1. We are able to choose the things based on... 

你给的句子不完整，based on 也许作定语，修饰前文的things，也许作方式状语，修饰choose，这样就是垂悬分词用法。

2.The film-maker was able to portray the inadequacy of human responses，compared with the magnificent technology.

是的，这里compared with the magnificent technology，是垂悬分词作比较状语。垂悬分词的特征是：其逻辑主语不是句子主语。