A.I. TALES (film review by Mark R. Leeper)

[Philip De Parto]

The following review is reprinted with permission from

THE MT VOID
Mt. Holz Science Fiction Society
07/06/18 -- Vol. 37, No. 1, Whole Number 2022

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A.I. TALES (film review by Mark R. Leeper)

This is a collection of four unrelated science fiction stories with
downbeat views of the world we are creating today in which we
expect to live in the future. The bleak point of view is strongly
reminiscent of the TV series "Black Mirror". Each story is set in
the future but expresses fears of modern society and what it is
becoming. I will give each film a rating from one to four. A.I.
TALES is intended as a calling card for a film distributor Hewes
Pictures who are specializing in short films. And each film may
itself be a calling card film for its cast and crew.

I will give each film a rating of one to four, and I will give a
link to the IMDB for each film.

====================

"Seed"

In "Seed" we see a world beset by over-population. Nelson (played
by Nelson Lee who writes and directs) has very mixed emotions
today. Today is his 40th birthday and also his last birthday. The
state has taken care of Nathan and his family in what looks like a
very comfortable lifestyle. Today the price tag for his lifestyle
must be paid. Nathan has agreed to commit suicide and to let
someone else take his place using resources. Nelson Lee, who is
the central actor, director, and writer, gives this situation some
deep consideration. The plotline is dark and slow, and it is very
reminiscent of LOGAN'S RUN. Rating: 2-1/2.

<https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6815638/reference>

====================

"IN/FINITE"

This is a short story of a young woman who is taking a job at a
place far away from the home she has known. She seems likable and
her friends will very much miss her. But she seems unable to
relate to even those people who are closest. In the end this is a
science fiction story only because of what her plans are. That
seems to be insufficient to interest and satisfy a ready-made
science fiction audience. It just seems to say that in the future
we will have more choices than we have today. Rating: 2

<https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7570626/reference>

====================

"Phoenix 9"

We see two people watching on video as people somewhere are seem to
be in panic mode. It becomes clear for the audience that the world
has been totally annihilated in a nuclear war. Years later bands
of a few survivors are fighting each other for food. What little
is left is considered a treasure. A band of survivors has heard
there is a colony of people alive somewhere out west. They are
walking the two thousand miles to get to this community and on the
day the story takes place they have walked a thousand miles and are
half way home. But today has a surprise in store for these
pilgrims. But it may not be as big a surprise as our pilgrims are
hoping. We reach an ironic denouement. Rating: 2

<https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3096248/reference>

====================

"Redux"

This is the one film of the four that has an actor I recognize,
Eric Roberts. The story here is very hard to follow. It has
something to do with time travel. There was a killing in 1984 by
what appears to be somebody from the military. With the use of a
time machine our main character tries to prevent the killing from
happening. Rating: 2

<https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4519336/reference>

====================

Incidentally, in the entire film there is no reference to
artificial intelligence.

Hawes Pictures reports, "Hewes Pictures is excited to announce the
theatrical and digital release of A.I Tales on July 13. The
theatrical season kicks off at the Black Box Theater in Los
Angeles, July 13-19th. The VOD will be available via Amazon day-
and-date."

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