The details in every frame, the depth in the storytelling, all while remaining so slick and minimalistic. It's one of these films that is going to be dissected and analyzed for years. After Yang is the best sci-fi film about artificial intelligence since Ex Machina, the kind of film that pulls you in and entices repeat viewings right away. It seems he has taken his experience with that film (and his vast knowledge of cinema) and developed even more as a filmmaker in crafting After Yang, a remarkably astute and beautifully compelling story about family and memory. After Yang is the second feature film directed by the Korean-American filmmaker known as " Kogonada", who made his debut in 2017 at the Sundance Film Festival with a feature called Columbus after creating video essays about cinema for years before that. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.It's not often that the Cannes Film Festival plays science fiction films, but when they do, they're some of the best science fiction films all year. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at for further information. INSKEEP: Kenneth Turan reviews movies for MORNING EDITION and the Los Angeles Times.Ĭopyright © 2015 NPR. In a film like "Ex Machina," that's just the way it should be.
As Ava and Caleb chat, banter, even flirt, their personal connection strengthens, which raises some tantalizing questions - what are the implications, the responsibilities, the consequences of getting emotionally involved with a machine? It's all calculated to keep us off balance and unsettled from beginning to end. And actress Vikander is trained as a ballerina, so she's capable of unsettling precise movements that convincingly position Ava as a combination of human and machine. Ava intentionally looks different from other robots we've seen. TURAN: One reason for "Ex Machina's" success is that Ava herself, in terms of design, acting and special-effects technology, is a remarkable and compelling creation. GLEESON: (As Caleb Smith) I'm pleased to meet you, Ava. GLEESON: (As Caleb Smith) Do you have a name? And Caleb is there to determine if Ava is capable of experiencing real emotions or just simulating them. TURAN: Yes, Nathan has created an artificially intelligent being named Ava, played by Alicia Vikander. It's when a human interacts with a computer, and if the human doesn't know they're interacting with a computer, the test is passed. OSCAR ISAAC: (As Nathan Bateman) Do you know what the Turing test is?ĭOMHNALL GLEESON: (As Caleb Smith) Yeah. As soon as he gets there, Nathan hits him with a question. He's just won a lottery to spend a week with his boss, a brilliant, reclusive, fabulously wealthy Internet CEO Nathan Bateman, played by Oscar Isaac. "Ex Machina" begins with Caleb Smith, played by the open-faced Domhnall Gleeson.
One of them just happens to be machine-made. Even more than that, as written and directed by Alex Garland, it's an intense human drama centering on a trio of individuals. It's capable of thinking big thoughts and providing pulp thrills. KENNETH TURAN, BYLINE: "Ex Machina" is a smart film that's both futuristic and completely plausible. Kenneth Turan reviews "Ex Machina" about artificial intelligence.
What you're about to hear will sound like a real human being delivering a movie review.