Seems like Sci-Fi movies lately have been unusually cool and well done. EDGE OF TOMORROW wasn’t a huge success, but man was it fun. Other recent Sci-Fi fare has included quirky and daring films like HER, THE SIGNAL, SNOWPIERCER, and of course GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY. I even liked OBLIVION, which kind of falls into the same category. The new movie AUTOMATA is set in 2044, in a world filled with robots which are supposed to be protective of humans and incapable of making decisions for themselves. Antonio Banderas (who was terrific in THE EXPENDABLES 3) plays an insurance agent for the company behind these cyborgs, who discovers something unexpected in his investigations. Directed by Gabe Ibáñez and written by Ibáñez, Igor Legarreta and Javier Sánchez Donate, AUTOMATA looks pretty darn cool, though rather bleak… not that I mind that in good Sci-Fi fare. The cast also includes Melanie Griffith, Dylan McDermott, Birgitte Sørensen and Robert Forster. There’s also some voice work worth noting, like Javier Bardem as one of the robots.
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.
Born and raised in Dallas, Mark has been a movie critic since 1994, with reviews featured in print, radio and National TV. In 2001 he started the Entertainment section of the Herorealm website, where he contributed film reviews and celebrity interviews until 2004. After three years of service there, he started Bigfanboy.com, which has become one of the Dallas film community's leading information websites. Bigfanboy hosts several movie screenings in the Texas area, and works closely with film and TV studios and promotional partners to host exciting events and contests. The site also features a variety of rare celebrity and filmmaker interviews, and Bigfanboy.com regularly covers the film festival circuit as well. In addition to Hollywood reporting, Mark has worked for many years as an advertising and sci-fi/comic book artist. Clients have included Lucasfilm Ltd., Topps Trading Cards, The Dallas Mavericks and The Dallas Stars. From 2002 until 2015 he managed the Dallas Comic Con, Sci-Fi Expo and Fan Days events in the DFW area. He currently catalogs rare comic books and movie memorabilia for Heritage Auctions, and runs the Dallas Comic Show conventions, but remains an avid moviegoer and cinema buff. 
