A molecular biologist and his laboratory partner uncover evidence that may fundamentally change society as we know it.A molecular biologist and his laboratory partner uncover evidence that may fundamentally change society as we know it.A molecular biologist and his laboratory partner uncover evidence that may fundamentally change society as we know it.
- Awards
- 2 wins & 3 nominations
- Marriage Clerk
- (as Charles W. Gray)
- Julie Dairy
- (as Crystal Anne Dickinson)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaFor a brief moment in the opening credits only the letters I and O are shown in the movie title. This gives "IOII". In binary the number 1011 translates as eleven which is an important number throughout the film.
- GoofsAs a scientist, Ian should have known that he invalidated Salomina's test by both being the tester and knowing the "correct" answers: his eye movement, body language, etc. could have provided clues to Salomina which images to choose. To be valid, the test should have been done "double-blind" with the tester not knowing the correct answers; ideally this would have been by Priya who had both Salomina's trust and no prior knowledge of Sofi.
- Quotes
Priya Varma: You know a scientist once asked the Dalai Lama, "What would you do if something scientific disproved your religious beliefs?" And he said, after much thought, "I would look at all the papers. I'd take a look at all the research and really try to understand things. And in the end, if it was clear that the scientific evidence disproved my spiritual beliefs, I would change my beliefs."
Ian: That's a good answer.
Priya Varma: Ian... what would you do if something spiritual disproved your scientific beliefs?
- Crazy creditsAfter the credits, there is a scene depicting the beginning of the process of matching up famous historical figures' eyes with living people's eyes.
- SoundtracksWho Are You
Written by Adrian Sherwood & Burnell Anderson
Performed by African Head Charge
Courtesy of On-U Sound Records & Music Ltd.
There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy. - Hamlet (1.5.167-8), Hamlet to Horatio
Actually, we know that Shakespeare did get it right. Science adds new discoveries and corrects old theories constantly as it progresses. What's this have to do with "I, Origins"? It's one of the main themes of the movie: What if there's more to the universe than what we can perceive with our senses. Ask any real scientist and you'll find out that the concept is hardly new or controversial. We can't directly perceive radio waves or x-rays yet we make use of them every day. Nevertheless, this movie approaches the topic in a way that makes this question, perhaps, easier to approach for non-scientists.
Similarly, the movie tackles the theme of science versus religion. This theme is played up a lot in contemporary press coverage and "I, Origins" tackles this question intelligently as well. Again, ask a scientist about science and religion and you will likely find out that there isn't really a conflict between the two. Science looks into how the universe works. Religion is concerned with why? "How" and "why" are two sides of the same coin.
The movie also explores the long-existing notion that we are in some way tied to certain individuals for all time. Soul mates, if you will. Don't ask a scientist about that one.
The main actors in "I, Origins" are young and beautiful. Even the lab rat, played by Brit Marling, who starred in director Mike Cahill's prior and debut film "Another Earth," cannot hide her exceptional beauty behind glasses and sweats or a pregnancy suit. So if you enjoy seeing beautiful people asking seemingly profound questions in interesting settings, this is your movie.
Like Cahill's "Another Earth," this movie probes profound questions about the human existence. It's beautifully shot (though I think it needs some more editing), well acted by attractive people, and in the end will probably get you thinking. If that sounds like a mystical experience and a good investment of two hours of your time, then this film's something you should see.
We saw this film as part of the Camera Cinema Club series in San Jose.
- steven-leibson
- Jul 20, 2014
- Permalink
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $1,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $336,472
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $27,652
- Jul 20, 2014
- Gross worldwide
- $481,234