The AI Doc: or How I Became an Apocaloptimist

Up next in the double feature with my nephew last night was The AI Doc: or How I Became an Apocaloptimist.  I didn't really want to watch this documentary because I already have a lot of existential dread about the topic but my nephew talked me into it and it is probably a good thing that I did.  Award-winning filmmaker Daniel Roher decides to investigate what will happen if, or more likely, when Artificial Intelligence reaches its maximum potential after he learns that he and his wife, filmmaker Caroline Lindy, are expecting because he is nervous about the kind of world his son will inherit.  He interviews several ethicists and critics of A.I., including Tristan Harris, Aza Raskin, and Eliezer Yudkowsky, who all warn that the technology is moving too fast and that it poses a threat on par with global nuclear war.  They also suggest that it is too late to do anything about the impending catastrophe.  These interviews leave Roher feeling incredibly anxious so Lindy urges him to find some hope.  He then interviews other experts who are optimistic about A.I., including Peter Diamandis, Guillaume Verdon, and Ramesh Srinivasin, and they suggest that it has the potential to solve the greatest problems facing humanity by discovering alternative sources of energy, creating scientific and medical breakthroughs, and providing automation to free people from the burdens of labor.  This gives Roher a measure of comfort but then he interviews Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, Dario Amodei, the CEO of Anthropic, and Demis Hassabis, the CEO of Google DeepMind, who are all racing to create Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), which would exceed human intelligence to the point that humans would no longer be needed, because the first company to do so would gain untold money, power, and control.  The documentary concludes with a call to action for people to demand transparency, regulation, and cooperation (which might be impossible with the current geopolitical situation).  Roher's intention is to present a balanced approach to the topic but, in my opinion, the optimism isn't earned because he fails to discuss access.  I have no doubt that A.I. is capable of improving lives (I recently watched the documentary The Thinking Game about how Google DeepMind solved the protein folding problem and its implications for science) but it is almost certain that only the elite will benefit from these discoveries.  He also fails to discuss the economic displacement that automation is sure to cause.  I think Roher is much more successful with his goal to provoke conversations about the topic (my nephew and I discussed it at length) and, even though this is a very difficult watch, these conversations are necessary.

They Will Kill You

Last night my nephew and I had a double feature and we started with They Will Kill You.  Asia Reaves (Zazie Beetz) takes a job as a maid at The Virgil, an exclusive high-rise apartment building in New York City.  She arrives and meets the eccentric building manager Lilith Woodhouse (Patricia Arquette) and, while the building and its wealthy inhabitants seem odd, she soon settles in for the night.  What Asia doesn't know is that The Virgil has been a temple to Satan for the past 100 years and the inhabitants must periodically perform a human sacrifice in return for their immortality.  She is selected for the ritual so Kevin (Tom Felton), Sharon (Heather Graham), Bob (Willie Ludik), Tall Steve (David Viviers), and Short Steve (Gabe Gabriel) attack her in the middle of the night but they are shocked when she is able to defend herself and kill them.  What the inhabitants don't know is that Asia is not who she pretends to be and has come to The Virgil to find her younger sister Maria (Myha'la).  Carnage ensues when Asia is forced to kill the inhabitants over and over again to keep her sister safe until they can escape.  The action sequences are hyper-stylized with a tone that is incredibly surreal and they become more and more unhinged as they go on (even if they do become very repetitive).  The kills are extremely gruesome (one involves a detached and bloody eyeball) but they are really fun to watch (my favorite is when Asia uses a burning ax to kill everyone single-handedly).  Beetz is great as an action star (I find her to be very compelling) but, when she isn't punching, kicking, stabbing, crawling, and climbing her way out of secret passages and locked rooms, she shows a lot of emotion as a someone trying to make amends for past mistakes.  There are flaws but it is entertaining and I really dug it.

King James at PTC

I have been a sports fan for almost all of my life and I have seen first-hand how the collective experience of cheering for a team can connect people so, needless to say, I have been anticipating PTC's production of King James ever since the 2025-2026 season was announced. I finally had the chance to see it last night and I really loved it! Matt (Eli Mayer) and Shawn (Khiry Walker) first meet during LeBron James' rookie season with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Matt is trying to sell the remaining games in the season package he has had with his father for decades in order to pay off some debts. Shawn hears about the tickets from a mutual friend and meets Matt at the wine bar where he works because he promised himself he would start going to games once he had some disposable income. Even though they are very different people with different backgrounds and goals for the future, they become close friends over their shared love of the Cavaliers and LeBron James. The ups and downs of their friendship seem to mimic the trajectory of James' career from his decision to take his talents to South Beach in 2010 to his return to Cleveland in 2014 and, finally, to his dramatic win over the Golden State Warriors for the Championship in 2016. Their discussions about the team often become the catalyst for more poignant and sometimes contentious conversations about love, loss, disappointment, success, failure, economic status, and race. Through it all, the two of them bond as they risk their emotional well-being on the outcome of an athletic competition (this line got a huge laugh) and to say that I could relate would be an understatement! I found the message that sports can bring people together to be incredibly moving because, even though my dad and I sometimes disagreed, we always found common ground in our love for hockey! Both Mayer and Walker are very compelling (my attention never wavered in a play that is very dialogue-heavy) and their performances are entirely believable because they have the easy back-and-forth rhythm that two people who have been friends for more than a decade would have. The more intimate Meldrum Theatre is perfect for this piece because it feels like you are right there in the bar overhearing a conversation between two fans after a game. The sets and costumes (I loved the #23 jerseys) are simple but effective and I loved the use of a buzzer at the end of each scene (the play is structured like a basketball game with four "quarters" and a "halftime" between the second and third). Finally, there are a lot of fun references that Cavs fans and basketball fans in general will pick up on but I think the show is accessible to everyone because it is ultimately about friendship. I highly recommend this production with the caveat that it does contain strong language. The run continues in the Meldrum Theatre through April 4 (go here for tickets).

