Dinner
and a Movie
Androidal
Amazons and Amazonian Appetizers
By
Steve Herte
I
have my college degree in Mathematics with a minor in Physics. Like
the main character in the TV show, Numbers, I see
mathematics in everything, especially music. There’s tempo, rhythm,
and meter, which all contribute to something we can dance to and
enjoy. Likewise, there’s mathematics in music theory. I’ve often
considered how many combinations of the 13 notes of the chromatic
scale there could be and that the answer would give me the total
number of possible melodies. Though this seems like a huge number
would result, I took into consideration how many of these
combinations would be pleasant (admittedly a relative term) and
the number reduces significantly. Simply stated, all the pleasant
combinations of possible notes have already been written and
anything “new” would have to sound like something written
before, or it would not be pleasing to the ear. Hence, “rap.”
Movie
themes and stories are a similar case in point. It’s very difficult
to come up with a novel story anymore just because of the sheer
volume of tales already written. This is probably why we see so many
movies today that remind us on previous stories. The one I saw Friday
is an example. See what you think. Enjoy!
Ex
Machina (A24, 2015) – Director: Alex
Garland. Writer: Alex Garland. Stars: Alicia Vikander, Domhnall
Gleeson, Oscar Isaac, Sonoya Mizuno, & Claire Selby. Color,
108 minutes.
As
we go through life we all encounter stories about or works written by
people who impress us as someone we would like to have met. High on
my list is Mary Shelley. Not only did she write the winning story in
an informal contest with noted male writers, but that same story has
become a benchmark for many others over the ages, repeated, remade,
and retold. The tale of a mad scientist cobbling together a creation
and bringing it to life with bolts of lightning is echoed in this
contemporary sci-fi.
Caleb
(Gleeson), a slightly nerdy computer programmer, wins the “staff
lottery” at his workplace in Brookhaven, Long Island, and everybody
is happy for him. He’s won a trip to Buena Vista, California, to
meet his new boss, Nathan (Isaac) at his high-tech facility. The
final leg of his cross-country journey is a helicopter ride through
the mountains to a green, grassy meadow. “You’re leaving me
here?” “I’m not allowed to land any closer than this to the
building.” “What building?” (There’s none in sight.) “Just
follow the river.” And he does.
At
the river, the blocky, undistinguished entrance to Nathan’s
underground complex is visible over a short bridge. An electronic
female voice calls him to bring his face near the lit doorplate. It
flashes a picture of him and spits out his key-card and he uses it to
enter.
Inside
is a neat sunlit greeting area with plush chairs and a fireplace but
not a sign of Nathan. The sound of someone beating a punching bag
leads Caleb to a glassed-in porch where he meets his new boss. The
bearded, casual Nathan wants their relationship to be informal as
well and presents Caleb with a written agreement forbidding him from
revealing anything he sees or learns at the facility. At first he’s
reluctant to sign. But when Nathan gives him a choice of sitting
around drinking or experiencing the breakthrough of a lifetime, he
signs.
After
a series of questions, Nathan reveals the purpose of Caleb’s visit.
He’s to evaluate Ava (Vikander), a perfectly functioning female
android for proof of her Artificial Intelligence (A.I.). When Caleb
is introduced to Ava, her human face, hands and feet amaze him. The
rest of her is obviously machine, transparent arms, legs, skull and
torso, reminding me of the “Visible Man” construction toy, only
with wires and lights inside.
As
Caleb interviews Ava in their daily “sessions,” he learns of her
“feelings,” desires and interests. When asked where she would go
if she left the complex, she answers to a crowded city intersection,
to see people. Periodically, strange “power failures” occur in
the building. Caleb later learns that Ava induces them. She tells him
that during these failures, Nathan cannot hear or see what they say
and do – he has the entire complex wired with closed-circuit
television. She wants to escape.
Each
day after a session Caleb rejoins Nathan to discuss what he learned
from Ava. Nathan responds like an irresponsible hippie but questions
him like a mad, but highly intelligent scientist. In one of their
meetings, Caleb meets Kyoko (Mizuno), a beautiful Japanese girl who
“doesn’t understand a word of English” and tends to Nathan’s
every whim. Nathan doesn’t seem to care what Ava wants. He’s got
his mind on the next improvement in the line of A.I. robots. He’s
more interested in getting drunk and dancing with Kyoko (an extremely
silly moment).
Caleb
realizes he has feelings for Ava and believes she has the same for
him. She even dresses up for him and puts a wig on her head to look
more human. He decides on a plan to help her leave the complex with
him when the helicopter returns on the last day.
But
just who is manipulating whom? Is Nathan truly oblivious to Ava and
Caleb’s “private” conversations? How many prototypes were there
before Ava and what were the results? Spoiler Alert: By the end of
the movie we learn it all when the mad scientist is murdered by his
creations and Ava leaves alone, locking Caleb in the complex.
Do
not go to this movie after a tiring workday. You will fall asleep in
several instances. I nearly did. There are several restful scenes
where nothing significant is going on and beautiful mountain scenery
is displayed. The background music is normally unobtrusive. It
occasionally builds as if something is going to jump out at you, but
it never does. The big selling point is the special visual effects.
The list of people who worked on this aspect is over 100 long. Every
time Ava walked into a scene I wondered how they accomplished her
character’s machine/human look. It was fascinating.
It
also made me think. Suppose someone does create Artificial
Intelligence? What will be the first thing it wants to have?
Mobility? New experiences? Self-replication? The movie is great as a
thought experiment. Do we blame Ava for wanting to be free? Do we
vilify Nathan for restricting her? And what of poor gullible Caleb,
who is merely the pawn of both?
