Let's Take Another Look: The Movie "Her" is Even More Relevant Four Years Later

I was scrolling through the movie channels that we have provided by our cable provider and I came across the movie "Her" from 2014. I saw this movie in the theaters when it was first released and I loved it. I remember it winning best original screenplay at the Oscars that same year. It was much deserved for Spike Jones and all the people that helped write the movie. It was a very forward thinking movie. I wanted to see if it held up, so I watched it.

First off, it totally holds up. In fact, I think it holds more weight now than it did when it came almost 4 years ago. In 2014, the idea of a lonely guy that just got divorced and ends up falling in love with a computer operating system was far fetched. Now, I think it is less than a few years away where this will be widely accepted. We are all already so heavily involved with our phones, computers, tablets, anything electronic basically. I'm just as much at fault for this. I read the majority of my news from my phone. I listen to podcasts on my phone. I watch TV on my computer and my son's tablet. All my music is played through my iPod. I use electronics everyday. Hell, my "watch" is also my Fitbit. It keeps time, but it also tracks my steps, my heart rate, the calories I've burned and how many "hills" I've climbed. It can also map my runs and any other exercise, and that is just a "watch". So in re watching "Her" the other day, it felt more like a "Black Mirror" episode that a light dramedy. It was kind of horrifying if I'm being totally honest.

For example, there is a scene near the end of the movie where Samantha, Joaquin Phoenix's OS that he calls his girlfriend, wants to be intimate with him and she finds a service where a real life person can come to his home and she can talk through an earpiece that they both wear. The scene is kind of awkward and I felt kind of wrong watching it. Phoenix didn't know this girl. She was hired to be a real life form of Sam. It was a very light form of prostitution. When Phoenix finally becomes too weirded out by the whole situation, he is made to be the bad guy by Sam and the girl she hired. That is crazy. Also, no one else besides a weirdo like Joaquin Phoenix could have pulled off this role, and more importantly, this scene.

How far off are situations like this in our real life? It is not too far fetched that some stuff like this may be going on right now. I have no doubt at all that some people have a genuine "love" for their phone or tablet, and they call that piece of electronics their partner. No doubt at all. We are all becoming attached to our devices. It is becoming a problem. I'm just waiting for a "True Life" on MTV or some god awful TLC show that talks about people wanting to marry their phone, computer, tablet, whatever it may be. People already have been on TV shows that have shown love for things like real life dolls, cars, furniture, basically all kinds of stuff. Now, as long as you aren't hurting anyone, I have no problem with this. Love whoever or whatever you want. I'm just curious, and I really think it is a real possibility, that people are already saying that some piece of electronics with an operating system is their lover. I know people that freak out when they can't find their phones. I've heard people say, "I don't know what I'd do without my phone". That is crazy.

Every time I go out for coffee or lunch with a group of friends there is inevitably a table filled with people that all have their computers out, are eating lunch and not speaking to one another. Same goes for teens. They'd rather text or Snapchat than engage in a real life conversation. Could this current generation of teens be the first to claim that an OS is their boyfriend/girlfriend? I say most definitely.

The one nice thing I took away from my second go round of "Her", and I say again, I think this movie is wonderful, the people in this futuristic society passed no judgement on these people that were in relationships with their OS's. I think that is great, and I think everyone should be accepting of all consensual love. Love is love and love is blind and love is great. I say again, as long as no one is getting hurt or worse, I'm down with whatever.

The one thing that made me look at "Her" with terror was the end of the movie. Before I go on, spoiler alert. I'm going to wreck the end of this almost 4 year old movie. But, at the end, Phoenix is struggling with his relationship. He and Sam are fighting all the time and they just seem bored and tired of each other. In a last ditch effort Phoenix tries to get her back on his side and he runs into a train stop. Here he realizes that "Sam" is in many relationships. She is an OS, so of course other people have this program for their piece of electronics. It is so heartbreaking and upsetting, but also real. Many people have similar interests when it comes to a partner, and Phoenix finds this out the hard way. It is so gut wrenching because of how true it really is.

Look, I highly recommend the movie "Her". It is great. But, the next time you watch it, if you have already seen it, or if this is your first viewing, think of how close this idea is to reality and watch the movie through that lens. It will really open your eyes. I know it opened mine.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He once fell in love with an OS. Jennifer Aniston and Matt Perry could really make a guy love Windows 95.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

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The Greatest American Band Debate: Weezer

SeedSing is filled with music lovers. We can not agree on who is the best band from the States. The Greatest American Band Debate will be a regular feature where we discuss and compare bands who started in the good old USA. If you have any suggestions of bands we should debate Contact us seedsing.rdk@gmail.com

My next entrant for our Greatest American Band debate on the website is Weezer.

