RSS Feeds
Entertainment
City of Ember: Bill Murray, Two Kids, Saving a Post-Apocalyptic City From Aging Tech
Posted by Jack Loftus at 12:00 AM on October 13, 2008
With City of Ember, a post-apocalyptic adventure tale starring Bill Murray, two kids, and some aging gadgetry, the mecca of Bill Murray gadget movies, Ghostbusters, has some good company. In Ember, Murray plays the hapless mayor of Ember, an underground city that humanity created to escape calamity in the not so distant future. Trouble is, the big honkin' generator we built to power the city was only meant to last 200 years, and now it's on the fritz, which leads to some harrowing periods of darkness as it sputters and struggles to power the city. Cue the adventure.
The parallels this movie shares with present day society are worth mentioning, too. We have a crumbling society, a bumbling leader promising to "fight the darkness," and a reliance on technology to make the world go, literally. Plus, there's Bill Murray. And then there are the blackouts, due to the failing generator, that serve as the catalyst to get our protagonists searching for a way out of Ember.
SFGate was impressed, and said so in a glowing review.
"City of Ember" has an emotional impact that goes way beyond a clever metaphor. In an early scene, a chipper young messenger (Saoirse Ronan) is making her way through the town square when the generator stalls again - and this time for longer than ever before. The people are so relieved, and so willing to believe that maybe it won't happen again, that the moment is touching. It's also rather touching that their world is such a pathetic echo of real civilization, that their sky is just a bunch of light bulbs and that their religion has something to do with waiting for "the builders" to return. Yet they want to hold on to what they have.
Oh, and there's also a monster, but we only catch a glimpse of it in the trailer. Perhaps it's Dick Cheney? Ember is basically a secret underground bunker, after all. [SFGate]
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
unkpku is think that new comments are like iPhone 3G pre 2.1, ye
Posted 1:04 AM 13/10/08
It was a good book...
unkpku is think that new comments are like iPhone 3G pre 2.1, yeah it sucks
strider_mt2k
Posted 1:04 AM 13/10/08
You're so going to be accidentally shot in a hunting accident for that crack on the VP!
strider_mt2k
Baldyman1966
Posted 1:34 AM 13/10/08
surely "CUE the adventure"
Baldyman1966
deadhouseplantz
Posted 1:32 AM 13/10/08
Not to threadjack here, but what happened to Giz? This is like the first post in over 14 hours.
deadhouseplantz
Josh_Geyer
Posted 1:31 AM 13/10/08
I really wanna see that, it looks pretty good.
Josh_Geyer
Anubis LG
Posted 1:52 AM 13/10/08
This is also a book?
Welp...I know which book I'll be picking up soon!
Love the idea though! Sounds awesome. :D
Anubis LG
christophski
Posted 1:47 AM 13/10/08
I was very disappointed with the trailer after reading the book :/
christophski
TheLostVikings
Posted 1:45 AM 13/10/08
@deadhouseplantz: Sleep?
They might have people in many different time zones, but cocaine is one hell of a drug.
TheLostVikings
El Tejon
Posted 2:18 AM 13/10/08
@Radical-J: Be sure to see The Razor's Edge (based one the W. Somerset Maugham novel) in 1984 than. He was only allowed to make it if he did a comedy. That would be Ghost Busters. Anyway, it was his first major step beyond comedy that I can think of... unless you also count Where the Buffalo Roam
El Tejon
Benjaminx
Posted 2:10 AM 13/10/08
This movie bombed at the box office. Opened in 9th place: 960K Friday and $1.2 million Saturday from 2,022 runs.
Benjaminx
michaelwiggins
Posted 2:04 AM 13/10/08
Yea this looks pretty good, but for some reason I feel more inclined to read the book... Perhaps its the PSAT's coming up.
michaelwiggins
michaelwiggins
Posted 2:04 AM 13/10/08
@deadhouseplantz:
You know they barely post on weekends, right?
michaelwiggins
Radical-J
Posted 2:03 AM 13/10/08
I thought his role in Lost In Translation was a great departure from his comedic talents. If he is half as good in this dramatic presentation this will be a hit for him and us...
