Mr. Nobody (2009)

Mr. Nobody Trailer

The theme of this movie is the infinite choices and possibilities in life. This is a what-if movie concerning "what will happen if you do this and that". There are a number of what-if movies before Mr. Nobody, such as Groundhog Day (1993), Sliding Doors (1998), Run Lola Run (1998), etc.

The premise is the recount of Nemo Nobody's life by himself at 118-year-old. A journalist sneaks into his hospital room and interviews him. It turns out that Nemo has lived three different lives, concurrently. This not only confuses the journalist but also the audience.



***Spoilers Alert***



The movie starts with a psychology experiment. And then the dead Nemo/ narrator asked, "What did I do to deserve this?"

Nemo remembers everything because the Angels of Oblivion forget to wipe his memory out before he comes to earth. When he is nine years-old, his parents separate. He has to choose between his father and mother.

The young Nemo says, "You have to make the right choice. As long as you don't choose, everything remains possible."


In the story line that he chooses his mother: at age 15, Nemo meets Anna.
-> Nemo insults Anna's friends and they never see each other again

-> Nemo admits that he can't swim -> they become close -> they are separated by their parents -> at age 34 Nemo becomes a pool cleaner -> Nemo meets Anna again -> she gives him her number -> rain wipes out the number

-> at age 34 Nemo becomes a television host -> his car plummets into a lake and he drowns


In the story line that he chooses his father: at age 15, Nemo meets Elise
-> Elise accepts him -> Elise asks Nemo to spread her ashes in Mars -> they get married -> Elise has depression -> Nemo burns his car

-> at age 34, right after their wedding ceremony, a oil-tank truck explodes -> Elise dies -> Nemo becomes a television host -> his co-worker's car plummets into a lake and drowns
-> Nemo meets the co-worker's widow Anna --> Anna rejects him
-> Nemo takes minute-per-minute pictures of decaying food and flowers (implies that he is obsessed with life and death)

Nemo writes a sci-fi story on a typewriter
-> Nemo wakes up from a freezing state in a satellite station -> he spreads Elise's ashes in Mars
-> the satellite station explodes -> Nemo dies
-> Nemo meets Anna for the first time in a satellite station -> the satellite station explodes -> they die

-> Elise rejects him -> Nemo gets into a car accident -> Nemo stays in a vegetative state
-> Elise rejects him -> Nemo decides to marry the first girl whom he will dance with -> Nemo marries Jean --> Nemo is unhappy and bored with his life -> he goes to a hotel room -> an assassin kills him during his bath -> his body is dumped



It seems that all of his choices suck.

I think the way how the shocking truth is revealed (i.e. Old Nemo tells the journalist, "We are imagined by 9 year old child, faced with an impossible choice.") is similar to the way the truth is revealed in Fight Club (1999) in the end. It makes you wanting to watch the movie all over again, bearing the truth.

One of the scene which Nemo at age 118 in the television talks to Nemo at at 34 highly resembles the scene in Doctor Who Season 3 Episode 10 Blink. There are many scenes that are deja vu, as described in the film review by KyleKallgrenBHH.

Color is an important cue in the movie. The three wives of Nemo are represented by three different colors: red for Anna, representing passion; blue for Elise, representing depression; yellow for Jean, representing greed (I personally don't find Jean representing greed. I think she represents unrequited love. Nemo randomly picks her as his wife. She loves Nemo but Nemo doesn't love her back. It's pathetic.)

Interestingly, Mr. Nobody touches various philosopher's ideas. For instance, existentialism (That reminds me of a movie called I Heart Huckabees (2004) which also touches the subject.), Dasein, butterfly effect, Jean-Paul Satre. You may also be interested in reading the short story The Garden of Forking Paths by Jorge Luis Borges, which is about infinite choices too.

