Plot
A team of astronauts are sent to re-ignite the dying sun 50 years into the future.
Release Year: 2007
Rating: 7.3/10 (100,248 voted)
Critic's Score: 64/100
Director:
Danny Boyle
Stars: Cillian Murphy, Rose Byrne, Chris Evans
Storyline 50 years into the future, the Sun begins to die, and Earth is dying as a result. A team of astronauts are sent to revive the Sun - but the mission fails. Seven years later, a new team are sent to finish the mission as they are Earth's last hope.
Cast: Cillian Murphy
-
Robert Capa
Chris Evans
-
Mace
Michelle Yeoh
-
Corazon
Rose Byrne
-
Cassie
Troy Garity
-
Harvey
Hiroyuki Sanada
-
Kaneda
Benedict Wong
-
Trey
Mark Strong
-
Pinbacker
Cliff Curtis
-
Searle
Paloma Baeza
-
Capa's Sister
Archie Macdonald
-
Child
Sylvie Macdonald
-
Child
Chipo Chung
-
Icarus
(voice)
Taglines:
50 years in the future, Earth's Sun is dying.
Filming Locations: Stockholm, Stockholms län, Sweden
Box Office Details
Budget: £26,000,000
(estimated)
Opening Weekend: £1,021,063
(UK)
(8 April 2007)
(407 Screens)
Gross: $32,017,803
(Worldwide)
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Did You Know?
Trivia:
In the original screenplay, the Icarus payload was the same size, but was made of highly compressed dark matter (there is no mention of needing fissile material) and had the same mass as the moon, so it had its own gravity (one-sixth the Earth's normal). The science advisor pointed out problems with using a bomb that massive, so it was reduced to the mass of Manhattan. A take with the original line can be seen on the DVD, in a deleted scene.
Goofs:
Continuity:
Critical damage is caused to Icarus II by sunlight reflecting off a communications tower onto the structure. Yet, when Icarus II approaches Icarus I - much closer to the sun - its shield reflects sunlight onto the rear of Icarus I with no ill-effects to that ship at all.
Quotes:
[first lines]
Capa:
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.
User Review
Nearly there
Rating: 7/10
I'm sure many reviews will say something similar: This is two-thirds of
a great sci-fi movie. Specifically, the first two thirds. Natural
characters, intelligent dialogue, stunning visuals; I was thoroughly
immersed in this philosophical disaster movie in space. Heck, even the
moody, modern, sentimental score worked.
The central premise concerns humanity's last hope for survival: the
Icarus II (EXTREMELY dumb name for a ship travelling to the sun, if you
remember the Greek legend), whose crew must re-ignite said star with a
nuclear bomb the size of Manhattan island. It's distant future stuff,
but the filmmakers work hard at establishing plausibility. They
certainly achieve it. Impressive.
Cast-wise, it's an eclectic group. Cillian Murphy gets the starring
role, and he's good. Maybe it's just me, but he always looks slightly
psychotic - something to do with the eyes perhaps? Anyway, he's a
quirky and soulful leading man.
Nice work by Michelle Yeoh, Rose Byrne and Cliff Curtis. Not one weak
link in the multinational cast.
I thought Chris Evans stole the acting honours. Despite his character's
hot temper, he gave gravitas to every decision, and they included some
pretty big ones. He's the pragmatic member of the group; logic's on his
side, and he knows it.
The introduction of Icarus I to the second half of the story (the
previous ship that mysteriously failed) is not handled particularly
well. The crew's decision to deviate from the mission is a poor one,
and has disastrous consequences. Later on, a horror element is
introduced which is just laughable. All the filmmakers' hard work
peters out in a third act of blurry shots, shaky cams and
incomprehensible cuts.
Overall, 'Sunshine' is a real mixed bag. Director Danny Boyle and his
cast work hard to create a believable scenario. The special effects
really are special. I think the fault here lies with writer Garland,
whose third act is derivative, contrived, and not worthy of the rest of
this fine film.
Plot
The fate of a Hungarian Jewish family throughout the 20th century.
Release Year: 1999
Rating: 7.4/10 (7,968 voted)
Critic's Score: 71/100
Director:
István Szabó
Stars: Ralph Fiennes, Rosemary Harris, Rachel Weisz
Storyline The film follows a Jewish family living in Hungary through three generations, rising from humble beginnings to positions of wealth and power in the crumbling Austro-Hungarian Empire. The patriarch becomes a prominent judge but is torn when his government sanctions anti-Jewish persecutions. His son converts to Christianity to advance his career as a champion fencer and Olympic hero, but is caught up in the Holocaust. Finally, the grandson, after surviving war, revolution, loss and betrayal, realizes that his ultimate allegiance must be to himself and his heritage.
Writers: István Szabó, István Szabó
Cast: Ralph Fiennes
-
Ignatz Sonnenschein
/
Adam Sors
/
Ivan Sors
Rosemary Harris
-
Valerie Sors
Rachel Weisz
-
Greta
Jennifer Ehle
-
Valerie Sonnenschein
Deborah Kara Unger
-
Maj. Carole Kovács
Molly Parker
-
Hannah Wippler
James Frain
-
Gustave Sonnenschein
David de Keyser
-
Emmanuel Sonnenschein
John Neville
-
Gustave Sors
Miriam Margolyes
-
Rose Sonnenschein
Rüdiger Vogler
-
Gen. Jakofalvy
Mark Strong
-
István Sors
Bill Paterson
-
Minister of Justice
Trevor Peacock
-
Comrade Gen. Kope
Hanns Zischler
-
Baron Margitta
Taglines:
En skæbnefortælling om tre generationer i kamp for at overleve. [Denmark]
Opening Weekend: $84,869
(USA)
(11 June 2000)
(7 Screens)
Gross: $6,000,108
(USA)
(8 October 2000)
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Did You Know?
Trivia:
The venerable courtyard and house used as the Sonnenschein family home in the film is, in actuality, the house where director István Szabó grew up.
Goofs:
Anachronisms:
When Ivan and Carole have a brief talk on the banks of the Danube near the bridge, we see evening traffic on the quay at the opposite side of the river, with a considerable amount of cars passing by, headlights on. There would not have been this amount of traffic in Budapest in the 1950s.
Quotes: Ivan Sors:
For the first time in my life, I walked down the street without feeling like I was in hiding. My great grandfather Emmanuel must have been the last Sonnenschein to feel like this. I knew the only way to find meaning in my life, my only chance in life...
User Review
An amazing historical portrait
Rating: 10/10
I enjoy European history a great deal, but when my European history class
tried to find a good modern European history movie this year, all we could
think of was a bunch of war movies. Obviously, there is a lot more to
modern Europe than watching snipers creep around Stalingrad and other such
things.
In "Sunshine," I found an answer to my search. It is undoubtedly the best
historical portrait of Europe from the late 19th-mid 20th century that I
have ever come across. It does an EXCELLENT job of showing the emotions
and
realities of the progressions of Europe during this time. Since it is in
Hungary, we are exposed to monarchy, fascism, and communism, all of which
are portrayed vividly.
As if the history was not enough, the movie is wonderful in other ways as
well. Ralph Fiennes has the opportunity to showcase an amazing range of
emotions and personalities in this movie, as he plays three different
characters. It was also pure genius on the part of the movie staff to
cast
a real life mother and daughter to play the same woman at various stages
of
her life.
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