Jan 24
Images Cinema Williamstown, MA
TicketsD. Feldman
Lecturer in Science and Technology Studies, Williams College
andDr. Iris Howley
Assistant Professor of Computer Science, Williams College
Her— A.I.: Siri gets a life
Program Description
In what ways might A.I. better suited for certain jobs than humans? What is unique about humanity and what shoiuld be valued about humans that cannot be recreated with A.I.? In what ways do we imagine that A.I. will evolve past humans, and how does that mirror human relationships?
All four films in our A.I. series have some throughlines with each other that will call forward and backward week-to-week, comparing and contrasting evolving genre tropes and thematic variations.
Film Synopsis
A lonely writer develops an unlikely relationship with his newly purchased operating system that's designed to meet his every need.
In the near future, a sensitive and soulful man earns a living by writing personal letters for other people. Left heartbroken after his marriage ends, Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix) forms an unlikely bond with a new operating system that has the capacity to develop into an intuitive and unique entity in its own right. He starts the program and meets the voice behind the OS1, Samantha (Scarlett Johansson). Though friends initially, the relationship soon deepens into love. Nominated for five Academy Awards, this film marks director-producer Spike Jonze’s solo screenwriting debut.