The trailer for Spike Jonze’s upcoming film, Her:
Waldman thinks the premise “doesn’t seem too far-fetched, both from the perspective of the software and our remarkable ability to imbue non-human things—both inanimate and otherwise—with human characteristics”:
[H]ave you ever had a crush on a character in a television show? You know you have. Think about what a limited amount you learned about that character—just a few hundred lines of dialogue, of course presented in the physical form of a very attractive Hollywood actor. Now that you’ve called up that memory, imagine if that character could have interacted with you, had long and frank conversations, and was programmed to be charming, understanding, affectionate, or whatever else might be most appealing to you. Couldn’t you develop feelings for that persona that were much more meaningful than what you felt for your old TV crush?
The Dish 