MOVIES

The Latest Example Of The ‘Sci-Fi Feedback Loop’ ChatGPT And The Movie ‘Her’
MOVIES, TOP FOUR, VIDEO REELS

The Latest Example Of The ‘Sci-Fi Feedback Loop’ ChatGPT And The Movie ‘Her’

ChatGPT and the movie ‘Her’ are just the latest example of the ‘sci-fi feedback loop’. In May 2024, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman sparked a firestorm by referencing the 2013 movie “Her” to highlight the novelty of the latest iteration of ChatGPT. Within days, actor Scarlett Johansson, who played the voice of Samantha, the AI girlfriend of the protagonist in the movie “Her,” accused the company of improperly using her voice after she had spurned their offer to make her the voice of ChatGPT’s new virtual assistant. Johansson ended up suing OpenAI and has been invited to testify before Congress. This tiff highlights a broader interchange between Hollywood and Silicon Valley that’s called the “sci-fi feedback loop.” The subject of my doctoral research, the sci-fi feedback loop explores how scie...
Fans Of Coming-Of-Age Dramas Will Not Want To Miss This Powerful And Unforgettable Film
MOVIES

Fans Of Coming-Of-Age Dramas Will Not Want To Miss This Powerful And Unforgettable Film

The movie "Wildflower," starring Kiernan Shipka, is a captivating and poignant coming-of-age drama that delves into the complexities of family dynamics, personal growth, and resilience. The film follows the journey of Bea Johnson, a teenage girl facing unique challenges as she navigates life with two intellectually disabled parents and a fractured extended family. From the moment we are introduced to Bea, played with depth and vulnerability by Shipka, we are immediately drawn into her world of domestic turmoil and emotional turmoil. Despite her circumstances, Bea is a determined and resilient young woman who is determined to carve out her own path in life, even as she grapples with the weight of her family's struggles. As Bea navigates the turbulent waters of adolescence, she must confro...
‘Dune’ Became A Beacon For The Fledgling Environmental Movement
MOVIES

‘Dune’ Became A Beacon For The Fledgling Environmental Movement

How ‘Dune’ became a beacon for the fledgling environmental movement − and a rallying cry for the new science of ecology. “Dune,” widely considered one of the best sci-fi novels of all time, continues to influence how writers, artists and inventors envision the future. Of course, there are Denis Villeneuve’s visually stunning films, “Dune: Part One” (2021) and “Dune: Part Two” (2024). But Frank Herbert’s masterpiece also helped Afrofuturist novelist Octavia Butler imagine a future of conflict amid environmental catastrophe; it inspired Elon Musk to build SpaceX and Tesla and push humanity toward the stars and a greener future; and it’s hard not to see parallels in George Lucas’ “Star Wars” franchise, especially their fascination with desert planets and giant worms. And yet when Herbert ...
50 Years Ago ‘Jaws’ Portrayed Sharks As Monsters And Inspired A Generation Of Shark Scientists
MOVIES, VIDEO REELS

50 Years Ago ‘Jaws’ Portrayed Sharks As Monsters And Inspired A Generation Of Shark Scientists

‘Jaws’ portrayed sharks as monsters 50 years ago, but it also inspired a generation of shark scientists. Human fear of sharks has deep roots. Written works and art from the ancient world contain references to sharks preying on sailors as early as the eighth century B.C.E. Relayed back to land, stories about shark encounters have been embellished and amplified. Together with the fact that from time to time – very rarely – sharks bite humans, people have been primed for centuries to imagine terrifying situations at sea. In 1974, Peter Benchley’s bestselling novel “Jaws” fanned this fear into a wildfire that spread around the world. The book sold more than 5 million copies in the U.S. within a year and was quickly followed by Steven Spielberg’s 1975 movie, which became the highest-grossing...
Catch The Explosive Hit That Thrilled Movie-Goers Everywhere 30 Years Ago ‘The Crow’
MOVIES

Catch The Explosive Hit That Thrilled Movie-Goers Everywhere 30 Years Ago ‘The Crow’

