2017. 110 Minutes. Rated PG-13.
Quote: Knowing is good, but knowing everything is better.
Bad news: Knowing everything isn’t better. Remember that earth-shattering break up you had that one time, yeah that one… do you really wish you knew what they were thinking? Oh I know, how about that big job you were sure you had in the bag, but then you didn’t get it. Wanna know what those people were thinking a minute after you left the interview? Right. I don’t either. Wonder what your best friends or mortal enemies are having for dinner tonight? Meh.. yeah, I don’t care much.
The Circle – 1978 Films
The Circle is a film about a tech giant who brings people together, connects them in every which way through devices, live streams, cameras, videos, social networking, all that stuff rolled into one. The company is basically Apple and Facebook rolled together and stuffed into a Ted Talk. They paid attention to the way we pay attention to tech, and that was fun and they did it right. Why didn’t I like this movie then? The Circle was just… ehh.
This movie takes the knowledge is power paradigm and attempts to flip it on its head. Problem is, it kinda sucks. I’m not quite sure why is my problem. They had a decent enough cast, Emma Watson is the lead, and I’d say it was the first time I’d ever seen her in a true lead role. Her acting was good enough, and the plot was good, she played opposite Tom Hanks. He was great because, I mean he’s Tom Hanks… still though. Just kinda meh.
The List: just meh list too…
1. Window Dressing
This film had all the right extras. Good scenery, good ideas, plot was ok. Information is power! Let’s connect everything! vs. privacy is crucial, connecting everything can be dangerous, stop and smell the roses. It was a so/so push and pull of ideas. They also had good casting, with John Boyega and Patton Oswalt as background innovators and players in the company. It happened to star the late Bill Paxton and the late Glenn Headley who would both pass away later in the year at the tender ages of just 61 and 62 (sad). The tech imagery was good too. Had text messages and connectivity popping up on screen for the 4th wall folks (us). It was visually pleasing. I guess at the end of the day, all that stuff is fun, but if the actors aren’t committed, they won’t sell it, and I’m thinking maybe they just weren’t.
2. A Big Year
Not for nothing, but the folks with the true screen time in this role had much bigger things going on in 2017 than The Circle. Boyega was a lead in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, and don’t look now, but it was the highest grossing film of 2017 with 1.7 Billion Dollars.
Emma Watson, what did she do you ask? Oh nothing major, just starred in Disney’s live action remake of 1991’s The Beauty and the Beast. How much money did that make? A cool a record-breaking $487.7 million making it now the highest grossing PG movie of all time.
Tom Hanks was a little busy with The Post too, nominated for Golden Globe awards in acting, film making, directing, writing, original score, and also the Academy Award for Best Picture. My point… what was up with The Circle? Did you hear about it? I did, then forgot instantly. I didn’t care, seems like they didn’t care either. Fuck, I only watched it because I’m on vacation and Jen fell asleep. They spent $18 million on this and made $20 back. Was it even worth it in the grand scheme of things? Was it just keeping our name actors in the news? I dunno.
3. Ambiguity
Is information sensitive or isn’t it? I came away unsure myself. Do I want to be connected or don’t I? I don’t like everyone being all up in my business, but I like bragging about stuff that makes me happy. I like posting pictures of the wife and family, and I sure like writing with this blog, but I hide my identity on certain platforms so that work people and strangers can’t find me as easily. I’m on the fence, I guess. Not sure how I feel about the flow of information. I work in a library, and when I’ve got my work hat on privacy is paramount, essentially the most important thing to me. In the library world, the democratization of access is very important (Copyright Bignoli) and the protection of that access is even more important to me. In my personal life though, I guess I don’t have my mind made up. Neither did Emma Watson’s character at the end. Or did she?
(end of The List)
I’d like you to watch this movie, because I want to know what you think. I’m the dude with the blog, I know, but I don’t have all the answers, often I’m the guy with the questions. In this case, consider me puzzled. IMDB gives this film a 5.3 and Rotten Tomatoes… well let’s just say it’s not good. The masses seem to have spoken and suggest this movie sucks. Does it though? Beck was in it too.
