movies

253 – The Dark Tower (2017)

the dark tower poster

The Dark Tower is a 2017 American science fantasy western film directed and co-written by Nikolaj Arcel. A continuation of Stephen King‘s novel series of the same name, the film stars Idris Elba as Roland Deschain, a gunslinger on a quest to protect the Dark Tower—a mythical structure which supports all realities—while Matthew McConaughey plays his nemesis, Walter Padick, the Man in Black, and Tom Taylor stars as Jake Chambers, a New York boy who becomes Roland’s apprentice.

Intended to launch a film and television franchise, the first installment combines elements from several novels in the eight-volume series, and takes place in both modern-day New York City and in Mid-World, Roland’s Old West-style parallel universe. The film also serves as a canonical sequel to the novel series, which concludes with the revelation that Roland’s quest is a cyclical time loop; the presence of the Horn of Eld, which Roland carries in the film, indicates that this is the next cycle.

#Television_series

#Sequel

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1648190/

movies, music

232 – Baby Driver (2017)

spacetime coordinates:  2017 Atlanta, Georgia.

(bad music / good people)

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Baby Driver is a 2017 crime action film written and directed by Edgar Wright. It stars Ansel ElgortKevin SpaceyLily JamesEiza GonzálezJon HammJamie Foxx, and Jon Bernthal. The plot follows Baby, a young getaway driver and music lover who must work for a kingpin.

BabyDriver-Website

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3890160/



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animation

229 – Tekkon kinkurîto // Tekkonkinkreet (2006)

spacetime coordinates:  the streets of the pan-Asian metropolis of Takaramachi (Treasure Town) 90’s // 2000’s

Tekkonkinkreet poster 1

Tekkonkinkreet (鉄コン筋クリート Tekkonkinkurīto, a child’s mispronunciation of “Tekkin Konkurito” [steel reinforced concrete]) is a 2006 Japanese anime directed by Michael Arias and animated by Studio 4°C  based on the three-volume seinen manga series of the same name by Taiyō Matsumoto, which was originally serialized from 1993 to 1994 in Shogakukan‘s Big Comic Spirits and first published in English as Tekkonkinkreet: Black & White.

Takaramachi

The story takes place in the fictional city of Takaramachi (Treasure Town) and centers on a pair of orphaned street kids – the tough, canny Kuro (Black) and the childish, innocent Shiro (White), together known as the Cats – as they deal with yakuza attempting to take over Treasure Town.

    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0831888/

movies, music

201 – Straight Outta Compton (2015)

spacetime coordinates: 80’s 90’s  Compton, California, Los Angeles

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Straight Outta Compton is a 2015 American biographical film directed by F. Gary Gray, depicting the career of gangsta rap group N.W.A. Titled after N.W.A’s 1988 debut studio album, the film focuses on members Eazy-EIce Cube, and Dr. Dre, and the rise and fall of the group. Members of N.W.A were involved in making the film, including Ice Cube and Dr. Dre as producers, as was Eazy-E’s widow, Tomica Woods-Wright, while MC Ren and DJ Yella served as creative consultants. Ice Cube is portrayed by his son, O’Shea Jackson Jr., with Corey Hawkins as Dr. Dre and Jason Mitchell as Eazy-E. Paul Giamatti also stars as N.W.A’s manager Jerry Heller.

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Historical accuracy

imdb                   wiki


movies, music

200

spacetime coordinates:  80’s – 90’s  Brooklyn New York City // Las Vegas, Baltimore, San Francisco, Los Angeles

Notorious (2009)

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Notorious is a 2009 American biographical drama film directed by George Tillman Jr. that follows the life and murder of Christopher Wallace, an American rapper better known by the stage name “The Notorious B.I.G.”. The film stars Jamal WoolardAngela BassettDerek Luke, and Anthony Mackie.

Criticism by Lil’ Kim

imdb


All Eyez on Me (2017)

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All Eyez on Me is a 2017 American biographical drama film about hip-hop artist Tupac Shakur, directed by Benny Boom and written by Jeremy Haft, Eddie Gonzalez and Steven Bagatourian. Titled after Shakur’s 1996 fourth studio album of the same name, the film stars Demetrius Shipp Jr. as Shakur with Kat GrahamLauren CohanHill Harper and Danai Gurira in supporting roles.

Historical accuracy

imdb

movies

0169 – AI

Ex Machina (2014) 

Ex Machina is a 2014 British-American science fiction psychological thriller film written and directed by Alex GarlandDomhnall GleesonAlicia VikanderSonoya Mizuno, and Oscar Isaac star in a story that follows a programmer who is invited by his CEO to administer the Turing test to an intelligent humanoid robot. Film based on The Tempest by William Shakespeare.

