Mind Matters Natural and Artificial Intelligence News and Analysis

CategoryScience Fiction

scary-corridor-of-an-old-mental-hospital-stockpack-adobe-sto-789564814-stockpack-adobe_stock
scary corridor of an old mental hospital

Terminator 2, Part 3: John Meets the Robots

At this point, John is on his own because his mother has been placed in a mental institution
The film shows John teaching the Terminator to become more human via the tactic of mimicry, which works as long as it doesn't go too far. Read More ›
a-dumpster-is-sitting-on-the-sidewalk-in-front-of-a-building-892474974-stockpack-adobe_stock
A dumpster is sitting on the sidewalk in front of a building

Terminator 2: The Terminator Becomes the Protector

The transition is uneven and there are hints that James Cameron was subtly mocking his 1984 film
Some plot development choices may have been driven by a sense of the need to tone down the violence a bit. Read More ›
military-robot-and-skulls-of-people-dramatic-apocalypse-super-realistic-concept-rise-of-the-machines-dark-future-3d-rendering-stockpack-adobe-stock
military robot and skulls of people. Dramatic apocalypse super realistic concept. Rise of the Machines. Dark future. 3d rendering.

Terminator 2: A Good Movie That Hates Itself

Why do the screenwriters appear to want to avoid creating fear of the mechanical monster?
The film seems to want to parody its predecessor while also appealing to kids. That’s why John Connor is an inventive young teenager during the story. Read More ›
terminator

The Terminator: In a Crushing Development, He Is Terminated

The movie makes time paradoxes work well enough by keeping things ambiguous

Last Saturday, we saw that Sarah and Kyle were spending the night under a bridge. They’d lost the Terminator for a while, but it’s only a matter of time before he finds them again. They make their way to a hotel and grab a room with a kitchen. Kyle then leaves to buy some supplies. Sarah calls her mother, who is worried, of course, so Sarah gives her the number of the hotel. However, the Terminator has broken into her mother’s home and is impersonating her over the phone. He uses the number to locate the hotel. How did the Terminator find Sarah’s mom? He’d picked up an address book while at Sarah’s apartment. Now, one would think that the Read More ›

dark-alley-with-a-single-street-light-at-night-stockpack-ado-1028460179-stockpack-adobe_stock
Dark alley with a single street light at night

The Terminator: Sarah’s Son Will Save the World

A couple of moments in the film reveal waitress Sarah as the decisive military leader she will later become
The hero’s journey is, at its core, an underdog story. This fact makes female action stars ideal, provided the transition to hero is realistic. Read More ›
war-torn-post-apocalyptic-cityscape-with-dilapidated-buildin-676452446-stockpack-adobe_stock
War-torn, post-apocalyptic cityscape with dilapidated buildings and desolate atmosphere under ominous skies.

Terminator: The Sci-Fi Classic Forty Years On

The best thing about this first movie is that it adheres to the classic view of futuristic robots, cold, callous machines that are bent on one objective
The film doesn’t explain the backstory all in one dump but breaks it up between two scenes and multiple action sequences. Read More ›
extraterrestrial-landscape-alien-planet-in-deep-space-generative-ai-stockpack-adobe-stock
Extraterrestrial landscape, alien planet in deep space, generative AI

Alien: Romulus (2024): Parting Thoughts on the Movie, Franchise

The Alien franchise can still be saved if future writers will at least maintain this latest addition’s quality
In terms of quality, I would rank the series like this: Aliens, Alien, Romulus, Resurrection, Prometheus, Covenant, ice melting, grass growing, and Alien 3. Read More ›
3d-rendered-fantasy-alien-planet-rocks-and-moon-stockpack-adobe-stock
3D rendered fantasy alien planet. Rocks and  moon

Alien: Romulus News Flash: Ripley Didn’t Kill Her First Alien

We learn that the aliens usually don’t intend to eat their prey but to use them to incubate facehugger embryos.
This film makes a serious effort to tie the alien anthology together. Continuity is too often seriously neglected in this modern age of “cinema” Read More ›
shattered-planet-stockpack-adobe-stock-832280546-stockpack-adobe_stock
Shattered Planet

Alien: Romulus: Andy Turns Bad — Thanks to an Old Friend

Ash reappears in the story, a nice touch which reconnects the film to the original
When measuring the significance of a plot hole, we should ask, how does it ultimately affect the story? Some of the ones in Romulus are not deep. Read More ›
lunar-mining-operation-extracts-precious-resources-from-the-609356345-stockpack-adobe_stock
Lunar mining operation extracts precious resources from the Moon surface. Future of space exploration and resource utilization. Generative AI

Alien: Romulus (2024) Wait! This Movie is Actually Good?

