Cube: Intriguing, Intelligent, and Well Directed

Kathryn joins Melvin to discuss a late-90’s Canadian sci-fi thriller, Cube! Why? Because Melvin has a podcast and he gets to choose what they cover! From talented directing to the intriguing mystery of the cube itself, the two discuss all sorts of exciting material in this episode. Tune in now!

Topics:

• (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 45-minutes discussing various Google “AI Overview” answers, laughing at their absurdity, and also reviewing how bad AI (or, large language models: LLMs) simply amplify lies, misinformation, or useless search and research practices (PATREON EXCLUSIVE)
• Kathryn and Melvin agree: the direction behind Cube is immensely impressive.
• The Canadian Film Centre is a program that helps network industry partners and volunteers with projects they’ve chosen to support. Cube was one such project. (Source: Sardonicast 150 [timestamp: 00:16:09])
• There’s a perpetual unease and oppression to Cube that meshes well with its pacing.
• One angle about Cube’s story is that of how there are unwitting participants in systematic issues.
• The characters are all named in reference to prison, although not all the characters are named after prison’s, as Kathryn learned down the grapevine.
• Melvin, “[Cube] at some point is a math movie.”
• Melvin talks about his current fascination with numbers as a definitive thing a world of excessive subjectivities.
• Because the setting and scenario of the cube is so static, the film allows for complex, dynamic character interactions.
• Thoughts on the ending, and the cube as a metaphor for life.

Recommendations:

• Authority by Jeff VanderMeer (2014) (Book)
• Saw (2004) (Movie)

Cube is Rated R for some strong sci-fi violence/gore and language. It features Nicole de Boer, Maurice Dean Wint, David Hewlett, Andrew Miller, Nicky Guadagni, Julian Richings, and Wayne Robson. Directed by Vincenzo Natali. Cube is available here.

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Melvin Benson is the Founder, Editor-In-Chief, and Lead Host of Cinematic Doctrine. Whether it’s a movie, show, game, comic, or novel, it doesn’t matter. As long as it’s rich, he’s ready and willing to give it a try! His hope is to see King Jesus glorified as far as the east is from the west!

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