2015. Dir. Alex Garland 

I'd been wanting to see "Ex Machina" for ages! After missing it in the cinema when it came out in Ireland, my interest was sparked once again after seeing all the hype it was gathering over in America. It's a really interesting film and is an interesting take on the subject matter of artificial intelligence and what exactly determines us as human beings. The sound design is absolutely phenomenal, it fit with the action so well. It's definitely one of the best scores that I've heard in a long while. There's some really nice shots  in the film as well. It appeared to have been mainly shot with a wide lens which allowed for some great shots of the Norwegian landscape and interior of the mansion. Not only that but the special effects were unreal. The way they made the character of Ava appear both human and robot, yet still believable, is phenomenal.

****

Adam and Paul
2004. Lenny Abrahamson
On account of the fact that Lenny Abrahamson actually presented my course's work at the film festival, I figured I could do with acquainting myself with more of his work since I had only seen "Frank". I found "Adam and Paul", a film surrounding two junkies in Dublin searching for a fix, to  be very interesting and thought-provoking. The story didn't particularly interest me at first but I was quickly drawn in, and the huge variety of characters presented were very well-written and memorable. The acting was brilliant. The characters of Adam and Paul are presented to us as pathetic, sniveling addicts, who still manage to maintain our sympathy, regardless of their actions.

****