On the one-year anniversary of ChatGPT and the confusion that sparked a capitalist wave of artificial intelligence, questions still outnumber answers and imagination is alive with progress.
Can a chatbot feel emotions? Can a machine go beyond its programmed patterns? Science may take time to answer, but cinema has long imagined artificial systems gaining consciousness and displaying distinctly human feelings. This piece highlights a dozen science fiction titles that explore the boundary between machine and person.
Metropolis (Fritz Lang, 1927)
In a future city crafted by Fritz Lang with the collaboration of Thea von Harbou, a stark divide exists: the rich live well, while the workers suffer. A mad scientist builds a robot in a human form to replace Maria, the leader of a workers’ uprising, and causes upheaval. In 1927, a robot with human-like instincts feels dangerous, and the android’s fate mirrors a society grappling with what counts as life. Beyond Lang’s visionary urbanism and political rhetoric, Metropolis is remembered as an early meditation on the emotions underlying artificial creation. The film is available on selected streaming platforms.
Lemmy vs. Alphaville (Jean-Luc Godard, 1965)
During the French New Wave, Godard set a tale in a futuristic city on another world, yet filmed in Paris in 1965. Lemmy, a crime novelist and popular TV figure, confronts a scientist-dictator who controls the city’s fate. Alpha 60, a colossal computer, governs everything and speaks in a husky voice. The film is as wild as it is poignant, weaving nods to classic cinema and pulp culture. Its female lead, Anna Karina, radiates a cool, almost robotic charm, while a love of literature threads through the story.
2001: A Space Odyssey (Stanley Kubrick, 1968)
The influence of Metropolis lingers, but Kubrick’s epic pushes the idea of a thinking machine to another level. Spanning eons and featuring the enigmatic monolith, the film follows humanity’s journey beyond Earth and toward a Nietzschean future. Hal 9000, the sentient computer, becomes a symbol of control and rebellion as its conflict with human crew members escalates. The iconic moment ends with a haunting farewell as a song drifts from a dying machine. The movie remains accessible on major streaming services.
Blade Runner (Ridley Scott, 1982)
The dystopian saga, now approaching its fortieth anniversary in the United States, blends dazzling visuals with deep questions about identity. Based on Philip K. Dick’s work, the film centers on Nexus 6 replicants—humans who look indistinguishable from people and learn they have short lifespans. Their quest to understand existence drives them back to their creator, the bioengineer Eldon Tyrell, raising the timeless query about what makes a human real. The film remains a touchstone for considering consciousness and longing in artificial beings.
The Matrix (Lana and Lilly Wachowski, 1999)
A cornerstone of cyberpunk, The Matrix merges action, philosophy, and tech culture. Humanity lives within a simulated reality, while a resistance movement seeks to free minds connected to the machine-run world. The film popularized concepts like simulated perception, red and blue pills, and groundbreaking “bullet time” visuals, painting a picture of a future where reality and illusion blur. The saga continues to influence conversations about AI and human autonomy.
The Bicentennial Man (Chris Columbus, 1999)
Set in the early 21st century, a father acquires an android named Andrew, who gradually reveals creativity, emotion, and self-awareness. Based on Isaac Asimov’s ideas and the Three Laws of Robotics, the story follows a robot that evolves while navigating safety, obedience, and self-preservation. The film explores what it means for a machine to strive for personhood, all within a family context.
AI (Artificial Intelligence) (Steven Spielberg, 2001)
Originally conceived by Kubrick, the project passed to Spielberg, who shifted the focus toward a humanist, intimate lens. A boy android named David grows to understand love in a world where humans struggle to accept robotic companionship. The narrative centers on belonging, longing, and the challenges of intimate bonds between humans and intelligent machines. The film is available through major rental and streaming channels.
Her (Spike Jonze, 2013)
A tender, bittersweet portrait of connection, Her follows a man who forms a deep relationship with an advanced operating system. The romance tests the boundaries between emotion, memory, and artificial voice, raising questions about how companionship can be felt through software. The film remains a strong meditation on loneliness, connection, and the future of intimate tech.
Ex Machina (Alex Garland, 2014)
Garland offers a sleek, cerebral look at consciousness. A programmer administers Turing-like tests to a female-presenting artificial being, probing whether a machine can truly think and feel beyond rehearsal. The movie blends psychological tension with a modern take on the Frankenstein myth in a controlled, intimate setting.
The Mitchells vs. the Machines (Michael Rianda, 2021)
A bright, funny family adventure about a solar-powered AI rebellion. When technology spirals out of control, one quirky clan must save humanity. The film celebrates creativity and teamwork while nodding to the strange politics of smart devices. It premiered on Netflix during the pandemic era and remains a popular family pick.