Trailers In Short - Brains Don't Work That Way Edition

So many Go To's in science fiction fantasy. Among them is the magic of the human mind. It can do anything. Get Uploaded. Get Downloaded. Time Travel. Make Heads Explode.

So let's look at some new movies that take up two of these tropes. Lucy and Transcendence.


Lucy



Hey, it's Johansson in a solo superheroish movie...but still not a Black Widow movie.

So she gets infused with some magic drug, and becomes super focused and agile. Okay. It makes you think she might be super cool spy type for the movie. Then it gets weirder.

She starts warping reality, hacking the Matrix, and discovers that Love really is a dirty word (Maybe not the last one.) ...And all because, we all only ever use 10% of our brains. Sigh. We actually use all of our brain. We may not look like it, but we are making full use of our noggins. We don't have secret super powers locked away, like were video game characters. It's so silly. I know it's a trope, but it's a trope that used to sell people on stupid ideas and products in the real world.

That is just not how our bodies work...

Anyway, while she has amazing new perceptions, an altered brain, and world altering powers, she's still focused on getting at the people who did it all to her. Think bigger.

But, hey, Morgan Freeman's there to mentor her along the way. That's requisite these days, right?


...Speaking of Morgan Freeman...


Transcendence



Johnny Depp gets uploaded onto the Internet.

Apparently, if you try and copy a person, it works fine. Imagine that, it's ALL there? Memories? Sure. But, psychology? And what about all those other different aspects that make up the mind? It would be a perfect replica?

Better yet, would it be you? Sure, why not? Shame on you for doubting it! Blasphemer!

But better, once you are Of The Internet, you get superpowers. You get to be superior, or better.

It's a movie that feels like a bad movie. It's a shame, much of this feels like it is an over long episode of The Outer Limits (the 90's version). The 60% of that show about people being afraid of technology, rightly or wrongly. It would be interesting if this movie looked at what makes one human or something else. What is gained or lost in "transcendence". It could be a fascinating topic.

But movie producers are a little leery of that stuff. More boom, less hmm.

But, hey, at least you get some fanatical Luddites as a counterpoint to the technology questions!