Sunshine (DVD, 2008)

These movies just don't come around every day. You usually have to wait a while before you find a sci-fi film that you just really click with. Directed by Danny Boyle (28 Days Later & Transpotting) and written by Alex Garland, Sunshine makes a groundbreaking smash on the sci-fi film community Winning the 2007 British Independent Film Award's Best Technical Achievement award (Mark Tildesley for Production Design. Sunshine's tag-line for the movie is: "IF THE SUN DIES, SO DO WE." Cillian Murphy who plays Capa in the film was also nominated as Best Actor for this film.

Capa narrates these lines at the beginning in order to save us the time of a long drawn out explanation so the movie actually starts where it should have.
"Our sun is dying. Mankind faces extinction. Seven years ago the Icarus project sent a mission to restart the sun but that mission was lost before it reached the star. Sixteen months ago, I, Robert Capa, and a crew of seven left earth frozen in a solar winter. Our payload a stellar bomb with a mass equivalent to Manhattan Island. Our purpose to create a star within a star.
[long pause]
Capa: Eight astronauts strapped to the back of a bomb. My bomb. Welcome to the Icarus Two."

Director Boyle proves his uncanny ability and insight into the human psyche as he pairs off interactions with crew member characters flying a solar bomb directly into the sun.

I give this a 5/5 because it usually gets better the second or third time you see it since it seems very fast paced and thrilling.

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If you are expecting another Sci-Fi classic like "2001", you will be disappointed. There's no Stanley Kubrick or Arthur C. Clarke here. However, you will be amazed at some of the visuals thanks to today's CGI effects. The film starts on a high note for the first third, but turns into a convoluted slasher film by the end. This is from the same director of "28 Days", the virus/zombie film, so know what to expect! It is entertaining, just don't expect anything deep.

I saw this film in the theatre twice and loved it. This movie is more for the real science fiction fan than the casual fan- someone who would enjoy 'Solaris' or 'Silent Running' much more than 'Aliens vs Predator' or 'Starship Troopers.' The plot revolves around a small group of astronauts piloting a giant spaceship (Icarus II) that must deliver an immense nuclear bomb to the heart of the sun. Far in the future our son is dying. While in transit with their powerful payload they encounter many problems, including tensions with each other. That the previous mission (Icarus I)vanished mysteriously only adds more tension as the crew contemplates that they are on a one way journey. Their loved ones and all of mankind are counting on them.

The special effects are superb. The sets, futuristic yet spartan, are very convincing. The giant ship with it's thousands of polished mirrors to shield it from the sun is a special effects marvel. Director Danny Boyle (28 days later) has crafted a truly enjoyable science fiction tale. This DVD features deleted scenes and an alternate ending. In the theatrical release the ending is the only part that dissapoints as the director goes for an ending more in line with what AVP fans would like. My suggestion check out the alternate ending. The movie is highly crafted and a great addition to your science fiction collection.

While the movie is set up predictably for one disaster, followed
by another, it was still entertaining to watch it unfold. Though
the sudden genre shift from a scifi to a supernatural horror was
a pleasant surprise and the cinematography is great in this film.

Little, visual details of having split-second frames of a certain
picture being shown subliminally during a scene was definitely creepy
if noticed.

9/10

Just a real sleeper...off the radar.. I enjoyed it..
You REALLY need to let yourself get taken into this world!
A must see!

Characterization is excellent ... haven't left humanity out of this most excellent sci-fi flick. What I really liked about this movie was its embrace of humanity in all its raggedness. Sure, heroism and evil exist, but mostly the characters are just normal flawed human beings seeking to rise above their own limitations.

-Be surprised that your surprised your on the edge of your seat through this incredible thrill ride-

Lab day in Astronomy another boring movie... or so I thought

I thought at first this film was going to be another space adventure with some educational material mixed in with a bad plot and a nice happy ending.

I was wrong and was pleasantly surprised at how well this film was directed not only with the plot but also with the common fascination with space and the unknown, not to mention there was a thrill/horror feel as well that the movie played off extremely well. Rent it first... if ya like it then but it!

A+ a must buy!

I truly loved this movie. I had wanted to see it when I saw it first advertised but, as I don't get out to the theaters much, had to wait for its release on DVD (was at the top of my Netflix queue for quite awhile).

I wasn't sure what to expect from the film so I watched it ready for pretty much anything. It was so much more than that ("anything")!

The special effects were awesome, really incredible. If it had nothing else going for it, its gorgeous visual imagerary and amazing effects (think of this comment when you get to the part where the crew visits the second viewing room).

But, it did have lots more going for it. The characters all had true depth, with one in particular - Searle (Cliff Curtis) - giving a "stellar" (sorry for the pun) performance. None of the crew suffer from two dimensional performances, each is given their own strengths, weaknesses and foibles.

As much as the ending was necessary, I do have to admit the plot momentarily left its believable track when the "twist" which altered the story line was introduced. (Sorry to be oblique... I don't want to be a spoiler.) I think the same think could have been accomplished in a more rational way.

This latter "issue" was microscopic when put up against how great the rest of the film was. I can attest to this by mentioning the fact I bought two copies after seeing it: A regular DVD to loan my friends, and a Blu-Ray copy for me.

