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intersticeSome good media I've experienced recently: Moon (Duncan Jones) and "Mister Squishy" (David Foster Wallace). I also watched District 9 (Neil Blomkamp).
Moon was a great no-nonsense extrapolation from and maturation of the themes of movies like Alien and Solaris, with some explicit nods to the light-hearted B-movie Dark Star (which itself was a sort of n-removed predecessor of Alien). These themes are of course isolation; the limited capacity of the individual; and the realization of and resistance to the Psychopathic Corporate Interest, through group interaction. The plot was densely minimalist, like science fiction Mamet, and gripping, with extraordinary pacing for such a sparse tableau. Just enough is left to the viewer to promote intrigue. Highly recommended; the plot device although somewhat fantastical is easily forgiven in view of the story it drives. I hope that its significant advancements and analyses of the themes it presents are embraced by future science-fiction movies. Independents of course; Hollywood science fiction is simply beyond hope. *****/5.
"Mister Squishy" has been described as a miniature Infinite Jest. It is similarly open-ended and a tour de force showcase of DFW's oblique exposure of emotional depth through obsession with minutiæ and stylistic devices. In the context of DFW's work, it develops and matures his analysis of commercialism and marketing as a deeply flawed religious and cultural experience for its participants [Mister Squishy is the mascot and brand for a recently-acquired snack cakes company, with whom the Wallacian protagonist is identifying]. Thus it is not surprising that it is somewhat depressing.
As a statistician I especially liked his well-researched depiction of the use and abuse of statistical devices in marketing, as well as describing a fairly compelling maturation of the field. In short, it really got into my head and, among other things, did a much better job than I could have on a story idea I had a few months ago. To repeat myself, the depiction of the relevant technology here is deeper and much more effective than the ad-hocisms used in IJ. Much like IJ it leaves an open ending, which although effective in engaging the reader is also haunting incomplete. This is of course the usual and controversial criticism of DFW: I am not convinced that he really finished the story. ****½/5
In lesser news, I watched District 9. It's a muddled mess with nice explicit homages to Robocop and especially The Fly. The story, although well-intentioned is distractingly inconsistent even notwithstanding the hand-wavy technology. Like Moon and MS it portrays an individual in the midst of both group collaboration and the Psychopathic Corporate Interest (which itself is a group with alien motivation). Like Moon it attempts to tell a redemption. Unlike Moon the redemption is simultaneously facile and confused, and it makes no advancements whatsoever in its telling. The references to apartheid are an overwhelming unproductive caricature. **½/5.