A new character, Rain, tries to escape the Weyland Corporation mine in which her parents were killed but the xenomorphs have infiltrated the space station the escapees must board
Romulus is likely harmed at the box office by the fact that the previous two films in the series were terrible. It meets the minimum standard for a quality film Read More ›
desolate-alien-planet-landscape-with-volcanic-eruption-and-stormy-sky-stockpack-adobe-stock
Desolate alien planet landscape with volcanic eruption and stormy sky

Alien Covenant (2017) Could’ve Worked. Here’s How

I am going to boldly go and propose changes to the script so as to make the characters' decisions more natural and plausible
Incoherent cinematic messes are the result of having too many people involved in writing the story. There is no single, coherent vision. Read More ›
extraterrestrial-landscape-alien-planet-in-deep-space-generative-ai-stockpack-adobe-stock
Extraterrestrial landscape, alien planet in deep space, generative AI

Alien: Covenant (2017): All’s Well That Ends Well for the Embryos

Or is it? We find out why David needs to sneak aboard the ship disguised as Walter — but it’s not what we might suspect
The problem with killing the major characters of a film off-screen is that it weakens the audience’s stake in the next installment. Read More ›
abandoned-spaceship-station-digital-art-illustration-generative-ai-stockpack-adobe-stock
abandoned spaceship station, digital art illustration, Generative AI

Alien: Covenant Part 5: Wake up, Daniels! It’s Obviously David!

The evil robot must board the ship again, and must find a way to make sure the alien boards the ship as well
We begin to learn why the alien xenomorphs take varying amounts of time to develop inside a human body before they erupt and kill. Read More ›
dark-alien-planet-landscape-with-lightning-storm-and-rocky-terrain-stockpack-adobe-stock
Dark alien planet landscape with lightning storm and rocky terrain

Alien Covenant (2017): Dr. Frankenstein in Space

David, the robotic sociopath, turns out to have been breeding deadly aliens all this time
One example of the way stupidity appears to drive the plot is that characters who should not trust David seem to do so, with disastrous results. Read More ›
alien-planet-vegetation-fantasy-landscape-digital-painting-background-stockpack-adobe-stock
alien planet vegetation, fantasy landscape, digital painting, background

Alien Covenant (2017): David the Malicious Robot… Returns!

And, just in case we haven’t already suspected, David is lying about what happened to Dr. Shaw
Seeing that the robot is frighteningly apathetic toward the death of one of his crew, Oram demands answers from the faulty machine. Read More ›
desolate-alien-planet-landscape-with-volcanic-eruption-and-stormy-sky-stockpack-adobe-stock
Desolate alien planet landscape with volcanic eruption and stormy sky

Alien: Covenant (2017): When the Prophet Fails

Everybody trudges onto the planet in what amounts to hunting gear and they begin looking for Shaw’s ship...
What’s the point of Daniels being the screenwriters' prophet if the character isn’t going to even try to take any sort of action to prevent a disaster? Read More ›
vibrant-blue-digital-signals-pulse-and-swirl-in-a-mesmerizing-dance-against-a-dark-mysterious-background-evoking-cutting-edge-technology-and-data-transmission-stockpack-adobe-stock
Vibrant blue digital signals pulse and swirl in a mesmerizing dance against a dark, mysterious background, evoking cutting-edge technology and data transmission.

Alien: Covenant (2017): A Story Driven by Stupidity, Coincidence

Nothing seems to happen as the natural result of a character’s choices, consistent with personality and motive
It’s exciting but the audience will likely notice the hands of the writers moving the pieces where they want them to go. Read More ›
an-expedition-to-the-outer-reaches-of-the-galaxy-where-the-void-of-space-gives-way-to-the-beauty-of-distant-nebulae-and-star-clusters-concept-of-cosmic-journey-generative-ai-stockpack-adobe-stock
An expedition to the outer reaches of the galaxy, where the void of space gives way to the beauty of distant nebulae and star clusters. Concept of cosmic journey. Generative Ai.

Prometheus (2012): In the End Did Dr. Shaw Really Learn Anything?

Elizabeth Shaw’s faith has been challenged throughout the film; for example, she learns that aliens, not God, created humanity. But do her responses make sense?
While it’s good that Dr. Shaw manages to maintain her faith throughout her various trials, it's unclear why she continues the quest all alone. Read More ›
view-of-the-earth-on-fire-from-space-flames-wrap-around-the-blue-planet-searing-heat-engulfs-the-world-stockpack-adobe-stock
View of the Earth on fire from space, flames wrap around the blue planet, searing heat engulfs the world

Prometheus (2012): Oops. Our Alien Creators Now Want to Kill Us

What should have been an awful revelation degenerates into what seems like the dumbest scene ever filmed
It’s not even clear how the crew knows that the alien creator wants to destroy humanity, let alone why. Read More ›
photo-of-moon-surface-stockpack-unsplash
photo of moon surface

Prometheus (2012): Don’t Touch the Aliens’ Stuff!

Upon entering what is described as the Engineers’ “temple,” the crew unleashes strange and deadly perils…
After contact with deadly alien chemicals, Dr. Shaw finds herself pregnant with an alien life form and, worse, Fifield returns as a zombie. Read More ›