Source Code

[DraconianOne]

"Source Code" is a sci-fi drama about a soldier named Colter (played by Jake Gyllenhaal) who wake up on a train but is in another man’s body and has no idea how he got there. He tries to work out what's going on and, in doing so, finds a bomb on the train...

This is the next film to be directed by Duncan Jones ("Moon") from a spec script by Ben Ripley. Ripley has writing credits on Species 3 and 4 which is certainly no recommendation (although I gather he just did some revisions to existing scripts) but I've read the Source Code screenplay and it's very, very good.  It hurtles along at quite a pace and drip feeds enough information to keep you involved all the way through. Basically, if you like intelligent sci-fi movies (I'm not going to name comparable films in case I give too much away) then keep an eye out for this one because unless they totally fuck up the production, it could be great.

No specific release date at the moment but shooting wrapped back in April/May and they've definiteily finished the first edit and probably the second by now. Reckon it'll be out early next year and probably a trailer in the next month or two.

[Engels]

Could be good, could be a Inception varietal

[Tebonas]

And here I thought this would be Linux - The Movie! 

[Vaiti]

Wait, what? Computer that lets you take the identity of someone in the last 8 minutes of their life, presumably through advance super simulation calculation magic. "I want to save this chick who is already dead, in the simulation" 

Unless there is a twist and it turns out the simulation is life and the life is the simulation! 

[DraconianOne]

It's a shame that this is coming out after Inception because parallels will be drawn but this definitely hasn't been rushed into production because of Nolan's success.  The screenplay is a great read, though, and I really do hope that Duncan Jones lives up to Moon and knocks this one out the park. It could be awesome.

[pxib]

Rather than Inception, I immediately thought of Deja Vu.

[Engels]

Rather than Inception, I immediately thought of Deja Vu.

Well, I meant it in the 'omg, we're not really here, we're somewhere else!' kind of movie. Inception seemed the most recent.

[DraconianOne]

Rather than Inception, I immediately thought of Deja Vu.

There's definite hints of Deja Vu about it crossed with a healthy dose of Groundhog Day.

[bhodi]

This looks awful. There shouldn't be any other resolution than "Congratulations numbnuts, you saved the girl and can now live happily ever ... oh wait, she's still dead. Want to see the pictures and visit the grave? Now go back there and do your fucking job." but I just know hollywood has fucked this one up good.

Also, Source Code? Really? "It's got to do with computers, Hurrrrrr"

Ugh. I am disgusted just watching the trailer. The end will probably be "He prefers living in the computer to real life so somehow he makes it happen" or some shitty variation of it, if it's not a dumb reality flip-flop.

[DraconianOne]

There shouldn't be any other resolution than "Congratulations numbnuts, you saved the girl and can now live happily ever ... oh wait, she's still dead. Want to see the pictures and visit the grave? Now go back there and do your fucking job." but I just know hollywood has fucked this one up good.

 

[Typhon]

I generally don't hate fun, but I have to agree with bhodi.  Calling the movie "Source Code" kicked off my "moronic screen writer alert!" and after that point I just assumed that the story would be beyond stupid.

Really, I think the only way they can redeem this one is to go off the rails 3/4 of the way through the movie and discover that the machine drives everyone that uses it insane, but the <insert eveeel organization here> uses it anyway because it gets results.  Fade to black in a Brazil-esque finish - Jakeybaby with a demented grin on his face.  Have De Niro play a bit part as a plumber.  Yeah, that'll work.

[Arthur_Parker]

As always it's difficult to judge a film based on a trailer, but Groundhog Day is one of my favourite movies so I'm keep an eye out for the reviews on this one.

[DraconianOne]

I generally don't hate fun, but I have to agree with bhodi.  Calling the movie "Source Code" kicked off my "moronic screen writer alert!" and after that point I just assumed that the story would be beyond stupid.

Three reasons why I'm weeing myself in anticipation about this film:

1. Duncan Jones is directing. I hope to fuck he pulls another "Moon" with this.
2. Clint Mansell is doing the music.
3. The screenplay is fucking awesome.

I said this in the thread I started back in fucking August about the film but I'll say it again. Ben Ripley's spec screenplay for this is hands down one of the best damn screenplays I've read in the last few years.  Not just me either - most people (screenwriters, directors) I know who've read it think the same. Hell, it's been on the Black List since 2007.  The story fucking rockets along and is full of twists and turns but, importantly, is more about the characters than the "Source Code". It could have been called "Shrodinger's Box" or "Man on Train" for all that it was relevant.  Which it's not. It's mostly about Gyllenhall's character and how he responds to the situation he's in and the people around him.