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ex machina (2014) – imdb

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I, Robot (2004) 

spacetime coordinates: 2035 Chicago

2004-i_robot-7I, Robot (stylized as i,robot) is a 2004 American science fiction action film directed by Alex Proyas. The screenplay by Jeff Vintar and Akiva Goldsman is from a screen story by Vintar, based on his original screenplay “Hardwired”, and suggested by Isaac Asimov‘s 1950 short-story collection of the same name. The film stars Will SmithBridget MoynahanBruce GreenwoodJames CromwellChi McBride, and Alan Tudyk. In 2035, highly intelligent robots fill public service positions throughout the dystopian world, operating under three rules to keep humans safe. Detective Del Spooner (Smith) investigates the alleged suicide of U.S. Robotics founder Alfred Lanning (Cromwell) and believes that a human-like robot (Tudyk) murdered him.

i robot
I, robot (2004) – imdb

Morgan (2016)

Morgan is a 2016 British-American science fiction thriller film directed by Luke Scott in his directorial debut, and written by Seth Owen. Film scored by Max Richter.

morgan
morgan (2016) – imdb

Bicentennial Man (1999)

spacetime coordinates: 2005 > 2048 >> 2205 San Francisco Bay Area / Washington, D.C.

Bicentennial Man is a 1999 American science fiction comedy-drama film starring Robin WilliamsSam NeillEmbeth Davidtz (in a dual role), Wendy Crewson, and Oliver Platt. Based on the 1992 novel The Positronic Man by Isaac Asimov and Robert Silverberg (which is itself based on Asimov’s original 1976 novelette “The Bicentennial Man“), the plot explores issues of humanityslaveryprejudicematurityintellectual freedomconformitysexlovemortality, and eternal life. The film, a co-production between Touchstone Pictures and Columbia Pictures, was directed by Chris Columbus.

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bicentennial man (1999) – imdb

Eva (2011) 

spacetime coordinates: 2043, Santa Irene

Eva is a 2011 science fiction film directed by Kike Maíllo. It had its world premiere on 7 September 2011 at the 68th Venice International Film Festival, where it was screened out of competition. The film stars Daniel BrühlMarta EturaLluís Homar and Alberto Ammann.

Eva was nominated in twelve categories at the 26th Goya Awards, scoring three wins—Best New Director, Best Supporting Actor and Best Special Effects. It earned nominations for Best Actor, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Make Up and Hairstyles, Best Original Score, Best Original Screenplay, Best Production Design, Best Production Supervision and Best Sound. The film was also nominated for sixteen Gaudí Awards, winning five.

The film combines computer generated imagery of robots and engineering devices and retro clothing and props like a Saab 900 car. (wiki)

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eva (2011) – imdb

A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001) 

spacetime coordinates: the 22nd century  Madison, New Jersey, resort town of Rouge City, the flooded ruins of Manhattan (rising sea levels from global warming have wiped out coastal cities, reducing the world’s population.)

A.I. Artificial Intelligence (also known as A.I.) is a 2001 American science fiction drama film directed by Steven Spielberg. The screenplay by Spielberg and screen story by Ian Watson were loosely based on the 1969 short story “Supertoys Last All Summer Long” by Brian Aldiss. The film stars Haley Joel OsmentJude LawFrances O’ConnorBrendan Gleeson and William Hurt. Set in a futuristic post-climate change society, A.I. tells the story of David (Osment), a childlike android uniquely programmed with the ability to love.

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Development of A.I. originally began with producer-director Stanley Kubrick, after he acquired the rights to Aldiss’ story in the early 1970s. Kubrick hired a series of writers until the mid-1990s, including Brian Aldiss, Bob Shaw, Ian Watson, and Sara Maitland. The film languished in protracted development for years, partly because Kubrick felt computer-generated imagery was not advanced enough to create the David character, whom he believed no child actor would convincingly portray. In 1995, Kubrick handed A.I. to Spielberg, but the film did not gain momentum until Kubrick’s death in 1999. Spielberg remained close to Watson’s film treatment for the screenplay.

Kubrick’s original concept art for A.I. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (2001) via @TIFF_NET

 A.I. is dedicated to Kubrick.

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artificial intelligence (2001) – imdb

Autómata (2014)

spacetime coordinates: 2044, 20 after solar flares irradiate the Earth, killing over 99% of the world’s population. The survivors gather in a network of safe cities and build primitive humanoid robots, called Pilgrims, to help rebuild and operate in the harsh environment.

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Autómata is a 2014 English-language science fiction action film directed by Gabe Ibáñez and starring Antonio Banderas. The film is co-written by Ibáñez with Igor Legarreta and Javier Sánchez Donate, and co-stars Birgitte Hjort SørensenMelanie GriffithDylan McDermottRobert Forster, and Tim McInnerny. (wiki)

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Autómata (2014) – imdb

The Machine (2013)

The Machine is a 2013 British science fiction thriller film directed and written by Caradog W. James. It stars Caity Lotz and Toby Stephens as computer scientists who create an artificial intelligence for the British military. (wiki) / rottentomatoes

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the machine (2013) – imdb

her (2013)

timespace coordinates: near future Los Angeles

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Her is a 2013 American romantic science-fiction drama film written, directed, and produced by Spike Jonze. It marks Jonze’s solo screenwriting debut. The film follows Theodore Twombly (Joaquin Phoenix), a man who develops a relationship with Samantha (Scarlett Johansson), an artificially intelligent virtual assistant personified through a female voice. The film also stars Amy AdamsRooney Mara, and Olivia Wilde.

imdb