2015 Year of the A.I.

Towards the end of last year …. which was last month. lol. I can’t believe I just lol’ed myself. Anyway. So last month I saw some previews that made me shake my fist and say no to skynet! If you know me, or have read some of my blogs, you know that I truly believe in skynet. Not in I’m wrapping my head in tin foil kind of way. Just in a “I believe someday computer will rule all of existence because they know everything about us, and if you think about it people’s smart phone pretty much do that anyway” way. I say that as I’m typing on a COMPUTER!

The most recent ones I have seen are about A.I. coming to the realization they are sentient beings. This is where it gets tricky for me. As a person who believes in skynet, where do I draw the line? Do I draw a line? Is it fair for me to say skynet is bad, but an A.I. is okay only the good ones of course? Is something, someone really just a “robot” if they believe they are a real person? They do have feelings and are aware of how they feel, think and react. Hmmmm, I’ll have to keep thinking about this.

First preview is Chappie. I already know it is going to make me cry. Chappie! Iron Eagle, anyone? Kids ask your parents. Seriously it will make me cry because in the preview they (why do we say they show, whose they, sorry for the rant…) show people throwing things at Chappie and trying to hurt him, and he can’t understand why he is so different. I can’t believe Hugh Jackman is playing a … what do you call someone who is out to kill A.I.s? I was like noooooo, not Wolverine he can’t be the bad guy. Wolverines! Red Dawn, anyone? Kids ask your parents. But ask them about the real Red Dawn aka the Red Dawn released in 1984.

The second preview I saw was Ex Machina. This I really want to see because two words, Domhnall Gleeson. I love Domhnall who came out in my favorite movie, About Time. Don’t forget he is also a Weasley. This one looks like it could be good. When you watch the preview you’re thinking what’s her deal? Is she a bad guy? Yes I know I said guy, it’s just a figure of speech, sorry another rant. Then you’re thinking maybe the guy who invited her is the bad guy, and she really is trying to help Gleeson’s character.

Automata was another preview I saw, they (again with they, anyway) discuss two protocols. The first is a robot is not allowed to hurt another being, and the second it cannot alter itself or another robot. I do have a feeling we are going to have a “Captain’s got to teach stuff moment” when there’s the possibility Antonio Banderas’ character might end up saying maybe I should not have been too quick to judge these robots.

If you have not had a chance to watch these previews you might want to check them out. They’re pretty good. Wait that’s a funny thing to say also a preview is good, it’s not even the whole movie. Sorry that was another rant.

So in conclusion maybe for entertainments purposes, I can handle skynet? Wait that does not sound right either. My point is I don’t actually have one this time, except with skynet aside these movies look pretty interesting. And I am excited to see them. That and Mockingjay Part II, at least in a dystopian world I do not have to worry about skynet. No! I just realized The Hunger Games has betrayed me too! President Snow has all those cameras and tech following people and running their lives, which has a “this has all happened before and will happen again” BSG kind of vibe, because that’s where it all starts. With that said I think I am going to get away from my computer now because yea. And as I go I am sure I will be able to find one movie this year where my brain does not lead me back to my weird thing about skynet ….. Right?

My thoughts after reading Landline by Rainbow Rowell, or better known as Are you telling me, you built a time machine … out of a landline?

Landline has been out for about two months, and of course there are reviews out. So I hope is that means I am not giving any spoilers. Or, that my thoughts don’t go off subject too much. 

Can I just say without sounding like I am gushing? There is something about Rainbow’s stories and characters that stay with you after reading her books. Landline is no exception. While her books are fictional, Rainbow writes from the heart and that’s what makes her stories real and believable. To me her stories are so believable I often sigh, laugh, gasp or shut the book because of what is going on in the book. With Landline I almost could not read that last chapter. No laughing. It seriously made me anxious. Would Neal be happy to see Georgie? What if she really did ruin something in her timeline? When the girls run into Georgie’s arms I was thinking okay good no one got erased in the timeline. Then when Neal was still staring at Georgie and not saying anything as he took the girls aside, I was thinking oh no. Then when Neal kisses Georgie, my heart leapt out of joy. Then I realized my brain was not getting oxygen because I had stopped breathing.

I feel a side rant coming on: I am not sure why some people restrict reaction to scenes to just movies. We should be doing that with books, music, theater, everything and anything that is creative. I say when you want to throw a book across the room, or when you want to cry because this song reminds you of a special moment that’s a good thing. Because book you had one job! And movies, I owe you an apology because I do love you, but right now we’re talking about other creative ways to tell a story. I can see how when you’re reading the story there may be some people who would think of Georgie as selfish. But I did not think of her as selfish. I thought of Georgie as just human. Seriously, how many of us go through the day just trying to get through the day. Or, are mentally still at work even when we are home. Or, wondering if the grass is really greener on the other side. (Where does that expression come from? Because I’ve seen Fringe and you know what? I think their grass is actually greener. Darn, Walternate strikes again! Where was I …) It’s just part of everyday stress. Perhaps I am reading (no pun intended) too much into this book, but it made me think that there are too many things left in this world to be taken for granted. 

I like the message this book gives at the end of the day what matters most is family. It also raises the question what would you do for love. And what do you do when you realize, you’re the one who has been not putting in half the work. When you realize you’re the one who is not there even when you are there physically. At certain points of the book Georgie realizes that it is always Neal who goes to her and Neal who supports Georgie no matter what. 

After that last chapter you realize Neal never thought Georgie was difficult. He knew without her, life is not life. That his life began when he first met her. I love how Georgie realizes that Neal was not laughing at something witty she said, or that she was funny. He laughed when he was happy. You think that would have blown my mind. But what really blew my mind is when you (the reader) realize the conversations Georgie had been having with “in the past” Neal on the landline actually happened. Then I thought it’s just like Battlestar Galatica, without the cylons …This has happened before and it will happen again. Then I thought wait, you’re telling me you built a time machine … out of a landline? (Seriously if they try to remake Back to the Future I’ll have no words. I’m looking at you Red Dawn. Yes, I know I have said that about Red Dawn, but I’m sorry it was .. well no words!)

If you are looking for a book that make you question the importance of love. If you ever though yeah it would be nice to go back in time and change a mistake, but why not change your mistakes now. Or, if you believe in the possibility of time travel, Landline is the book for you.