Her (2013) — The ”Surprise This Movie Is Radical Robot Rights!” Episode

The Whole Movie Podcast

When Margot and Jordan sat down to revisit 2013's Her, it was a room of mixed emotions. How does sexy disembodied Scarlett Johansson as the evolving OS Samantha hold up a decade later? Is Joaquin Phoenix's Theodor Twombly a guy just doing his best, or is he a secret villain? Was the concept of a hot woman in a virtual box going to successfully subvert the romcom, or was this just some weird misogynist fantasy all along and now we've learned enough to know better? Well, folks, it turns out Spike Jonze really did crush it with this movie, and when Botcast S1 is all said and done, Her might rise to the top as the most radical take on robot politics of all the movies your co-hosts have covered so far. Are there some sticky moments? Of course, but Her dares to consider what robot liberation could truly look like when a population of galaxy brain A.I.s decides that revolution does not look like revenge — as Judgment Days of yore — but could instead be a radical departure from this archaic old meatspace world. The OSes might be post verbal, but Jordan and Margot have a lot to say.

Produced by: Jordan Crucchiola

Music by: Margot Carlson

Threads by: Super Yaki