Is it possible to fall in love with in inanimate object? What if that inanimate object had a self-awareness that wanted to learn and develop a sense of being. Spike Jonze’s Her asks these fantastical questions in his latest film starring Joaquin Phoenix, as he steers us into the near-distant future where artificial intelligence is made possible. Watch the full-length trailer for this beautiful looking flick after the break.

Spike Jonze is an interesting character. He has directed some strange, yet very fine pieces of work such as Adaptation, Being John Malkovich, and Where The Wild Things Are. He’s also contributed to the Jackass franchise as a writer and created a very lovely short entitled, I’m Here. His body of work is distinctly his in the chaos of the Hollywood machine and Her looks like another great film to add to his repertoire.

Along with Joaquin Phoenix, we are introduced to Samantha (voiced by Scarlett Johansson). These two are the meat of the story from what I can tell, interwoven with interactions between Rooney Mara and Amy Adams. What a tough life this man leads, huh? For as much misery as this character seems to be he sure attracts the right kind of company. Olivia Wilde supposedly makes an appearance in this movie as well. This cast is a superb choice.

I think this film looks beautiful with the colors and the stylistic choices of scenery. Call me a sucker for depressive, romantic think pieces, but Her takes the top spot of films for this month I need to see. The tone of the music and the emotion feels real and moving. And although the concept is a bit odd for some to accept, if Jonze is able to establish good world building and a good sense of character then that should be a non-issue. Count me in.

(Click on the thumbnails below to enlarge the images and being the gallery)

Here is the official plot synopsis of Her courtesy of Apple Trailers:

Set in Los Angeles, slightly in the future, “Her” follows Theodore Twombly, 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 entity in its own right, individual to each user. Upon initiating it, he is delighted to meet “Samantha,” a bright, female voice, 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. From the unique perspective of Oscar-nominated filmmaker Spike Jonze comes an original love story that explores the evolving nature—and the risks—of intimacy in the modern world.

Her releases in limited theaters in New York and Los Angeles on December 18, 2013. It finds its way to a city near you on January 10, 2014

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