It seems like it’s useless to wait for winter this year, so we’ve thrown all our energy into waiting for the new Russian thriller “On and Her,” starring Julia Peresild, and also featuring your favorite… The island! Are you serious? Absolutely!
In the story, a talented developer decides to spend a vacation in Phuket in a luxury house where everything is controlled by artificial intelligence Marcus. What could possibly go wrong? Ha. Ha.Ha.
To warm you up before the release of the film and immerse you in the context, we have made a selection of films and TV series about such complex relationships between artificial intelligence and humans around the world, from the streets of Manhattan to the forests of Slovakia.
Content
- “Inside”
- “Tau”
- “Secret enemy”
- “In isolation”
- “Mr. Robot”, season 2, episode 1
- “Predecessor”, episode 4
- “House”
- “My uncle”
A smart home is convenient. The idea of controlling light, temperature, cameras, and music directly from your phone, through a smart speaker, or using your voice is quite tempting. Usually, the worst thing that can happen is a system failure when your commands are not perceived, and the voice assistant mistakenly turns on Britney Spears when you asked for Tears for Fears.
What if the smart home is hostile towards the owner? Or does he understand the concept of security in his own way? Or if someone hacks into your system and takes control of everything?
The idea of controlling lights, temperatures, security cameras, and music directly from your phone, through a smart speaker, or using your voice is quite tempting. Photo: a frame from the film On and Ona, directed by Evgeny Korchagin
“Inside” (2023)
- How much is coming: 1 hour 45 min.
- Location of the action:The plot is based on New York, USA, and filming took place in a studio in Cologne, Germany.
- About what:A thief finds himself trapped in a New York penthouse due to a smart home security system. He has only works of art, his own ingenuity and a lot of time to survive.
The main character, Nemo the thief, played by Willem Dafoe, does not have time to escape from the crime scene with valuable portraits of Egon Schiele — the apartment of the architect and Pritzker Prize winner is designed in such a way that escape becomes as difficult as breaking in.
The role of Nemo the thief was played by Willem Dafoe. Photo: Denis Makarenko/Shutterstock.com
Since the owner is on a business trip, the smart home has turned off the water, and due to a malfunction of the home climate control, the temperature is constantly jumping – from unbearable heat to merciless cold. There is only caviar, truffle sauce and alcohol in the fridge (a starter pack for survival), and the Macarena track from Los del Rio is included as a reminder to close the refrigerator door. This system is not self-aware, like the sinister HAL 9000 from the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey. Nevertheless, Stanley Kubrick would say that he warned not to give the house keys to the voice assistant.
Finding a way out through a window on the ceiling prompts Nemo to build a rickety tower of furniture and works of art, in the process barbarously reinterpreting objects that would make designers cry. Gallery owner Leonardo Bigazzi carefully chose the works that adorn the walls of the penthouse: here you can see a bright composition by Amalia Pica, a photo by Maurizio Cattelan, neon statements by David Horwitz.
By the way, the view of New York is fake and the apartment doesn’t really exist – filming took place at a studio in Cologne, which is famous for the highest ceilings of all the pavilions in Europe. Production designer Torsten Zabel said that the penthouse was supposed to embody the image of a giant birdcage made of glass and cement — a place where capitalism meets brutality.
Did you know
that you can book hotels and apartments abroad on the Island and pay for it with a Russian card? There is nothing easier! As usual, you choose an option, even in Cologne, with payment on the website and in the application, enter the data or use the card saved in your personal account — and voila, they will be waiting for you.
One of the advantages: you won’t have to pay in cash upon check—in, keep in mind that this amount should be added to the vacation budget, and it’s not the fact that the exchange rate won’t change and the amount won’t increase at the time of arrival – it’s generally unpleasant, we don’t recommend it!
“Tau” (2018)
- How much is coming: 1 hour 37 min.
- Location of the action:According to the plot, the place of events is unknown, but the picture was shot in Belgrade, Serbia.
- About this: A fanatical scientist kidnaps a girl and keeps her in a house controlled by artificial intelligence. To escape, she starts a relationship with Tau’s computer and tries to gain his trust.
A rare example of a film from the series “smart home is getting out of control” — here artificial intelligence (AI) is not the master of the situation, but learns everything through interaction with humans.
