Today I have a special treat for you all. After being persuaded to put down his drink and curb his anger for one night only, my good friend Mark Walker from Marked Movies is here with his review on the 2011 Sci-Fi movie LOVE. He and I have had many arguments over the film, and the proof that he and his review are full of shit is thus; Eric IPC & I agreed for the first & only time that LOVE is a superb movie. And that the review you are about to read from Mark is bullshit. Of course we are all entitled to our own opinions, and films are meant to divide thoughts, but I just wanted to abuse my power as site owner and get that out of the way. That being said, please his enjoy his incorrect thoughts on LOVE 🙂
Director: William Eubank.
Screenplay: William Eubank.
Starring: Gunner Wright, Corey Richardson, Bradley Horne, Nancy Stelle, Roger E. Fanter, Ambyr Childers.
I often find it difficult giving my opinion on independent films as I’m aware of the struggles that have been faced in order to bring it to the screen. They are hard to criticise, as the filmmaker certainly doesn’t get the same luxuries or benefits that the financial backing from a big studio would bring. However, when all is said and done, it’s ultimately the material that it should be judged upon. Such is the case with this film; it’s undeniably impressive in it’s assembly but found wanting in it’s substance.
As I can’t really be bothered to write the plot summary, I’ll leave you with the director’s own description of the story… “After losing contact with Earth, Astronaut Lee Miller becomes stranded in orbit alone aboard the International Space Station. As time passes and life support systems dwindle, Lee battles to maintain his sanity – and simply stay alive. His world is a claustrophobic and lonely existence, until he makes a strange discovery aboard the ship”.
As the film opens, we find ourselves in the midst of the American Civil War and a commentary that’s reminiscent of the work of Terrence Malick. Visually, it looks spectacular and you wouldn’t think for a second that this was shot on a shoestring budget. Debutant director, William Eubank certainly knows how to capture a scene and his work here is exceptionally well handled. There’s a good sense of atmosphere and overall, ethereal, feel to the film.
From the battlefields we are then taken to a space station that is orbiting earth and we are introduced to our protagonist who wanders his enclosed environment and ruminates on his lonely existence much like Duncan Jones’ “Moon” or Stanley Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey“. It’s not just the setting but also the existential nature of those films that this tries to emulate. Sadly, it’s nowhere near as good as either of them. The isolation of our protagonist brings about a monotony in his daily routine and that monotony is soon shared by the viewer. To put it simply, very little happens. I got the point of his dilemma and the effect that it had on his psyche but it’s laboured too strongly and the connection between the astronaut and the civil war is tenuous at best. There are many verbal musings throughout, whereby some lovely passages of words are weaved together but it sounds more poetic than it does philosophical and I think that’s where the problem lies. The film has airs and graces of having challenging, philosophical, ideas but doesn’t really have anything concrete to cling on to. I kept waiting for some revelation that would tie everything, meaningfully, together but when it arrived, it didn’t deliver the punch I was hoping for and only confirmed my suspicions of how pretentious the film really is. The only thing that really makes sense is that it was funded entirely by the band “Angels and Airwaves” (who also provide the soundtrack) and it comes across as an exercise in marketing their own stuff and no more than a glorified music video.
In fairness, it does manage to hold your interest on the visual front with some stunningly captured images and moments. However, impressive visuals do not a good film make. If it continued how it began, then it might have had something going for it but it didn’t and it doesn’t.
The major issue with Love, is that it believes itself to be deeper and more profound than it actually is.
There is such a thing in the cosmos known as a ‘Black hole‘. This certainly has a hole, and it’s head is too far up it.
Reviewed by Mark Walker
Tyson Carter
/ October 16, 2014Thanks again for letting me use this Mark. I added some images because the post deserved them. And I look forward to you telling me you’re still right 😉
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Mark Walker
/ October 16, 2014I’m still right!
