Lingvistov Film Discussion: HER (2013)

HER (2013)

 

“Her” is a 2013 American comedy-drama film written, directed, and produced by Spike Jonze. The film follows Theodore Twombly (Joaquin Phoenix), a man who develops a relationship with Samantha (Scarlett Johansson), an intelligent computer operating system personified through a female voice.

 

Dwell on these quotations

• There is always some madness in love. But there is also always some reason in madness. - Friedrich Nietzsche
• Love is the triumph of imagination over intelligence. - H. L. Mencken
• That’s who you really like. The people you can think out loud in front of. - John Green

 

Vocabulary Exercises

ex. 1 Complete the sentences with these expressions

consciousness

upset

give me a hand

unsettling

it suddenly hit me

to grow apart

a hand written letter

to introduce

to fit the needs

weird

sensitive

to split up

 

1. I was going to work when _____ that I had forgotten to switch off the stove.
2. Yesterday I received a _____. It was strange!
3. Let me _____ myself. My name is Bond, James Bond.
4. I suppose they will soon be able to create an artificial intelligence with real _____ .
5. We must produce goods that would _____ of our customers.
6. Relationship with a computer is _____ .
7. My husband and I _____ through years and finally got divorced.
8. He is a very _____ man, he writes poetry and enjoys Beethoven.
9. I think it's time for us to _____ . I don't want us to be together any more.
10. It made me _____ when they said they didn't need me.
11. Could you please _____ with this? I can't do it by myself.
12. It is a bit _____ when you see so many young people glued to their computers.

 

ex. 2 Explain the following expressions

unsettling

to grow apart

weird

sensitive

to fit the needs

 

ex. 3 Finish the sentences and speak about yourself

1. When I get introduced to new people, I...
2. If my husband (wife) and I split up, I would...
3. I give a hand to people when...
4. I find hand-written letters...
5. I think it is weird when...
6. I get easily upset if...

 

ex. 4 Come up with the context to justify the use of the tenses

1. We have split up.
2. John and Mary are growing apart.
3. I sent hand written letters to my friends.
4. We are introducing a new range of products.
5. He had given me a hand in this matter.
6. She has been crying all day long.
7. We will do everything to fit the needs of our customers.

 

Comprehension Exercises

ex. 1 Characterize the following heroes of the film

Theodore

Samantha

Amy

Catherine

 

ex. 2 Say if these statements are true or false

1. Theodore was an outgoing and extrovert person.
2. OS's were unable to evolve.
3. He and Samantha got on well together and discussed many different things about life and love.
4. After meeting Samantha, Theodore was looking forward to his divorce.
5. Theodore never confessed that he was dating an OS.
6. He started having doubts about his relationship with Samantha because it was unnatural.
7. Theodore was jealous of Samantha to the British philosopher Alan Watts.
8. OS partner was never popular in the society and soon was forbidden by the government.

 

ex. 3 Discuss the following quotations from the film. Recall the situations

Sometimes I think I have felt everything I'm ever gonna feel. And from here on out, I'm not gonna feel anything new. Just lesser versions of what I've already felt. (Theodore)

 

The past is just a story we tell ourselves. (Samantha)

 

You know what, I can over think everything and find a million ways to doubt myself. And since Charles left I've been really thinking about that part of myself and, I've just come to realize that, we're only here briefly. And while I'm here, I wanna allow myself joy. So fuck it. (Amy)

 

It's like I'm reading a book... and it's a book I deeply love. But I'm reading it slowly now. So the words are really far apart and the spaces between the words are almost infinite. I can still feel you... and the words of our story... but it's in this endless space between the words that I'm finding myself now. It's a place that's not of the physical world. It's where everything else is that I didn't even know existed. I love you so much. But this is where I am now. And this is who I am now. And I need you to let me go. As much as I want to, I can't live in your book any more. (Samantha)

 

Samantha: So what was it like being married?

Theodore: Well, it's hard, for sure. But there's something that feels so good about sharing your life with somebody.

 

ex. 4 Answer the questions