But:

They've definitely done rewrites. In the screenplay, he gets 17 minutes on the train, not eight. Also, one of the characters is now female which might change the dynamic between her and Jakes protagonist or it might not. They may have even changed the ending. Still, I personally am willing to give Jones and Ripley the benefit of the doubt on this - especially as it's not being financed by a major studio so there shouldn't much interference from the suits. The film may be bad but they'll have to fuck it up in spectacular fashion based on what I read.

The screenplay can be found here (but this draft is undated and the latest it can be is late 2008/early 2009 if not earlier).

[Typhon]

[...]It could have been called "Shrodinger's Box" or "Man on Train" for all that it was relevant.  [...]

both of these are better names than "Source Code" given what the story seems to be.  "Infinite Loop" is a better name then "Source Code", and "Infinite Loop" sucks pretty badly. 

Why am I fixating on the name?  I have no idea, I just can't seem to let it go. 



Ahhh!  still. can't. let. go! 

It just makes me think of that thing that hack writers do when they hear some industry term (whatever the industry) and they assign some random meaning based upon how the words sound, and they think it's clever and fits the movie.  But everyone in that industry say, "what? No, that's not what it means, that's fucking STUPID".  ... and the writer just belligerently goes ahead with it anyway.

whew! Now I feel better.  Just ignore me.

[HaemishM]

This feels like an interesting premise that will be hamfisted and predictable and stretch itself thin long before the movie has the decency to end itself in a blaze of stupid. But "Moon" was good despite being somewhat telegraphed in the trailer.

[Furiously]

Well - Moon had some issues too, but it was still a pretty awesome film.

[lamaros]

I generally don't hate fun, but I have to agree with bhodi.  Calling the movie "Source Code" kicked off my "moronic screen writer alert!" and after that point I just assumed that the story would be beyond stupid.

Three reasons why I'm weeing myself in anticipation about this film:

1. Duncan Jones is directing. I hope to fuck he pulls another "Moon" with this.
2. Clint Mansell is doing the music.
3. The screenplay is fucking awesome.

I said this in the thread I started back in fucking August about the film but I'll say it again. Ben Ripley's spec screenplay for this is hands down one of the best damn screenplays I've read in the last few years.  Not just me either - most people (screenwriters, directors) I know who've read it think the same. Hell, it's been on the Black List since 2007.  The story fucking rockets along and is full of twists and turns but, importantly, is more about the characters than the "Source Code". It could have been called "Shrodinger's Box" or "Man on Train" for all that it was relevant.  Which it's not. It's mostly about Gyllenhall's character and how he responds to the situation he's in and the people around him.

But:

They've definitely done rewrites. In the screenplay, he gets 17 minutes on the train, not eight. Also, one of the characters is now female which might change the dynamic between her and Jakes protagonist or it might not. They may have even changed the ending. Still, I personally am willing to give Jones and Ripley the benefit of the doubt on this - especially as it's not being financed by a major studio so there shouldn't much interference from the suits. The film may be bad but they'll have to fuck it up in spectacular fashion based on what I read.

The screenplay can be found here (but this draft is undated and the latest it can be is late 2008/early 2009 if not earlier).

Haven't finished reading it, but the dialogue is pretty poorly written.

[K9]

Trailer

Yeah, this looks interesting.

[bhodi]

Merged. I still think this movie is going to suck.

[Soln]

Pete Bradshaw of the Guardian gives it 5 stars.  And Bradshaw is the last movie critic I actually read.  So here's hoping.

[Velorath]

88% on Rotten Tomatoes with 70+ reviews in.  I'm also surprised that Insidious is getting pretty good reviews as well.  I had written this off as a fairly quiet week for the new releases (with the exception of kids going to see Hop).

[Teleku]

Just saw this tonight (went on a movie binge with a friend), and it was very good.  Well executed from start to finish.  The worries earlier in this thread about how stupid the source code would be were completely off base.  It was actually a pretty cool concept.

[SurfD]

Somewhat MAJOR spoiler.

[Surlyboi]

Somewhat MAJOR spoiler.

[SurfD]

[Surlyboi]

[Merusk]

[SurfD]

[Furiously]

You never watched stargate SG-1 have you?

[Arthur_Parker]

I was thinking of SG1 while watching this, thought it was pretty good, slightly different to the script I hunted down a few months ago, but I liked the ending.

[pxib]

This didn't suck at all. Fine, tightly plotted, enjoyable little nail biter.

Not particularly deep, or particularly meaningful, but good clean fun.

[Teleku]

It was also awesome just for the Russell Peters Cameo.

[K9]

Saw this and was very happy that I did. An intelligent plot and well-paced direction makes for great entertainment.

I felt there was one small plot hole

[pxib]

[K9]

The person who went to see the film with me just pointed this out