Tuesday, 9 September 2014

Dr. Easy


Dr. Easy is a short film developed and financed by Film4 and produced by Ally Gipps for Warp Films. It was directed and written by Jason Groves, Chris Harding and Richard Kenworthy of Shynola. It stars Michael (Tom Hollander) alongside a robot with a medical degree, voiced by Geraldine James. A broken man in possession of a gun and unable to speak due to a severe wound to his mouth, Michael is surrounded by armed police. Can the robot save him? 

Film4 states that the short is based on Matthew De Abaitua's novel The Red Men, 'set against a pervasive and Orwellian vision of contemporary society: surveillance, automation, biotechnology, and their implications for our humanity'. Plans are in motion to create a longer feature of the novel: TheRedMenMovie.  

Dr. Easy gives little indication as to the circumstances leading to Michael's predicament, however it becomes clear that this is not the main subject of the film. To prove this, the robot seems disinterested of the causes, eager only to make sure that Michael receives appropriate medical attention for his injuries. More C3PO than R2-S2, the visually unisex robot has a soothing feminine voice, that is used to persistently reassure Michael while simultaneously profiling him for the police operatives. 

I won't give away the whole plot in case you were interested in having a look at the film, but it does leave you wondering about the suggestive name 'Easy'. It may be leading us to contemplate whether robot interception can be considered an efficient and 'easy' mode of dealing with threatening situations, or whether it is an inhumane method that is limited in physical and emotional capacities. Similarly, are humans able to empathise and respond to robots or would we merely dismiss them as processing data into false compassion? Ignoring costs and possible technological boundaries, could robot doctors truly be viable in a modern day society, potentially saving the lives of members of the armed forces? Personally, it appeared to me that Dr. Easy is genuinely concerned for Michael's well-being. While it may be programmed to follow a specific script or orders, the autonomous actions and speech of the robot indicate a personality. In addition it is really interesting that Michael himself is unable to verbally communicate, rendering him into a mechanical objects of sorts. He resorts to using his human essence: blood, in order to convey his thoughts. 

Do post any comments you have regarding the film or topics if you have seen anything related. The short can be watched here, with the provocative site title: 


I was also curious about the robot itself, speculating at first whether the production company had actually made use of a real-life physical robot. Not too much of a stretch considering all of the incredible developments in robot technology of late, particularly in Japan and Taiwan. Unfortunately this was not the case with the film, however the CGI work is still very impressive:


Wednesday, 3 September 2014

Orange is the New Black

Orange is the new black? It's not a radical reinvention of our perceptions of colour choices, but it does invite us to reinvent the way we perceive other people and our life decisions. 


Created by Jenji Kohan, the American comedy-drama series first hit Netflix about a year ago in July 2013, but has only reached the radar of the majority of UK audiences around now. It is the latest new series that has got my friends displaying positive nods of approval or jovial enthusiasm.  

The series stars Piper Chapman (played by newcomer actress Taylor Schilling) as a bisexual woman who is sentenced to 15 months in federal prison for transporting drug money for her former girlfriend (Laura Pepon of That 70's Show). This offence occurred ten years before the series and since then she had committed to a middle-class suburban life in New York with her fiancé (played by Jason Biggs of American Pie fame). The episodes follow her struggle to accustom to life in prison alongside a vibrant range of female inmates, including her former drug-dealer lover and prison guards with questionable morals. 


From the outset, it's easy to see the appeal of the series and why it's got tongues wagging. Not least because, it's clear that the program is going to feature a lot of tongue wagging... Full nudity, hot lesbian/bi sexual tension and compromising positions proliferate the pilot episode, setting the steaminess expectations for the rest of the series at dizzying levels. Not one to sit down and watch with parents or children!

A series can be pretty vacuous and transparent however if sex is all its selling. OITNB is about much more than that, with strong female characters that each have a unique identity and a vivid emotional back-story, brought to life through an intriguing flashback structure. In the second episode for example, we learn just why 'Red' is so defensive about her cooking and that even a tough cookie has a doughy centre. 

There's also a true heart to this compelling series as it's based on the memoir Orange is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prison by Piper Kerman, who spent a year in prison battling to preserve her individuality in the face of a grey, impersonal bureaucracy and the constant reminders of their powerlessness in prison. In addition, it features a real and spectacular transgendered actress rather than a guy in a wig.


Personally I'll never suit jumpsuit orange, it just doesn't go with my skin tone. Orange is the New Black is however perfectly suited to filling my free hours with thought-provoking and humorous content, and I am eagerly awaiting watching the third episode and onwards to the third season!

Tuesday, 2 September 2014

Kat's back

Hi!

So it's been a long time since I've written a blog on here; I've been dabbling a bit with other websites and blogs and completing university, but now that I've graduated I'm going to reinvest in this blog and submit more interesting articles for you to read.

In particular there will be a stronger emphasis on writing reviews of film and television shows - I go to the cinema so often it would be a shame to see those couple of hours spent watching a film not last into something more.

Stay tuned!


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