Robert Collins Posted March 11, 2018 Share Posted March 11, 2018 Anyone seen this film yet as it is out? Reviews are mixed from 'masterpiece' to 'pretentious crap dressed up as...' - probably the sign it is a good film. Anyways looking forward to seeing it when I can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkabi Posted March 12, 2018 Share Posted March 12, 2018 It was just okay for me... think Contact (1997) meets Invasion of the body snatchers (1978) Ex-machina was a thousand times better... Robert Collins, Thomas Hill and Orangenz 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Hill Posted March 14, 2018 Share Posted March 14, 2018 Yes, Ex-Machina was much better, but Annihilation has some gorgeous effects and an intriguing story. I really liked it right up until the SLIGHT SPOILER... ...ambiguous non-ending. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuzzynormal Posted March 14, 2018 Share Posted March 14, 2018 Just confirm so I'm not misunderstanding: ...it's on Netflix in Europe right now but in theaters in the US? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkabi Posted March 14, 2018 Share Posted March 14, 2018 32 minutes ago, fuzzynormal said: Just confirm so I'm not misunderstanding: ...it's on Netflix in Europe right now but in theaters in the US? It’s in theaters here in Canada. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuzzynormal Posted March 14, 2018 Share Posted March 14, 2018 1 hour ago, mkabi said: It’s in theaters here in Canada. If it's on Netflix in Europe, I'll just VPN that and give it a look-see. (Sorry Paramount) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axel Posted March 14, 2018 Share Posted March 14, 2018 It‘s gorgeous in image quality on Netflix, Dolby Vision. Has a lot of good stuff in it, but as a whole didn‘t leave me fully satisfied. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Collins Posted March 14, 2018 Share Posted March 14, 2018 I liked the movie a lot. A story line with many themes going through it. It was beautifully shot in parts but I did feel that certain moments jarred during the film. It was a fairly ambitious movie though - I think it will age well... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JurijTurnsek Posted March 14, 2018 Share Posted March 14, 2018 Ex-Machina was a shitpile of a film. All of humanities fate depending on code written by a single "genius" - that's not how software is developed, sorry guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Collins Posted March 14, 2018 Share Posted March 14, 2018 40 minutes ago, JurijTurnsek said: Ex-Machina was a shitpile of a film. All of humanities fate depending on code written by a single "genius" - that's not how software is developed, sorry guys. I bet you are fun at parties. Are we seriously suppose to judge science fiction films based on whether they are realistic or not? In 'Annihilation' Elena says about the concept that the 'shimmer' is refracting all elements and not just light - that it is 'literally impossible' - is she actually complaining about the script? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JurijTurnsek Posted March 14, 2018 Share Posted March 14, 2018 2 hours ago, Robert Collins said: I bet you are fun at parties. Are we seriously suppose to judge science fiction films based on whether they are realistic or not? In 'Annihilation' Elena says about the concept that the 'shimmer' is refracting all elements and not just light - that it is 'literally impossible' - is she actually complaining about the script? This is not science fiction - this is the foreseeable future and it will (or already did) make people fear AI, robots and self-driving vehicles, just like Jaws made them fear salt water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homestar_kevin Posted March 14, 2018 Share Posted March 14, 2018 I saw this in theaters last week and still have no idea what I think of it. I'd like to see it again, but probably won't do so again in theaters. I think it looked great, the performances were all really strong, but the film as a whole didn't click with me really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkabi Posted March 14, 2018 Share Posted March 14, 2018 2 hours ago, JurijTurnsek said: This is not science fiction - this is the foreseeable future and it will (or already did) make people fear AI, robots and self-driving vehicles, just like Jaws made them fear salt water. You think Ex-machina is going to "make people fear AI, robots and self-driving vehicles"? Ever watch Terminator 1-2-3 and the rest? What about the Matrix series and the Animatrix? Forget movies... there are whole philosophy courses on AI, and yes, I fear AI and even Elon Musk fears AI.... If you don't fear AI, ask yourself this.... for what purpose do you want AI? So you can have a robot do everything for you, right? Isn't that slavery? You created a robot to think for itself and yet you are making it do what you want it to do.... Imprisonment without reason, work without reward.... its punishment really.... You are a person of intelligence that is able to think for yourself, so imagine yourself in a robot body and I am commanding you to do my biding.... in a robot body you might not have any feelings but you can think... "hey why should I do what he asks me to do?" "Why should I listen to this guy?" etc. etc. Eventually... robots will be smarter and stronger... so why not attack and kill its owner? Robot war begins... and everything Terminator and the Matrix becomes true. