Sony Pictures - Circuitry Man

This incredibly imaginative tale - part sci-fi, part romance, and part road movie - is set in the near future when the atmosphere has become too polluted and toxic for humans to live, forcing them to live underground - a dark, depressing environment that can only be escaped with supplies of oxygen and the use of secret pathways that lead topside. Dana Wheeler-Nicholson (Fletch) is Lori, a former bodyguard compelled into serving her former boss, Juice (Lu Leonard), a vicious dealer, during an exchange with the ruthless addict, Plughead (Vernon Wells). When a police bust causes everything to go wrong, Lori ends up with the score and an opportunity to change her life, but she needs to get to New York and escape the sadistic Plughead - not to mention the cops pursuing her - to capitalize on the illegal cache. Lori teams up with Danner (Jim Metzler), a synthetic gigolo held captive by an idea Juice has planted in his program. Lori manipulates Danner for his assistance in getting to New York, but the two face extraordinary hazards and obstacles on the way. Humorous characters and clever plotting don't hide the shoestring budget, but this is one film that proves that inspired situations don't require pyrotechnics - and the ideas behind this film are worth being explored.