Advantageous

Wow. I had no idea what to expect when I put this on, but it blew me completely away. I am certain that the pacing may alienate many a viewer expecting every, "good" sci-fi to be filled mainly with spectacular future-tech fighting, and maybe scratch the surface of big questions in a futuristic society.

Advantageous do approach the latter, although nuanced, and more subtle than most films in this genre do. First and foremost, Advantageous focus on what defines the parent/child-relationship through portrayals of emotions and behavior that feel real. Not overly dramatic, not "scripted" like in most movies, but like the breathing dialectics of how those mechanics do work in real life.

The stage is set in a dystopian future. There are elements of class conflict, and philosophical approaches to defining the Id and the Ego. But these are still all secondary to the parental element. I didn't feel that the topics were rushed, too complicated, pretentious or superficially presented in any way, but that might be a matter of my approach as a viewer; my focus on the movie while it ran, and my general interest in the subjects in my own life.

I also found Advantageous to be stylistically excellent. From the general designs, locations, wardrobe, make-up, CGI. The lead actors did a great job, and the directing was superbly executed. Same goes for both editing and the atmospheric soundtrack; technical elements that I find myself often annoyed at in many a modern movie.

I'd put Advantageous under the same banner as Her and Ex Machina, for comparison. Although it should be noted that the melancholic joyfulness from Her, and the enigmatic suspense from Ex Machina are both lacking completely here as Advantageous is a lot more of a subtle epic, with a focus on the humane interrelationships much more than what both those movies do. And to me, that was exactly what made Advantageous such a brilliant, unique gem, although I dearly love both Her and Ex Machina as well.

This is quite an intriguing take on the theme of the singluarity. What happens during uploading (transferring the consciousness to a new vessel)? In terms of the cognition, this work seems to reflect the latest advances in terms of the scientific work that has been done the last years. One of the key one of the findings being that the consciousness that we experience is tied to the body and their intertwined growing process. Studies of evolution, robotics and neuroscientists seem to converge on this idea. Enough of guessing the scientific Zeitgeist... What is astonishing about the movie is the fundamental level the theme is approached. Dance is important. It shows from the beginning to the end. And through the very nature of movement, the archaic, the everyday-things, those striving for that higher purpose will probably halt and think (if they see, and not just watch). This work puts great and visionary ideas in a very human context. This review is written with the movie still undigested, so it might sound a bit raw and weird. In any case it made quite an impression on me.

Watching this film made for a beautiful and worthwhile evening. I loved the stillness it evoked, as it asked me to consider what is important in my life.

Samantha Kim, (Jules), did a wonderful job of showing all that a young girl can be: kind, humble, and entranced by the delicate joy that life can hold, while also questioning her place and position in a world that only sees what she can give - instead of what she is.

Jacqueline Kim, (Gwen), evokes the challenges facing many women today - when career and family choices have long lasting results - in a performance full of silence. The cinematography that supports the silence means that Kim's message is heard more than if it were shouted.

The cover image is almost a misnomer as it appears to import more value to the science, when this film is most definitely about the human condition. I absolutely recommend taking the time to watch, think and share.

I can't remember how i stumbled on this movie, but I am really glad I did. This movie was such a joy to watch and was very moving. In fact i purposely registered to IMDb to give it a good rating and a review to support this movie. If you choose to watch it, you won't be sorry! For an independent film on a budget, the quality of the cinematography was great, as was the acting, and everything else, there's so much talent put into this film. Jacqueline Kim did a wonderful job at acting in this film in her portrayal of Gwen and Samantha Kim as her daughter Jules. And Jacqueline Kim and Jennifer Phang wrote such a moving and beautiful movie.

I can't stop thinking how realistic is this view of the future of a trickle down world, hiding behind the cloaks of computerised and anonymous social systems. Well worth watching, a social commentary wrapped up in a scifi blanket. With humanity struggling and failing to define itself.