Ex Machina
- Thread starter Veho
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I have seen a few of these over the last year or two. More if you count things like Lucy and Transcendence.
I would say I am burned out on them but I so rarely see a good one and most of it is stuff I do not care to see again ( http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2317225/ was probably about the closest to good but the related/also liked films list just gave me something else to look at). Fortunately it did look like it will end up exploring some of the more interesting concepts than "ooh AI scary"*, hopefully that was not just trailer bait.
*the whole turning an AI off thing is actually a fairly hotly debated ethical issue in AI research it seems.
I am curious to see this guy direct as well, he previously wrote and produced Dredd (which I still have to see despite owning the DVD) and wrote 28 Days Later and has done sci fi as well (Sunshine, though I had not heard of it before 2 minutes ago -- http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0448134/ ). A quick snout of the IMDB crew page says he is working with good people as well (mainly people from things he has previously worked on and otherwise with good stuff, mainly UK films, in their portfolio). Actually the only one I would like to see an AI film from more would be the guy that did Primer and Upstream Colour (I just checked and he is doing a memory related film for 2015).
I would say I am burned out on them but I so rarely see a good one and most of it is stuff I do not care to see again ( http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2317225/ was probably about the closest to good but the related/also liked films list just gave me something else to look at). Fortunately it did look like it will end up exploring some of the more interesting concepts than "ooh AI scary"*, hopefully that was not just trailer bait.
*the whole turning an AI off thing is actually a fairly hotly debated ethical issue in AI research it seems.
I am curious to see this guy direct as well, he previously wrote and produced Dredd (which I still have to see despite owning the DVD) and wrote 28 Days Later and has done sci fi as well (Sunshine, though I had not heard of it before 2 minutes ago -- http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0448134/ ). A quick snout of the IMDB crew page says he is working with good people as well (mainly people from things he has previously worked on and otherwise with good stuff, mainly UK films, in their portfolio). Actually the only one I would like to see an AI film from more would be the guy that did Primer and Upstream Colour (I just checked and he is doing a memory related film for 2015).
Considering I didn't see Lucy or Transcendence that might explain why I'm still intrigued by this sort of story.
Also, while we're discussing AI films, this is worth watching
edit: I really enjoyed Sunshine, until things got kinda kookoo near the end of the movie. Watch it and you'll see what I mean.
Also, while we're discussing AI films, this is worth watching
edit: I really enjoyed Sunshine, until things got kinda kookoo near the end of the movie. Watch it and you'll see what I mean.
Transcendence can be described as "Technology Is Evil Because We Say So: The Movie". I wouldn't recommend it.
Lucy doesn't even touch on any AI issue or problematic. If pressed I would say it brushes against transhumanism in its meandering but what it is, basically, is inane ramblings and navel-gazings on the nature of the universe by someone stoned off his gourd who thinks he's being profound.
I enjoyed the first two thirds of Sunshine so much the entire third act didn't manage to ruin it, and "from the writer of Sunshine" is still a recommendation for me.
That wasn't a bad little short, not sure why it was at night with the cameras they used and done/fake handheld but still good.
Also what Veho said about those films. Mind you I would say AI and transhumanism are pretty intertwined.
Also what Veho said about those films. Mind you I would say AI and transhumanism are pretty intertwined.
So it came out on DVD and I thought I would have a watch.
In some ways I think I probably preferred that "The Machine" film I linked in the earlier discussion, even though that was something of a different film. That said this was not bad at all and did not go down the "ooh technology scary" path, instead acting as a kind of what someone that already knows the concepts of AI might consider a cliff notes.
There were a few logic holes though nothing I will get too upset about. The characters were smart, rational and had a maybe not code of ethics but code of logic.
In some ways I think I probably preferred that "The Machine" film I linked in the earlier discussion, even though that was something of a different film. That said this was not bad at all and did not go down the "ooh technology scary" path, instead acting as a kind of what someone that already knows the concepts of AI might consider a cliff notes.
There were a few logic holes though nothing I will get too upset about. The characters were smart, rational and had a maybe not code of ethics but code of logic.
They seemed to get hung up on the "is it a simulation or self awareness?". Personally though I would view consciousness as a function of processing power, latent and directed, so it seems kind of a moot point.
Equally if I could build something at that level (never mind the technological, materials and programming advancements to get there) I might have a human emulation function but that seems somewhat limiting.
Equally if I could build something at that level (never mind the technological, materials and programming advancements to get there) I might have a human emulation function but that seems somewhat limiting.
Watched this with coffee in the morning and was captivated straight away. Beautiful story and great FX. One of those films you think about long after watching it. Bravo 8/10
