Coherence

The first movie I’ve seen this year, and it’s a good one! This psychological thriller is very smart and has a unique plot element that I’d rather not spoil here, but trust me, it’s sciency and thoughtful and good.

The movie starts out with some friends at a dinner party, and we are told that a comet is passing overhead and that strange things might happen. This early exposition dialogue feels very forced and self conscious, and I worried for the movie then, but that was the only low point, and after it gets going, it really gets going.

So the power goes out, and they look outside and see its out in the whole neighborhood except for one house and decide to go investigate. And that’s when things get… weird. I’m not going to go into any more detail because I can imagine it would be much more satisfying to go in not knowing anything. If you haven’t seen a trailer, I’d say don’t even do that! Just watch it!

[SPOILERS]

[SKIP AHEAD]

[SERIOUSLY DON’T READ THIS UNLESS YOU’VE SEEN IT]

I LOVE the concept of this movie, and have been wanting to write stories using many worlds ideas for a long time–I’ve even tried and failed just recently to. But this pulls it off brilliantly.

At the end of the movie when shes just walking along the street looking into window after window at different versions, it really sinks home how varied life can be, and how much an outcome can change by what you might think is a trivial word or action. We are constantly writing and rewriting our own futures, for better or worse, without even knowing it.

At the start, when they first got the note, I was a bit disappointed, because I thought it was going to be another time travel movie where the characters are doing all the scary things to themselves. I’m so glad it wasn’t, as this is much more creative and thought provoking, and I feel like time travel has been done to death anyway.

[END SPOILERS]

First movie of the year down, and so far I can say it’s the best movie I’ve seen this year! Yes, yes I know, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it retains that title for a while.

I have a feeling this one is going to stick with me and I’ll have to watch it again to see what I may have missed. I definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys thoughtful, smart, movies–as well as fans of psychological and creepy movies.

Check it out!