Simone

Rating:
Summary: Never get entangled with a virtual actress!
Review: A strange story indeed. A mediocre to average film maker is willed a strange « machine » by some mad scientist before dying. This computerized device enables the film maker to produce the best actress ever, ideal as for her looks and her acting, but also ideal as for her cost which is practically nil, because she is a completely virtual person. The film then analyzes the rich consequences of her existence. How can an actress exist if she does not satisfy the wants and desires of her fellow actors, her producer, her public and the media ? She is by definition invisible, unreachable and unmeetable. And yet she exists because she is in the films and she is in the press and media. The director has to invent situations to make people believe she exists, or rather to satisfy their belief that she does exist. This leads to a cannibalistic relation because she psychologically devours the director completely. But it is not that easy to destroy her because no one wants to believe she does not exist, and his attempt will be considered as murder, since that actress does exist in the public eye. Then you have to plead guilty of a murder that never was or insanity for a murder that did not happen ever. How can the director get out of this imbroglio ? That is the end of the film. It is in other words a denunciation of the absolute gullibility of the public and the media, and of the absolute impossibility for any actor to have a real private life, to be an actor and nothing else, particularly not a show-case or show-window exhibit or circus animal. This is maybe extreme but it is fundamentally true. It reveals how an actor is taken over by his parts under the heavy presssure of the public and the media, and also his or her psyche, to be what he or she is in his or her films, to be the actor seven days a week and 24 hours a day. It is a completely de-humanizing profession and position. The public is cruel but just following their impulses, and desires, whereas the media are willfully cruel in order to make money by selling their « goods » to the wider public, hence nourishing and nurturing the cannibalistic voyeurism of this public. A great film with a fantastic Al Pacino in the role of the director. We will regret that the film did not go as far as actually creating a virtual actress for Simone, since it used a real actress in most of the scenes, and this actress, Rachel Roberts, is no virtual pixel being.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU


Rating:
Summary: A bad idea
Review: Just awful. At least no animals were abused during the filming of S1mone, or Simone, whatever they want to call it. The premise (that 5 billion ppl can fall for a "virtual reality" star) is ludricous. Even if you somehow are able to suspend disbelief, the plot her is very predictible, and you know the Victor Taransky's (Al Pacino) invented "star," Simone will become so big, that he'll be tempted to destroy his creation.

Al Pacino can be very good, or he can be an over-acting buffoon (Author, Author). He's the latter here.

How this got financed and put into the theatres is just astounding. The good reviews here? Probably each written by the cast and crew of this stink bomb.

But if these people truly liked this film, then the apocolypse is upon us.

Rating:
Summary: Simone is a guilty pleasure.
Review: Simone, short for Simulation One, a computer program that lets a director use a computer generated image for a live actress, gives director Andrew Niccol a chance to satirize the American publics idolization and fascination with celebrities. Those viewers who think Hollywood movie stars are something special, instead of the ordinary people they often are, will probably be somewhat offended by Niccol's treatment of the adoring public for Simone, a computer generated actress who is sold to the public as a real person by director Viktor Taransky -- Al Pacino.

Those viewers who find the amount of space and time spent paying attention to the comings and goings of celebrities foolish and absurd will laugh out loud at the response of the public to Taransky's attempts to keep the real identity of Simone a secret. The major part of the film is taken up with the technical wizardy Taransky uses to deceive the public about the true identity of Simone. Its a stretch of the imagination to believe the public could be so stupid, but that's the point of the film.

Some reviewers have rightly complained that director Niccol sells out by giving us a happy ending which is not faithful to the story line. Niccol takes the easy way out, not the best way out, which would have been more difficult for a general audience to accept. So in the end, Niccol becomes just what he satirizes. He satisfies what he believes his audience wants instead of being true to his artistic vision.

Even so, I found Simone entertaining, if not competely satisfying. It falls under the category of a guilty pleasure. Recommended with reservations.

Rating:
Summary: Great Movie!!
Review: If there is ever a movie,that you have got to see..let "Simone" be that movie! I saw this movie on Showtime once,and I was immediately HOOKED..and that same week I found the movie on DVD!This is the first movie of its kind,to give you and idea where we are headed in the Digital Age of Movies and Computer Generated Images.You tend to forget,that the actress Simone,is Generated.And the way inwhich the movie is so well done,it draws you IN!I'm always Hopeful for a Sequel

Rating:
Summary: This Final Fantasy Doesn't Bite
Review: Everyone would admit its idea is brilliant. What if you create 100 % computer-generated actress? The perfect actress who doesn't complain about the huge trailer you took trouble to prepare; who doesn't require 10 packs of cigarettes (with 3 opened); and who doesn't command $20 million like you know who? What if a director whose works turned flops these ten years find that chance? "Simome" (more precisely "S1m0ne") gives a good idea, and stops there.

The film director in point is Viktor Taransky (mixture of Talkovkey and Tarantino) played by Al Pacino. Now his new project is dead because of the egoistic star Nicola (Winona Ryder), but he is given a computer program by an ailing programmer. 9 months later, Viktor is back in glory, with a new star everyone admires but nobody knew until then -- Simone.

As Viktor tries to hide her secret, her popularity ironically rises to worldwide fame. Trying to fend off the inquisitive press and his ex-wife and producer Elaine (Catherine Keener), Viktor keeps the show going on ... but where he is going to?

And where? The satire is there, but that doesn't bite, lacking new and original angle to tackle the issue of celebrity and movie industry. Director Andrew Niccol's detached approach to the Hollywood system leaves the audience wondering why this movie is made. Actually, what the film shows is very conventional, including the conclusion that is too good to be true.

But more damaging thing about the film is, I think, that for all its quirky charm of Carter Burwell's music, the film doesn't look real and compelling at all. I don't know whether choice of model-turned-actress Rachel Roberts as Simone can be justified. The film shows that people in India and Japan love her, disregarding cultural differences, but that is ok. But if you see Al Pacino, who didn't look like a guy who was sitting before computer, suddenly starts to handle the keyboard and manipulate the various images of Simone, we begin to disbelieve. When he announces Simone is agoraphobia before the people, and then she suddenly appears in a concert (in a big place, of course), we won't believe that at all (hey, someone must sense something is wrong!).

The "story" of "Simone" in short needs more details. If you want to tell a story, tell it better.

And finally about special effects. Those who bought recent DVDs (of "Matrix" or whatever) must know that any good CGIs require skilled people's efforts and time. Many fans now know that, and that kind of knowledge on our side will perhaps reduce the film's credibility. My low rating comes on this score. But of course, if the satire had been given more cutting-edge ... well, I said about that already.