Parental
Warning: Scenes of full frontal nudity make this one I am not
recommending to young people.
Rating:
3½ out of 5 Martini glasses.
Botequim
132
4th Avenue (betwee. 12th and
13th Streets), New York
When
I made my reservation at Botequim (Portuguese for “Tavern”), I
had no idea that it was a hotel restaurant (not that I’ve heard of
the One/Five Hotel either). But after searching the four corners of
the intersection of 4th Avenue and 13th Street
and not seeing it, I was intrigued. I crossed 4th Avenue
and surveyed the opposite side. That’s when I saw the understated
entrance. Basically, it’s a glass door with the restaurant name on
it, over-shadowed by a dark blue awning repeating the uniquely
calligraphed title, flanked by two boxy planters with (what else?)
boxwoods.
Inside,
the colorful, mural-splashed walls lead to a stairway to the
underground restaurant. At the bottom, I was convinced I had gone the
wrong way when it appeared I was heading to a dishwashing area. Thank
goodness a server caught me and led me the rest of the way. I finally
noticed the Captain’s Station and stated my reservation to the
gentleman in charge. He led me through a small cocktail lounge lit by
egg-shaped swags, where the bare-topped tables were decorated with
green and turquoise ostrich plume centerpieces. We entered the main
dining area and I sat at a table in a corner banquette. The wall
opposite mine had a wrap-around mural in shades of black, white and
grey streaks, as did the one behind me. The open kitchen formed the
only other long side of the room.
The
single-page food menu was already on the table and my server, Silvio,
appeared to present me the drinks menu (a small ring-bound book) and
take my water preference. I had chosen the Passion Fruit Caipirinha –
Cachaça, Alizé, fresh passion fruit, and a sugar cane stirrer –
by the time he returned with the water. I had no idea there were more
than one recipe for Caipirinha, and they had six – plus infused
Cachaças, sipping Cachaças and unique beers.
I
had ample time to read the menu before my cocktail arrived and noted
its five designations: – Cozinha De Botequim (small
bites), Aperitivos (appetizers), Prato
Principal(Entrees), Cortes Nobres (Steaks), and
Sides. In fact I had begun to wonder if they forgot me when Silvio
arrived with the drink and several apologies for its lateness.
Needless to say, it was sweet and went down real easy.
Even
though the Pastelzinhos De Carne – ground beef,
tomato and olive filled pastries – was tempting I chose the much
more fun to say Calabezza Acebolada – grilled
Brazilian sausage with onions. It was a single, long sausage, almost
like a narrow kielbasa sliced in fifths on a bed of caramelized
onions. It was tender and juicy, slightly salty, but savory. Another
server must have heard my pronunciation of the Portuguese words and,
thinking me a native, placed a bottle of homemade hot sauce on the
table. I used it carefully and it added a significant fire to the
dish.
My
server knew that, when my cocktail was finished, I would be ready for
the wine and, lo and behold, I was. The 2009 Salton “Talento”
Cabernet/Merlot/Tannat blend from Serra Gaúcha, Brazil – the
mountainous region of southern Brazil below the equator – was a
beautiful ruby color, had a nice dark fruity nose and a full tannic
flavor that stood up to the intense flavors of my meal.
When
my second course was served I regretted my use of the hot sauce,
because the Sopa De Palmito – cream-less puree of
Hearts of Palm Soup with red, green and yellow peppers and cilantro –
was a delicate flavor and was almost eclipsed by the hot pepper
sauce. It was a lovely soup and eventually I was able to detect its
subtle coconut-y taste.
The
main course was a traditional Brazilian dish that I haven’t had the
pleasure of eating in a long time. It’s called Feijoada –
from feijoão meaning “beans.” It’s braised
black beans and cured meats, with cashew rice, farofa (ground,
toasted casava), collard greens and orange/star anise (carambola)
salad. The bowl of meat and beans was served separate from what I
would call “the toppings” and, what I did was sprinkle some
rice, farofa, and collards over the beans and eat it layer by
layer. It was excellent. I call it “Brazilian Soul Food,” and the
memories it brought back had me teary-eyed. I remarked on this happy
moment to the manager when he visited my table because he thought it
was the hot sauce that made me cry. I was having a great time and
Silvio commented that he admired someone who could take the proper
time over a meal with a good wine to enjoy it and not, in his words,
“knock it all back without tasting it.” I thanked him for that.
I
also noted to him that it was a mystery to me how (and I heard this
around me) people could come to an excellent Brazilian restaurant and
order spaghetti or hamburgers. He agreed. I was now finished with the
main course and ready for dessert. The most interesting one was
called Cachaça-flavored and chocolate truffles. Cachaça,
if you didn’t know already is a liquor distilled from sugar cane,
much like rum is, but it isn’t as sweet as rum. The six soft
confections were served on a wooden board and were coated with shaved
nut meats and chocolate sprinkles respectively. Wonderful!
I
asked Silvio if they served Brazilian Coffee and he surprised me with
a negative. I couldn’t help thinking about the old song, “They’ve
got a lot of coffee in Brazil…” He claimed that what they had was
American coffee, but what he served was a full cup of something that
was better than the best espresso I’ve ever had. I told him to
bottle the recipe and sell it as espresso. New Yorkers wouldn’t
know the difference. I loved it.
What
would go with a hefty cup of good coffee in a great Brazilian
restaurant? A nice glass of amontillado, of course. I was ready to do
the Bossa Nova. “We have regular Bossa Nova night on Saturday,”
said Silvio.
I
learned from the manager that Botequim is seven months old and I
wished them many more as I left with strains of “The Girl from
Ipanema” playing in my head. Definitely worth a return visit.
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