Artificial Intelligence (AI) is one of the most talked about and controversial topics of our time as it is quickly being developed by organizations like OpenAI, Microsoft, and Google. People are afraid that it will take their jobs and in some cases it already has, it was also a big part of the 2023 writers and actors strike but don’t forget that AI has also been the topic of some of the greatest films ever made more recently it became the main villain in Tom Cruise‘s action-adventure film Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part 1. So, we compiled a list of the 10 best films featuring AI that show us artificial intelligence in different lights including villainous and sympathetic roles.
A.I. Artificial Intelligence (MGM+, Paramount+ & Rent on Prime Video)
A.I. Artificial Intelligence is a sci-fantasy film written and directed by Steven Spielberg. Based on a 1969 short story titled Supertoys Last All Summer Long by author Brian Aldiss, the 2001 film is set in a futuristic society and it follows a robot in the form of a boy with human feelings who lives happily as David with his adoptive mother Monica, whose son was put in “cryo-stasis” because of an incurable disease but when Monica’s real son returns, David’s life takes a turn that sends him on a journey for the quest of love. A.I. Artificial Intelligence stars Haley Joel Osment in the lead role with Jude Law, Brendan Gleeson, Sam Robards, William Hunt, Daveigh Chase, Frances O’Connor, Ben Kingsley, Robin Williams, Enrico Colantoni, Ken Leung, and Jake Thomas starring in supporting roles.
Ex Machina (Max & Rent on Prime Video)
Ex Machina is a sci-fi thriller film written and directed by Alex Garland. The 2014 film follows the story of Caleb Smith, a young programmer as he gets a chance to take part in a scientific experiment at his boss’ private mountain estate. When he gets there he is tasked with assessing a highly advanced artificial intelligence in the form of a beautiful woman. Ex Machina stars Domhnall Gleeson, Alicia Vikander, and Oscar Isaac in the lead roles with Sonoya Mizuno, Claire Selby, Corey Johnson, Gana Bayarsaikhan, and Tiffany Pisani starring in supporting roles.
Blade Runner 2049 (Rent on Prime Video)
Blade Runner 2049 is a neo-noir sci-fi thriller film directed by Denis Villeneuve from a screenplay co-written by Hampton Fancher and Michael Green. Based on the characters from Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by author Philip K. Dick, the 2017 film serves as a direct sequel to the 1982 film Blade Runner by Ridley Scott. Blade Runner 2049 is set 30 years after the events of the first film and it follows the story of K, (an android in the form of a human known as a replicant) who works for the Los Angeles Police Department, as he finds something that could create chaos in the whole world. To get more information he must find a former blade runner who went missing 30 years ago. Blade Runner 2049 stars Ryan Gosling in the lead role with Harrison Ford, Ana de Armas, Sylvia Hoeks, Mackenzie Davis, Jared Leto, Robin Wright, David Bautista, Carla Juri, and David Dastmalchian starring in supporting roles.
Westworld (Rent on Prime Video)
Westworld is a sci-fi western film written and directed by Michael Crichton. The 1973 film is set in the future at an adult-themed amusement park populated by lifelike androids and for only $1000 a day, the guests can fulfill any of their fantasies. When a robot malfunctions he wreaks havoc in the theme park and terrorizes the guests. Westworld stars Richard Benjamin, Yul Brynner, Anne Randall, Linda Gaye Scott, Wade Crosby, Norman Bartold, Terry Wilson, Steve Franken, Chris Holter, and Dick Van Patten.
After Yang (Rent on Prime Video)
After Yang is a sci-fi drama film written and directed by Kogonada. Based on a short story titled Saying Goodbye to Yang by author Alexander Weinstein, the 2021 film follows the story of Jake and Myra a couple living with their adoptive daughter Mika as they buy a techno-sapien named Yang to teach Mika about Chinese culture. Soon, the family begins to love Yang as their own but when one day Yang doesn’t restart Jake must do everything he can to fix him so that Mika doesn’t lose a sibling. After Yang stars Colin Farrell and Jodie Turner-Smith in the lead roles with Malea Emma, Justin H. Min, Haley Lu Richardson, Brett Dier, Sarita Choudhury, An-Li Bogan, and Ava DeMary starring in supporting roles.