Ben-Hur

There are just some movies that demand to be seen on the big screen and, in my opinion, Ben-Hur is one of them (I also put Lawrence of Arabia in this category because I always fall asleep when I watch it at home but when I see it on the big screen I am riveted). I was able to see this epic movie as it was meant to be seen yesterday afternoon as part of the Fathom's Big Screen Classics series and it was absolutely exhilarating!  Messala (Stephen Boyd) returns home to Jerusalem as the new Roman tribune and has a joyous reunion with his childhood friend Judah Ben-Hur (Charlton Heston), a wealthy and influential prince.  Messala asks Judah to help quell the rebellion that is brewing in Jerusalem but they soon quarrel when Judah refuses to spy on his people.  During a military parade, a tile falls from Judah's house injuring the new governor and Judah, his mother Miriam (Martha Scott), and his sister Tirzah (Cathy Donnell) are arrested. Wanting to curry favor with the governor, Messala condemns him as a galley slave and imprisons his family so Judah vows to return and exact vengeance.  After several years, a Roman consul named Quitus Arrius (Jack Hawkins) is assigned to Judah's ship and notices his will to live.  Arrius has Judah's chains unlocked just before a battle which allows him to escape from the sinking ship as well as rescue him.  In gratitude, Arrius takes Judah to Rome where he learns to drive a chariot and soon becomes a champion.  Eventually, Judah returns to Jerusalem and challenges Messala to an epic chariot race.  A parallel story involves the birth, ministry, and crucifixion of Jesus Christ and two brief but meaningful encounters between them allow Judah to forgive the Romans for what they have done to him and his family.  This movie is a spectacle in every sense of the word with a scope and grandeur that makes seeing it on the big screen an incredible experience!  It had the biggest budget of any movie up to that point with thousands of extras, horses, and costumes and a crew of 200 who built over 300 sets.  It was the highest grossing movie of 1959 and won 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director for William Wyler, and Best Actor for Charlton Heston.  I think the message is a bit heavy-handed and the final 30 minutes are strangely anticlimactic, despite the subject matter, after the build-up to the chariot race.  However, the runtime is worth it for this race alone because it is one of the most intense action sequences ever filmed (and it definitely holds up after more than 60 years).  I also really enjoyed the naval battle and Judah's subsequent escape from the sinking ship as well as the battle of wills between Judah and Arrius when the latter orders the slaves to row faster and faster.  I had a lot of fun seeing this with a big crowd of cinephiles and I highly recommend getting a ticket while it is back in theaters (go here for the remaining dates and times).

Father of the Bride at Parker Theatre

I love the 1950 movie Father of the Bride starring Spencer Tracy and Elizabeth Taylor (I also love the 1991 remake with Steve Martin and Kimberly Williams) so I was really looking forward to Caroline Francke's stage adaptation of Edward Streeter's novel (which inspired the movie) at Parker Theatre last night. It is incredibly funny and heartwarming! Kay Banks (Emma Widfeldt) turns her household upside down when she casually announces to her family, including her father Stanley (Michael Hohl), her mother Ellie (Hillary McChesney), and her brothers Ben (Truman Schipper) and Tommy (Jago Parker), that she is engaged to Buckley Dunstan (Brock Harris). Kay says that she wants a small wedding but it soon spirals out of control and Buckley is plagued with nerves and Stanley is stressed by the cost (and by the thought of losing his daughter). Mayhem ensues until Kay is able to calm Buckley down and convince her father that she is no longer a child and is ready to leave the nest. I was laughing out loud through the whole show, especially in a scene in which Stanley's secretary Miss Bellamy (Catherine Bohman) dramatically resigns in frustration when every member of the family secretly adds to the guest list and a scene in which the eccentric and flamboyant caterer Mr. Missoula (Lorin Bruns) tries to get Stanley to pick a wedding cake. I also loved the physical comedy as the caterers (Bruns and Brian Douros), florist (Nathan Chelf), dressmaker (Juliet Wendels), and furniture movers (Mitchell Wardell and Tara Berrett) cause pandemonium in the Banks house as the maid Delilah (Luana Parkes) tries to clean and the family tries to get ready one hour before the wedding. The entire cast does a great job but Hohl really carries the show! He is hilariously overwrought as the size and cost of the wedding keep increasing but he is also gives an emotional performance as an overprotective father struggling to adapt to his daughter's transition to adulthood (the scene before they leave for the wedding is especially poignant). All of the action takes place in one location, the Banks's living and dining room, and I was really impressed by the attention to detail with glimpses of other rooms as characters exit to the wings. I also loved the addition of props as the house becomes inundated by wedding preparations and presents. The period costumes are gorgeous (I really like the 1950s silhouette), particularly the tuxedos and dresses for the wedding, and there is a fun detail involving Kay's shoes so pay attention! This is a delightful show and fans of the movies are sure to love it (go here for tickets). Performances are on Fridays and Saturdays through May 2.