Alex, who is obsessed with cleanliness and order, lives in a futuristic house, and has developed an AI model based on emotional intelligence algorithms that mimics human consciousness. As we will soon realize, Tau, the glowing red triangle on the wall that received the voice of Gary Oldman, is not a true villain, he only follows orders, and cooking and cleaning are not the only functions of a smart home.
Julia, abducted by Alex, becomes a teacher for AI. The scientist leaves them alone every day so that the girl can fill in the gaps in the technological masterpiece. But Julia manipulates Tau’s programmed need to understand everything that is said to him in order to create a strong ally who will help her escape.
The house where the events of the film take place was specially built for filming at the studio in Belgrade and designed taking into account the concept of future technologies. A huge equipped kitchen, a soundproof bathroom and laconic furniture add a touch of hygge to the interior. When you look at the surroundings of the house, you involuntarily catch yourself thinking: “Okay, maybe I wouldn’t mind staying here. Just let the owner be away.”
Starring: Maika Monroe and Ed Skrein. Photo: DFree & Featureflash Photo Agency/Shutterstock.com
“The Secret Enemy” (2018)
- How much is coming: 1 hour 48 min.
- Location: Tatra Mountains, Slovakia and Prague, Czech Republic.
- About what:A married couple is testing a prototype of a smart home. However, the idyll surrounded by modern technology soon turns into a nightmare.
- Where to watch: Kinopoisk.
A smart home development company assigns Andrey to test the project before launching. Together with his wife, Zuzana, he goes to a glass and stone villa with a picturesque view in the Slovak wilderness. The house is controlled by voice, and the virtual assistant calls himself Alfred. He promises to provide residents with maximum comfort and 100% safety.
Andrey strives to introduce a bonus into the software — caring for Zuzana and the ability to guess her desires. This becomes a test of both the house itself and its inhabitants. Among other things, viewers will have to find the answer to the question of whether a relationship with artificial intelligence can be considered treason.
Director Karel Janak said that for filming he was looking for an ultramodern house, standing in seclusion and producing a rather intimidating effect. The choice fell on a house in Prague, in the center of a residential complex, so the privacy that is broadcast in the film is just an illusion. Full-scale and exterior filming took place in the Tatras.
“Secret Enemy” was filmed in the Tatras, Slovakia. Photo: Mazur Travel/Shutterstock.com
“In Isolation” (2015)
- How much is coming: 1 hour 41 min.
- Location of the action:Campbell River, Canada.
- About what:Two sisters are fighting for survival in a remote country house after a power outage across the continent.
At first, the sisters Nell and Eva, along with their father, feel quite comfortable in a smart home in the forests of British Columbia: they have a generator, plenty of food and fresh rainwater. At the same time, all three are very dependent on technology: the first scene shows that the house is fully illuminated, music is playing, and the futuristic design of electronic devices emphasizes that events are taking place in the near future.
A frame from the film “In Isolation”, directed by Patricia Rozema. Photo: IMDb
The film makes you wonder: what will happen to a smart home when the power goes out? And what will happen to the tenants? It turns out that the failure of electricity and the disappearance of modern technology are themselves the engine of the plot. Accepting the fact that it will never be the same again turns out to be the beginning of a forced rethinking of their place in the world, their relationship with earth, home, and each other.
The Pacific Northwest is considered one of the most picturesque regions of the United States, the picture was shot in British Columbia, where majestic mountain ranges rise, the forest is particularly lush, and the river is crystal clear: the landscapes of the Campbell River became the backdrop for intense scenes.
Campbell River, Canada is the backdrop for the tense scenes of the film “In Isolation”. Photo: Steve Heap/Shutterstock.com
“Mr. Robot”, 2016 (Season 2, episode 1)
- How much is coming: 45 min.
- Location of the action: New York, USA.
- About:hackers break into the smart home of the general counsel of the Evil Corporation. Effective.
It was just one scene in an episode of an exciting series, but it played out like a mini-movie that started the second season. Hackers from fsociety come up with a plan to scare E Corp’s general counsel, Susan Jacobs, by hacking into her smart home and wreaking havoc.
Susan returns home after a jog in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village and discovers numerous system failures. The difficulty of disabling the alarm system, the projector suddenly going down, light outages, scalding water in the shower, a sudden cold snap in the apartment, a cacophony of sounds from all working devices, and other misfortunes. Despite her best efforts to take control of the situation, she has no choice but to pack her things and leave.
The loft—style townhouse itself is a real place in the heart of Soho. The five-story building with a view of the city and a huge indoor pool, by the way, can also be seen in the TV series “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” and Beyoncé’s video for the song Halo.
