10 Box Office Hit Movies Featuring Artificial Intelligence
1. Ex Machina¶
"Ex Machina" is a 2015 British science fiction thriller written and directed by Alex Garland, marking his directorial debut, starring Domhnall Gleeson, Alicia Vikander, and Oscar Isaac. The film premiered in the UK and the US on January 21 and April 10, 2015, respectively. It was nominated for the Best Original Screenplay and Best Visual Effects at the 88th Academy Awards, winning the award for Best Visual Effects.
Rating: 8/10;
2. A.I. Artificial Intelligence¶
"A.I. Artificial Intelligence" is a science fiction film directed by Steven Spielberg, with Stanley Kubrick involved in its production. In 1982, the film master Stanley Kubrick acquired the rights to "A.I." but temporarily shelved it due to the limitations of film technology at the time. In 1993, the success of Spielberg's "Jurassic Park" prompted Kubrick to adapt the script based on Brian Aldiss's short story "Super-Toys Last All Summer Long" and discuss it with Spielberg, commissioning Industrial Light & Magic to design the special effects. In 1999, Kubrick unexpectedly passed away, and Spielberg announced his filming plans in early 2000, bringing this unfinished work of his late friend to the screen in 2001. The film utilized the latest "real-time 3D computer game engine" system and "On-Set Visualization" technology at the time.
Rating: 9/10;
3. Metropolis¶
"Metropolis" is a German expressionist science fiction silent film directed by Fritz Lang, and it is one of the most important works in film history, premiering in Berlin on January 10, 1927. The film had a production cost of five million Reichsmarks, making it the most expensive silent film ever made. In 2001, it was listed as a World Memory project by UNESCO.
Rating: 8/10;
4. I, Robot¶
"I, Robot" is a 2004 American neo-noir dystopian science fiction action film directed by Alex Proyas. The screenplay was written by Jeff Vintar and Akiva Goldsman, based loosely on Isaac Asimov's short stories. The film stars Will Smith, Bridget Moynahan, Bruce Greenwood, James Cromwell, Chi McBride, Alan Tudyk, and Shia LaBeouf. The film was released in North America on July 16, 2004, and in Australia and the UK on July 22 and August 6, respectively, with releases in other countries from July to October. "I, Robot" had a production budget of $120 million and grossed $144 million domestically and $246 million internationally, totaling $346 million worldwide.
Rating: 7/10;
5. The Matrix¶
"The Matrix" is a 1999 Hollywood science fiction film directed by the Wachowski sisters, starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, and Hugo Weaving, with martial arts direction by Yuen Woo-ping from Hong Kong. The film is known for its philosophical and Christian elements as well as its bullet time special effects and computer-generated imagery, achieving high box office success worldwide. In 2003, it released sequels "The Matrix Reloaded" and "The Matrix Revolutions," and in 2019, a 4K restoration version was released to celebrate the film's 20th anniversary.
Rating: 8/10;
6. The Terminator¶
"The Terminator" is a 1984 American science fiction action film directed by James Cameron, produced by Gale Anne Hurd, and co-written by Cameron, Hurd, and William Wisher Jr. The film stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Michael Biehn, and Linda Hamilton. The film was produced by Hemdale Film Corporation and distributed by Orion Pictures, primarily filmed in Los Angeles. Schwarzenegger plays a cybernetic assassin known as the "Terminator," who travels back from 2029 to 1984 to kill Sarah Connor, played by Hamilton. Biehn plays a human soldier who also travels back to protect Sarah.
Rating: 9/10;
7. Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery¶
"Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery" is a 1997 American comedy film directed by Jay Roach, and it is the first film in the entire series. The plot is a parody and exaggeration of several 007 films from the early 1960s. The film's producer and screenwriter Mike Myers stars as Austin Powers and his main antagonist, Dr. Evil. Other cast members include Elizabeth Hurley, Robert Wagner, Seth Green, and Michael York.
Rating: 7/10;
8. Blade Runner¶
"Blade Runner" is a 1982 American neo-noir dystopian science fiction film directed by Ridley Scott, starring Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young, and Edward James Olmos. The screenplay was written by Hampton Fancher and David Peoples, adapted from Philip K. Dick's 1968 novel "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?". The film depicts a dystopian Los Angeles where large corporations produce genetically engineered organic robots known as replicants, which are used for dangerous, degrading, or entertainment work in off-world colonies. Special police known as "blade runners" are responsible for hunting down and "retiring" (i.e., killing) rogue replicants who have returned to Earth. The main plot focuses on retired blade runner Rick Deckard, who reluctantly takes on a mission to track down a group of replicants that have recently rebelled and returned to Earth. During his investigation, he develops a relationship with an advanced model replicant named Rachael, leading him to question the differences between humans and replicants.
Rating: 10/10;
9. The Machine¶
This film stars Katie Lofts from "Death Pact," Toby Stephens from "007: Die Another Day," and Dennis Lawson from "The Last Jedi." It won the Best Film award at the 2013 British Academy of Film and Television Arts.
Two computer engineers create a machine with artificial intelligence to solve human problems, but the Department of Defense steals the invention and uses it as a new type of automated weapon. The bioengineered human evolves into a machine with independent thought, and it will expose the Department of Defense's conspiracy to save humanity from a bio-crisis.
Rating: 8/10;
10. Her¶
"Her" is a 2013 American science fiction romantic drama film directed, written, and produced by Spike Jonze. It is Jonze's first solo screenplay. The film tells the story of Theodore Twombly (played by Joaquin Phoenix), who develops a romantic relationship with an anthropomorphized female voice artificial intelligence virtual assistant named Samantha (voiced by Scarlett Johansson). The film also stars Amy Adams, Rooney Mara, and Olivia Wilde.
In the early 2000s, Jonze conceived the idea for the film after reading an article about websites using artificial intelligence programs for instant messaging. After completing a short film with a similar theme, Jonze revisited the idea. He spent five months writing the first draft of the screenplay. Principal photography took place in mid-2012 in Los Angeles and Shanghai. The character of Samantha was originally voiced by Samantha Morton, but she was replaced by Johansson during post-production, with additional scenes filmed in August 2013.
Rating: 7/10;