Radical-J
Luizzle
Posted 2:43 AM 13/10/08
My guess about the "monster" is that its just a big cat (panther) or something..
Luizzle
Metron4
Posted 2:54 AM 13/10/08
I had never heard of it until a coworker mentioned they were taking their kid to see it. I went with them and was pleasantly surprised. There's only a smidgen of "gadget goodness" in it, but the characters are lively enough to keep one's interest. Bill Murray is hoot just by being Bill Murray.
Metron4
GreyHammer
Posted 3:26 AM 13/10/08
@Luizzle: its a mole with face tenticles.
GreyHammer
superhumanben
Posted 4:19 AM 13/10/08
The movie is one gigantic Rube Goldberg machine.
superhumanben
dennitzio
Posted 4:39 AM 13/10/08
I'm hearing it's not making enough money to even pay for the light bulb in Bill Murray's trailer.
dennitzio
Ribs
Posted 4:30 AM 13/10/08
"Queue" the adventure.
Ribs
Toshie
Posted 5:00 AM 13/10/08
@Benjaminx: I hadn't even heard a hint about this until I read this story here in Giz, two days after its release. Now the big question is did the studio drop the ball in promoting this or did they not see any point in throwing good money after bad?
Toshie
nerdia314
Posted 4:55 AM 13/10/08
hm. there isn't a monster in the book. would they really add one just for publicity? -watches the trailer- where is this monster? i see no monster.
the book was good. i hope the movie can live up to it.
nerdia314
Invisobel
Posted 4:54 AM 13/10/08
@Ribs: Translated from spanish.."What..the adventure."
Invisobel
The_Gas_Man
Posted 5:15 AM 13/10/08
Sorry, it had to be said. Seriously though, I do love you guys, I swear!
The_Gas_Man
Recoil
Posted 5:11 AM 13/10/08
@Benjaminx:
Did you see any ads on TV? I sure didn't, and I'm afraid that's the reason.
Recoil
SlimDan22
Posted 6:35 AM 13/10/08
It kind of reminds me of Bioshock a little bit, minus the monsters and superhuman powers
SlimDan22
DeadWriter
Posted 6:51 AM 13/10/08
It is a beautiful film. It is a kids movie, and one appropriate for our time. This isn't Dark City or Brazil, but it is still a good flick.
I walked out thinking it was worth the price of the show.
DeadWriter
remigoose
Posted 7:25 AM 13/10/08
When I first saw the trailer it made me think of Bioshock somehow. Now, that would be a movie I would want to watch.
remigoose
GadgetPlay
Posted 7:58 AM 13/10/08
@Ribs: It's "cue."
GadgetPlay
pdok
Posted 8:10 AM 13/10/08
@GadgetPlay: Hey, not so fast, I'm still hating Jimmy Carter for his 4 years as bungler in chief.
pdok
GadgetPlay
Posted 8:05 AM 13/10/08
@The_Gas_Man: The Bush hating is just a reflex, "knee-jerk" if you will, after 8 years of irrational abhorence. Trust me, they've done their due diligence and are ready for a good solid 12-16 years of hating on the lovely and talented Governor/Vice President/President Palin. You ain't seen nothin' yet.
GadgetPlay
Jonathan21
Posted 8:58 AM 13/10/08
@Jonathan21: (Slaps forehead) Never mind it comes out this summer.
Jonathan21
Jonathan21
Posted 8:54 AM 13/10/08
@remigoose:
You can watch Bioshock when it comes out in 2010
+ Watch video
Jonathan21
Jonathan21
Posted 9:10 AM 13/10/08
Heres a funny video of a guy talking about all the movies that will be coming out in 2009,2010 and 2011.