Paramount Pictures will be releasing a 4K UHD version of The Crow on May 7th. The release will also include the option of a limited-edition steelbook. But before that. Catch the explosive hit that thrilled movie-goers and critics everywhere 30 years ago! Brandon Lee (Rapid Fire) plays Eric Draven, a young rock guitarist who, along with his fiancee, is brutally killed by a ruthless gang of criminals. Exactly one year after his death, Eric returns-watched over by a hypnotic crow, to seek revenge, battling the evil crime lord and his band of thugs, who must answer for their crimes. Tragically Brandon Lee was killed during the making of this movie. Every product/service is selected by editors. Things you buy through our links may earn us a commission.
‘The Exorcist’ Hollywood’s Imagination, And Our Obsession With Evil
MOVIES, SUPERNATURAL

‘The Exorcist’ Hollywood’s Imagination, And Our Obsession With Evil

50 years later, ‘The Exorcist’ continues to possess Hollywood’s imagination, reflecting our obsession with evil. When the “The Exorcist” premiered 50 years ago, in December 1973, some theatergoers fainted or broke down in tears. A few even vomited. The film, which cast a young Linda Blair as a girl claiming to be possessed by the devil, was an almost instant success, with moviegoers waiting in line for hours to secure tickets. It went on to gross over US$440 million worldwide. The horror film eventually received two Oscars, for Best Sound and Best Adapted Screenplay. In the 50 years since, the cultural fascination with Satan has persisted. But as religiosity has waned, popular portrayals of Satan have also changed. Rather than embody pure evil, Luciferian characters that are complicated – ...
The Barbie Movie A Bold Step To Reinvent And Fix Past Wrongs Or A Clever Ploy To Tap A New Market?
MOVIES

The Barbie Movie A Bold Step To Reinvent And Fix Past Wrongs Or A Clever Ploy To Tap A New Market?

Is the Barbie movie a bold step to reinvent and fix past wrongs or a clever ploy to tap a new market? After a months-long marketing blitz, the much-hyped Barbie movie is released this week. From a Malibu Barbie dreamhouse listed on AirBnB, an AI tool that transforms selfies into Barbie movie posters and multiple Barbie-themed brand collaborations ranging from nail polish to roller skates, Barbie is everywhere. She has even gone viral as a fashion trend known as Barbiecore, exploding across social media with people embracing vibrant pink hues and hyper feminine aesthetics. A Barbie world is upon us. Although some have criticized this saturation strategy, it is a very deliberate marketing ploy to revitalize and redefine a brand with a contested position and history. As well as attracting...
A Body Horror Film Of Fatness Fear ‘The Whale’
MOVIES, TOP FOUR

A Body Horror Film Of Fatness Fear ‘The Whale’

‘The Whale’ is a horror film that taps into our fear of fatness. I knew before seeing “The Whale” that it was a movie about a man named Charlie who weighs over 600 pounds, is grief-stricken over the death of his partner, and is effectively trapped in his apartment due to his weight. I also knew that “The Whale” had attracted a great deal of criticism, provoking anger, disgust and accusations of exploitation. Despite the controversy, Brendan Fraser’s performance has been widely praised, and he won best actor at the 95th Academy Awards. But what I didn’t know was that this film would make me cry. As I left the theater, I found myself hyperaware of my own fat body moving through the parking lot, and I started to feel the way I often do when I see a reflection of myself in a mirror: monstrou...
Star Wars – The Real Back Story
MOVIES

Star Wars – The Real Back Story

When someone writes a hit movie or a best seller, it's easy to think it all resulted from a stroke of creative genius and it just happened organically. But in almost every case nothing could be further from the truth. Take the Stars Wars movie franchise for instance. A number of intriguing back- stories exist about how things got to be as they were in the Star Wars movies. Here I should give a plug to a writer called Chris Taylor who discovered them and wrote a book suitably titled: How Star Wars Conquered the Universe: The Past, Present and Future of a Multi-billion Dollar Franchise. For example, Taylor tells the story of when Star Wars creator George Lucas showed a rough cut of the movie to his mates Steven Spielberg and Brian De Palmer, Spielberg thought it was going to be a huge hit b...