car on the desert avenue, the ultimate form of visual consumption and landscape society came like a nightmare, and crazy games, an entertainment to death, is coming …
Robin wright was invited to attend the futurology conference, and the city she went to was an animation blockade area.
Futurism Congress created a virtual world in the form of animation.
This seems to be somewhat separated from the real part. Will the future in 20 years really be so abstract?
Before entering the analysis, we must talk about the original film, the Polish science fiction master.Stanisław LemCongress of futurology.
In this work, Lyme uses extremely figurative words to describe the experience of the protagonist after falling into illusion.
The creation background of this short story comes at a time when western society is deeply harmed by psychedelic drugs.
It is not only critical of the current disadvantages, but also speculative and philosophical, which makes Futurism Conference one of the most famous soft science fiction works in the history of science fiction literature.
The animation part of the film draws lessons from Lyme’s concept and plot.
The vivid pictures are eye-catching, and the exaggerated characters are absurd and weird, which also creates a sense of chaotic illusion. With layers of dreams embedded, the protagonist gradually loses himself between coma and awakening.
Different from the original work, ari folman put the emotional experience in the first place. robin wright, who has been in illusion for 20 years, always takes family as his motivation.
Here, the setting of science fiction is just an obstacle.
If Interstellar is the vast sky conquered by human emotions, then the Futurism Conference is."Entrapped" version of InterstellarIt tries to conquer the psychological world that human beings can’t really reach.
This is also a place where many fans spit.In the fantasy world where the way of perception and the form of experience can be freely chosen, and the existence and life can be changed at will, can rationality still overcome sensibility?
It’s hard for ordinary people, like robin wright, to punish evil and promote good and become heroes, even if they become female robot fighters like in 3R Men.
This story simplification is a lazy behavior, but it is not bad, but it is really too straightforward and simple.
In this way, "Futurism Conference" wants to create a visual illusion for the audience, substitute it into it and be moved by it. It not only regrets the bleak end of the actor’s brilliant career, but also grieves the deep affection between mother and son.
Sad meta-narrative
Aside from its sci-fi settings, Futurism Congress is still about the story of human beings, but it is really not easy to shoot well.
In addition to providing extraordinary visual experience, the protagonist is still a little far away from the audience, just like Lyme’s "Star of Solaris", which is as obscure as others.
Therefore, as a director, ari folman transformed this transcendental text into an easy-to-understand family story.Max Li XiteThe affectionate and melodious soundtrack will once again carry the sensation to the end.
This way is not uncommon in many sci-fi movies, but Futurism Congress has not gone completely popular, lacking 3D special effects and the care of real life, and it has also rejected the participation of big scenes and action dramas. Instead,Care for human nature.
Under the sad meta-narrative mode, the way that Futurism Congress tries to break through is also by manipulating the viewers,Illusion is displayed by animation, and emotion is added by perceptual experience, thus forming an interesting intertextual relationship inside and outside the film.
At the anthropological conference attended by robin wright, the upstarts of science and technology gathered people together like popes. They cheered for new inventions and were ecstatic about the so-called bright future.
Today, we are dominated by various electronic screens, cheering for EDG to win the championship, marrying virtual idols and buying virtual currency. Will we finally move towards a better new world?
The world that mankind is about to face is the further pursuit of human nature after technology reaches a certain level and the ultimate pursuit of utopia.
But this utopia is only an ideal form after all, and its essence is to refuse to recognize the rationality of dystopia.The futurology conference has proved this point.
The topics of biotechnology and life sciences were widely discussed as early as the beginning of the century. With the sudden explosion of the "meta-universe" and the upcoming iterative innovation in the Internet era, human society is bound to accelerate industrial adjustment under the devastation of a global epidemic.
Just as human nature goes to greed uncontrollably, will technology eventually put everyone in a cage?
All this has no answer for the time being.
Author | Li Yu
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Edit | Juan
Planning | Houlang Film Editorial Department
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