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JurijTurnsek Posted March 14, 2018 Share Posted March 14, 2018 Funny you mention Terminator and Matrix ... they seem much more plausible (and evolutionary, so it can be supervised and managed). Ex-Machina just seems like some arts degree loonie's idea of how technology is created (by a single person with no oversight with incredibly fast progress). We are getting way to off-topic, I just wanted to put it on record that the Ex-Machina is a total crapshoot of a movie. Your opinion may vary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuzzynormal Posted March 14, 2018 Share Posted March 14, 2018 FWIW, I like suspension of disbelief in da movies...until I don't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkabi Posted March 14, 2018 Share Posted March 14, 2018 28 minutes ago, JurijTurnsek said: Funny you mention Terminator and Matrix ... they seem much more plausible (and evolutionary, so it can be supervised and managed). Ex-Machina just seems like some arts degree loonie's idea of how technology is created (by a single person with no oversight with incredibly fast progress). We are getting way to off-topic, I just wanted to put it on record that the Ex-Machina is a total crapshoot of a movie. Your opinion may vary. Alright. Going back to the movie - Ex-machina then... where in the movie does it say that he did it all by himself??? You only assume that because he is on an island on his own... Do you also assume that he built that home on his own? Dug the ground, built the foundation, poured the concrete, etc.? From my perspective, he owns a huge enterprise full of engineers, programmers and testers... he could have easily made various factions build various parts of the AI (both code wise and machine part wise)... he collects the parts (through his VPN), helicopter guy brings in the physical parts and he just put it together. Also, the funny thing about Ex-machina... the sense of time is not revealed. For all we know... it could be 50 years down the road. The guys age is not revealed either, he could've been a 20 year prodigy when he built his company from the ground up, and the movie starts when he is in his 40s or 50s... 20+ years of working on AI??? It leaves a lot of assumptions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronFilm Posted March 15, 2018 Share Posted March 15, 2018 18 hours ago, JurijTurnsek said: Ex-Machina was a shitpile of a film. All of humanities fate depending on code written by a single "genius" - that's not how software is developed, sorry guys. Movies become a lot less fun if they need to cover several software development teams wrangling tens of thousands of lines of code, instead of focusing on one central character as the lead. mkabi 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juxx989 Posted March 16, 2018 Share Posted March 16, 2018 I saw this move Annihilation its ok but I don't think there is much there, there. It feels like one of those endurance movies testing the boundaries of patience and comprehension... very dream like reminded me a lot of Solaris(1976) SPOILERS BELOW ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- What I found of note is the director read the book but refused to go back to it afterward as he wrote the script on the "feeling" it gave him and the things general things he remembered from reading it. Some think its a cancerous bubble on earth that is deconstructing and rebuilding itself to be the perfect hidden organism like the shimmer was a giant petri dish where the thing started to copy cells then move on to simple organisms like grass and flowers and build its way up to Humans the ultimate organism?and after it mimicked us perfectly it destroyed its "Lab" or "Cocoon" the shimmer had birthed its own Adam & Eve that could do whatever they want or populate the earth undetected and unimpeded. Some say it's about the power of human will and resolve or lack thereof... All the women that went in the shimmer had basically destroyed lives and no real reason to come back one was an addict one lost her family, one was facing terminal cancer. All but the protagonist chose this suicide mission with the idea in their heads they are not coming back. So perhaps like some twisted genie the shimmer granted their wish not to exist in different ways but portman was determined to get back to her husband she had purpose and will so it granted her that wish Some say It speaks on the Idea that many times we are our own worst enemy and sometimes destroy our lives subconsciously Pertaining to natalie she was a seemingly happily married successful Phd but chose to cheat on her husband perhaps feeling she doesn't deserve her happiness... I believe she said something like I hate the person I cheated with and I hate myself as well the freudian death drive... some people that have what seems to be everything wealth status etc. and are compelled to do stupid things that make no sense harming themselves (Bill Clinton, Anthony Weiner...etc Trump?) She didn't enjoy the sex it she hated herself for it yet she still did it....and its implied the husband found out about the affair and accepted the suicide mission in melancholia for her actions. Why was her house in the shimmer? don't know.... Because he subconscious will to get back home was so strong the shimmer manifested her goal? The sheepish quiet chick perhaps her greatest subconscious wish was just not to exist anymore and she just disappeared? It seems every woman got the the fate they wanted or expected. Would like to see again when Netflix puts on USA servers (When?) And don't get me started on that whole cave thing... ??? I think this movie it is a work of art. it has something to say. Perhaps the ultimate theme is: be careful what you wish for or expect (consciously or subconsciously) because the universe may give it to you. mkabi 