Ex Machina (2015) ft. Shane Rogers

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).

You can now follow us on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, or TikTok (@gmoatpodcast).

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