Another Earth

I really enjoy these well-done science fiction movies. Take a look at Moon, for instance. Sure, it's set on the actual Moon, involves cloning but it's about so much more than that. In fact, you could classify these movies as more mainstream sci-fi - I don't know - in that people who don't like the sci, will still like the fi. Makes sense? No, probably not. How about Another Earth: this is a movie set in a world where our world can be seen in the sky at all times. Confusing, but I'm just making it that way.

Imagine looking up in the sky on your way to work, and you see Earth hovering far above us, like the Moon normally does. An entire planet in "close" proximity that has the exact same continent structures as our own, and in fact even has an identical moon to ours. It sends shivers up my spine. So there's that, which is why I know about this movie, but it's not the story. The real story is emotional and moving, of course, and really well acted. A woman's life is changed forever through a horrible accident, and she becomes obsessed with the other lives she has affected. Vague, really, but I don't want to spoil too much for you. This girl - racked with guilt - befriends the victim and dreams of life on the other Earth.

So what's on the other Earth? I love how subtle the movie is; without compromising the humanity of the story itself, we get doses of fairly interesting science fiction sprinkled throughout. This is mostly done via the classic news casts: characters catch bits and pieces of the news on television, and just like the characters themselves, we're allowed to become a regular viewer. I've probably mentioned this before: in Independence Day we start off the same way. "Regular" people hearing the news, seeing objects in the sky, etc. We can relate to all of that, but we get a major disconnect when these same characters walk into the President's office and proceed to hang out in Area 51. We get to stay human in this movie: it's easy to put yourself in their place.

One major moment that really made the movie for me was the "first contact" scene. A family watching the event on live television, with curiosity, fear and excitement. It's the type of moment that makes me fall in love with these independent, subtle sci-fi movies. Check it out.