Solaris
Superstar George Clooney turns in a stellar performance in this thrilling sci-fi movie from Academy Award winners Steven Soderbergh and James Cameron. Aboard a lonely space station orbiting a mysterious planet, terrified crew members are experiencing a host of strange phenomena, including eerie visitors who seem all too human. And when psychologist Chris Kelvin (Clooney) arrives to investigate, he confronts a power beyond imagining that could hold the key to mankind's deepest dreams... or darkest nightmares.
*warning* this film asks you to think @gpot
Just like the original Solaris, this film asks you to sit back, watch it unfold and think about what you have just watched. I know it is an unpopular trend in films today to make you do that but if you feel like you are up for a challenge then you should give this a rent.
Very Underrated @TheWindIsRising
Many people panned this when it came out. It's extremely challenging for some people because of what it doesn't spell out, but what it doesn't spell out is the point of it. This is not an action movie, and it's not a blow-stuff-up space cowboy movie. It's a romance, but not in a hallmark card way, more of a quantum physics way. :) The atmosphere of this is open, floating...very similar to 2001. It is not as difficult as 2001 to grasp. Even so, this is a drama with tragic romantic elements that is staged in a sci-fi theater. It's about what it means to be who you are, and what it means to love others. This is gorgeous, hypnotic film.
unbelievable @sanderpick
The mark of a great movie is often a loyal underground following... shadowed by poor reviews by the masses. Thats what we have here. Amazing imagery and music accompanied by true emotion. Clooney's agent cringed. Soderbergh is surely still smiling.
You may want to read the book first. @ContentOwner
Fortunately for me, I read the book before I watched the movie. So I understood what was going on throughout the film. For instance, I already knew that on the planet was a liquid life form that covered almost the entire planet and that the life form could change the mass of the planet (read the book if you want to know why it did this. It is quite fascinating). So this movie is a lot like 2001. In 2001, the movie does not explain that he is traveling through a worm hole. So naturally most movie goers were confused by what was happening with the psychedelic lights as he is traveling through space. I think that Soderbergh was influenced heavily by Kubrick when he made this film. There are a lot of elements borrowed from 2001 and The Shining. It is one of the reasons why I love this movie.
Very Good Sci-Fi @fletc3her
I think Solaris rates among Soderbergh's best. The movie has a mood which is almost indescribable. The scenes in the space station have a claustrophobic feeling which is overwhelming, a tangible feeling of loneliness. The flashbacks delight in the elements, in sunshine, rain on the windows, in the minute details of everyday life that we often overlook. The story defies simple explanation with contradictory details making some aspects of it hard to pin down for sure. The actors are great and I especially like Davies' performance. If you give it a shot, this movie will make you think about the nature of memory, of person, of intelligence.