THAÍS DO CARMO ATIN 1 – Tuesday & Thursday 20h20

CW1 - Posting your views on a blog

ABOUT COMPUTERS AND HUMANS

The drama "Her" is a very cute movie that tells a curious story about a man who falls in love for his

computer. This critically-acclaimed film was selected for the best film by National Board of Reviewand in 2013,

and has won the best film Golden Globe, besides it was nominate for 5 Oscars in 2014. Unfortunately, this

beautiful movie did not win any Oscar.

The movie takes place in an individualistic and melancholic future, painted with pastel colors and with a

touch of 70's. Sadly, this future is very close to our present world: big gray cities inhabited by lonely people that

depend on technology. In this scenery we know Theodore, a sentimental writer of handmade letters on demand

that is very depressed after getting divorced from Catherine. Trying to feel better, Theodore installs in his

personal computer a new operational system (OS) with artificial intelligence that promises to solve all the human

problems. This OS can learn with world's and people’s interaction, evolving and becoming more intelligent while

time goes on.

At the first time, the OS self-named Samantha works like Theodore's secretary, organizing his

professional life. With the familiarity, Samantha becomes Theodore's friend, learning about his personal

preferences, listening his problems, advising him, playing video games with him, etc. In this moment, for

Theodore, Samantha is not just an OS. She is the comforter voice in his ear that he looks for in the most part of

the day. The relationship between Theodore and Samantha get on well and there is so much complicity that

Theodore falls in love for Samantha, and she loves him back. It is a very unusual kind of love, but, in the same

time, it is a very regular relationship, permeated with findings, love, jealousy and insecurity.

This bizarre relationship is so real for Theodore as this is real for the viewer, and it is impossible do not

to be dragged by the sentimental chaos that is Theodore's life. As the same time, it is impossible do not to

empathize with the protagonist lived by Joaquin Phoenix, that is so sweet, shy and lonely, a man who seems so

vulnerable that awakes on the viewer the need to take care of him. On the other hand, Scarlet Johansson brings

Samantha to life using just her voice. Samantha is intense, cleaver, sexy and completely in love for life. All this

without having a body, or even really existing. Just a powerful sexy voice that makes you imagine every detail of

her body.

Last but not least, this is not a science fiction or a movie about technology, in spite of taking place in the

future. It is a delicious and sutil romantic story, a movie about human relationships and the very subtle line

between real and unreal. A questioning about happiness and how technology can be used by subterfuge for

empty, depressed and lonely lives. This great movie is a terrible and melancholic view of our future.