Five Films That Should Scare the Hell Out of You
Courtesy of MovieClips with apologies to Slim Pickens
Listen up, folks. The world is on fire, and it’s not just from climate change or the never-ending political dumpster fire. AI is marching forward like a relentless Terminator without the cool one-liners, and America is slipping into something that looks eerily familiar if you’ve ever spent time watching classic films instead of doomscrolling. So let’s take a serious look at five films that are screaming at us to pay attention.
Schindler's List (1993)
What happens when a society becomes so dehumanized that genocide becomes a bureaucratic operation? Spielberg’s masterpiece about Oskar Schindler, the industrialist who saved over a thousand Jews during the Holocaust, isn’t just a harrowing history lesson—it’s a warning. In an age where AI is already making decisions about hiring, lending, and policing, we need to ask: Who’s writing the code? Who’s in control? And how long before some algorithm starts making "hard choices" about whose lives matter? We’ve already seen AI systems show bias against marginalized groups—imagine that on an institutionalized, systematic scale. Dachaus started as work camp. What will our detention centers turn into?
Ex Machina (2014)
Alex Garland’s sleek sci-fi thriller gives us Ava, a stunningly advanced AI who proves that just because something seems human doesn’t mean it has our best interests at heart. AI evangelists love to talk about how AI is going to be our savior, but let’s get real—Ava is a metaphor for exactly what’s happening today. Tech billionaires (looking at you, Silicon Valley overlords) are developing AI in secrecy, testing it on the masses, and toying with intelligence they barely understand. Like Caleb, the hapless programmer in the film, we think we’re in control—until we realize we’re locked in and the machine is calling the shots. Sound familiar? It should. It’s happening in real time. Boycott Clear and LinkedIn Verification!
Civil War (2024)
Garland (again, these Brits!) takes a hard look at where America is heading with this dystopian thriller about a fractured nation. I was disappointed when it first came out, but now, it is poignant as hell. The terrifying part? We don’t have to wait for the future—polarization, extremist rhetoric, and violence are already here. The film follows war journalists navigating a divided nation as the U.S. collapses into full-blown chaos, and let’s be honest: Doesn’t it already feel like we’re living in a prequel? Now, add AI to the mix—deepfakes, misinformation, and automated propaganda fueling the fire. When the truth itself is under siege, how do we even begin to fight back? Maybe we should start by not letting the machines write our history for us.
Judgment at Nuremberg (1961)
This courtroom drama isn’t just about the aftermath of World War II—it’s about accountability. The film forces us to ask: When terrible things happen, who is responsible? The people giving the orders, or those who followed them blindly? Fast forward to today, and we’re seeing tech leaders shrug off responsibility for AI systems that cause harm. “The algorithm did it” is the modern-day equivalent of “just following orders.” Whether it’s biased policing, unethical surveillance, or automated decisions that destroy livelihoods, we need our own Nuremberg trials for AI. The real question is: Will we hold these decision-makers accountable before the damage is irreversible? BTW, just planting a seed there will be “MAGA War Criminals” held to account in International courts, as ours have failed.
Dr. Strangelove (1964)
Kubrick’s Cold War satire remains one of the most terrifying (and hilarious) portraits of unchecked power and human stupidity. Sound familiar? The film’s central crisis—a nuclear war triggered by a madman—might seem absurd, but let’s swap out nukes for AI-driven weapons. We already have autonomous drones, predictive policing, and AI-enhanced military strategies. What happens when an AI system decides to go rogue, or when bad actors manipulate these technologies? Just like in the film, the people supposedly in charge have no clue how to stop the machine once it starts rolling. And if you think today’s world leaders are more competent than those in Dr. Strangelove, I have a nice bridge to sell you.
The Bottom Line
These films aren’t just entertainment—they’re crystal balls showing us a future we should be terrified of. AI is not some benevolent force making life easier; it’s a tool, and like any tool, it can be used for good or catastrophic harm. And in a country that’s already teetering on the edge of madness, the last thing we need is unchecked AI accelerating the fall.
So what can we do? We resist. We demand transparency. We push for ethical AI policies and governance. And for God’s sake, we stay informed—because the future is being written right now, and we damn well better make sure it’s not penned by an AI with a God complex.
About the Author
Curt Doty, founder of CurtDoty.co, is an award winning creative director whose legacy lies in branding, product development, social strategy, integrated marketing, and User Experience Design. His work of entertainment branding includes Electronic Arts, EA Sports, ProSieben, SAT.1, WBTV Latin America, Discovery Health, ABC, CBS, A&E, StarTV, Fox, Kabel 1, and TV Guide Channel.
He has extensive experience on AI-driven platforms MidJourney, Adobe Firefly, ChatGPT, Murf.ai, HeyGen, and DALL-E. He now runs his AI consultancy RealmIQ and companion podcast RealmIQ: Sessions on YouTube and Spotify.
He is a sought after public speaker having been featured at Streaming Media NYC, Digital Hollywood, Mobile Growth Association, Mobile Congress, App Growth Summit, Promax, CES, CTIA, NAB, NATPE, MMA Global, New Mexico Angels, Santa Fe Business Incubator, EntrepeneursRx, Davos Worldwide and AI Impact. He has lectured at universities including Full Sail, SCAD, Art Center College of Design, CSUN and Chapman University.
He currently serves on the board of the Godfrey Reggio Foundation and is the AI Writer for Parlay Me.