Rent, borrow or (better yet) buy this movie. If you like Sci-Fi films with believable characters you won't be disappointed.

ACTUALLY I HAD SENN THIS MOVIE IN A MOVIE HOUSE, BUT HAD FORGOTTEN HOW MUCH I DISLIKED IT. WHAT STARTED OUT AS AN INTERESTING PREMISE TURNED INTO A BOMBASTIC LIGHT AND NOISE SHOW. TOO BAD. MONEY NOT WELL SPENT.

I saw this movie in the cinema and just loved it. The plot reminds me of event horizon, small group of people trapped in creapy spaceship. Only here it hasn't been to hell and back, they are headed to the sun to try to kickstart it with a huge bomb because the world is turning to ice.

This movie is just amazing, I watched it again on DVD and was just overwhelmed. There are tons of amazing sound effects and there are just overwhelming sun shots that keep showing up.

As someone that likes edge of the seat movies, I highly recommend this excelent movie.

One of the worst movies i ever saw,no story, no plot,no nothing.Discrace to the movie industry.
Richard

too many scifi movies are cheesy and outlandish. not so w/SUNSHINE. Think it's one of the best scifi movies I've seen in years. as w/most good scifi movies, the story centers on the people and the effects just add to the experience. the effects are heady and cool. "ladies and gentlemen, let me present mercury...." was one of the best scenes in the movie--it really worked.

for what it's worth...

one of a kind movie, absolutely fantastic no other movie out there like this one. very highly recommended

After reading reviews about this movie being a "diamond in the ruff" but not being very popular at the box office it intrigued me to watch it. Now I know why it wasn't enjoyed by movie goers. There wasn't enough action or character involvement to capture the audience's attention for 1 hour and 47 minutes. Sure there were some cool scenes involving the sun but it wasn't enough to save this film from itself. The runtime could have been shorter as well, marginal editing at best, very depressing. 3/5

DVD box was completely broken, but the movie plays perfectly fine. I don't what happened with shipping or what, but box was pretty broken

Cillian Murphy = love of my life. The end.

No but seriously - it's a really good movie. It's NOT like your average space movie that always ends the same; hero leaves beautiful woman, hero saves earth, hero dies a cliche heroic death, very sad and touching, roll credits.

It's a little confusing the first time you watch it but don't let that steer you away! I would definitely recommend this movie!!

This is a superb sci-fi flick. The plot is around a burnout of the sun. One spaceship is dispatched to deal with the problem, and it disappears. Another is sent, and the events that occur are spell binding. The special effects are magnificent, and you can't help but feel a little staggered at the portrayal of the complexity and immensity of our universe. I don't think there was a lot of fanfare accompanying this flick...but it sure deserved some. I recommend this one highly. There isn't a hokey minute in it.

New idea on a "disaster" movie. A little far fetched with the idea we have enough nuclear payload on this small planet to "refuel" the sun, but the writers, directors, and actors all stuck to the "rules" of their "world of plausability" and made an intelligently believable movie. Great eye candy and SFX.

GREAT CAST, GREAT PLOT, ACTION PACKED! AWESOME FILM FOR THOSE WHO LIKE ACTION/DRAMA FILMS! A SOLID FILM THAT WILL HAVE YOU SITTING ON THE EDGE OF YOUR SEAT/CHAIR/PREFERRED SITTING SURFACE!

Excellent Cinematoraghpy and great story lead to a compelling film. The cast do a wonderful job as they seem to have their parts nailed down.

WITH SPECIAL EFFECTS FOR EVERY ONE AND THE WONDER OF THE FUTURE IN SPACE, CAN WE REALLY SURVIVE THE ELEMENTS OF OUR WORLD? TO MAYBE LIVE IN THE OZONE OF THE EARTH? ALOT OF THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

I bought sunshine after seeing a trailer for the movie while watching a dvd. It looked awesome, so imagine my excitement when I sat down to watch it after it arrived. It was a snowing, perfect excuse for watching movies all day, and sunshine was the final dvd of the evening. Well......
Like most I loved the special effects, they were stunning. The cast of characters were great, you fell in love with some, hated others, the movie? Suffice it to say it wasn't for me, if you can handle a lot of death and saddness "for the greater good" you may like it. It was so depressing that when it ended I felt ill. The story will leave some hating humanity, others hating religion and others just hating.
The writer and director could have taken a different approach and ended up with a enjoyable, even great movie, but at the risk of being passe' he took the film down a blackhole. What's that phrse, scratch a scab til it bleeds? No beauty in that, and the special effects do not make up for the wretching plot of total annihilation of lives. The ending, even though "positive" doesn't leave you with a good feeling after seeing everything else that went on and the places that should have been developed further were given 30 second snipets.
There are some interesting aspects, some things to think about but overall I'd say try it before you buy it. Rent it first, buy it cheap. It will make you feel a little better in the end.

loved it. cheap and sent quickly- i was looking for the movie. the movie played perfectly- no problems at all

Fast shipping bought for a gift for my brother. He has not told me if it work well or not. The DvD Disk and Box Looked In Good Condition.