Sunshine at the Sunshine w/ Danny Boyle (pt 1)

Sometimes it pays to stay up late. Sometimes it pays to stay up late checking your email. At about midnight (11 pm to you Central Standard timers) Thursday night, I got an email from the Sunshine Theater announcing that Danny Boyle would be holding a Q&A Friday night after the 8:10pm showing of his new film Sunshine (you'll notice the connection to movie and theater name...)

Well, of course I immediately leaped into action to get a movie ticket - for just the cost of a movie ticket I could hear the director talk about the movie! And it was bonus for timing as I had already toyed with the idea of checking out the theater's midnight movie - Back to the Future. Double Feature!

My first thought was that I'd just head there after work but spoiled that plan when I spaced and bought fresh corn on the cob at the Farmer's Market over lunch. Now I had to go home and get them put in a fridge - no way they'd last in my bag til past midnight.

Because of the quick trip home and concern for what the lines may be like once I got there - I failed to check with my bladder before heading out again. By the time I reached the theater, there was quite a line already (it was a little over an hour before the movie started) and felt I had no choice but to get in it right away if I wanted a decent seat in the theater - my bladder would have to be patient. (Admittedly, this is the downside to going to events by yourself - no one to hold your spot in line if your bladder calls! ;))

Once we were let into the theatre I saw that it wasn't packed solid but it was probably about 80% full.

I was still aware of my bladder but once again didn't feel like I could get up for fear I'd lose my seat - yes, there was space elsewhere but I liked where I was sitting! ;) So I told myself - hold on for a few more hours...ugh.

Got to see some trailers new to me before Sunshine (Including Wes Anderson's new flick, The Darjeeling Limited, The Ten and a film directed by Ethan Hawke - The Hottest State. )

Admittedly, I would not have chosen to see "Sunshine" had Danny Boyle not been attached as a perk. It wasn't something that interested me - much like 28 Days Later.

BUT, much like 28 Days Later, once I saw it - I was glad I did.

If you have any inclination to see this movie, I HIGHLY suggest seeing it in the theater. The effects and colors just pop on the big screen and I can't imagine the massive scope of dealing with the sun would come across as well on a laptop or tv once it comes out on video. Plus, the cast is excellent as a whole - although I was a bit embarrassed for Troy Garity, not sure if it was the character or his acting... I really liked Michelle Yeoh in a somewhat understated role.

Sunshine does leave you with a lot of questions - fortunately Boyle was there to answer some of them!:)

Before the credits were even over, Danny Boyle stepped out with mic in hand to get started - another crowd was waiting outside to hear him give an "opening statement" before they watched their movie.

Here's a summary of what Boyle had to say -

Sunshine took 3 years to make.

He said after making this movie, he understood why no director makes a realistic space film more than once. Explaining the "high standard" that the audience expects from space films and trying to find a way to make your mark in a genre that has been so well established - i.e. using blue/gray shading that started in "Alien". He said that they tried to step out of the standards by coming up with their own spacesuit but that was about the extent of it.

That being said - Boyle likes using genre films (like space and zombie flicks) as a base to build and experiment from with a built in audience already established.

Even though he has begun to experiment more with genre films, he still says his films are hard to market. Just like 28 Days Later, the film was opened in Great Britain first so they could gauge reaction and see how to market it to the U.S. Boyle said (tongue in cheek) - The U.S. likes to use the rest of the world to experiment with.

In keeping with the blue/gray coloring, they consciously kept orange,red and yellow out of any scenes that didn't involve the sun, so when it did appear it grabbed you visual even more so. The audience not realizing they'd be deprived of those colors until they saw them again.

The screenwriter - Alex Garland - is (according to Boyle) an adamant, confident atheist as were most of the scientists they spoke to when making the film. But even though that was the case, part of the storyline suggest a "greater power". Boyle also mentioned how all these atheist scientists were studying particle acceleration to find the smallest particle created - the nickname for this, so far elusive particle? God's Particle. Boyle said - It's funny how it always comes back to that, isn't it?

The "greater power" in the movie ties in with the villain. When asked to explain the villain - Boyle said it was up for interpretation.

Someone asked about the villain being named "Pinbacker". Alex is a "Dark Star" fan so he snuck in the nod. But the connection goes further as the actor that played Pinbacker in Dark Star wrote Alien.

There are hints of a budding relationship in the movie but it remains platonic. Someone asked if Fox Searchlight fought Boyle on this point, asking for sex in the film. Danny said that actually it was he and Alex that tried to find a way to put sex in the film but it just didn't work. They even filmed a scene. "So serious, space."

Boyle's favorite space movies are the 1st Alien movie and the original Solyaris. He also recommended reading the book Solaris.

Boyle said getting back CG prints takes longer than having babies. Great patience is needed. He said at one point they sat in the editing room and wondered...does this movie really have to take place in space?!

In using CG, he wanted to make sure it looked real. That often he watches movies and the actors look bored - because when they filmed it, they were looking at a green screen. So he tried to simulate moments as best he could. Dumping an actual pile of dust on one character and coming at Cillian Murphy with a large rack of lights to simulate the sun - Boyle said it was like a U2 concert was about to fall on him.

Once the q&a was over I attempted to make my way to the bathroom, but my plans were thwarted as most everyone had that idea. Well, if I'm going to wait, I may as well get something at concessions. And the wait continued...