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Reviews
Suffragette (2015)
Close, but no cigar
I watched this film somewhat guardedly, as I was not looking forward to the inevitably graphic depictions of forced feeding. When they finally arrived they were as expected, fairly grim.
Suffragettes was a little understated for me. A bit like a stew with some vital ingredient missing, but it was hard to say exactly what. I found it difficult to connect with many of the characters, though this was not for want of trying.
The costumes and scenery were wonderful, and I enjoyed much of the camera work. A couple of reviewers on here hint at historical inaccuracies, but they are mistaken. Working class women (and yes, men too!) really were instrumental in gaining women the vote. The clichéd idea that it was all about shouty white middle class females with bricks is just that. Or, at best, it is a partial truth - which is little better than a lie in my estimation
In fact, Asian women, some of whom faced destitution at the time, also took part, involving themselves in a broader union movement. The fact that history is often inaccurately taught in schools, and that some people cannot be bothered to research what actually happened, is probably to blame here.
I tend to agree that this was a worthy, rather than a brilliant, effort. Perhaps one day, a better film will be made about the uphill struggle women faced to enfranchise themselves.
Ex Machina (2014)
The best film I've seen for years
Ex Machina is the most interesting film I've seen in years. This is a very layered production. Cleanly shot, well scripted and very thought provoking. It deals with our human responses to the complexities of machine intelligence, while neatly taking in gender issues, sexual politics and our collective moral compass. Watching this will probably leave you with more questions than answers - but that's part of why Ex Machina is essential viewing. It poses questions we should all be considering, or else we risk losing our humanity in the silicon swamps of technological progress.
I would find it impossible to write a full review of this film without wandering into spoiler territory, so I will avoid leading you there by suggesting that Ex Machina is partly about our innate ability to manipulate each other and the world around us. Here's a contextual question for you: is the Turing test an adequate guide to the ability of AIs to function in the world, and should we focus just as much on emotional and social intelligence as raw IQ? Thinking along these lines will, I believe, help you appreciate this wonderful film on a meaningful level.