Primer, the best SF movie you've never seen?

Discussion in 'Science Fiction & Fantasy' started by RAMA, May 29, 2012.

  1. RAMA

    RAMA Admiral Admiral

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    Primer is not from a studio, it hada very small-scale release and it's a $7000 budget movie, but it just may be one of the best treatments of time travel I have ever seen! There is almost no exposition, the science is not "dumbed down", and the dialogue is naturalistic...be warned, it isn't that easy to follow, but it's well worth a look at a relatively short running time of 77 minutes.

    Spoilers! There is a guide on Wikipedia, but watch the movie first!

    http://www.amazon.com/Primer-Shane-...1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1338248002&sr=1-1

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primer_%28film%29

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Time_Travel_Method-2.svg
     
  2. Harvey

    Harvey Admiral Admiral

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    I've seen it -- multiple times, in fact. It's a great, if convoluted, little movie. The chart available on Wikipedia is a nice aid in keeping everything straight.

    Shane Carruth has been working on another independent sf project called A Topiary for the past few years (there's even a domain name registered for it), but he hasn't been able to get it off the ground...yet.
     
  3. ITL

    ITL Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Saw it, loved it, brain got fried trying to figure out the temporal shenanigans. Great movie.

    :D
     
  4. Guy Gardener

    Guy Gardener Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    It's about 7000 times more interesting than Men in Black III.
     
  5. Christopher

    Christopher Writer Admiral

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    I heard all the praise for the movie, so I watched it, and I didn't much care for it. Sure, its treatment of time travel is interesting, though not nearly as plausible as it's touted to be (don't ask me for specifics, since I only saw the movie once), but the story didn't do much for me. It just sort of seemed to stop abruptly and not have much of a resolution.
     
  6. Tom Hendricks

    Tom Hendricks Vice Admiral Premium Member

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    This is one of my favorite movies, I recorded on my DVR and I have never deleted it off it. I have watched it multiple times, never get enough of it.
     
  7. Klaus

    Klaus Vice Admiral Admiral

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    I have it recorded but haven't watched it yet...
     
  8. Mr. Laser Beam

    Mr. Laser Beam Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    There's your next DTI novel for you! ;)
     
  9. stonester1

    stonester1 Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    It is a must see for indie movie, science fiction and time travel story fans. Truly a gem.
     
  10. Mr Awe

    Mr Awe Vice Admiral Admiral

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    The story didn't do much for me. I was dissappointed. I like complex plots, but this didn't live up to the hype.

    Mr Awe
     
  11. jefferiestubes8

    jefferiestubes8 Commodore Commodore

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    see this thread. A Topiary which is
    In preproduction now. it is projected for release in 2013.
    His next film he wrote and directed: Upstream Color
    comes out first apparently. no dates or anything i can find.
    source


    I loved Primer. I saw it at the cinema. I have the DVD. Multiple viewings with the commentary are fun. On about the 5th viewing I understood things differently.
     
  12. Kelso

    Kelso Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Yeah, Primer was cool.
     
  13. Robert Maxwell

    Robert Maxwell memelord Premium Member

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    It was pretty good, although the story is more of a puzzle than an actual story. There were also some elements that just weren't elaborated on at all, like the deterioration of their handwriting. I get that the point wasn't to explain everything, but it still could've been tied up a bit better by the end. As it is, it sort of just stops, hinting at bigger things happening in the future.

    Still better than most of what comes out of Hollywood, mind you.
     
  14. Kelso

    Kelso Vice Admiral Admiral

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    It was a hell of a lot better than Timecrimes, at least. Has anyone else had the misfortune of seeing that POS?
     
  15. Harvey

    Harvey Admiral Admiral

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    No love for Timecrimes? I thought it was a smart little time travel thriller that actually made sense in the end.

    I thought the idea was that they were physically deteriorating as the result of multiple trips in the box (which also led to nose bleeds).
     
  16. jefferiestubes8

    jefferiestubes8 Commodore Commodore

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    It reminded me of the Michael Keaton clones in
    Multiplicity (1996)
     
  17. stonester1

    stonester1 Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    I thoroughly enjoyed Timecrimes.
     
  18. RAMA

    RAMA Admiral Admiral

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    Timecrimes was also good! I wanted to strangle the guy though! :lol:

    RAMA
     
  19. auntiehill

    auntiehill The Blooness Premium Member

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    Saw Primer awhile ago; it's probably the most intelligent and believable time-travel film I've ever seen.

    However, without the Wiki chart, I'm not sure I would've understood everything I saw. :lol:
     
  20. Ethros

    Ethros Vice Admiral Admiral

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    I've heard a lot about this movie over the years but never seen it.
    I always think the quote they put on the DVD (region 2 anyway), in huge letters at the top btw, always put me off.

    -"Donnie Darko for grown ups"


    I'm an adult and I like Donnie Darko. Oh so only kids can like DD and I'm a little baby for doing so? :rolleyes:

    Why insult a cult classic movie and its audience? Not the best start IMO