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkabi Posted March 16, 2018 Share Posted March 16, 2018 6 hours ago, Juxx989 said: I saw this move Annihilation its ok but I don't think there is much there, there. It feels like one of those endurance movies testing the boundaries of patience and comprehension... very dream like reminded me a lot of Solaris(1976) SPOILERS BELOW ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- What I found of note is the director read the book but refused to go back to it afterward as he wrote the script on the "feeling" it gave him and the things general things he remembered from reading it. Some think its a cancerous bubble on earth that is deconstructing and rebuilding itself to be the perfect hidden organism like the shimmer was a giant petri dish where the thing started to copy cells then move on to simple organisms like grass and flowers and build its way up to Humans the ultimate organism?and after it mimicked us perfectly it destroyed its "Lab" or "Cocoon" the shimmer had birthed its own Adam & Eve that could do whatever they want or populate the earth undetected and unimpeded. Some say it's about the power of human will and resolve or lack thereof... All the women that went in the shimmer had basically destroyed lives and no real reason to come back one was an addict one lost her family, one was facing terminal cancer. All but the protagonist chose this suicide mission with the idea in their heads they are not coming back. So perhaps like some twisted genie the shimmer granted their wish not to exist in different ways but portman was determined to get back to her husband she had purpose and will so it granted her that wish Some say It speaks on the Idea that many times we are our own worst enemy and sometimes destroy our lives subconsciously Pertaining to natalie she was a seemingly happily married successful Phd but chose to cheat on her husband perhaps feeling she doesn't deserve her happiness... I believe she said something like I hate the person I cheated with and I hate myself as well the freudian death drive... some people that have what seems to be everything wealth status etc. and are compelled to do stupid things that make no sense harming themselves (Bill Clinton, Anthony Weiner...etc Trump?) She didn't enjoy the sex it she hated herself for it yet she still did it....and its implied the husband found out about the affair and accepted the suicide mission in melancholia for her actions. Why was her house in the shimmer? don't know.... Because he subconscious will to get back home was so strong the shimmer manifested her goal? The sheepish quiet chick perhaps her greatest subconscious wish was just not to exist anymore and she just disappeared? It seems every woman got the the fate they wanted or expected. Would like to see again when Netflix puts on USA servers (When?) And don't get me started on that whole cave thing... ??? I think this movie it is a work of art. it has something to say. Perhaps the ultimate theme is: be careful what you wish for or expect (consciously or subconsciously) because the universe may give it to you. Did you read the book? Cause I didn't and more than half the ideas that you set forward wasn't well displayed on screen... Adam and Even - FTW??? lol... I think it would have supplanted the idea more if they had a snake somewhere there and a big red apple I know it sounds dumb to add those elements (snake & apple), and I said it in a jokey way too... but after some thought, they could've done it in a smart and subliminal way - for example the shape shifter - not exactly take on the shape of a snake - could have slithered towards and coiled around Natalie Portman. At the end, she could've asked Oscar Issac if he was hungry, cut up an apple and feed it to him. But then again, I don't know if thats how it is described in the book(s) and what the hardcore fans would think about altering it (cause ultimately you want people to fill seats and you don't want the fans to warn other fans that it isn't true to the source material). She didn't look like she hated the sex either.... most likely they got a body double, if I was making the movie - I would have hired someone that would be okay with a sex scene, have the guy turn her over somewhere there and soon after a tear + disgusted face would have really portrayed that message. She looked like she felt guilty after the fact.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damphousse Posted March 16, 2018 Share Posted March 16, 2018 I enjoyed "Bright" more. Intellectual sci-fi is a bit of an oxymoron. Really intellectual people tend not to watch sci-fi. And sci-fi fans are not that intellectual. I just didn't get the point of a lot of the movie. It was so slow moving and played waaayyy fast and loose with the actual science. SPOILERS!!!! Also there were no heroes in the movie. Just a bunch of sad people running around. The soldier was the only sympathetic person. There were other sympathetic characters but of the big main characters he was the only one. He got f-cked over and then he committed suicide. I thought the woman was a piece of shit so I couldn't really get emotionally invested in whatever was going on with her. And the end was even weirder than the entire movie. Were we supposed to be happy she was going to spend the rest of her life f-cking ET? I mean I was happy the world wasn't going to get destroyed... presumably. Unless the alien was just doing the Trojan horse thing. It was weird. I didn't care about the main relationship that the whole movie revolved around. I felt bad for the soldier but that was about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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