Movie Time Machine : A Retro Movie Review Podcast · chad the friend

EP116 Ex Machina (2014)

January 29, 2024·1 hr 26 min

The episode starts in full hangout mode, with a muted mic, some YouTube catch-up, and plenty of teasing about volume, swaying, and who can hear whom. It is messy in a very familiar way, and that looseness keeps going while everyone settles in. Then the movie talk kicks in. Once they get there, the hosts are genuinely happy with a film that keeps slipping away from their expectations, and they like that it stays smart without turning stiff. They keep saying it confuses them in a good way. The structure gets compared to little chunks or acts, because every time they think they know where it is headed, it shifts again. That is part of the fun. The dance scene is an easy shared highlight, since it lands as both hilarious and fun. They laugh hard at that moment. The acting gets a lot of respect too, especially because the characters are written to be pretty unlikable and still hold the room anyway. That balance matters. Mahershala Ali comes up as the piece that finally gives the conversation someone sensible to root for, and the hosts seem relieved when he shows up. He steadies the whole thing. The group also spends time on how split the internet seems to be on the movie, with some people going hard for it and others staying skeptical. They land on the positive side. What wins them over is not some grand theory but the fact that the movie keeps surprising them, keeps moving, and keeps the performances doing the heavy lifting. That is enough for them. The ending rolls into ratings, with a four star and a heart kind of consensus that feels relaxed rather than overworked.

As heard by us

A loose, engaging conversation that ends on a clear yes.

This episode opens in a slightly messy way, with mic trouble and a bit of drift before the conversation finds its footing. Once it gets to the film, the panel is engaged and specific: they call it intelligent, admire how it keeps changing shape, and clearly enjoy being kept off…

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

A loose, funny conversation about a movie that keeps changing shape.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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