Ex Machina

One of the best and most original films I've seen this year and that will have me reverberating for a while is Ex Machina, starring Oscar Isaac, Domhnall Gleeson, and Alicia Vikander.  This sci-fi thriller was superbly written and directed by Alex Garland.  It's a very intellectually and philosophically far reaching film with deftly nuanced performances that are both visually charged and left me spellbound in anticipation. Technology meets humanity and they are boldly flipped around; and special effects are throughout, wisely left to a minimum.  If that wasn't enough, it's a masterful thriller with enough style, anticipation, and unexpected moments to instantly be committed to following through.  Comparisons to Blade Runner, Her, Under The Skin, and others are pretty obvious, but Ex Machina is a unique turn in a different direction.  One of the nice bits of this uniqueness is how the story was set in one location with only 4 characters and against the backdrop of a very picturesque (fun fact) Norway. It is truly, as my lovely friend says from time to time "Awesome sauce!" So, I'll let that sentiment speak for anything else I could possibly say about the film.