Automata

Right now you can watch Automata in the US on Amazon Prime Video and The CW — and it goes further with its ideas than most genre entertainment bothers to. It says what it needs to say in one sitting, no filler. 1,811 viewers have already rated it on TMDB — the kind of consensus that does not happen by accident. Antonio Banderas's performance is the anchor the more ambitious scenes need. Available now on Amazon Prime Video — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

Automata arrived without much fanfare and built its audience the hard way — through word of mouth. What makes Automata work is that the ideas never crowd out the people having them. Jacq Vaucan, an insurance agent of ROC robotics corporation, routinely investigates the case of manipulating a robot. What he discovers will have profound consequences for the future of humanity. Antonio Banderas and Melanie Griffith lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 2014. The rules of Automata's world are consistent enough that the big swings never feel like cheating. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

Automata is satisfying on multiple levels — something to watch and something to think about after. If you have run out of similar titles to watch, this is a strong next pick. The complete film is available and best experienced without too much prior knowledge of where it goes. Watch for Antonio Banderas in particular — the performance elevates the material. Satisfying on multiple levels.