I love Weezer. That's to say I love Weezer's first two albums. Their stuff after that is okay, they've even had mega hits like "Islands in the Sun" and "Beverly Hills". I love the song "Beverly Hills". It's really catchy and Rivers Cuomo plays some sweet guitar on the song. His solo at the end is epic. But, while I enjoy those albums, they don't come anywhere close to the "Blue Album" and the highly and undeservedly underrated "Pinkerton".

That's the case I will make for Weezer today. I feel like those first two albums are so excellent, catchy and memorable that they belong in the conversation. Weezer may be the greatest rock/pop group of all time and those two albums are Weezer at their peak. Cuomo is at his writing peak and his guitar playing is phenomenal. His band is at the top of their game as well. Let's first talk about the "Blue Album". This was the title given by the fans, it's actually a self titled record, but everyone knows it as the "Blue Album". From start to finish this album is rock/pop at its finest. The opening track, "My Name is Jonas" has a great guitar riff and the lyrics are so well written. For example, "buildings not going as we planned, the foreman had injured his hand, the driver says hey man we go all the way of course he knows we need to pay". That's pop music at its best. The song is so well known, it appeared on the very first Guitar Hero game for Playstation. The hits on the album are the unforgettable "Sweater Song", "Say it Ain't So" and the catchiest song I've ever heard "Buddy Holly". The "Sweater Song" is one of the coolest, most unique tunes I've ever heard. There's a real simple, real cool guitar riff that builds to a huge crescendo at the end. It's a great song, go listen to it right now, you'll love it. "Say it Ain't So" is super sad, but also great. It's about a falling out between a father and son. It's the millennial version of "Cat's in the Cradle". It's so sad, but it's great, great guitar and a real cool, almost up tempo bridge. It's a great song. Everyone knows the video for "Buddy Holly". Spike Jonze directed it and used "Happy Days" as the back drop. It was a super inventive idea at the time and it worked to perfection. The video is almost as memorable as the song. It's really cool. "Buddy Holly" is the quintessential rock/pop song. It's such a perfect pop song, with a sing a long chorus like no other song. The rock element is right there as well with distorted guitars and heavy drums. It was lightening in a bottle. It's such a great song. That would be enough to put them in this conversation. They also have other great songs on the "Blue Album". "Only in Dreams" is a seven minute gem of a rock song. "The World Has Turned" is another great track with awesome guitar. My personal favorite is "Surf Wax America". It has all the best elements of a 50's era surf song, but Weezer puts their touch to it and it's a home run. When they whisper sing, " you'll take your car to work, I'll take my board and when your out of fuel, I'm still afloat", I get giddy the louder and heavier it gets. It's a perfect song. I love it.

The highly anticipated follow up to the "Blue Album" was, at the time and still a bit today, the extremely underrated "Pinkerton". This album is a masterpiece. This record even has a myth to it. The story goes, Cuomo was obsessed with an Asian girl he met on tour, wrote this record for her, she basically rejected him and he, supposedly, wouldn't play any of the songs live. I thought this was still the case when I saw them in 2002, but not true. They played a couple of songs off the album much to my surprise. This is such a great, great album. The "hit", if there's one, would have to be "El Scorcho". This is a real cool, unique song. It has a very interesting, offbeat guitar riff and the Asian girl myth is at the forefront when the first lyric is sung. The lyric is as follows, "God damn you half Japanese girls do it to me every time". I think this is proof that, at least some of the myth is true. Other great songs on the album include, "Pink Triangle", "Across the Sea", "Tired of Sex" and "Falling for You". In "Pink Triangle", Cuomo comes to the realization that this girl he loves doesn't love him back because she's gay. He's totally fine with it, but it's a very sad, heartbreaking song. You can hear the pain in his voice when he sings the song. "Across the Sea" shows Cuomo pining for the girl that this whole album is about. He says he wants to be with her, but she's too far away and he doesn't want to do long distance. Another sad song. The guitar and drums are real good in this tune. "Tired of Sex" is a great rock song and a real good opener to the album. It's got fuzzy guitar and bass and real heavy, excellent drumming. The lyrics are very cynical and Cuomo sings them that way. "Falling for You" has Cuomo opening his heart to this girl and telling her that he's in love with her and he's literally falling for her. It's met by deaf ears, but he doesn't care. He needs to let this girl know he loves her and that's what he does on this song. "Pinkerton" is a great album and it's a must own for all Weezer fans.

The strength of these two albums is more than enough for me to put them in the Great American Band debate. They're still making music, but these first two albums are what you need to listen to when putting them in this debate.

Weezer is an awesome band and they definitely deserve consideration for Greatest American band.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the co-host of the X Millennial Man podcast. He looks nothing like Buddy Holly, but his wife can turn the world on with her smile. Follow Ty on twitter @tykulik.