More blasts from the past

While tidying my office, I discovered some photos I took back in 1989.

This was my telephone back then. No mobile, obviously. The shades are slightly different, but still Ray Bans today.

This was my office and state of the art portable typewriter. Note the vinyl and headphones. My landlord at the time didn't love jazz quite as much as I did.

How I wish I could watch 'Ex Machina' with Mary Shelley

Watch Ex Machina as soon as you can. And keep in mind that Frankenstein was written 200 years ago by a woman.

A time travelling Mary Shelley would, I suspect, love Ex Machina. Alex Garland's mad scientist is a product of our age, assuming that Google may be exploring more possibilities than just the self-driving car. Oscar Isaac plays Nathan brilliantly. Folding up Caleb's non-disclosure agreement is one of the earliest omens in what becomes an intense, dark film.

Domhnall Gleeson is just geeky enough to be credible as a programmer, but his 'status' is clearly a major driver in the main plot and one of those early hints of darkness. I love the fact that it is his submission to Ava's command to "Stay here" which leads to his extended viewing of her development through glass, just as she's already been linked to his pornographic tastes.

The truly beautiful Alicia Vikander dominates the film and rightly looks in line for some awards of her own, above those for the stunning film in its entirety. Ignore the plot holes about power and battery life - Ava's story just got interesting.

Although I loved Suffragette, this is a century's development of feminism. Ex Machina explores and explodes myths about men playing gods. And women who just won't let them have it all their own way.

Ex Machina is probably the only film I'll choose to buy on DVD this year and will sit happily alongside my other Sci-Fi favourite - Blade Runner.