Love Machina

Watched this at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.

The topics about AI and its future is pretty controversial especially with how much AI art and concepts have been talked and argued over the past years. This documentary has an concept that seems interesting about the AI future and Martine and Bina Rothblatt creation of Bina48 but wow, this documentary really drags.

AI, personally, is very complex to discuss due to the controversy but this documentary really doesn't offer much to discuss the insightful or interesting component about AI or regarding with Bina48 on the emotionally level. Rather it focuses on the themes of human connection, romance, and a love story that feels really uninteresting and doesn't offer much to what the movie is wanting to tell.

The production and sound designs are solid. Many of the conversation moments clearly show the participants are passionate about their works, lives and the ideas of AI but it feels so artificial and kind of laughable at times. I honestly can't really see any upside for robots involving into full on human connections. It feels like a sci-fi story but the filmmaker and participants are quite insane to think it can actually happen. To top it off, it was really boring.

Documentaries shouldn't be boring but this might just be one of the worst documentaries I have ever seen.

It's so poignant, so beautiful, and one of the few movies that has truly moved me to the point of tears. The way Peter Sillen and everyone involved were able to tell this story, a story that asks existential questions and provides a path forward is remarkable. Martine and Bina's relationship is palpable, their love exudes from this film, as does their drive to save lives and create futures that we want to live in. The film covers a huge timespan and does so in a manner that is easy to follow and understand. Also, to see vertié footage and interviews over the course of 6 years and archival footage from over 25 years is amazing, the passage of time and growth and discovery is felt. We are watching the future unfold.

Seen at Sundance 2024. I was blown away. Although framed as an AI movie, I found it to be more about Futurism. Specifically, Martine and Bina Rothblatt's ideas of the future. From multiracial families, to Transgender rights, to life extension, to creating a "mind file", to the Singularity, the movie is chock full of big ideas. Artist Stephanie Dinkins talks about Black representation within AI. The film goes to West Point, foreboding the Military's interest in Mind Files. It's the type of film you could have 5 dinners with friends and still be unpacking.

I've seen reviews where people are saying the robot isn't impressive.... lol the robot was made in 2007! Who was thinking of this stuff back then?? I won't even get into the organ transplantations. Check this film out!