Apr 08 2025 98 mins
Dana and Tom with 5x Club Member, Shane Rogers (Comedian and Host of Midnight Facts for Insomniacs) discuss the sci-fi thriller, Ex Machina (2015): written and directed by Alex Garland, cinematography by Rob Hardy, music by Geoff Barrow and Ben Salisbury, starring Domhnall Gleeson, Oscar Isaac, and Alicia Vikander.
Plot Summary: Ex Machina is a cerebral sci-fi thriller written and directed by Alex Garland. The story follows Caleb (Domhnall Gleeson), a young programmer who wins a company contest to spend a week at the secluded estate of his reclusive boss, Nathan (Oscar Isaac), a brilliant but eccentric tech CEO. Upon arrival, Caleb learns he has been selected to participate in a Turing test for Ava (Alicia Vikander), an advanced AI housed in a humanoid robot. As Caleb interacts with Ava, he becomes emotionally entangled with her, questioning whether she truly possesses consciousness—or if he is being manipulated. Meanwhile, Nathan’s true motives remain elusive, and the line between man, machine, and deception blurs in a tense psychological battle that builds to a chilling climax.
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction and Welcome Back Shane
06:30 Relationship(s) to Ex Machina
09:53 Did You Like the Film?
18:37 What Did Ex Machina Get Right and Wrong About AI?
25:15 Plot Summary for Ex Machina
26:23 Did You Know?
27:44 First Break
28:21 What's Happening with Shane Rogers?
29:41 Best Performance(s)
48:35 Best/Favorite/Indelible Scene(s)
56:53 Second Break
57:32 In Memoriam
01:02:58 Best/Funniest Lines
01:05:49 The Stanley Rubric - Legacy
01:12:01 The Stanley Rubric - Impact/Significance
01:15:00 The Stanley Rubric - Novelty
01:24:08 The Stanley Rubric - Rewatchability
01:27:00 The Stanley Rubric - Audience Score and Final Total
01:28:11 Remaining Questions
01:33:22 Thank You to Shane and Remaining Thoughts
01:37:16 Credits
Guest:
Shane Rogers
- Comedian and Host of Midnight Facts for Insomniacs
- Previously on Broadcast News (1987), The Big Lebowski (1998), Superman: The Movie (1978), There's Something About Mary (1998), This Is Spinal Tap (1984).
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For more on the episode, go to: https://www.ronnyduncanstudios.com/post/ex-machina-2015-ft-shane-rogers
For the entire rankings list so far, go to: https://www.ronnyduncanstudios.com/post/greatest-movie-of-all-time-list
Keywords:
Ex Machina, AI, science fiction, movie analysis, character dynamics, psychological thriller, Oscar Isaac, Alicia Vikander, technology, film discussion, humanity, manipulation, Val Kilmer, film legacy, memorable quotes, rewatchability, timelessness, Ex Machina, cinema, Alex Garland, Domhnall Gleeson
Ronny Duncan Studios