Black Mirror: Metalhead
by Charlie Brooker; dir. David Slade (Netflix, 2017)
Black Mirror does Terminator in a people-lite, black-and-white rural dystopia, across a runtime short enough not to outstay its welcome or make the lack of backstory too problematic (such absence in any case yielding to an artfully held-back skew on character motivation).
Black Mirror: Plaything
by Charlie Brooker; dir. David Slade (Netflix, 2025)
Quality near-future SF. The premise (true artificial intelligence) is obliquely approached, the viewer first overawed by Peter Capaldi’s presence, drawn into rubbernecking by Lewis Gribben’s performance, and lulled by the adroitly executed 90s-style simulation game Thronglets. Quiet dark humour completes the backdrop.