+ Watch video
Jonathan21
Jonathan21
Posted 9:04 AM 13/10/08
This is a funny video talking about all the movies that will be coming out in 2009,2010,2011
+ Watch video
Jonathan21
remigoose
Posted 10:35 AM 13/10/08
@Jonathan21:
Man, thanks, I cannot believe that I have not stumbled over this vid thus far. Hopefully it will come close to matching the gaming experience.
remigoose
jabber
Posted 11:11 AM 13/10/08
@Metron4: "Bill Murray is hoot just by being Bill Murray." Unfortunately, his ex-wife didn't think so.
jabber
The Monarch
Posted 12:42 PM 13/10/08
The case in the beginning of the trailer has a Nixie tube display :) .
The Monarch
GiltProto
Posted 12:29 PM 13/10/08
This sounds a lot like the old TV show Starlost, except it's not taking place in space.
GiltProto
nick
Posted 1:03 PM 13/10/08
This movie seems legit, i actually read this book back in school a long time ago, great story-based off of Jeanne DuPrau's book.
nick
Kymeira
Posted 7:36 PM 13/10/08
@nerdia314: Near the end of the trailer you see a tail pass by and the kids say something like, "What was that?"
Kymeira
Kymeira
Posted 7:35 PM 13/10/08
@Ribs: "Cue" is the signal to being. A "queue" is a line (like waiting in line to get into the theater).
Kymeira
Kymeira
Posted 7:44 PM 13/10/08
@remigoose: Hope you know that was a fan-made trailer.
Kymeira
-Core-
Posted 8:12 PM 13/10/08
I went and watched it last night.. was a decent little movie. Although, I have to say, I was left with the feeling that it was too short.
-Core-
mfusion
Posted 9:16 PM 13/10/08
@Jonathan21: slaps a Postit with "dolt" written on it on Jonathan's21's forehead.
that's the trailer for "city of lost children"
great movie FTW! and yes it is in french, but it's fantastic! there is a good english dub, but it's not the same.
gotta love ron perlman.
mfusion
codemagic
Posted 11:35 PM 13/10/08
@Radical-J: Thanks for reminding me of Lost in Translation. I need to see that one again if only for the Karaoke scene.
codemagic
EricAlder
Posted 12:33 AM 14/10/08
Does he use a Proton Pack to save the city?
EricAlder
smegz
Posted 7:42 AM 14/10/08
@deadhouseplantz:
Their generator only lasts from Monday through Friday and is on the fritz. Their bumbling leader keeps promising to fight the darkness that is a lack of weekend posting, to no avail.
There...post back on track. ;)
smegz
king_of_fools
Posted 5:31 AM 15/10/08
Saw it this weekend, very good and enjoyable.
Closest you can describe it is post apocalyptic sci-fi meets family adventure movie, and despite the odd match-up it works quite well.
king_of_fools
thefonz101
Posted 12:42 PM 16/10/08
@christophski: I know. I've seen book movie trailers where they were true to the story, but the movie was horrible. think how bad this one will be!
thefonz101
LoralieAlbus
Posted 12:15 AM 14/10/08
This movie sounds like Fallout I's plot. Leave Vault 0 to find a "fusion bat". :)
LoralieAlbus
IsadoraGadgetscenti
Posted 2:56 PM 13/10/08
This movie reminds me of Breath of Fire V.
IsadoraGadgetscenti
AdolfTubertus
Posted 12:05 PM 13/10/08
It's a great book meant for kids, but enjoyable for adults. The movie is really mediocre. The sets and costumes were good, but the plot was wrecked. Don't let the movie keep you from reading the book.
AdolfTubertus
OsbornCanthus
Posted 8:58 AM 13/10/08
it's a mutated mole. pretty scary actually.
OsbornCanthus
BoKabob
Posted 4:04 AM 13/10/08
It's a Walden Media picture so it can't be that good. They say they are true to the book but in reality whenever they can change something to sell more tickets they do. Usually it ends up selling less tickets. With most Walden pics, wait for the DVD.
BoKabob
AbinaHuman
Posted 1:46 AM 13/10/08
is called "the weekend" maybe you heard of it.
AbinaHuman