I had not been to the movies in a theatre in a good long while.   There simply was nothing that I felt compelled to see.   Along came Ex Machina and the reviews being almost universally positive and I thought that I would check it out.   Bonus was that it was a Tuesday and I saw for half price.

This could be a play, as it involves three core characters and it all happens in just a few rooms in a remote house.   The challenge for any theatrical interpretation would be the machina!   The work on the female machine here is excellent, with a partially clad, and partially finished robot that has see through appendages and skull.   Remarkably,and to the film’s premise, you quickly forget that as she interacts with the other male characters.   This is a male/female driven story.   Men who wish to create and be God-like, and look for affirmation of their greatness and the women they keep subservient.   Oscar Isaac (previously discussed with Most Violent Year) looks very different with shaved head and full beard rather than shaved face and 80s hair.    He is very good here once again.   He is the eccentric billionaire inventor and also the guy with deep issues.   Add to this the sensitive everyman played by dude from About Time, and you have an interesting mix.

In the Ebert review I cannot agree with putting this in a double feature with Under the Skin.    I HATED that movie.   Better pairings to me might be Her, where human users fall in love with operating systems.   Until the humans can no longer hold the attention of those systems.   Also Blade Runner too is good with human-like robots who seek extended life, and interact with the humans on the same plain.    This was a thought-provoking film and I enjoyed the performances.   The robot here says a lot with facial gestures and subtle movement.   It’s human but not quite, and it’s acted very well (Alicia Vikander).   I was showed the NY Times listed of summer movies and there were a number of coming features that I will seek out.   Hopefully more movies in the theatre.

I finished Season 1 of Newsroom and really enjoyed it.   Into Season 2.   I caught Season 2 episode 1 of Turn (revolutionary war spy series) which still holds my attention.   Finally I am caught up with Mad Men and need to watch last few episodes.    Netflix took me to episode 6 in this season.    Now Rogers On Demand can fill in the blanks.