This reaction is one that means a lot to me, as it comes from quite a few talents that I have known over the years including producer Aaron B. Koontz from Austin along with Midnight Madness at Toronto International Film Festival’s very own Peter Kuplowsky. As soon as I heard these names had a movie in the festival, I went to the very first screening to check it out.
ABOUT: A small team of special agents discovers a revolutionary computer program that uses a digital child to catch online predators. After teaming up with the program’s troubled developer, they soon find that the AI’s inevitable advancement is far more rapid and incalculable than they could have imagined, posing unforeseen challenges and unsettling consequences for the future of technology and mankind.
JASON’S REACTION: Told over a three act structure, the indie THE ARTIFICE GIRL may start to earn some comparisons to the recent release M3GAN in where artificial intelligence is being used to simulate a child. The creator (Franklin Ritch) is at first under investigation for this, but more is revealed in the next few acts and a girl who is assimilated into AI and there’s much more going on here. The lead in the movie is Tatum Matthews as the girl who is simply outstanding; l I am always fascinated by child actors and in this case it is simply amazing to watch what we think is an artificial creation figuratively and literally come to life. There’s an extended sequence where we simply just watch her on a screen and even I was fooled that she was real with her mannerisms and perfect dialogue. I also loved how he has a low budget but works well with the light effects and setting to create something more ominous. As of right now the picture is with XYZ Films and is currently up for grabs, and even though only Lance Henriksen (in a crucial role in the final act) is the notable name, don’t miss this one if it comes to your festival or if it gets out in release.
This film and many others like it will be showing at South By Southwest taking place March 10-19. For more information point your browser to www.sxsw.com!