In May 2023, OpenAI released two new capabilities to subscription users of its AI service, GPT4. In addition to classic mode of GPT4, one new capability is BROWSER mode, where it will query a few links on the internet before answering. (Another, alternate mode, lets you use any of 3 plugins at one time, such as Expedia).
I set GPT4 into "Bing/Browser" mode and entered a fairly ridiculous question:
Compare the new DISNEY movie ELEMENTAL, with the Greta Gerwig movie FRANCES HA.
As you'll see, ELEMENTAL is a new cartoon movie, and FRANCES HA is an indie art film from ten years ago.
GPT4 tells you for 30 seconds it is checking links; it also gives you a tiny drop down button, "Finished Browsing" which will reveal what links it found. In response to the above question, it checked Wikipedia for both films. This is hardly deep internet research, but, GPT4 did do a good job of bravely comparing the two movies based on Wikipedia. It may have had deeper info about Frances Ha from its general knowledge base to 2021.
ChatGPT
Finished browsing [Pull down menu]
Searched Bing: “Disney movie Elemental plot summary”
Clicked on:
Favicon
en.wikipedia.org
Reading content
Searched Bing: “Frances Ha plot summary”
Clicked on:
Favicon
en.wikipedia.org
Reading content
Finished browsing
ANSWER:
"Elemental" and "Frances Ha" are two very different movies with distinct themes, styles, and narrative structures.
"Elemental" is a 2023 American computer-animated romantic comedy-drama film produced by Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios. The film is set in a world inhabited by anthropomorphic elements of nature, where the story follows a fire element named Ember Lumen and a water element named Wade Ripple. Ember and Wade fall in love after Wade is summoned by a plumbing accident at a convenience store owned by Ember's bigoted father Bernie. As a fire element, Ember cannot touch water, including Wade, and they must navigate this difficulty while dealing with societal pressures and prejudices. The film explores whether fire and water can ever connect, drawing inspiration from director Peter Sohn's youth in New York City and romantic films like "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner", "Moonstruck", and "Amélie"1.
On the other hand, "Frances Ha" is a 2012 American black-and-white comedy-drama film directed by Noah Baumbach and co-written by Baumbach and Greta Gerwig. The film follows Frances Halladay, a struggling 27-year-old dancer living in New York City. Frances's life is upended when her best friend from college, Sophie, decides to relocate, leaving Frances unable to afford their shared Brooklyn apartment. The film chronicles Frances's experiences as she moves between different living situations, grapples with her professional aspirations as a dancer, and navigates the evolving dynamics of her relationship with Sophie. "Frances Ha" was shot in the style of French New Wave cinema using consumer photographic equipment, highlighting the film's intimate, character-driven focus2.
Comparatively, "Elemental" is a fantastical animated film that explores themes of love, difference, and acceptance through a high-concept narrative involving personified elements of nature. The characters and their struggles are metaphorical, serving to comment on real-world issues like prejudice and cultural diversity.
"Frances Ha", meanwhile, is a more realistic and grounded film that deals with themes of friendship, ambition, and adulthood. It portrays the protagonist's struggles in a direct, unvarnished manner, without the use of metaphor or fantasy. The film's black-and-white cinematography and French New Wave influences also lend it a distinctive aesthetic that sets it apart from mainstream, color animation like "Elemental".
In terms of character development, both films focus on their female protagonists navigating challenging circumstances. Ember in "Elemental" is a fiery character dealing with her explosive temper, societal prejudice, and a forbidden love. Frances in "Frances Ha", however, deals with financial instability, professional disappointment, and a drifting friendship.
Thus, while both films present compelling narratives and complex female characters, they do so through vastly different stylistic and narrative approaches.
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