Tuesday
Aug142018
"A busy pedestrian and traffic intersection."
Tuesday, August 14, 2018 at 3:00PM 
...we could go together."
Great Moments in Screen Come-Ons #170
Ex Machina (2015)
This movie popped into my head today. What a gem. It was only nominated for two Oscars but I'm proud to say that here it received 7 traditional nominations plus a shared 'body of work' prize for Alicia Vikander who was on fire that year. I hope she feels exciting again when she returns to the screen, whenever that may be post Tomb Raider and Fassbender marriage.
Reader Comments (9)
Alex Garland is a gift to visceral and thought-provoking science-fiction cinema. "Annihilation" is not quite "Ex Machina" level, but it is also excellent.
God how I thoroughly enjoyed Ex Machina. Vikander's Oscar should've been for *this* film, not The Danish Girl.
Ugh, what a great trio of performances. So subtle you never know who’s thinking what - unless you’re as skilled as Ava at noticing “micro expressions”.
@Mareko: so true. Vikander's part in Ex Machina was an actual supporting role and she was really good in it. She was the lead in The Danish Girl, and her nomination and ultimate Oscar for it was an egregious case of category fraud (and the movie wasn't even any good).
i'd actually argue that she's the lead of Ex-Machina (the whole story is about her) but you all probably already know that. Still, that Danish Girl category fraud was so annoying with her AND Rooney Mara in there it wasn't even a supporting category at all really
SUBMERGENCE is getting released in Australian cinemas this week. Has that movie come and gone in the US?
I love so much of this film. The acting is wonderful. The design and effects are brilliant, especially considering the relatively small budget for the film. I wish there wasn't that closet reveal.That's my one hangup, and it's built on knowing way too much about the narrative and social function of android/robot characters in film/sci-fi history. Ex Machina uses it to great effect and for strong reasons, but I have trouble putting that long history away when seeing that scene in a modern film.
@Nathaniel, I can see that. AMPAS ought to just rename the award "Best Supporting Actress in a Leading Role" and be done with the shenanigans already.
A brilliant, beautiful, enigmatic work of cinema. Vikander, Isaac, the script, the film all deserved noms.