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Tyson Carter
/ October 16, 2014The hell you are!! You film something in your back garden and lets see if it turns out like this:)
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Mark Walker
/ October 16, 2014My grass growing works faster and more entertaining than this piece of shit. Anyway, I only use my back garden for the dog shitting. The director, (what’s his name again?) Should have gotten himself a domestic pet to save himself the trouble!
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Tyson Carter
/ October 16, 2014If you didn’t appreciate Bobby quite as much me and you would have to fight about this. Pretty sure I’d kick your ass 😉
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theipc
/ October 16, 2014What the fuck is this fucking shit??? Scottish bastard!! You been rubbing it on the public transport again????
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Mark Walker
/ October 16, 2014Wether or not I rub my groin In public has no bearing on how this film stinks like a three week old ball sack!
You might rub it with a pampers babies wipes occasionally, but eventually that arse is gonnae need a bath.
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theipc
/ October 16, 2014Well, I was wondering if rubbing out so often in public was affecting your judgement….
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Mark Walker
/ October 16, 2014Try rubbing your goods in public and the buzz you get! If you get caught, you don’t know me, but if you
don’t, it’s a buzz you’ll forever thank me for,
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le0pard13
/ October 16, 2014¡Órale! Love it when the Angry Scot is in the house!
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Tyson Carter
/ October 16, 2014You wouldn’t if he was drunk & yelling at you on Twitter to play him at a video game you don’t own on an outdated console! Scary stuff 😉
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Mark Walker
/ October 16, 2014Fuck off!!!!!
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Mark Walker
/ October 16, 2014Yay, Michael! An angry Scot is a happy Scot! 😉
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Tom
/ October 16, 2014The logic here seems airtight, but I think it’s specifically the fact that A&A helped support/promote this that will attract me to this. (I can’t believe I haven’t seen it yet, being a decent fan of the band actually.)
Though at the same time I totally am with you on the fact that this does look like a glorified music video, a running time probably can’t sustain what is probably going to be a decent concept for a regular-length music video. Still, I look forward to checking it out just for the very specific joy of disagreeing with Mr. Walker. 😉
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Mark Walker
/ October 17, 2014Tom, I wouldn’t even suggest that you put yourself through this rubbish just to disagree with me. I’ll let you disagree with me anytime you want. As a friend, I wouldn’t like to see you suffer. 😉
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Tyson Carter
/ October 17, 2014Tom, it’s nothing like a glorified music video. As a fan of the band you’ll appreciate the soundtrack and the film itself considering the minuscule budget is fantastic. Just ignore Mark, watch it then come back here and tell him he’s wrong 🙂
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Mark Walker
/ October 17, 2014Admittedly, the soundtrack was decent and the visuals very impressive but it was absolute pretentious tosh. Don’t listen to him Tom. He’s talking shit, man.
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Tyson Carter
/ October 17, 2014Marks just angry as it doesn’t contain his two main criteria for his kind of film: a) Scottish people b) drunk people 😉
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Beer Movie
/ October 17, 2014Tyson you are wrong and the angry Scotsman is right. This film is utter arse. So terrible. And I love wanky, highbrow shit.
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Mark Walker
/ October 17, 2014Ahahaha! Thank you sir! A man with fine taste. I think Tyson’s has a hard time convincing people about this film. The IPC seemed to fall for his lies and deceit, though.
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Tyson Carter
/ October 17, 2014Let’s take this outside boys. Let’s be having you!!!!!! 🙂
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Tyson Carter
/ October 17, 2014I take back all the nice things I’ve said to you recently Tim. Questioning the wisdom in working with you in the future…… 😉
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Mark Walker
/ October 19, 2014I’m a late to this call out. But yeah, let’s fucking do this. There will no Love lost!
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The Vern
/ August 27, 2015A movie set in space and it’s called Love, That makes as a bout much since as a horror movie called Happy… Ok maybe that would still be a good name for a horror movie
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Tysoncarter182
/ August 27, 2015There was a recent horror called Smiley…….. It wasn’t good 🙂
The Love part was a tie in to the album theme for the band, but name aside it was a beautiful film.
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