Well, this was interesting. (Don't worry, you're not looking at the Asylum knock-off

).
I'd been meaning to watch
The Machine for awhile, and finally got an excuse when
Ex Machina came out to rave reviews. I figured the earlier of the two couldn't compete, so I made a point of watching that one first to give it a chance to stand on its own.
Both films tackle similar themes in wildly different ways, with both especially making a big deal about the Turing Test.
Machine is the flashier, campier, and shinier of the two, but it's still a fun exploration of artificial life with a focus on the implications of breeding living weapons.
The Machine works mostly as a showcase for Caity Lotz, who gives great bot AND does all her own stunts. Anytime she's not on screen though, the movie's just waiting for her to come back. Toby Stephens is good, but a lot of actors could've played that role the same way. This is the one that owes much more to
Blade Runner in its direction, atmosphere, and world-building.
While
The Machine is a fine movie,
Ex Machina is a friggin' masterpiece. As the previews suggest, this one's more like a tense, meticulously crafted stage play. It's more quiet and talky (even the violence quiet) and finds its strength in a great script and its excellent trio of actors. This is the one I'm gonna be turning over in my brain for some time.
THE MACHINE: 7/10
EX MACHINA: 9.5/10
Plus, how weird is it that both films have characters named Ava? (One is the robot, the other is the robot's mother).