“Isn't it strange, to create something that hates you?”
This week the Spoiler team are trying to get to grips with the intricacies of Alex Garland’s psychological sci-fi thriller ‘Ex Machina’ starring Domnhall Gleeson, Alicia Vikander and Oscar Isaac. A film that has long been on the Spoiler back-burner, ‘Ex Machina’ ultimately proves divisive among the team with Rachael and Paul enjoying it more than Andy, whom Paul declares has “lost it” after he declares that he doesn’t like ‘Black Mirror’ either. While Rachael yearns for a sci-fi film with a happy ending for a change, Paul promises to share a theory about one of the character’s fates that will blow the whole discussion wide open and may just provide that coveted glimmer of hope. There’s no hope for Andy though, who isn’t even completely convinced by Oscar Isaac’s acclaimed performance as the unpredictable genius Nathan. Paul takes a moment to flag up the overlooked fourth character Kyoko in a film that is often referred to as a three-hander and the team discuss how the illusion of synthetic bodies changes the nature of screen nudity.
Elsewhere, Rachael takes a look at unexpected dance scenes in films including ‘Pretty in Pink’, ‘Blast from the Past’ and ‘Love Actually’.
This week’s scale: Ideal viewing on a flight to Norway or “There’s Norway I’m watching that again”
SPOILER Animation Specials: Sheldon Cohen (The Sweater, My Heart Attack)
SPOILER Animation Specials: John Weldon (Special Delivery, Real Inside)
SPOILER Animation Specials: Wendy Tilby and Amanda Forbis (When The Day Breaks, Wild Life)
SPOILER Animation Specials: Joanna Quinn (Girls' Night Out, Famous Fred)
SPOILER Animation Specials: Jerry Rees (The Brave Little Toaster, Tron)
Birdman (2014, Michael Keaton, Emma Stone, Edward Norton): SPOILER Episode 31
Romeo & Juliet (1996, Baz Luhrmann, Leonardo DiCaprio, Claire Danes): SPOILER Episode 30
Children of Men (2006, Clive Owen, Julianne Moore, Michael Caine): SPOILER Episode 29
Fleabag (2016, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Sian Clifford, Olivia Colman): SPOILER Episode 28
The Truman Show (1998, Jim Carrey, Laura Linney, Ed Harris): SPOILER Episode 27
Die Hard (1988, Bruce Willis, Bonnie Bedelia, Alan Rickman): SPOILER Episode 26
Composer Special featuring Stephen Rennicks (Room), Debbie Wiseman (Wolf Hall) and Deborah Lurie (An Unfinished Life): SPOILER Episode 25
When Harry Met Sally (1989, Rob Reiner, Meg Ryan, Billy Crystal): SPOILER Episode 24
High-Rise (2015, Ben Wheatley, Tom Hiddleston, Sienna Miller): SPOILER Episode 23
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams: SPOILER Episode 22
Mulholland Drive (2001, David Lynch, Naomi Watts, Laura Harring): SPOILER Episode 21
Humans Season 1 (Gemma Chan, Katherine Parkinson, John Hurt, 2015): SPOILER Episode 20
Withnail & I (Richard E Grant, Paul McGann, 1987): SPOILER Episode 19
The Breakfast Club (Molly Ringwald, Ally Sheedy, Judd Nelson, 1985): SPOILER Episode 18
Room by Emma Donoghue (2010 book) and Room (2015 film): SPOILER Episode 17
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