
Alex Garland’s 2014 film, Ex Machina, masterfully creates a growing sense of dread. The story follows Caleb, a programmer who unexpectedly wins a contest to spend a week at the secluded home of his company’s CEO, the mysterious Nathan Bateman. Caleb soon learns the contest wasn’t about the trip itself, but about participating in a Turing test – evaluating the intelligence and consciousness of Ava, a remarkably realistic robot created by Bateman. It quickly becomes clear that Ava is much more aware and independent than anyone anticipated, and she’s secretly pursuing her own agenda.