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Ex Machina (1 Viewer)

Jason Charlton

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I saw the trailer this morning at DarkHorizons and was floored. Looks like some really interesting sci-fi. I will definitely see this, though I hardly ever get to an actual theater.


If word of mouth is decent, maybe a blind-buy for me at some point.
 

Mark Booth

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I'm planning to see it on Tuesday when the wife is playing Rummikub with her girlfriends. Not her kind of movie.

Mark
 

schan1269

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I've already pre-ordered a Blu...from somewhere...

Wasn't aware this was getting a theatrical here(but haven't looked...)

Snowpiercer and God Help the Girl...

All over again...
 

TheBat

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Everything you have heard is true. having said that, its best to not know much about it and enjoy. it certainly will lead into some good discussion afterwords.


Jacob
 

Yavin

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In short:


Best known for films like 28 Days Later and Sunshine, screenwriter Alex Garland's directorial debut is a small film about big ideas, revolving around a programmer named Caleb (Domhnall Gleeson), his reclusive boss, Nathan (Oscar Isaac), and Nathan's state-of-the-art robotic creation, Ava (Alicia Vikander). Ava's no ordinary robot through, she's self-aware. Or at least that's what Caleb, the human element in Nathan’s Turing Test, is to determine. As Caleb spends more and more time with Ava, however, he finds it harder and harder to remain objective, raising questions about her cognitive capabilities and Nathan's motivations. Ex Machina's mysteries are both numerous and unsettling, but of course, what makes or breaks a film such as this are the performances. It's tempting to think of Ava, Caleb and Nathan as remodeled versions of Blade Runner's Rachael, Deckard and Tyrell, but the actors bring such psychological depth to these familiar archetypes that any comparisons quickly fade. The end result blends sex, science fiction and horror into an electrifying, modern day Frankenstein tale. True, the subject matter may not be anything new, but Garland's take on it is certainly one that will stick with you.


Click here to read my full review.


Film rating: 4 out of 5
 

TravisR

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Very cool movie. I found it to be more like a horror movie (in the vein of The Shining) than the sci-fi movie that I was expecting. Takes its time and is suspenseful & spooky. Oscar Isaac continues to make good movies.
 

Malcolm R

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The trailers and discussion around this film remind me a lot of Splice.
 

TheBat

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Malcolm R said:
The trailers and discussion around this film remind me a lot of Splice.


I can promise you that its a much much better then that stupid movie for sure.. this movie is what that film should have been.


Jacob
 

Patrick Sun

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The film, with its understated CGI work has the feel of a bigger-budget episode of Black Mirror, asking the fun sci-fi questions on A.I. intertwined with humanity and sentience and survival insticts.


For most of its running time, the film does take its time exploring its themes through the construct of "The Turing Test" as a programmer (Caleb) is brought to a compound of his employer (Nathan) to interview Ava, a robot with the form factor of a female human, with Nathan's A.I. running her "programming". Can Ava pass the test is the central plot.


If you like these types of movies, "Ex Machina" is right up your alley.


I give it 2.75 stars, or a grade of B-.
 

Sam Posten

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I broke my unofficial policy of not seeing films in a cineplex unless it was for an IMAX or Atmos showing, and was glad I did. In many ways EM is like a locked room mystery (think Agatha Christie Ten Little Indians, or Cube) but with a more human focus rather than horror. 'Soul searching' might be the perfect way to describe it, with multiple levels of mystery and meaning.


Highly recommended.


Polygon agrees:

http://www.polygon.com/features/2015/4/24/8484167/ex-machina-interview
 

Mark Booth

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I'm still planning to see it tomorrow. Although, due to the very positive reviews, my wife has been talking "maybe I should see it." If that changes to "yeah, I want to see it" sometime today, I'll be seeing it today. :)


Mark
 

Aaron Silverman

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schan1269 said:
I've already pre-ordered a Blu...from somewhere...

Wasn't aware this was getting a theatrical here(but haven't looked...)

Snowpiercer and God Help the Girl...

All over again...

Hopefully this isn't as silly as Snowpiercer. . .
 

Wayne_j

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I saw it last night, great film for lovers of hard science fiction as opposed to "sci-fi". I heard someone describe it as Transcendence done right.
 

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