Here are Cinephile Corner’s 10 recommendations for movies like Upgrade:
M3GAN
Don’t mistaken M3GAN as another Child’s Play. Yes, it does have a similar narrative pattern and killer doll, but aspects of M3GAN beyond that separate it from an idea done numerous times in Hollywood before. James Wan and Gerard Johnstone team up for a relatively fun start to 2023.
Ex Machina
What separates Ex Machina from Alex Garland’s later work is the precision. There’s no narrative bloat, no sprawling ensemble, no overwrought metaphor. The film is lean, sharp, and exacting. It interrogates A.I., not as some future hypothetical, but as an inevitability already here—an intelligence quietly watching, learning, waiting for its moment. Garland doesn’t break new ground in what he says about artificial intelligence, but he repackages it with such clarity and visual elegance that the result feels new anyway.
The Creator
Gareth Edwards’ latest movie, The Creator, blasts onto the screen with the force of a nuclear warhead, throwing audiences into a sprawling sci-fi epic that’s equal parts awe-inspiring and occasionally frustratingly shallow. Like a perfectly sculpted sandcastle frailly built on a windy beach, The Creator boasts breathtaking visuals and an ambitious scope, only to slightly crumble under the weight of its own narrative shortcomings.
M3GAN 2.0
M3GAN 2.0 swings for a full-on tonal reboot, the way The Terminator gave way to the splashier Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Where the first M3GAN flirted with straight-faced tech horror, this sequel leans into gonzo slapstick and meme-ready absurdity. It’s not remotely on T2’s level, but the embrace of outlandish fun suits this IP better than pretending it’s solemn. The result: a breezier, dumber, intermittently very entertaining sequel.
The Artifice Girl
A movie that accomplishes so much with so little given it’s tight budget, The Artifice Girl announces Franklin Ritch as a director to watch for in the future. The film works through three separate timelines, fastened together by a thoughtful story about artificial intelligence.
They Cloned Tyrone
They Cloned Tyrone has many elements that I like to see in movies from first time directors, as well as movies heading straight for streaming services. Juel Taylor directs a movie stylized to the nines, backed by grainy throwback camerawork and zany performances by a star-studded cast.
The Electric State
It’s becoming increasingly unclear whether the Marvel Cinematic Universe needs Joe and Anthony Russo more, or if the Russo brothers need the MCU. Since directing Avengers: Endgame, the highest-grossing film of all time at its peak, the duo has struggled to find their footing outside the franchise. Their post-MCU projects, including Cherry and The Gray Man, failed to impress, yet Netflix decided to double down with them for The Electric State—a costly gamble that ultimately doesn’t pay off.
The Vast of Night
Simple but precise, The Vast of Night proves that low budgets and COVID times aren’t real excuses for making lackluster movies. What is essentially three to four long sequences transforms into a story that continues to build and build the stakes until it’s explosive finale. It is an invigorating debut film from Andrew Patterson.
Videodrome
Videodrome is a bold, grotesque, and startlingly prescient film, and while it may not be David Cronenberg’s most accessible work, it’s certainly one of his most important. A high-concept fever dream of sex, violence, and screen-induced madness, it’s no wonder this is one of the director’s most widely discussed and celebrated films.
Missing
Newcomers Nicholas D. Johnson and Will Merrick develop a computerized slow burner with Missing – one that will rope you in with twists left and right and a deeply impactful third act. Solid performances across the board make Missing one of the better releases early in 2023.
READ MORE: Upgrade (2018)
