Ex Machina
Nathan, played by Oscar Isaac, is the tech titan gazillionaire genius who created Blue Book (the most used search engine on the planet) when he was thirteen. His mountains of money and detailed planning have helped him build a secluded, state-of-the-art home/research facility which is revealed in long, slow, silent shots. It's cold, dark and filled with hard, sharp surfaces. It's also the perfect place for Nathan to work on his pet project - artificial intelligence.
He's ready to test his latest version, Ava (Alicia Vikander), to determine if her mind is indistinguishable from a human. So Nathan personally selects an earnest programer from the ranks of Blue Book to come engage in a series of sessions with Ava. Caleb (Domhnall Gleeson) interviews Ava in her glass cell while Nathan watches from his video surveillance control room.
It's a more complicated, mental version of Deep Blue playing Garry Kasparov for the grandmaster title. Only in this game of chess, there are three players instead of two. Nathan's doesn't think he's playing the game. He created the rules and set the game in motion, but sees himself more as the referee and spectator. When asked why Nathan did this, he simply responds with, "Wouldn't you, if you could?"
But the stakes are survival for the brilliant, seductive sentient robot and the young, smart examiner. They quickly drag Nathan into the game. The story is filled with tension and suspense, as we try to figure out who knows what, who trusts who, who is working with who, and most importantly, what's the next move.
Surprising Overlap in Ex Machina and Annie
Who knew there was so much common ground between Ex Machina and Annie?
Red Rock Canyon Marathon
Running Red Rock Canyon in 2008
My wife and I were on a trip to Las Vegas in the spring of 2008 when we heard about the breathtaking views of Red Rock Canyon and decided to explore it. The main drive through the park is a 13-mile horseshoe. I was training for the Potomac River Run (#3 below), so I saw this as an opportunity for a memorable long training run. Gina took the car and her camera, drove ahead, parked, hiked and snapped some pictures while I ran to where she parked and refueled on water and nutrition. We repeated that leap frog approach for the full loop.
During that run, I learned that the road runs uphill to the summit overlook which is about 5 miles in and at an elevation of 4,771. The view is stunning, but the climb is relentless. I registered for this marathon in 2014, but a patellofemoral syndrome injury prevented me from actually running it.
With a small field of runners and no spectators, this race pushes the boundaries of endurance physically and mentally. Marathon Maniacs and 50 Staters comprised many of my fellow runners as well as a few locals who love Calico Racing and their well organized events. I finished 53rd out of 103 finishers with a time of 4:38.
This made number 11 on my 50 in 50 states journey.