Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Theatrical review. Possible spoilers. According to several sources, the movie title is derived from the Latin, Deus Ex Machina which translates to "god from the machine." It evolved over time as a theatrical plot device whereby an unsolvable problem is resolved by a contrived or unexpected intervention. I suspect both meanings and variations have a place in this beautifully conceived sci-fi film. Written by Alex Garland who also gets his first director assignment covers ground we've seen before (artificial intelligence) but manages with a beauty and grace unrealized in other films. I'm talking to you "Chappie." For those who aren't familiar with Garland, he wrote "28 Days Later" (2002) and the underrated "Sunshine" (2007). The later film in particular, has a style and feel of "Ex Machina." The story is a simple one. Caleb (Domhnall Gleeson, "About Time") plays a 26 year old programmer working for a company not unlike Apple in the near future. He wins a contest where he gets to spend the week at the remote home/laboratory of the company's eccentric founder, Nathan Bateman (Oscar Isaac, "A Most Violent Year"). Nathan walks around barefoot, gets drunk most nights and is less than a thoughtful host. No one is at the compound other than Kyoko (Sonoya Mizuno), an assistant who doesn't speak English. After some dancing around, Nathan gets to the reason Caleb has been selected to spend time at the lab. He is to interview a new model of A.I. known as Ava (Alicia Vikander, "Seventh Son"). Performing what is known as the "Turing Test," his job is to see if Ava can truly think for herself based on the advanced programming Nathan has created. Ava's initial appearance is a bit startling. She has a plastic-encased mechanical mid-section, see-through arms and legs but human-like hands and feet. Even with no hair, she has a beautiful face and is otherwise perfectly proportioned. The sessions are monitored by Nathan but there are occasional power failures where Ava takes the opportunity to confide in Caleb that all is not what it seems. With this proviso, Caleb begins to question Nathan's true motives, as well as plans for Ava. The film has a stunning production design (Mark Digby). At once both, architecturally clean and industrial at the same time. The musical score by Geoff Barrow and Ben Salisbury is memorable and hits the right tone at the right time. The actors provide enough depth for the audience to empathize with all concerned. But what makes the film exceptional is the writing. There is enough technical double-talk to seem authentic, but we don't feel marginalized by the content. Ava and Caleb become close and confide in each other. Caleb often must remind himself he is conversing with a machine. We are even spared the expected ending, instead get one that is surprising and satisfying. This is the best 2015 release I've seen so far this year. Highly recommended. BLU RAY UPDATE: I watched this great film again, the day I got it on Blu ray. These second looks are always interesting and often informative and so it is here. Now aware of the story line, I was compelled to focus on more of the technical aspects of the film. Not that I was always successful. The actors are superb, drawing you into each character and how they think. Watch closely as the two female stars, Alicia Vikander as Ava and Sonoya Mizuno as Kyoko move about. Both are former ballerinas, and their movement is svelte and sexually inexplicit. In spite of the fact that there is plenty of nudity in one section of the film, it is never in a sexual situation. The dialog by Alex Garland is surprisingly technical, but without the gobbledygook that sometimes blurs the mind. The gorgeous sets juxtapose perfectly with the vast expanse and natural beauty of the outdoor settings (filmed in Norway). The interior lighting is a key element to the subterranean home of Nathan. Finally, with regard to the film, I was taken with the intoxicating soundtrack by Geoff Barrow and Ben Salisbury. The Blu ray version of the film comes with a 1080p video resolution displayed with a 2.40:1 aspect ratio, matching the theatrical release. Thankfully, I found nothing objectionable in the picture quality. The interiors are purposely toned down as the lighting is artificial and much of the walls are either natural rock and stone or smooth cement. It looks very cool with all of the indirect lighting. Black levels are good and the colors look great in the exterior shots. Fine detail throughout. Check out the little white hair patch on top of Nathan's closely shorn haircut. The audio options include and DTS: X (object based surround sound) version which is the DTS alternative to Dolby Atmos which is available in many theaters now and in home AV receivers. This is the first Blu ray that has come with DTS: X. (There is also something called DTS Headphone: X.) Unfortunately, I don't have a processor that will decode it, so it defaults to DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1. And it's a doozy. While not overly aggressive due to the content, the film really delivers when it has a chance. The opening and closing scenes feature a helicopter shuttling a passenger to and from Nathan's compound. The panning effects are very effective. The aforementioned musical score grabs your attention early on and plays perfectly as the scenes require. The overall sound helps to immerse the viewer into the story. Extras include a "making of" short (40 min.), an interview with some of the cast and crew from SXSW in Austin and some behind the scenes vignettes. Subtitles are available in Spanish and English SDH. This remains my favorite film of 2015.