It’s fitting just how personal the music video is for Kanye West’s “Only One.” When the Paul McCartney-assisted track dropped earlier this month, West spoke out about how the “stream-of-consciousness riff” came to him; the lyrics are a spiritual message from ‘Ye’s late mother Donda West to his daughter North West (Nori for short). The rapper enlisted film directer Spike Jonze (Her, Where the Wild Things Are) to helm the music video, and it plays very much like a father-daughter home video; it’s adorable and it’s touching. Watch it here.
HER is set in Los Angeles, in the near future and follows Theodore Twombly (Joaquin Phoenix), a complex, soulful man who makes his living writing touching, personal letters for other people. Heartbroken after the end of a long relationship, he becomes intrigued with a new, advanced operating system, which promises to be an intuitive and unique entity in its own right. Upon initiating it, he is delighted to meet “Samantha,” a bright, female voice (Scarlett Johansson), who is insightful, sensitive and surprisingly funny. As her needs and desires grow in tandem with his own, their friendship deepens into an eventual love for each other. HER is an original love story that explores the evolving nature—and the risks—of intimacy in the modern world.
Spike Jonze, who is no stranger to android romance, directs. A melancholic tone permeates the trailer and yet it is spiritually uplifting in nature. A man falls for artificial intelligence; might he learn a thing or two about true love along the way? Her releases November 20.
Remember when I told you about Spike Jonze’s latest project titled I’m Here, a 30-minute short film about robots in love? After premiering at the Sundance Film Festival in January, I’m Here is finally available to watch online. Here’s an updated synopsis for you:
I’m Here is a love story about two robots living in contemporary Los Angeles. The sad-eyed robot librarian Sheldon (Andrew Garfield) leads a lonely and methodical life, until he one day meets Francesca, a creative and free-spirited female robot (played by Sienna Guillory). Robot romance develops and the story is just as beautiful as it is unpredictable.
Though it’s sponsored by Absolut Vodka, you won’t find any product placement in the film. When you’re ready to sit back, relax, and pop some popcorn, head over to www.imheremovie.com to watch short film. The site is pretty neat, actually; it all plays out like you’re going to a virtual movie theatre. And get this–the site limits the audience to 5,000 viewers per day. So if the theatre’s all filled up today, better luck tomorrow. Enjoy.
Spike Jonze (Where the Wild Things Are) just announced his latest project titled I’m Here, a 30-minute short film about robots in love. It premiered January 20 at the Sundance Film Festival. Fast Company has the scoop on the plot: “Set in a gauzy version of L.A., it’s a love story about a boy and a girl–who also happen to be robots made from what looks like cast-off computer parts from 1994. That conceit allows Jonze to create a quirky, alternate world for their romance. In one scene, for example, the boy plugs in the girl for the night–which manages to become a scene of such delicate intimacy that it makes you squirm a little.”
What’s more intriguing is the way Jonze has mingled the short film with Absolut vodka. A number of cut scenes from the short are incorporated into an Absolut commercial. “This isn’t the first time people have created branded content,” says executive producer Mark Figliulio. “But it’s never really been accepted on its own merits. That’s the grey area we’re trying to explore.” Jonze has directed commercials in the past (The Gap, Adidas, and Miller Beer). “Spike respects the medium,” says second exec producer Matt Bijarchi. “He’s one of the few people that see commercials as an art, and his ad work is every bit as discerning as his features.”
So far the short film has been been accepted into the Sundance, Berlin, and Turkey film festivals. If its popularity continues to grow at the festivals and people show interest in the Absolut commercials the film may find a home in a box set and may even play on a yet to be announced cable channel.