In my opinion, there are quite a number of memorable quotes in the movie. For example, "Everything we see exists, we can see it. I can see mommy's eyes, but I can't see my eyes. The little baby can see his hands, but he cannot see himself. So, does he really exist? Do I really exist?" (This explicitly is a question on existentialism.) "In chess, it's called Zugzwang...when the only viable move...is not to move."

Music plays a critical role in the movie. I like the songs chosen by the director. For example, Mister Sandman by the Chordettes fits the dream-like story perfectly. Buddy Holly's Everyday tells the story of what happens in a perfect day. Hans Zimmer's God Yu Tekken Laef Blong Mi tells the story of babies in heaven.

I think most people find the movie confusing is because of its non-linear editing. The story itself is profound, yet the editing makes it even more complicated. (By the way, a very good non-linear narrative story is Memento (2000).)


Doctor Who Season 3 Episode 10

Ratings:
Premise: Good
Plot: Good
Characters: Average
Dialogue: Good

Recommendation: Recommended

Interests in...version 2.0

"I have to admit that I have so many interest. So many interests that I don't have time to became an expert in each interest. My strengths are learning fast and good at doing research." (version 1.0 is here)

Reviewing my achievements, over the past 5 years, I have taken lessons on Intermediate Electric Guitar, Attractive Presentation Skills, Wedding Planning, Acrylic Painting, Art Therapy, Intellectual Property Management, Real Estate, Air Pistol (one of the Olympic games)...

I have also done a number of voluntary services serving the young, the elderly, and the minority. 

And I am currently independently conducting a Meaning of Life project, which involves intensive researching, and studying of Theology, Latin, Spanish, and hopefully Konic Greek, and Hebrew. The books I have read and information I processed is massive. And I expect that this will be a life-long project.

Deadpool (2016)

Deadpool Trailer

This is a fun-to-watch movie just like the Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) by Marvel. My review on the Guardians of the Galaxy is here.

I think the Recruiter resembles Agent Smith in the Matrix (1999). I love the X-men crossover and how Hugh Jackman's "cameos" in Deadpool. LOL.

I think the opening credits is the best. It's funny and stylish.

The director uses a lot of famous oldies which resonates pleasingly in the ears of many audiences. For instance, Wham!'s Careless Whisper.



I quite like Ryan Reynold's accents as Deadpool. Morena Baccarin looks familiar. She is the actress as Erica Flynn in the Mentalist (2008 TV Series).

The Chordettes - Mister Sandman

The Chordettes - Mr Sandman (Live 1958)

I first heard of this song in Doctor Who's Series 9 Episode 9 Sleep No More. The second time I heard of this song is in Mr. Nobody (2009). Both times they are used in a spooky, surrealist way. But I do enjoy the song.

P.S. I later found that it was used in Deadpool (2016). My review on Deadpool is here.

Lyrics:

Bung, bung, bung, bung, bung
Bung, bung, bung, bung, bung
Bung, bung, bung, bung, bung
Bung, bung, bung, bung, bung
Bung, bung, bung, bung, bung

Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream
(Bung, bung, bung, bung)
Make him the cutest that I've ever seen
(Bung, bung, bung, bung)
Give him two lips like roses and clover
(Bung, bung, bung, bung)
Then tell him that his lonesome nights are over

Sandman, I'm so alone
Don't have nobody to call my own
Please turn on your magic beam
Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream

Bung, bung, bung, bung

Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream
Make him the cutest that I've ever seen
Give him the word that I'm not a rover
Then tell him that his lonesome nights are over

Sandman, I'm so alone
Don't have nobody to call my own
Please turn on your magic beam
Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream

Bung, bung, bung, bung

Mr. Sandman bring us a dream
(Yes)
Give him a pair of eyes with a come-hither gleam
Give him a lonely heart like Pagliacci
And lots of wavy hair like Liberace

Mr Sandman, someone to hold
(Someone to hold)
Would be so peachy before we're too old
So please turn on your magic beam
Mr Sandman, bring us, please, please, please
Mr Sandman, bring us a dream

Bung, bung, bung, bung