Scary Tech Movies for Halloween Screams

Let's face it, technology can be scary sometimes, even when the lights are on. With the pace of innovation, and the increasing ability for AI to learn about our ways and anticipate our moves even before we perceive of our desires, it seems, it can feel like we aren't the users anymore, but the used.

Since it's Halloween, our team members got to chatting about horror movies and shows in which technology takes on an evil quality. Even though in reality, we know that the people behind the technology are really in control, pondering the possibility of technology becoming sentient and taking over with terrifying consequences is enough to send a shiver through our spines.

Here are our team's suggestions for terrifying tech tales:

"Check out Come Play on Crave. I enjoyed the story! Here's the synopsis: Lonely and desperate for a friend, young Oliver is constantly glued to his tablet and smartphone. However, his precious screen time takes a horrifying turn when a gruesome monster uses his devices to enter his world." - Sandra, Innovation Lead

"2001: A Space Odyssey. HAL." - Tommy, Digital Analyst

"I highly recommend Black Mirror on Netflix, it is an anthology series and the episodes can be watched in any order. Black Mirror refers to a screen and all the episodes revolve around the repercussions of futuristic tech, some of which is closer to being achieved than others. Some of the more scary episodes in the horror/thriller sense, in my opinion, include:

• S2E2 - White Bear

• Special - White Christmas

• S3E2 - Playtest

• S3E3 - Shut Up and Dance

• S3E5 - Men Against Fire

• S3E6 - Hated in the Nation

• S4E3 - Crocodile

• S4E5 - Metalhead

• S4E6 - Black Museum (best watched when you've seen the others as it has many Easter eggs)

• Bandersnatch - an interactive episode with almost endless potential endings, like a choose your own adventure book."

- Emilie, People Strategist

"A movie that has aged surprisingly well from a technological themes perspective is The Net with Sandra Bullock. It's from 1995 so some other themes haven't aged as well, but it's still a good watch. Gattaca is another great future tech utopia/dystopia film. CHAPPiE is...something. As we are now in the era of drones-with-guns, this movie is scarier than when it first came out." - Seb, Manager, Technical Centre of Excellence

"War Games." - Clint, Information Architect

"If you haven't seen it, highly recommend Ex Machina. A great quiet sci-fi story that really makes you think about what it means to be human/alive and the power of technology." - Jean-Sébastien, Content Manager

"Some really good suggestions have already been made but here are some of my favs:

• Moon - Is technology evil, or is it us all along HmmmMMm

• Videodrome - Old tech can be just as freaky

• Event Horizon - An evil ship? Le gasp!

• Blinky - One of my fav short films! won't give anything away but if you have 12 min I suggest watching."

- Chantel, Content Evangelist, Community and Governance

Happy Halloween, everyone, and be sure to treat your devices well...