Tulsa World, Okla., Weekly Rewind column

Source: Tulsa World, Okla.迷你倉旺角Jan. 23--"Her"Rating: 4 Stars (on a scale of zero to four stars)The premise in the nearfuture romance "Her" -- a man falls in love with his computer's artificially intelligent operating system -- inspires the thought of Groucho Marx delivering a punchline, eyebrows and stogie wiggling: "I already thought some people were in a relationship with their electronic devices, but this is ridiculous."And yet ... is it?Our world is one of increasing social interaction without physical interaction. When director Spike Jonze shows an image of dozens of people inside a subway car, all of them talking on hands-free devices -- but no one talking to a fellow passenger -- that day is already here.When it comes to intimacy in the modern world, some have already chosen their computers. When you consider where society may evolve next, Jonze may be onto something.The filmmaker behind "Being John Malkovich" and "Adaptation" has been bending our minds to odd possibilities for years, but "Her" is his most accessible film as both writer and director. His unique premise is relatable, prescient and may be coming soon to a relationship near you.What further makes this one of the best pictures of 2013 (finally opening in Tulsa) is that it is original and personal storytelling. It is hauntingly romantic and has a breathtaking production design palette of colors. It features terrific performances by Joaquin Phoenix and Scarlett Johansson and a gorgeous Arcade Fire soundtrack.Phoenix stars as Theodore, a complex soul in a Los Angeles that doesn't look that far off visually (some futuristic settings come courtesy of some filming in Shanghai).Theodore is heartbroken after a long relationship's end, but his loss doesn't appear to affect the quality of his work: He writes moving letters for other people.He often writes for each member of a couple, in another plot device that doesn't seem that farfetched, and the letters are so touching -- like people used to write. But Theodore, for all of the praise he receives, dismisses them as "just letters." It's his job.If only love were so simple. If only he could find someone to whom he could show such affection and receive love in return. But people, like his wife (Rooney Mara) who's grown impatient waiting on him to sign divorce papers, are hard to figure."Her" is Jonze making a full-blown, heart-on-his-mini storageleeve cry for love being all we need, and if it can't happen between two human beings, well, maybe there are options.With his purchase of an advanced operating system, and with a promise of intuition ("It listens to you, knows you, understands you," an advertising voice-over purrs), Theodore is quickly infatuated: He chooses a female voice and soon has the dulcet tones of Samantha (Scarlett Johansson) in his ear.But she's more than a voice, more than Siri; Samantha is incredibly bright, and she's sensitive to Theodore's emotions, and she's evolving.When Theodore plans a blind date with Samantha's help on the itinerary, from dinner reservations to how the first kiss will take place, he admits "I can't believe I'm having this conversation with my computer.""You're not," she assures, "you're having it with me."Samantha is a charmer who can turn a relationship of owner/machinery into friendship and ultimately something deeper to be explored. When such closeness is achieved by Jonze and his actors, it makes this fantasy that much more believable and fascinating to watch.You can imagine Phoenix's acting being similar to an individual reacting to a green-screen visual effects shot, or more closely to an imaginary phone call, but he achieves such depth of authenticity in his reactions, as well as his affections, that this is a stunning performance.Johansson's voice-over work is nothing short of astounding, making us believe thoroughly that this is no computer we are dealing with, but a being who is learning how to learn and love and experience joy and pain.It is entirely possible to have a lasting relationship with a movie, and if you allow yourself, you might fall hard for "Her."Now showingMovie Rating (on 4 star scale)American Hustle 4 StarsHer 4 StarsThe Hunger Games: Catching Fire 4 StarsDallas Buyers Club 3.5 StarsGravity 3.5 StarsInside Llewyn Davis 3.5 StarsAugust: Osage County 3 StarsThe Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug 3 StarsNebraska 3 StarsFrozen 3 StarsPhilomena 3 Stars12 Years a Slave 3 StarsSaving Mr. Banks 3 StarsJack Ryan: Shadow Recruit 2.5 StarsLone Survivor 2.5 StarsAnchorman 2: The Legend Continues 2.5 StarsThe Secret Life of Walter Mitty 2 StarsThe Wolf of Wall Street 1.5 StarsCopyright: ___ (c)2014 Tulsa World (Tulsa, Okla.) Visit Tulsa World (Tulsa, Okla.) at .tulsaworld.com Distributed by MCT Information Services迷你倉