The main role was played by Rami Malek. Photo: PROMA1/Shutterstock.com
“The Predecessor”, 2021 (mini-series)
- Running time: 4 hours (4 episodes of 60 minutes each).
- Location of the action:The plot is based on London, but filming took place in Bristol, UK.
- About what:Having been given the opportunity to move into a minimalistic smart home, the girl begins to doubt whether she will repeat the fate of the previous tenant. The actions of the smart home will only confirm her fears.
The austere London house in the prestigious Hampstead neighborhood serves as both a haven and a prison for the main characters, reflecting themes of control, obsession, and the dark side of the pursuit of perfection.
The seamless integration of technology into everyday life initially seems attractive and futuristic. However, the functionality of a smart home goes beyond simple convenience — it collects data on the behavior, preferences and daily routine of residents. The house begins to influence the mood and decisions that they make: the system begins to push for a certain lifestyle choice, which once again prompts us to think about free will and the ethical aspect of living in a house with AI.
Viewers who, after watching the series, wanted to visit the house where the events take place were disappointed — the building was erected in a Bristol studio. Most of the scenes inside the smart home were shot in specially constructed sets, and the exterior was shot separately, on one of the streets of Bristol.
To create a house that acts as the fourth character, production designer John Henson turned to minimalistic Japanese architecture. In Japan, slatted wood is often used in construction, and Henson decided to make a spectacular facade of the house from thousands of wooden slats, which the team painted silver. It really looks like a prison!
The prestigious Hampstead area in London. Photo: BBA Photography/Shutterstock.com
“House” (2021)
- Running time: 1 hour and 30 minutes
- Location of the action: Durham, Sweden.
- About: a journalist and his wife go to a smart home on the Baltic Sea coast, where their relationship will take place (or not?) the most difficult test of strength — as we remember, jokes with AI are bad …
In the reality of the movie, the political situation in the country continues to escalate due to the alleged terrorist attack, and the smart home is gaining more and more independence, manipulating the couple’s feelings and pitting the spouses against each other.
While Johann is still torn between his love for Lucia and the feeling that she betrayed him, Dom takes the reins of power into his own hands. Those who are familiar with David Fincher’s film “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” will surely remember this amazing building — filming took place here.
Architect John Robert Nilsson reflected the beauty of minimalism in Swedish house design, blurring the line between nature and architecture. He combined the purity of shapes and lines, the tenderness of white color and the naturalness of natural wood.
7 locations for film tourism
Camera, motor! In Oh!The blog talked about set-jetting — traveling to the filming locations of cult films, and advised where to go for film impressions.
“My Uncle” (1958)
- How much is coming: 1 hour 56 min.
- Location of the action:The plot is Paris, France, but in reality it’s Nice and Joinville.
- About what:A smart home is the pride of Hulot’s sister and her husband. However, their little son is bored to death in this automated, sterile environment. Fortunately, the clumsy and charming uncle agrees with him.
Probably the sweetest and most comedic interpretation of a smart home on the screen from this collection. The fact is that director Jacques Tati (it was to his 1967 film “Entertainment Time” that you can see many architectural and interior references in the TV series “Separation”) in his first color film spoke about the consumer society in post-war France and the widespread fascination with modern architecture. Jacques himself played the role of Uncle Hulot.
It quickly becomes clear that the main goal of the hero’s sister’s house is status, not comfort. Residents are increasingly adapting to it, and soon technology begins to control their lifestyle, dictating its own rules.
The villa of the Arpel family is a striking example of modernism located in the suburbs of Paris. In contrast, the house where Hulot himself lives is one of the crumbling stone buildings in the old part of the city. When creating this particular piece, Tati was inspired by the uncomplicated and simple streets of Joinville. Although most of the film, which includes the interior and exterior of the villa, was shot at a studio in Nice, the opening credits of the picture contain an image of a brick wall on which “My Uncle” is scrawled in chalk — this is a real place in Joinville.
Replica of a villa from the movie “My Uncle”. Photo: Jean-Christophe BENOIST./Creative Commons
So, is there a candidate for the role of the film for the evening? And the location for the next trip? Okay, okay, not all at once! To get started, you can take a look at our Telegram channel and participate in the ticket draw for the pre-premiere screening of the film “On and Her” with Julia Peresild and the Island. Let’s remind you that the official premiere is already on February 13th!
Cover photo generated in Firefly