The Creator (Hulu & Rent on Prime Video)
The Creator is a sci-fi action thriller film directed by Gareth Edwards from a screenplay co-written by Edwards and Chris Weitz. The 2023 film is set in 2070, as a war between humans and A.I. rages on because AI detonated a nuclear attack in Los Angeles 15 years ago. We follow the story of an ex-special forces agent Joshua as he is recruited to hunt down the architect behind an advanced AI called the Creator and find his mysterious new weapon that could destroy humanity. When Joshua finds the weapon he is shocked because it’s an advanced AI in the form of a human child. The Creator stars John David Washington and Madeleine Yuna Voyles in the lead roles with Gemma Chan, Allison Janney, Ken Watanabe, Ralph Ineson, Ngo Thanh Van, and Marc Menchaca starring in supporting roles.
Her (Max & Rent on Prime Video)
Her is a sci-fi romantic drama film written and directed by Spike Jonze. The 2013 film is set in the near future in Los Angeles and it follows the story of Theodore Twombly, a lonely and introverted writer who develops a strange romantic relationship with an AI he buys to help him write. Her stars Joaquin Phoenix in the lead role with Scarlett Johansson, Rooney Mara, Olivia Wilde, Lynn A. Freedman, Chris Pratt, Gracie Prewitt, Kristen Wiig, and Brian Cox starring in supporting roles.
2001: A Space Odyssey (Max & Rent on Prime Video)
2001: A Space Odyssey is an epic sci-fi adventure film directed by Stanley Kubrick from a screenplay co-written by Kubrick and Arthur C. Clarke. Inspired by a 1951 short story titled The Sentinel by author Clarke, the 1968 film sees humans discover a mystifying artificial object buried underneath the lunar surface. To find out what it is astronaut David Bowman goes on an epic adventure with the help of a highly intelligent computer known as HAL 9000. 2001: A Space Odyssey stars Keir Dullea in the lead role with Gary Lockwood, William Sylvester, Daniel Richter, Douglas Rain, Margaret Tyzack, Leonard Rossiter, Robert Beatty, Bill Weston, Ann Gillis, and Sean Sullivan starring in supporting roles.
The Mitchells vs. the Machines (Netflix & Rent on Prime Video)
The Mitchells vs. the Machines is an animated sci-fi action adventure film directed by Mike Rianda from a screenplay co-written by Rianda and Jeff Rowe. The 2021 film follows the story of the dysfunctional Mitchell family as they go on a road trip to drop off their daughter to college but their trip is interrupted by a robot apocalypse controlled by a vengeful AI. Now, the Mitchell must get their shit together to save humanity from killer robots. The Mitchells vs. the Machines’ voice cast includes Michael Rianda, Abbi Jacobson, Alex Hirsch, Maya Rudolph, Danny McBride, Olivia Colman, Eric André, Fred Armisen, Beck Bennett, Chrissy Teigen, John Legend, and Vivian Vencer.
Terminator 2: Judgment Day (Paramount+ & Prime Video Add-On)
Terminator 2: Judgment Day is an epic sci-fi action thriller film directed by James Cameron from a screenplay co-written by Cameron and William Wisher. The 1991 sequel film shows us an Earth destroyed in 2029 because of the war between a malevolent AI known as Skynet and the humans. In 1995, Sarah Connor’s 10-year-old son John is attacked by Skynet’s new robot known as the T-1000 but this time Terminator takes it upon himself to save John Connor in turn saving humanity in the future. Terminator 2: Judgment Day stars Arnold Schwarzenegger and Edward Furlong in the lead roles with Linda Hamilton, Robert Patrick, Joe Morton, Danny Cooksey, Earl Boen, and Jenette Goldstein starring in supporting roles.
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